Content Area: Earth ScienceContent Area: Earth ScienceTopic: Theory of Continental DriftTopic: Theory of Continental DriftGrade level: 7Grade level: 7thth

English Proficiency Level: IntermediateEnglish Proficiency Level: IntermediateContent Objectives:Content Objectives:At the end of the lesson students will be able to describe 4 types of At the end of the lesson students will be able to describe 4 types of

evidence that led people to suggest that Earth’s continents evidence that led people to suggest that Earth’s continents may have once been joined (state standard 4e)may have once been joined (state standard 4e)

At the end of the lesson students will be able to discuss evidence of At the end of the lesson students will be able to discuss evidence of continental drift (state standard 4f).continental drift (state standard 4f).

At the end of the lesson students can explain why continental drift At the end of the lesson students can explain why continental drift was not accepted when it was first proposed (state standard was not accepted when it was first proposed (state standard

4f).4f).

EL Objectives:EL Objectives:The El student will be able to respond with simple complete The El student will be able to respond with simple complete

sentences about the main idea of the subject matter content sentences about the main idea of the subject matter content to others in the classroom (Grade 6-8th Listening and to others in the classroom (Grade 6-8th Listening and

Speaking).Speaking).The El student will be able to listen to others and give his/her The El student will be able to listen to others and give his/her

opinion on subject matter content (Grade 6-8th Listening and opinion on subject matter content (Grade 6-8th Listening and Speaking).Speaking).

The El student will be able to read and understand information on The El student will be able to read and understand information on the subject matter content at hand (Grade 6-8th Reading).the subject matter content at hand (Grade 6-8th Reading).

The El student will be able to write simple sentences about the The El student will be able to write simple sentences about the main idea of the subject matter content (Grade 6-8th Writing).main idea of the subject matter content (Grade 6-8th Writing).

RationaleRationale This lesson is important because the earth is dynamic and is This lesson is important because the earth is dynamic and is

constantly changing. This lesson provides students with an constantly changing. This lesson provides students with an opportunity to learn about Wegener’s hypothesis of continental opportunity to learn about Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift, which proposed that Earth’s continents had once been drift, which proposed that Earth’s continents had once been joined as a single landmass and the location of fossils, rock joined as a single landmass and the location of fossils, rock formations, coal and glacial deposits, plus the land itself can formations, coal and glacial deposits, plus the land itself can provide us with an idea of how the earth once looked. The idea provide us with an idea of how the earth once looked. The idea that this theory is an ongoing process gives the students a basis that this theory is an ongoing process gives the students a basis to know why continental drift was and is so important; and how to know why continental drift was and is so important; and how it affects our present and can affect our future.it affects our present and can affect our future.

SDAIE strategy – I choose brainstorming because I believe it SDAIE strategy – I choose brainstorming because I believe it promotes higher critical level thinking and an opportunity to promotes higher critical level thinking and an opportunity to collaborate and share ideas with other students/teachers in the collaborate and share ideas with other students/teachers in the classroom. I believe that it helps EL students practice speaking, classroom. I believe that it helps EL students practice speaking, writing, and reading in English.writing, and reading in English.

If you look at a map of the world, you may notice that some of the continents could fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

Is this the way your Is this the way your imagination put the puzzle imagination put the puzzle

together?together?

The idea that the continents once The idea that the continents once fit together as a puzzle was fit together as a puzzle was proposed by Alfred Wegner in proposed by Alfred Wegner in 1912. He called his hypothesis 1912. He called his hypothesis Continental DriftContinental Drift, which , which proposed that the Earth’s proposed that the Earth’s continents had once been joined continents had once been joined as a as a single landmass.single landmass.

•What type of What type of evidence do evidence do you think you think scientists can scientists can use to help use to help prove that prove that Pangaea Pangaea existed?existed? • In other In other words, what words, what evidence can evidence can be found on be found on the continents the continents today that were today that were on the on the supercontinent supercontinent 200 millions 200 millions years ago?years ago?

EvidenceEvidence

1. Fossils

2. Rocks

3. Coal deposits

4. Glacial deposits

NextNext I will be handing out a current map of the continents. I will be handing out a current map of the continents.

Please cut the continents apart and then slide them Please cut the continents apart and then slide them together to look like Pangaea on page 444 of your together to look like Pangaea on page 444 of your textbook. Tape the puzzle on a blank page and label textbook. Tape the puzzle on a blank page and label the page “Pangaea – the supercontinent, 200 million the page “Pangaea – the supercontinent, 200 million years ago.”years ago.”

• Then you are to go to your Then you are to go to your reading groups and take turns reading groups and take turns reading out loud pages 442-447 reading out loud pages 442-447 of your textbook.of your textbook.