Purpose of this activity is to demonstrate to the student that the ground beneath their feet is slowing moving, and sliding like the Earth’s continents.
Materials
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· World map cut out cards (each continent)
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· Globe and world map
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· Scissors
Procedure: Cut the seven continents out of a world map print out. Explain to the students that Europe and Asia are two continents but form one land mass. Arrange the pieces on a table in front of each student just as they were before they were cut apart. Compare the globe view to view on the table. Push the pieces slowly toward one another until they “fit” together into one large land mass.
What did you notice? Ask the students if they continents fit together? Explain to the students and have them also do research on the German meteorologist Alfred Wegener.
He worked on the theory of continental drift. He believed that the continents were once connected but broke apart millions of years ago.
