Description
Earth’s surface has changed over time. Students will look at patterns of Earth’s features to examine these changes. Students will learn about Pangea, Continental Drift Theory, and seafloor spreading. Students will enjoy this great hands-on, research-based project to get students thinking about patterns of Earth’s features and fossil records and how they help to show geologic changes over time.
They will collect evidence from the presentation and their own research using QR codes or urls. The students will then look at the fossil evidence and try to match up the ancient landmass pieces to see if they can form the supercontinent, Pangea. This activity with fossil evidence is really engaging! All you have to do is print it out and follow the directions.
Students will reflect on the fossil evidence and changes to the Earth’s surface in interactive notebook flaps and folds and response pages that get them to think about the pros and cons of Alfred Wegener’s theory of Continental Drift. Students will determine the flaw in Wegener’s theory and be introduced to the idea of plate tectonics, subduction, and seafloor spreading. They will understand that materials like rock and earth are being constantly recycled through seafloor spreading and subduction. This resource includes informational text passages, response pages and interactive notebook flaps.
NGSS 4-ESS1-1. Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
4-ESS2-2. Analyze and interpret data from maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.
Utah SEEd Standard 5.1.1 Analyze and interpret data to describe patterns of Earth’s features. Emphasize most earthquakes and volcanoes occur in bands that are often along the boundaries between continents and oceans while major mountain chains may be found inside continents or near their edges. Examples of data could include maps showing locations of mountains on continents and the ocean floor or the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. (ESS2.B)
