Mrs. Virginia Seng
Cherokee High School
Teach21 Capstone Project
9th Grade Honors Biology
11th & 12th Grade Earth Systems Science
Index
Introduction
Resources
Task
Evaluation
Process
Teacher’s Page
Introduction
The grand, expansive history of our
planet covers some 4.6 BILLION
YEARS! The scope & scale of such a
timeframe can be mind boggling, but
our Earth’s history of Biology,
Geology & Climate change over the
eons is amazing and well worth
understanding! Are you READY to
learn MORE?!
Task
In this WebQuest, you will be working in teams,
each member with specific roles, and your
group will pick one of the Era’s of Geologic
Time to study in more detail. At the
conclusion of this WebQuest, our culminating
activity will include an opportunity for your
group to shine as experts on your chosen ‘Era’
of Geologic Time. We will construct a scale
model of Geologic Time on the Football Field
& your group will display & explain your
Era’s highlights on the Timeline!!
Process
 Steps in this WebQuest Activity:
 Day 1: After an introduction to this capstone project, students will
complete an individual online interactive tutorial about the Geologic
Time Scale & key highlights in the Earth’s development, and will then
complete the form provided. See Word.doc entitled ‘Check-In #1: A Walk Through
Geologic Time Webquest’, posted on Mrs. Seng’s school web page.
 Day 2: Groups of 3 to 4 students will be formed & each group will
select a particular Geologic Era or Time Period from the list provided by
the teacher. Groups will then confer about and assign the 4 key roles for
members (Biologist, Botanist, Geologist & Meteorologist) See Word.doc
entitled ‘Roles of group members for Geologic Time WebQuest’, posted on Mrs. Seng’s school web
page. Begin researching info on Resource links provided and record
Era/Period info on note-taking forms provided (each ‘Expert’ will focus
on his/her own specialty, so ‘divide and conquer’). Groups continue
research phase and begin work on entering info on PowerPoint template
for their groups info. See PowerPoint entitled ‘Geologic Time WebQuest – Team PPT
Template’, posted on Mrs. Seng’s school web page.
Process, continued
 Day 3: Groups complete research phase and complete work on
entering info (typed info content and any pictures you wish to
include (2 pictures inserted for each ‘expert’s slide’!) on
PowerPoint template for their info. Each group must also print
off their PowerPoint Slides for use in Day 4’s activity (Call Mrs.
Seng over BEFORE printing – she needs to oversee that! We’ll use white
cardstock & color printing.). See PowerPoint entitled ‘Geologic Time WebQuest – Team PPT
Each group’s slides will be posted on a tall wooden stake
for use on Day 4.
Template’.
 Day 4: Our class will construct a scale model of Geologic Time
on the Football Field & your group will display your Era’s
highlights on the Timeline. Your printed PowerPoint Slides of
completed, required info from each expert’s role will be your
group’s ‘highlight displays’ for our ‘History of Earth’ Time
Line. We look forward to your presentations of information as
you instruct us further about your Era/Period!
Online Resources
 This is NOT an exhaustive listing – this is meant to get you
started in your research! Feel free to utilize appropriate
search engines for both text-based information and for
images, pictures or clip art to insert.
 Geologic Time Scale:
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/guide/geologictimescale.html
 http://www.agiweb.org/news/evolution/geologictime.html
 http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html
 Overview of Earth History:
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/past/geologic_time.html&edu=high
 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/beta/evolution/brief-history-life.html
 Precambrian Time Links:
 Proterozoic Era: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/proterozoic.html
 Archaean Era: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/archaean.html
 Hadean Era: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/hadean.html
Online Resources
 This is NOT an exhaustive listing – this is meant to get
you started in your research! Feel free to utilize
appropriate search engines for both text-based
information and for images, pictures or clip art to insert.
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Paleozoic Era Links:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/hist_paleozoic.html&edu=mid
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/geology/hist_paleozoic.html&edu=high
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/paleozoic/paleozoic.html
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Mezozoic Era Links:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/hist_mesozoic.html
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/geology/hist_mesozoic.html&edu=high
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/mesozoic/mesozoic.html
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Cenozoic Era Links:
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/hist_cenozoic.html
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/geology/hist_cenozoic.html&edu=high
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/cenozoic/cenozoic.html
Evaluation (Rubric)
Criteria
Grammar, Spelling,
Mechanics
Attractiveness and
Organization
Informational
Interest and
Based in Fact
Graphics / Pictures
Cooperative Work
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Fair
9 - 10
points
6-8
points
3–5
points
0-2
points
There are no grammatical or
spelling errors.
Capitalization, punctuation
correct throughout.
There are 1 or 2 grammatical,
spelling or capitalization /
punctuation errors.
There are no more than 5
grammatical, spelling or
capitalization / punctuation
errors throughout
There are more than 5
grammatical, spelling or
capitalization / punctuation
errors throughout
The PowerPoint has
exceptionally attractive
formatting. Well-organized
information.
The content and ideas are
presented in a unique and
interesting way.
The PowerPoint has attractive
formatting and well-organized
information.
Presentation shows some
originality and inventiveness.
The PowerPoint has wellorganized information.
Presentation shows an
attempt at originality and
inventiveness
The PowerPoint's formatting
and organization of material
are confusing to the reader.
Presentation shows very little
attempt at original thought.
The PowerPoint contains
facts, figures, and/or
information that make the
brochure exceptionally
interesting to reader and is
based on fact.
Graphics go well with the text
and there is a good mix of
text and graphics.
The PowerPoint contains
facts, figures, and/or
information that make the
articles interesting to readers.
The PowerPoint contains
some facts or figures but is
marginally interesting to read.
The PowerPoint does not
contain facts or figures that
might make it interesting to
read nor provides much
information based on fact.
Graphics go well with the
text, but there are so many
that they distract from the
text.
Graphics go well with the text,
but there are too few and the
brochure seems "text-heavy"
or not enough text and it
seems “picture-heavy”.
Graphics do not go with the
accompanying text or appear
to be randomly chosen.
Partners show exceptional
respect for one another's
ideas, divide the work fairly,
and show a commitment to
quality work and support for
each other.
Partners show respect for one
another's ideas and divide the
work fairly. There is
commitment toward quality
work and support of one
another.
Partners show respect for one
another's ideas and divide the
work fairly. There is little
evidence of a commitment
toward quality work in the
group.
Partners argue or are
disrespectful of other's ideas
and input. Criticism is not
constructive nor is support
offered. One person mostly
does the work.
Teacher’s Page
 Grade Level: 9th Grade Honors Biology
& 12th Grade Earth Systems
 Standards:
Biology – SBS 5b “Explain the history of life in terms of biodiversity, ancestry, and
the rates of evolution.” (*The millions of different species of plants, animals and
microorganisms that live on Earth today are related by descent from common
ancestors; *The great diversity of organisms is the result of more than 3.5
billion years of evolution that has filled every available niche with life forms)
Biology – SBS 5c “Explain how fossil and biochemical evidence support the
theory.” (*Modern classification systems are based upon biochemical and
genetic evidence that indicates evolutionary relationships; *Evolution explains
the number of different life forms we see, similarities in anatomy and chemistry
and sequence of changes in fossils formed over more than a billion years;
Molecular evidence supports anatomical evidence from fossils about the
sequence of descent.)
 Standards: (cont.)
 Earth Science Standards (12th Grade / Earth Systems) - SES4 “Students
will understand how rock relationships and fossils are used to reconstruct
the Earth’s past.”
 a. Describe and apply principles of relative age (superposition, original
horizontality, cross-cutting relations, and original lateral continuity)
and describe how unconformities form.
 b. Interpret the geologic history of a succession of rocks and
unconformities.
 c. Apply the principle of uniformitarianism to relate sedimentary rock
associations and their fossils to the environments in which the rocks
were deposited.
 d. Explain how sedimentary rock units are correlated within and across
regions by a variety of methods (e.g., geologic map relationships, the
principle of fossil succession, radiometric dating, and paleomagnetism).
 e. Use geologic maps and stratigraphic relationships to interpret major
events in Earth history (e.g., mass extinction, major climatic change,
tectonic events).
 Standards: (cont.)
 Earth Science Standards (12th Grade / Earth Systems) - SES6 “Students will
explain how life on Earth responds to and shapes Earth systems.”
 d. Describe how fossils provide a record of shared ancestry, evolution, and
extinction that is best explained by the mechanism of natural selection.
 e. Identify the evolutionary innovations that most profoundly shaped Earth
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systems: photosynthetic prokaryotes and the atmosphere; multicellular
animals and marine environments; land plants and terrestrial
environments.
Earth Science Standards (12th Grade / Earth Systems):
Major Concepts/Skills:
Geologic time and correlation
Earth and life history
Science Concepts/Skills to Maintain:
Interprets graphs, tables, and charts
Organizes data into graphs, tables, and charts
Analyzes scientific data via calculations and inference
Uses models
Asks quality questions
Uses technology