Continental Drift: Fabricating a World of the Past, Present, and Future

Day 1 Lesson Plan: Introduction to Plate Tectonics

Day 2 Lesson Plan: Alfred Wegner and Continental Drift Theory

Day 3 Lesson Plan: Evidence of Continental Drift

Share with all students USGS Fossil and Mountain Chain Evidence 

Open a new Inkscape document

Within File, select Import

Locate the file and select OK

Select the image

Within Path, select Trace Bitmap → this will make a Trace Bitmap window appear

In the Trace Bitmap window, select Brightness Cutoff

• Adjust the Threshold located to the right of Brightness Cutoff to 0.900

Select OK and close the Trace Bitmap window

Move the traced, darker image and original image to opposite sides of the canvas

Select the traced, darker image 

Press “3” to zoom into the selected image

Within Object, select Fill and Stroke… → the Fill and Stroke window will appear

• Under the Fill Tab, select the ⛝, meaning No Paint
• Under the Stroke Paint Tab, select ⬜, meaning Flat Color

Close the Fill and Stroke window

Within Path, select Break Apart → this will separate all shapes within the traced image

Select the largest outline of each continent or landmass (Greenland, India, Australia/Papua & Papua New Guinea)

Drag each of the largest outlines onto the canvas

Assign new shapes, such as stars and squares, to serve as symbols of evidence

Add these symbols inside the landmass outlines in the locations of their evidence (Refer back to the original image when placing these representative shapes) 

Within Object, select Fill and Stroke…

Select outline traces of the eight landmasses

• Under the Fill tab, select ⬜ 
• Set R, G, and B values to 0 
• Set the A value to 255

Select the symbols (stars, squares, etc.)

• Under the Fill tab, select ⬜
• Set R, G, B, and A values to 255

Depending on your vinyl cutter, you may need to format the design differently to export the Inkscape file to the cutter. “Package” it with a rectangular box in the background.

Export the file and vinyl cut stickers for groups of students.

Here is one example of evidence landmass stickers: Sticker Examples

SAFETY NOTE: Only those trained on the vinyl cutter should operate the machine. While the vinyl cutter is in operation, ensure any extremities or loose clothing are kept clear of the moving blade. Users should always remain present while cutting and pause the machine first before adjusting or removing any material.

Day 5 Lesson Plan: Introduction to Plate Tectonics

Sticker station activity: Print or create a map of the world’s tectonic plate boundaries from the USGS Plate Boundary Stencil. Using the stickers for yesterday’s lesson, have students place the stickers on the map. Ensure students understand the landmass stickers represent evidence of continental drift.

Share with students the Future Pangaea Inkscape Map

With the adjustable “Map of the World: Future”, use the arrow keys to move the landmasses with the following directions

• Convergent plate boundaries (GREEN) move landmasses TOWARDS these lines
• Divergent plate boundaries (RED) move landmasses AWAY from these lines
• Transform plate boundaries (YELLOW) rotate landmasses along these lines

Once students have moved their landmasses to create one or multiple super-continents, delete the translucent background.

Select the newly moved landmass shapes

Within Path, select Union → this will create a stencil of overlapping landmasses

Select outline traces of the super-continent(s)

• Under the Fill tab, select ⬜ 

1. Set R, G, and B values to 0 

• Under the Stroke Pain tab, select ⛝

As before, export the file to the vinyl cutter. Add a gray background box if necessary.

Once all of the designs of students’ future Pangaea have been cut, allow students to explain why they believe the world will take the shape they created. Educators may want to display students’ work up to this point for everyone to see the world of past, present, and future.