1. Chapter 8, Section 4 Movement of Earth’s Plates

2. Earth’s Plates Tectonic Plates Make up Earth’s outer layer (crust) Plate boundaries do not always line up with the edges of continents

3. Theory of Plate Tectonics Earth’s land masses have changed position over time because they are part of plates that are slowly moving. The movement is in various directions The plates move about 5 cm a year Pangea 260 mill. Years ago

4. At one time, all of Earth’s land masses were one!

5. Continental Drift The very slow movement of the continents that began about 225 million years ago Active Art www.PHSchool.com code: cfp-1015 www.PHSchool.com

6. Effects of Continental Drift The climate of land masses changed depending on whether they drifted north or south Organisms became separated and evolved differently Table talk: What unusual organisms have developed in Australia due to the continent’s isolation from other land masses? See Brain Pop, “Plate Tectonics” & Discovery video “Continents Adrift” End