Lesson Plans for the week of March 31 – April 4, 2014
Content Standards
MS-ESS1-4
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from strata for how the geologic timescale
is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on
how analyses of rock formations and the fossils they contain are used to establish relative ages of
major events in Earth’s history. Examples of Earth’s major events could range from being very
recent (such as the last Ice Age or the earliest fossils of Homo sapiens) to very old (such as the
formation of mountain chains and ocean basins, the evolution or extinction of particular living
organisms, or significant volcanic eruptions.]
ESS1.C
The geologic time scale interpreted from rock strata provides a way to organize earth’s history.
Analyses of rock strata and the fossil record provide only relative dates, not absolute scale.
Monday (7)
LT – 1: I can describe and explain the conditions necessary for organisms to become fossils.
Students will write learning target one in their science journals. Students will also pre-assess the target.
To begin the lesson and to gain student interest, students will look at a sample or two of fossils and will
be asked what they know about fossils and how they form. Students will then be introduced to the
website for Getting into the Fossil Record http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fossil/open.html on the
SMART Board. Students will be given a brief introduction on how to navigate through the site.
Students will then use the Ipad with Photon to complete a Scavenger Hunt handout about the site. To
close the lesson, students will take a short multiple choice formative assessment over what they should
have learned.
Media/Technology: Ipads for students, SMART Lesson
Formative Assessment: Multiple Choice Assessment
Special Needs Strategies: Struggling readers may choose to work with the teacher aide in small group.
Students who choose to use student computers can use the Read, Write, Gold program to read the
material from the website to them.
Tuesday (April 8)
LT – I can determine how hard it is for an organism to become a fossil.
Students will play a game called “A Twist in Time”. In this activity, students will play a board
game about fossils. This game twists and turns through millions of years, taking you through the
basic steps of fossilization and the hazards that are endured to try and become a fossil.
Formative Assessment:
Media/Technology: SMART Presentation
Special Needs : No assistance will be needed
Wednesday (9)
LT: I can make a model of the Earth’s Geologic Time Scale making predictions about major events in
Earth’s history.
Students will review their personal timelines by completing a short bell work assignment. (Use your
personal timeline to describe three events in your life using sequential time. Use your personal timeline
to describe two events using numerical time, Compare and Contrast your personal timeline with the
Geologic Timescale). Next students will be asked to think about Earth’s history. We will start with the
idea that earth is extremely old (4.6 by). Students will be given a card with a major event in Earth’s
history. Once all students have a card, we will go out into the hall way to interact with a black ribbon
that represents all of Earth’s time. Students will view the ribbon and will then be asked to tape the card
to the location in time where they think it belongs. After placing all of the cards, students will sit in the
hall. We will construct the timeline correctly. To do this, as an event is called, the student who placed
the event will take the card and place it in the correct location. Once the timeline is correct, students
will take out their pretest questions from Tuesday and will correct their responses if necessary.
Students will also be asked to complete a model of the Geologic Time Scale.
Media/Technology: SMART Response
Formative Assessment: Geologic Timeline Part 1
Special Needs Strategies: Teacher assists as needed
Thursday (10)
LT – I can determine my understanding of how a fossil forms after taking a formative
assessment on the clickers.
Students will prep their notebooks for collecting their data after taking a quiz over LT 1 & 2.
Students will take the quiz and record their data in their comp book
Formative Assessment: Clicker Quiz
Media/Technology: SMART Response presentation
Special Needs: Quiz will be read orally.
Friday (11)
LT – I can identify the Law of Superposition and apply it to a series of rock layers.
Students will be able to: (1) sequence information using items which overlap specific sets; (2) relate
sequencing to the Law of Superposition; and (3) show how fossils can be used to give relative dates to
rock layers.
Assessment: Exit Slip
Media/Technology: SMART presentation
Special Needs: Group Work