Millions of years ago, Earth didn’t have seven continents. There was one giant continent called Pangaea. What was Pangaea? It was a supercontinent, incorporating almost all of Earth’s land masses. A single ocean called Panthalassa surrounded Pangaea.
German meteorologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener proposed the concept of Pangaea and the idea of moving continents, called continental drift. This idea led to the modern theory of plate tectonics, when movements happen on top of an underlying mantle within the planet made of flowing, hot lava.
Using Online Simulations to Teach Students About Pangaea
Virtual simulations like ExploreLearning Gizmos allow students to create their own versions of Pangaea by fitting together Earth’s puzzle-like pieces. Virtual labs and simulations enable students to experiment and draw conclusions about topics that would not be possible otherwise, such as Pangaea and plate tectonics. Online simulations, such as the Building Pangaea Gizmo, save time and reduce materials, too.
Teaching Pangaea Gizmo
Every Gizmo, including the Building Pangaea Gizmo, has lesson planning materials with teacher guides, vocabulary sheets, and student worksheets. With resources for grades 3-12, it is the perfect online simulation for teaching Pangaea.
Through activities in Gizmos, students learn the names of significant landmasses and analyze the theory of continental drift. They can fit the landmasses together like a puzzle to form an ancient supercontinent called Pangaea, using several types of evidence, including fossils, rocks, and glaciers, to revise their model of Pangaea.
Are you ready to teach Pangaea with your students? Here’s the Gizmo you’re looking for.
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