Lesson 2 : Lab
Time Required: 120 minutes- Use fossil and geologic data to create a map model that demonstrates how the plates of a supercontinent could break apart.
- Present their findings as an archeological team, explaining the theory of plate tectonics as indicated by the presence of certain fossils.
- Communicate understanding of the theory of continental movement and plate tectonics.
- Make Tasks:
- Design a model of Pangaea.
- Use logic and evidence to reconstruct the position of large islands and continents as they appeared 200 million years ago.
- Construct a map model of Pangaea, tracing the landform pieces in place that make the supercontinent. This will be their “before” map.
- Document the “before” and “after” map model using:
- their Pangaea ‘before” map AND an “after” map of the landform pieces in their current locations
- a camera to take before and after photos
- Advanced option: computer to use stop-motion frames for an animation.
Standards
- MS-ESS2-3
- Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data include similarities of rock and fossil types on different continents, the shapes of the continents (including continental shelves), and the locations of ocean structures (such as ridges, fracture zones, and trenches).] [Assessment Boundary: Paleomagnetic anomalies in oceanic and continental crust are not assessed.]
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