Earth During the Mesozoic Era

Earth During the Mesozoic Era

Earth During the Mesozoic Era
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	high interest, readability grades 7 to 9
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	6.33

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		Dome-shaped, meteorite, Pangea, igneous, greatly, slams, tectonic, extinction, circulation, magma, humidity, southeastern, beginning, million, mass, expand
	content words:		Paleozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, North America, Appalachian Mountains, Western North America, Triassic Period, Jurassic Period, Rocky Mountains, Cretaceous Period, Atlantic Ocean

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Earth During the Mesozoic Era
By Patti Hutchison

¹     The time is about 225 million years ago. The Paleozoic Era has come to an end. The Mesozoic Era is beginning. The heat within the earth is causing the continents to expand. Pangea is breaking up. The ocean floor is expanding along the midocean ridges. The continents are gradually spreading apart. New oceans are forming.

²     There is much tectonic activity. Mountains are forming along the western coast of North America. Most are caused by igneous intrusions. Magma is flowing up toward the surface. Some of it is being trapped. Dome-shaped mountains are being created. At the same time, the Appalachian Mountains are eroding.

³     Basins are forming along the eastern coast. Large areas of crust are collapsing. Deep valleys are being created. Sea level has dropped suddenly. Western North America is covered by a blanket of sand. Dunes are being sculpted by the strong winds.

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