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10
SCIENCE
QUARTER 1
Week 6.1

Capsulized Self-Learning Empowerment

Toolkit

Schools Division Office of Zamboanga City

Region IX, Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga City

“Unido, Junto avanza con el EduKalidad Cree, junto junto puede!”

WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)

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SUBJECT & Science

QUARTER 1 WEEK 6 DAY ____________________________________
GRADE/LEVEL 10 dd/mm/yyyy

TOPIC The Continental Drift Theory

LEARNING 8. Discuss how the Continental Drift Theory was developed.
COMPETENCY (S10ES-Ia-j-36.5)
IMPORTANT: Do not write anything on this material. Write your answers on the Learner’s
Activity and Assessment Sheets provided separately.

UNDERSTAND
What is a Continental Drift Theory?
Continental Drift Theory is a theory proposed by Alfred Wegener, a German
meteorologist which states that all continents are once joined together to form a
supercontinent called PANGAEA. This supercontinent started to break into smaller continents
and were separated and drifted apart since then.
Pangaea is a Greek word which means “Entire Earth” or “All Land”.

PANGAEA
Present
(250 million years ago)

Alfred Wegener spent much of his adult life vigorously defending his theory of
continental drift, which was severely attacked from the start and never gained acceptance in
his lifetime. He searched and presented evidences to the scientific community to
support/prove his theory. Despite of the evidences: Continental Jigsaw Puzzle, Plant and
Animal Fossil, Coal Deposits, and Rock formation, his theory was not accepted by the
scientific community. Despite overwhelming criticism from most leading geologists, who
regarded him as a mere meteorologist and outsider meddling in their field, Wegener did not
back down but worked even harder to strengthen his theory. Nevertheless, many of
Wegener's ideas clearly served as the catalyst and framework for the development of the
theory of plate tectonics three decades later. But still Alfred Wegener could not explain what
force drives the continents to move. The Origin of the Continents and Oceans is the title
of the book published by Wegener in 1915.
WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)
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Now, let’s take How did the Continental Drift Theory developed?
a look at how
the theory was
developed A Walk-through Time

ABRAHAM ORTELIUS (1596)

He was the first person to put forward the theory of how the
continents once were connected. He thought that this happened
because of flooding and earthquakes.He was also the first person
to draw a modern map.

THEODOR CHRISTOPH, ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT,

FRANKLIN COXWORTHY (1756)
Had similar ideas about how once Europe, Americas, Africa and
other places once fitted together like jigsaw puzzle

JAMES HUTTON(1795)
He worked to help establish modern geology.He had theories that
the plates moved because of heat under ocean.

ANTONIO SNIDER-PELLEGRINI(1858)
He also theorized about the possibility of the continental drift. He
believed that they are once one continent, with one name:
Pangaea. He authored a book called Creation and its Mysteries
Unveiled.

ROBERTO MANTIVANI(1858)
He published two theories about continental drift and the expansion
of the earth. He believed that there was once one continent, but on
a smaller Earth. He then believed that the continent broke apart into
smaller continents, this happened because of thermal expansion.

WILLIAM HENRY PICKERING (1907)

He was an American astronomer. He had a continental drift theory
that the moon was once a part of the Earth, but then broke off, it
was connected to where the Pacific Ocean now lies. He also
proposed that because of the moon breaking off America, Africa,
Asia, and Europe once formed a super continent.

FRANK BURSLEY TAYLOR(1908)

He proposed that continental drift once happened. He believed that
the continental drift happened without expansion. He suggested that
the continents were dragged towards the equator because of
increased Luna gravity during creatceous, thus forming the
Himalayas and Alps on the southern faces

ALFRED WEGENER (1912)

He was the first person to openly come up with the theory. He
studied previous peoples theory about continental drift and came up
with his own. He noticed that the different landmasses fit together
like jigsaw.

WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)

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What are the evidences that support his theory?

Alfred Wegener searched for evidences to support / prove his theory.

EVIDENCES OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY

Evidence 1: The Continental Jigsaw Puzzle

The edge of one continent Africa

South America
surprisingly fits the edge of
another continent like piece of a
puzzle.

Eastern part of South America Fits on the western part of Africa

These Evidences #1 and #2 are instrumental in the development of the Continental Drift
Theory.
Evidence 2: Plant and Animal Fossils

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of

organisms (plants and animals) from the remote
past. Fossilized leaves of an extinct tropical plant
Glossopteris and freshwater reptiles Mesosaurus
and Lystosaurus were found in 250 million years Glossopteris
old rocks. These fossils were located in continents
of South Africa, Australia, India, and Antarctica,
which are now separated from each other by wide
oceans.

Evidence 3: Ancient climate and Coal Deposits Mesosaurus

Wegener heard of evidence for a glacial period dated to

the late Paleozoic had been discovered in South Africa,
South America, Antarctica, Australia and India. This
means that most areas in the Southern Hemisphere were
covered with ice sheets. But most of the areas where
Paleozoic glaciation is found have subtropical and
tropical climates. This made researchers wonder how
extensive ice sheets were formed near the equator.
Coal beds were formed from the compaction and Coal beds
decomposition of swamp plants that lived million years
ago. These were discovered in South America, Africa,
India, southeast Asia and even in Antarctica.

Evidence 4: Rock Formation

Rock formations in
Africa line up with that in South
America as if it was a long
mountain range. Similar layers
of rocks were formed in
Antarctica, South America,
Africa, Australia, and India.

WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)

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SAQ-1: If you lived during Wegener’s time, will you believe that the continents are once joined
together based on the evidences that he gathered? Support your answer.
SAQ-2: Why did scientists reject Wegener’s Theory of Continental Drift hypothesis?

(Write your Answer on the separate Learner’s

Let’s Practice!
Activity and Assessment sheets provided.)

Let’s Fit it!

Objectives:
• Find clues to solve a problem;
• Explain how the Continental Drift Theory was developed.

Materials:
• Old newspaper or magazine
• Scotch tape

Procedure:
1. Get a page of old newspaper or magazine.
2. Let one of your family member to tear/cut the newspaper/magazine into smaller
pieces ( 10 to 15 parts) in random shape.
3. Then try to fit the pieces together.
4. Use a tape to connect the pieces.

Guide Questions:
1. What features of the newspaper or magazine helped you to connect the pieces
perfectly?
2. How do the lines of prints or text in the newspaper/magazine help you to confirm that
you have reassembled the newspaper/magazine page?
3. Show proof that the newspaper/magazine is perfectly reassembled.
4. Explain briefly how this activity relates to the development of the Continental Drift
Theory?

REMEMBER
Key Points

✓ The Continental Drift Theory: All continents are once joined together to form a
supercontinent called PANGAEA. This supercontinent started to break into smaller
continents and were separated and drifted apart.
✓ Pangaea is a Greek word which means “Entire Earth” or “All Land”.
✓ The continental Drift Theory was developed because of the ideas / contribution of
several scientist.
✓ The Theory of Continental Drift was first publicly proposed by Alfred Lothar
Wegener in 1912.

Alfred Lothar Wegener died on a meteorological expedition to

Greenland during winter. His body was frozen in ice in search of
evidence to further prove his theory.

WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)

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TRY
Let’s see how much have you learned today!
Directions: Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
(Write your Answer on the separate Learner’s Activity and Assessment sheets
provided.)
7. What was one reason that Wegener's
1. The supercontinent from Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift was rejected?
theory of continental drift is called a. He could not explain what was moving
__________. the continents.
a. Gondwanaland b. He could not support the idea that
b. Laurasia climates of certain landmasses had been
c. Pangaea different
d. North America c. He could not explain where the continents
2. What evidence did Wegener use to had moved.
estimate the time of Pangaea's break up? d. He could not support that the continents
a. magnetic isochrons were once adjacent.
b. fossil data 8. Which of the following evidences
c. ocean floor topography instrumental in the development of the
d. Coal deposits Continental Drift Theory?
3. Which type of information was NOT I. Coal beds found in Africa
collected by Wegener to support his II. Edges of continents fit each other like
continental drift hypothesis? piece of a puzzle.
a. rocks III. Glossopteris fossil found in Antarctica
b. fossils IV. Existence of volcanic rocks in most
c. seafloor magnetic data mountain ranges
d. coal deposits a. II only
4. Which of the following BEST explains how b. III only
the Continental Drift Theory was conceived? c. I & IV
a. The theory was developed just to satisfy d. II & III
the curiosity of several scientist. 9. Who was the first person to noticed the
b. The theory was developed due jigsaw fit of opposing continental coastlines?
observable facts like movements of a. ALFRED WEGENER
continents. b. ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT
c. The theory was developed due to the c. ABRAHAM ORTELIUS
many evidences that support/prove that the d. JAMES HUTTON
continents are moving. 10. Which of the following is considered to
d. The theory was developed by Wegener to be the most visible and fascinating evidence
impress his fiancé’s father who is a on how the continental drift theory was
geologist. developed
5. Why did Wegener think that the Antarctic a. Coal deposits
continent had been closer to the equator in b. Rock formation
the geologic past? c. Shape of the continents’ edges
a. evidence of fossil fish d. Fossils
b. existence of volcanic rocks
c. existence of coal beds
d. existence of the Transantarctic
Mountains
6. What is the name of Alfred Wegener's
hypothesis about moving landmasses?
a. continental movement
b. seafloor spreading
c. continental drift
d. plate tectonics

WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)

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Acosta, Herma D, Liza A Alvarez, Dave G. Angeles, Ruby D Arre, Ma.

Pilar P Carmona, Aurelia S Garca, Arlen Gatpo, et al. Essay. In
Science Learner's Material. Pasig City: REX Bookstore, Inc., 2015.

“Alfred Wegener: Building a Case for Continental Drift.” Alfred Wegener

Building a Case for Continental Drift. Accessed July 29, 2020.
http://publish.illinois.edu/alfredwegener/evidence/.

“Continental Drift: Theory & Definition.” LiveScience. Purch,

December 19, 2017. https://www.livescience.com/37529-
continental-drift.html.

“Earth Science Geology, the Environment, and the Universe.” Self-

Check Quizzes-English. Accessed July 05, 2020.
http://novella.mhhe.com/sites/0078746361/student_view0/unit5/c
hapter17/section1/self-check_quizzes-english.html.

Fossil Mall Glossopteris Fossil from Antarctica.

Http://Www.fossilmall.com/. Fossil Mall. Accessed July 5, 2020.
http://www.fossilmall.com/EDCOPE_Enterprises/plants/plfossil1/pl
REFERENCE/S ant-fossils-1.htm.

Geology In Facts About Pangaea the Most Recent Supercontinent.

Google. GeologyIn. Accessed July 5, 2020.
http://www.geologyin.com/2018/02/facts-about-pangaea-most-
recent.html.

“GLOSSARY.” The Geological Society. Accessed July 29, 2020.

https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Plate-Tectonics/Chap1-Pioneers-of-
Plate-Tectonics/Alfred-Wegener/Fossil-Evidence-from-the-
Southern-Hemisphere.

Murphy, J. Brendan, and Tjeerd H. van Andel. “Development of Tectonic

Theory.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.,
March 21, 2020. https://www.britannica.com/science/plate-
tectonics/Development-of-tectonic-theory.

National Geographic Society. “Continental Drift.” National Geographic

Society, October 9, 2012.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/continental-
drift/.
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WRITTEN BY: RICHARD G. CHIO, Teacher III, ZCHS (Main)