To show how the supercontinent looked 200 million years ago, the students attempt to fit the continents together. The seven continents are the pieces of the Pangea puzzle. Provide the students with a copy of the Earth with the continents outlined. The students cut out each continent. They try to fit the shapes together to make Pangea. They will notice how the continents fit together. Instruct the students to glue their supercontinent to a blue piece of construction paper.
Alfred Wegner, a meteorologist, spelled out his theory of continental drift in a 1915 book. His ideas were not the accepted theory of the time. Wegner was not only a scientist; he was an explorer and adventurer. Lost in a blizzard in Greenland, he froze to death at the age of 50. Wegner faced much ridicule for his theory of continental drift during his lifetime. However, years after his death, Alfred Wegner's theory was proven to be valid. The fact that the continents have separated, moved and shifted was proven by Henry Hess in 1960.
Give the students time to research and write a skit about a time in Alfred Wegner's life. The students showcase the arguments for his theory and the ridicule he experienced.
The theory of continental drift identifies geological similarities in the continents. For instance, similar fossils have been found in both South America and Africa, the mountain ranges in Europe and North America are of the same geological makeup and the patterns and rocks of Brazil and central Africa match almost perfectly, according to University of California at Los Angeles, Marine Science Center.
Ask the students to research and find additional geological clues scientists use to explain the validity of continental drift. Provide them with a map of the Earth with the continents outlined. Each time they find a geological similarity ask them to make an identical mark on each continent indicating the correspondence. For instance, to show the patterns of the rocks are similar in both Brazil and central Africa, the students mark those sections of the map with the same mark, purple zigzags. They make a key on the map to show what their marks mean.
The Earth is still shifting and moving. The tectonic plates move three inches per year. Ask the students to predict what the Earth will look like 200 million years from today. Provide another sheet of blue construction paper and a copy of the Earth with the continents outlined. Ask the students to cut out the continents and reposition them to show their future Earth predictions. The students answer questions on a teacher-generated worksheet. Ask them to explain the future position of Japan, describe Baja California's future location and justify the number of land masses they have predicted will be on Earth in the future.