TN Geology Standards

Geologic History

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Geology : Standard 4 – Geologic History
Checks for Understanding 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 4.10 | 4.11 | 4.12 | 4.13
Science Curriculum Standards 3205 - Geology	Internet Resources
Describe how scientists estimate the age of the earth. 4.1	Carbon Dating Clocks in the Rocks Half-Life applet - choose any of sixteen isotopes and observe a representation of the decay accompanied by a graph Radioactive Half-Life - includes a link to an interactive Radioactive Decay Calculation Radioactive Dating
Compare and contrast how relative and absolute dating techniques are used to interpret geologic history. 4.2
Construct a geologic timetable that illustrates the evolution of earth and the history of life. 4.3	Age of Fossils The Clock Of Eras - a graphic aid to help visualize geologic time Determining Age of Rocks and Fossils - from UCMP Berkeley Fossils, Rocks, and Time - from USGS Fossils Through Time - choose a time period to see what life was like Geology of the Grand Canyon - The ultimate display of rock layers Prehistoric Life - determining the age of rocks and fossils Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past. Principle of Superposition - in a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary layers or lava flows, the oldest layers are at the bottom. (includes an animation) Relative Age - determining relative age from the rock record Relative Dating - stratigraphy and the principles of relative dating Relative Time Scale - from USGS Who's On First? - a relative dating activity
Explain the law of uniformitarianism. 4.4	Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past.
Recognize that fossils are found in sedimentary rock. 4.5
Compare and contrast fossil forms of life with modern organisms. 4.6	Amber: Window to the Past - Click on different pieces of amber to find out what is captured inside and what clues the fossilized remains provide about ancient ecosystems. Evolution from PBS Evolution: Theory and History - including journey into the world of phylogenic systematics. Extinctions from PBS Fantastic Fossil Finds - Burgess Shale, LaBrea tar pits, Solnhofen Quarry, and Subtropical Eocene Fossil Forests of the North Fossil Database - from the Natural History Museum of London Fossil News - from Science Daily Geologic Time and the age of the earth. Geology and Geologic Time - General history of the science, links to each of the eras and the life in them. History of Flight - Pterosaurs, Bird Evolution, Insect Flight and Archaeopteryx Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum - posted by The Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Horse Evolution Human Fossil Database - browse or search the database, or use their timeline Invertebrates - Gastropoda and Cephalopoda Life Has a History - an educational module sponsored by the National Science Foundation (select level 3 for 9-12) Microscopic fossils - Foraminifera and Arcellaceans Museum of Paleontology - posted by University of California, Berkley Paleogeography Through Geologic Time Paleontological Collection Catalogs and related resources Paleontology Without Walls - Introduction to the UCMP Virtual Exhibits The Pleistocene - 1.8 million to 11,000 years ago Pleistocene Animals of the Midwestern U.S. Timelines - Travel back to different time periods in the history of the earth. Vivid, fleshed-out reproductions of the extinct creatures appear in scenes depicting their environments as they might have been millions of years ago. Trilobite: A guide to the order of Trilobites
Recognize that fossils provide evidence of past life forms, changes in life forms, and past environmental conditions. 4.7	Amber in Nature - Look at pieces of amber to find out what is captured inside and what clues it provides about the ancient ecosystem. Exploring Evolution - In this interactive web lab you will explore the many lines of evidence scientists use to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of organisms. Along the way you will solve a mystery, compare bones and DNA, and look for fossils. Fantastic Fossil Finds Fossil Horse Cyber Museum - from the Florida Museum of Natural History Fossil Lesson Plans - lesson plans on fossils of individual phyla, as well as general lesson plans for introducing fossils and how they are formed Fossils - Clues to the Past - Fossils provide clues to what life was like in ancient times. Fossils of Iowa Fossils Rock - especially for teachers, students, and home-schoolers who want to put some fun into their earth science classes How fossils can form - This animation shows the formation of a cast and mold, one way that fossils can form. Casts are copies of fossilized plants or animals. Molds are hollow impressions of the fossil. This process takes thousands or millions of years. How Fossils Form - from Enchanted Learning Life Has a History - an educational module sponsored by the National Science Foundation (select level 2 for 5-8) Paleontology Portal Recreating extinct animals from fossil evidence is like completing a giant jigsaw puzzle, but without all the pieces. Resources for K-12 Teachers and Students - from The Paleontology Portal Tennessee Fossils - take a look in the photos section Trilobite Cookies - just for fun, looks like a great cookie Using Fossils - discussion of two principal uses of fossils; dating and interpreting environment Virtual Fossil Museum - fossils across geological time and evolution What Are Fossils - from the San Diego Natural History Museum What is a Fossil - discussion of Type I and Type II fossils
Examine the fossil record to describe the environmental adaptations in a group of organisms. 4.8
Describe the evidence for plate tectonics such as fossil record, mountain ranges, rock strata, paleomagnetism, paleoclimates, and the configuration of continents. 4.9	Animations Plate Tectonics animation (Warning!: These animated gifs, including the smallest files, load slowly) Animations in the form of PowerPoint shows are available from the PLATES project at the University of Texas. History - Plate Tectonics: The Rocky History of an Idea How the Plates Move - a lesson from Volcano World Mechanisms - explanation of the driving forces behind plate tectonics Paleomap Earth History maps Paleomap VR animations Pangaea to the Present - a study of the history of the Earth's tectonic plates. Science Odyssey: You Try It: Plate Tectonics - A hands-on exercise about plate tectonics and earthquakes from PBS. (requires Shockwave plug-in) Observe animations of processes that occur along plate boundaries (transform, convergent and diverging) Observe the break up of Pangaea - This animation shows how the locations of continents and islands have changed over the past 150 million years.
Determine the relative age of fossils in sedimentary rock. 4.10
Interpret the sequence of rock strata using superposition, cross- cutting relationships, inclusions, the fossil record, and absolute data techniques. 4.11	Principle of Superposition - in a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary layers or lava flows, the oldest layers are at the bottom. (includes an animation)
Predict how an environmental change will affect the development of new species or the extinction of an existing species. 4.12
Make a timeline of global change through geologic time such as sea level change, climate change, paleogeographic change, and biotas. 4.13