Science
Lesson 1
Lesson Title: Earth's Earliest Ages
Synopsis: Develop a detailed timeline that maps out the Earth's ages
Authors: Valerie Ordway and Stefani Langol
Interdisciplinary Pairing:
- Primarily Science
- Secondary subjects include:
- Multimedia
- Technology/Internet
- Graphic Design (Art)
Objectives:
- Students will research the beginnings of Earth.
- Students will gather data from which a timeline of Earth’s ages can be constructed.
Intended Grade Level:
Middle School
Prior Knowledge & Skills:
- Ability to use computer and a browser to visit designated websites.
- Students will have been introduced to relative time, absolute time, geologic time scale, fossils, fossil dating, radioactive dating, and rules for determining earth’s history as told in its rocks.
Equipment:
- Computers with an Internet connection
Duration:
This lesson is meant to span three to six class periods with some part of the assignment being completed as homework.
Materials:
- One two-meter by 40 cm length of paper per student
- Color pencils, crayons, marker
- Reference books (text) for further research
- Assignment sheet
Procedure:
- Distribute the “Geologic Timeline” assignment sheet. Read through this with students, answering any questions they may have regarding the task involved
- Students to access computers to research the websites listed on the assignment sheet
- Students collect information from the websites as they work through the assignment sheet. It is also good to provide texts and other resources for reading research.
- Distribute timeline paper and allow students to begin creating their individual timelines.
Evaluation
- Access the grading rubric for this assignment to score students on their completed projects
Links & Resources:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/Geologictime.html – Scroll through this timeline and click on highlighted and underlined words to learn more.
http://www.bobainsworth.com/fossil/palaeozoic.htm – This has a section on each era and you should research each. This is a great site.
http://www.teacherdomain.org/ – Register as a student and then go to “earth science” and then scroll down and click on “Deep Time” which is an interactive timeline that has lots of detailed information.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/universe/index.html
http://interactive2.usgs.gov/learningweb/teachers/lesson_plans.htm
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/contents.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/rocks/flash/indexfull.html
Lesson Extension(s):
- Two lessons follow that incorporate creating a TV show and a podcast presentation using the above student work
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