Showing posts with label Continental Drift. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Continental Drift. Show all posts

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Lesson Plan: Wegener's Puzzling Evidence

Title: Wegener's Puzzling Evidence 
Grade/Subject: 8th Grade Science

Objectives:

·      Students will be able to create Alfred Wegener's super continent by coloring, cutting out, and gluing the land masses together.
·      Students will be able to write a paragraph stating Wegener's hypothesis and evidence to support his hypothesis.

Standards:

·     S8.C.2.1.2 Explain how energy is transferred from one place to another through convection, conduction, or radiation.
·     S8.D.1.1.2 Describe natural processes that change Earth’s surface.
·     CC.1.5.8.A: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on grade level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Anticipatory Set: (Approximately first 5 minutes of class) 

Students were taught the following information in the previous class.  They previously read Chapter 1, Section 3: Drifting Continents from their text Inside Earth: Prentice Hall Science Explorer.

Students will do a think-pair-share reviewing the following information.  Briefly answer the questions as a class after the think-pair-share:
·      What was Wegener's hypothesis?
      Continental Drift: All continents were once joined together in a single land mass and have drifted apart
·      What was Wegener's evidence for his hypothesis?
      Land features (mountain ranges lined up), fossils, and evidence of climate change
·       What was the major issue with his hypothesis?
      Wegener could not provide a satisfactory explanation for the force that pushes and pulls the continents.

During the whole class discussion, check for understanding by having students put a thumbs up or thumbs down to show if they agree or disagree after somebody answers the question.