Gondwana

Imagine a big, cozy world where all the lands in the south were snuggled together like one giant puzzle piece. It was a huge playground for the dinosaurs. They could walk from a warm, sandy place all the way to a green, leafy forest without ever having to cross the water. All the land was held together in a big, warm hug. I felt so full and happy with all my parts together. I am Gondwana, a super-duper continent from long, long ago, starting around 600 million years ago.

Then, after a very, very long nap, I started to stretch. It happened so slowly, slower than a little snail crawls. Starting around 180 million years ago, I began to wiggle and drift. It felt like a sleepy giant waking up and stretching its arms and legs. My big puzzle pieces started to float away from each other like big rafts on the water. The pieces you now call Africa and South America began their long, slow journey. Australia and Antarctica drifted away, too. It took millions and millions of years for us to move, but it was the beginning of the world you see today. I watched as my pieces found their new homes all across the big blue ocean.

Today, you can see all my puzzle pieces spread all over the world. South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, and India are all parts of me. Isn't that amazing. Scientists, who are like detectives for the Earth, find special clues that show we were all connected. They find the same kinds of sparkly rocks and the same types of dinosaur bones on my different pieces. These clues help tell my story. I am here to remind you that our world is always changing and that we are all connected, just like my puzzle pieces once were.