Read It! 1. According to the passage, how many fossils species were looked at to develop the theory of continental drift? a. 4 b. 5 c. 6 d.

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2 Write It! 1. Use the map of the world (above) and explain which continents appear to fit together like puzzle pieces. 2. How did Alfred Wegener use landforms to help make a case for his theory of continental drift? 3. One think Wegener was unable to explain before he died was WHY the plates moved. We know the reason now. Explain what causes the plates to move.

3 Assess It! 1. Which process causes the continents to move? a. High tides b. Convection currents in the mantle c. Ocean currents d. High pressure in the atmosphere 2. How do fossils of Cynognathus, found in Africa and South America, support Wegener s theory? a. The animals must have swam between the continents b. The animals could have crossed an ice bridge between the continents c. Africa and South America were once joined d. The animals evolved and flew over the ocean, where they unevolved 3. How were glaciers involved in the theory of continental drift? a. They are present near the equator b. Glaciers were NOT involved in the theory c. Glaciers are increasing at a rapid pace d. Evidence of glaciers indicated they were present millions of years ago 4. Which statement does not support Wegener s theory of Continental Drift? a. Fossils are the same in Africa and South America b. Landforms are the same in Africa and South America c. Continents fit together like puzzles d. The continents have the same density

4 Read It! 1. According to the passage, how many fossils species were looked at to develop the theory of continental drift? a. 4 b. 5 c. 6 d What would be the best title for this passage? a. How Continental Drift Works b. Fossil Evidence in Support of Continental Drift c. Landforms and the Continental Drift d. All Fossils Prove Continental Drift 3. Why couldn t the Mesosaurus swim to the other continent? a. It didn t have directions b. It was too far c. The ocean was covered in ice d. It didn t have the correct physiology (body parts) 4. Where can fossils be found of Lystrosaurus? a. Antarctica, India, South Africa b. Antarctica, India, South America c. North America, Antarctica, South America d. India, Asia, South America

5 Watch It! 1. Go to the following website and watch the 5 minute video: or 2. What two continents did Alfred Wegener first look at and wonder if they fit together like puzzle pieces? 3. We often refer to the super-continent as Pangaea, but what term did Alfred Wegener use? 4. What decade was the continental drift theory accepted by the scientific community because of the discovery of plate tectonics? Research It! 1. Go to and play around with the interactive Pangaea for a minute or two and make some observations to yourself. 2. There were dinosaurs that lived about 230 million years ago. What can you say about their access to each of the continents? 3. The last dinosaurs were on Earth about 65 million years ago. Do you believe the land dinosaurs had equal access to every continent? Why or why not? 4. During the time of Pangaea, what other continents was North America directly attached to? Explore It! 1. Rip a piece of blank white paper into 7 pieces. Have a friend try to put the pieces back together. 2. Rip a piece of newspaper into 7 pieces. Have a friend try to put the pieces back together. 3. Which puzzle was easier to piece back together? Why? Illustrate It! 1. Draw a picture that represents each of Alfred Wegener s pieces of evidence that he used to develop the Continental Drift Theory.

6 Organize It! 1. Match the pieces of evidence to the correct category. Fossil evidence matched on each continent Alfred Wegener s Evidence of Continental Drift The density of the continents is the same on each continent Evidence of hurricane damage was present on each continent Landforms like rivers and mountain ranges matched on continents Continents fit together like pieces of a puzzle NOT Alfred Wegener s Evidence of Continental Drift The salinity of the water in each of the oceans matched Landmass bridges were found across the oceans Glacier evidence was found in places glaciers should have never been