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The
Moving Continents from Pangaea to the Future
(Introductory Lesson to Continental Drift and
Plate Tectonics)
Designed
by: Canisha Fletcher
School: Hand Middle School
Grade
Level: 8th Subject:
Science
State
Curriculum Standards Objectives:
1) Examine how scientists use fossils as clues
to study the Earth's past. (II.A.4a)
2) Explain the modern distribution of the
continents to the movement of the lithospheric
plates since the formation of Pangaea. (III.B.3n)
Restatement:
The students will be able to trace the
movement of the continents from Pangaea to
present, and to the future.
Projected
Class Size: 30
Overview:
Students will make maps of the placement of
the continents from 250 million years ago to 100
million years in the future while formulating
operational definitions for Plate Tectonics,
Continental Drift and Pangaea.
Focus
Questions: 1) How has the placement of the
continents changed over time? 2) What fossil
evidence supports the theory of continental
drift? 3) What are Pangaea, Continental Drift,
and Plate Tectonics?
Time
Frame: 2 to 3- fifty-minute class periods
Resources
/ Materials:
- Note to Teacher: Make 15 (only need 10 for the
lesson)
laminated
sets of the continents using the Die cuts at the
Teacher's Center. Use a different color of
construction paper for each continent.
-
Glue or Tape
-
Extra Large Construction Paper (one for each
group)
-
Ruler / Straight Edge
-
Markers / Colored Pencils
-
White Typing Paper (two sheets per group)
-Copies
of the Continents (See Attachment)
-
Copies of the Rubric (one for each student)
-
Copies of the Student Information Sheet (one for
each student)
-
Science Interactions, Course 3, Glencoe/McGraw
(Chapter 15 and pages 520-521)
-
Hard copy of an Encyclopedia from the Media
Center (letters C and P)
-
Computer with Internet Access and/or Portable
Laptop Lab from Instructional Services
-
Handout of the suggested web sites (one per
group)
-
Suggested Web sites: http://newmedia.avs.uakron.edu/geology/ge/ch/pte/sum.htm
http://www.kaibab.org/geology/contdrift.htm
http://www.askjeeves.com
http://kids.infoplease.lycos.com/science.html
Encyclopedia
Grolier (Access from Discus)
Culminating
Assessment: The pairs will create and
present continental placement maps and answer
set of research questions. They will be
evaluated using a point spread rubric and peer
evaluation. See Attachment.
Instructional
Activities:
Activity One - Construction of
Map- 1 to 2 class periods
1)
Note to teacher: Arrange the materials in a
designated area prior to the day of the
activity.
2)
Start the class with the following warm-up. Tell
the students to close their eyes and visualize
the continents as puzzle pieces. Then, generate
an image of the current placement of the
continents. Finally, try to image fitting the
continents together like a jigsaw puzzle. Remind
the students that understanding the placement of
the continents is important life skill. Tie in
geography and traveling.
3)
Place the students in groups of 3. It will take
less time if the teacher has pre-assigned the
groups. Pass out the rubrics and remind the
students that a peer evaluation will be
conducted at the end of the activity.
4)
Once the groups have been formed, allow the
group members to chose a role: - Materials
Gatherer / Drawer - Recorder - Researcher
5)
Assign each group one of the following time
periods. Some groups will have the same time
period.
-
250 million years ago (Two groups)
- 180 million years ago (Two groups)
- 135 million years ago (Two groups)
- 66 million years ago (Two groups)
- Present Day (One group)
- 100 million years in the future (One
group)
6)
The Materials Gatherer will retrieve the
materials from the designated area.
7)
The Drawer will lightly divide the construction
paper into quarters.
8)
The Recorder will label the Northern Hemisphere,
Southern Hemisphere, and the Equator.
9)
The Researcher needs to guide the group to
determine the correct placement of the
continents and major bodies of water for the
group's designated time period. Use the
Continent sheet and/or Science book.
10)
The group will decode the colors for each
continent.
11)
The group will use the laminated continents to
reproduce the placement of the continents on the
extra large construction paper. Also, determine
where North America is located. Groups should
have the teacher check for correctness before
doing the next step.
12)
The Drawer will trace the continents on the
construction paper and make a legend for the
color coded continents and North America. The
legend should be located in the bottom right
corner. While the Drawer is tracing the
continents, the Researcher and the Recorder will
research the group's assigned time period by
answering a set of questions. Once the drawer is
finished, he/she should assist the other group
members. (See attachment)
13)
After the Researcher and the Recorder have
answered the questions, the group will generate
a definition for Plate Tectonics, Continental
Drift, and Pangaea. It cannot sound like the
book.
14)
The Drawer and Researcher will make a title for
the map. The Recorder will transfer the
questions and answers to the Typing Paper and
attach it to the map.
15)
Remind the groups to write their names on the
map and allow for clean up time.
16)
Teacher will monitor the progress of the groups.
Activity
2- Presentation of the Maps- 1 class
period
1)
Each group will present their map to the class.
Each group member will have a speaking role.
2)
While the group is presenting, the class (the
audience) will answer the questions on the
Moving Continent Information Sheet. (See
Attachment)
3)
Display the highest scoring maps in the Media
Center or the Cafeteria. Inform the students of
this at the beginning of Activity One.
4)
After the presentations, generate a class
definition for Plate Tectonics, Continental
Drift, and Pangaea. Write them on a poster board
and display in the class or in the hallway. The
"best" could be displayed with the
maps in the Media Center or Cafeteria.
5)
Save the maps and reuse them when teaching the
division of the Major Tectonic Plates.
Attachment
1:
Rubric
Continental Map Rubric
Name:
_______________________________________________
Date:
_______ Class: _______ Time Period:
___________________________
NI
= Needs Improvement,
G = Good,
E = Excellent
| 30
points Correct Placement of the
Continents |
30
(E) |
20
(G) |
10
(NI) |
| 20
points Definitions: PT, CD, Pangaea |
20
(E) |
15
(G) |
10
(NI) |
| 15
points Fossil Evidence Stated |
15
(E) |
10
(G) |
5
(NI) |
15
points Map Layout / Questions
- Neatness
- Legend
- Spelling/ Grammar |
5
(E)
5 (E)
5 (E) |
3
(G)
3 (G)
3 (G) |
1
(NI)
1(NI)
1(NI) |
10
points Presentation
- eye contact
- clear diction
- participation |
10
(E) |
5
(G) |
2
(NI) |
| 10
points Peer Evaluation |
--
See Below _____
Total Score _____/100 |
Teacher
Comments:
Peer Evaluation:
| Partner
1: _____________________ |
Partner
2: _______________________ |
| Cooperation |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
Cooperation |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
| Maintained
Focus |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
Maintained
Focus |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
| Followed
Directions |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
Followed
Directions |
1 |
|
2 |
____ |
| Actively
Worked |
1 |
2 |
4 |
____ |
Actively
Worked |
1 |
2 |
4 |
____ |
Comments:
|
Comments:
|
***
Failure to Turn in Rubric on Presentation Day
will result in a reduction of 10 points. ***
Attachment
2:
Research
Questions
Questions
for groups with the time periods between 250 mya
to Present Day
1)
What fossil evidence have scientists discovered
from the assigned time period, include plants
and animals. (at least 4- Present Day group
needs 10)
2)
Describe the placement of North America.
3)
What major Land structures existed or exist?
(ex: mountains, glaciers, etc.)
4)
State the Geologic Era of the assigned time
period.
5)
Based on the group's research state one
interesting fact about the continent's
placement.
6)
Create a group definition of Plate Tectonics,
Continental Drift, and Pangaea. They should not
sound too "bookish."
Questions
for the group with 100 million years in the
future.
(Inference based)
1)
Type of Animals and Planets that might exist.
Explain.
2)
What drastic geologic changes might occur to the
Earth- highlight North America?
3)
Will the earth be covered with more or less
water? Explain.
4)
Create a name for this new Geologic Era.
Attachment3:
Moving
Continents Information Sheet
Name:
______________________________ Date: __________
Class:_________
1)
250 mya Group 1: _______________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
__________________________________________
Location
of North America:
____________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
____________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
________________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
______________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:____________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
___________________________________________________
Pangaea:
________________________________________________________
2)
250 mya Group 2:
_____________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_______________________________________
Location
of North America:
_________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
_________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
__________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:__________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_______________________________________
Continental
Drift:
_______________________________________________
Pangaea:
____________________________________________________
3)
180 mya Group 1: ________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
__________________________________________
Location
of North America:
____________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
____________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
_______________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
____________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:________________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
___________________________________________________
Pangaea:
______________________________________________________
4)
180 mya Group 2:
________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
________________________________________
Location
of North America:
__________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
___________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
_______________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
_______________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:______________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
____________________________________
Continental
Drift:
___________________________________________
Pangaea:
_____________________________________________________
5)
135mya Group 1: ________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
________________________________________
Location
of North America:
__________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
_________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
_____________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
___________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:__________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
______________________________________
Continental
Drift:
_____________________________________________
Pangaea:
_____________________________________________________
6)
135mya Group 2:
________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_____________________________________________________
Location
of North America:
_______________________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
________________________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
__________________________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:_________________________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_____________________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
________________________________________________________
Pangaea:
_______________________________________________________________
7)
66 mya Group 1: ________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_____________________________________________________
Location
of North America:
_______________________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
________________________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
__________________________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:_________________________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_____________________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
________________________________________________________
Pangaea:
_______________________________________________________________
8)
66mya Group 2: ________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_____________________________________________________
Location
of North America:
_______________________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
________________________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
__________________________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:_________________________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_____________________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
________________________________________________________
Pangaea:
_______________________________________________________________
9)
Present Day:
________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_____________________________________________________
Location
of North America:
_______________________________________________________
Fossil
Evidence:
________________________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________________________
Geologic
Era:
__________________________________________________________________
Interesting
Fact:_________________________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_____________________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
________________________________________________________
Pangaea:
_______________________________________________________________
10)
100 in the future:
________________________________________________
Description
of the Continents:
_____________________________________________________
Location
of North America:
_______________________________________________________
Evidence:
________________________________________________________________
Major
Land Structure:
____________________________________________________________
New
Name Geologic Era
__________________________________________________
More
Land or Water, why?
________________________________________________
Definition
of Plate Tectonics:
_____________________________________________________
Continental
Drift:
________________________________________________________
Pangaea:
_______________________________________________________________
Attachment:
Continents - Need to Enlarge
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