The Mystery of the Pangaea Puzzle Pangaea Game

The Mystery of the Pangaea Puzzle Pangaea Game

Intent For students to discover the evidence that supports plate tectonics based on the model of Pangaea.

Researchable Question How would you determine that the continents were once connected as a single land mass?

Hypothesis Fossil deposition patterns, or fossil locations, on different continents can be used to determine if the continents were connected as Pangaea.

Experimental Design n n n Search ERESE lab report matrix, and the Earthref. org database to find data to support hypothesis. After searching these databases, if more information is still needed search the world wide web using a search engine like google. Some of the key items that need to be addressed are plate tectonic fossils, fossil evidence, http: //volcano. und. nodak. edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/plate_tectonics/pa rt 3. html http: //kids. earth. nasa. gov/archive/pagaea/evidence. html http: //wwwshs 1. bham. wednet. edu/curric/science/geophys/james/p an 4. htm http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/subjects/dinosaurs/glossary/co ntdrift. shtml Then we went back to the Google search engine and searched for Mesosaurus, Glossopteris, Cynognathus, Lystrosaurus and viewed the available links. http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/subjects/therapsids/cynognath us. shtml http: //www. mathematical. com/dinolystrosaur. html

Data Continental Drift - Fossils of species such as Glossopteris, Mesosaurus, Cynognathus, and Lystrosaurus were found on different continents. When the continents are reassembled into Pangaea, the fossils of these species are accounted for over a smaller geographical area.

Data The Plants and Animals Match Wegener saw that plant fossils were found on several different continents and were quite different, which means that they could have evolved together on a single land mass. Certain plant and animal fossils were found on the matching coastlines of South America and Africa, which are presently separated by the Atlantic Ocean. S. America Africa

Data Fossil Evidence In the Upper Triassic sediments, the Glossopteris and Mesosaurus were found in western North America and South Africa. In 1973, Chinese fossil specialists discovered Cynognathus fossils in Peking, China, forcing a link between North West China with South America and South Africa.

Data Glossopteris “tongue” n n n Extinct seed fern Tongue-like leaves 12 ft. tall Found in India, South America, southern Africa, Australia, and Antarctica (Southern Hemisphere) Dominant plant of Gondwana Eduard Suess thought “Land Bridge!”

Data Mesosaurus “middle lizard” n n n § § § Fresh-water reptile Lightly-built, four legs, elongated head and snout with nostrils near its eyes Flattened tail for swimming 1. 5 ft. long Carnivore that ate fish and shrimp Primitive reptile that returned to water 300 million years ago after adapted to land One of the first aquatic reptiles Found in South Africa, and South America

Data Cynognathus “dog jaw” n n n n Mammal-like reptile Lived in open plains Warm-blooded Possible birth to live young Fast-moving carnivore Powerful jaws and doglike teeth Hunted herbivores in packs n n n n Walked on four legs Flat-footed Tail shorter than most Size of a wolf 5 ft long Skull was 1 ft long Skin may have been covered with hair Found in South Africa and Argentina

Data Lystrosaurus georgi “shovel reptile” n n n n Mammal-like reptile Size of a small dog Teeth reduced to a pair of tusk Herbivore Snout turned down Nostrils and eye sockets placed near top of head Teeth and jaws placed low n n Amphibious feeder (hippo) Coastal environments of rare continental basins Dug up roots with teeth Wide paws (can walk in boggy places )

Data Fossil Period (mil. yrs. ago) Mesosaurus Permian (260) Lythosaurus Early Triassic (240) Cynognathus Middle Triassic (230 -245) Glossopteris Permian-Triassic (248 - 206)

Data Analysis Species of fossils Time period they lived in Continents fossils were found in Mesosaurus 260 mya Permian S. Africa, S. America, Glossosteris 248 mya Permian. Triassic India, S. America, S. Africa, Australia Lystrosaurus 240 mya Early Triassic Antarctica, India, Africa Cynognathus 245 -230 mya Middle Triassic S. Africa, Argentina

Data Analysis Could these plants/animals have crossed the ocean? n Glossopteris: No, because the seeds were n Mesosaurus: No, because this reptile was n Cynognathus: No, n Lystrosaurus: No, too heavy to be carried by the wind and too fragile to float across the Atlantic Ocean. too small to attempt to swim across such a great distance. because this reptile would be unable to survive swimming for that amount of time. because this reptile survives on roots and could not survive the vast ocean without food.

Conclusion Since each species of fossils were found to be the same age at different locations and the probability of each species traveling over one or more oceans is slim to none, the depositions patterns of the fossils supports theory that Pangaea did exist as a single land mass at one point in time.

Bibliography n n n n n Boyd, Kate. Fossil Evidence. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //wwwshs 1. bham. wednet. edu/curric/science/geophys/james/pan 4. ht m Enchanted Learning. Cynognathus. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/subjects/therapsids/cynognathus. sht ml Enchanted Learning. Fossil Evidence in Support on the Theory. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //ww. enchantedlearning. com/subjetcs/dinosaurs/glossary/contdrift. sh tml> Lystrosaurus georgi. online. August 28, 2004 http: //www. mathematical. com/dinolystrosaur. html Sample, Sharron. Evidence Supporting Continental Drift. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //kids. earth. nasa. gov/archive/pangaea/evidence. html Sample, Sharron. The Earth, 250 Million Years Ago. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //kids. earth. nasa. gov/archive/pangaea_game. html Study Guide. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //www. lenoxpublicschools. org/four/sanders/study. htm University of North Dakota. Continental Drift- Fossils. Online. August 28, 2004 http: //volcano. und. nodak. edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/plate_tectonics/part 3. ht ml Watson, Jim. usgs. Online. August 26, 2004 http: //pubs. usgs. gov/publications/text/continents. html

This project was by: La. Shae Hart Jillian Helms Ashley King Joelle Swartz