Education Standards
Understanding Geological Time
Overview
This leson in intended as an inroduction to the following standard:
MS–LS4–1
Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
Understanding Geological Time
It should be made clear that there are many different ways that students can take this assignment in many different ways. This is a free learning oprotunity for students to investigate and figure out what changes Earth has expeienced over it's vast hisory. This assignment does not focus on the specific changes in life, but rather how life and environments have changed. The end goal, is that students will understand that as environments changes, llife will change in response.
Pick one of the websites below. Each site is listed with a short description. You will need to decide which site will better help you understand the Geological Timescale that scientists use to illustrate the vast history of Earth and the types life that has evolved over millions of years.
Your Goal for this Exploration:
You should be able to answer the following questions regardless of which site you choose.
- Write, “Precamrian” at the top of the next blank page in your journal.
- Look at the Precambrian Era. Describe four events that took place during this era.
- Pick three examples of plant or animal life from the Precambrian Era. One from the beginning, one from the middle, and one from the end. Describe the three types of animal/plant life that developed during the Precambrian Era. What are they and what characteristics did they have?
- Look over the information you have from the Precambrian Era. How has life changed over time? What reasons can you give for these changes?
- Repeat steps 2 through 4 for the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras.
- What have you learned about mass extinctions? How have they changed our planet over the past 4.6 billion years?
Here is an example of what your journal can look like. You will use four pages in your journal. Title the fist page "Understanding Geological Time" Then start with Precambrian.
Uncovering Earth's Vast History
You will use these sites to conduct your research. Your main goal is to learn about how environments and life has changed over Earth's history. Using this information, you will try to figure out how the two are connected and what events may have caused those changes.
When done, you will be communicating/sharing your results with your peers.
Assessing The Standard
Now that you have a fairly good understanding of Earth's Geological History, we are going to take a look at proving what you know. The first assessment we have is a simple Jepordy game. This assessment is meant to be played in class setting and can be editited to fit your classroom needs. It is a great way to formativly assess what you students know, and if they are ready to move on on the final assessment.
The secord type of assessment is more of a sumative assessment. In this assessment students are tasked with create a new future environment of Earth. More information about predicted future environments can be found here: Future Is Wild
By now, students should have learned that environments have changed, the events that can cause these changes, and how life responds to these changes. These main ideas for the basis of this sumative assessment project.