Activity 1
Engagement:
How Old Is the Earth?
How did the world begin? For thousands of years, parents and grandparents of all the earth’s
cultures have told their children many different and beautiful stories about the creation of the
universe. By observing rock layers and fossils, scientists have put together a single theory that
explains much of what happened as the universe, our sun and our earth came into being. They
have catalogued many details about the age of the earth, and how life developed on our planet.
Over the next few days you will be studying what scientists have learned as they surveyed
and recorded details of rock layers and fossils all over the world. You will construct a geologic
timeline to help you understand the age of the earth. Working in small groups you will explore
the major events in the history of the earth and the evolution of life. Finally, each team will
develop a short presentation in which they will share their discoveries to the entire class.
Activity 1A:
The scientists’ theory of the history of the universe began with their investigations of rock
layers and fossils. How do you think rocks and fossils can be used to learn about the history of
the earth? Share your thoughts below.
Activity 1B:
How old do you believe the earth is? Explain your thinking.
Activity 1C:
How does your response compare with the answers of your classmates?
Activity 1D:
If you wanted to check your prediction about the earth’s age, what steps could you take to collect
data, and how could you display the data?
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Exploration:
Each team needs the following materials:
 Student Resource Book
 meter stick
• cash register tape (five meters long)
• colored pens/pencils/markers
Activity 1E:
Follow the directions given on pages 1 and 2 of your Student Resource Book to construct a
timeline of the history of the earth. When you have completed this task, then answer the
following questions.
Activity 1F:
What might be added or changed in the directions for “Constructing a Geologic Timeline” to
help you or someone else follow them more easily?
Activity 1G:
How accurate was your prediction about the age of the earth?
Activity 1H:
Write at least two questions about the history of the earth that could be answered with further
study.
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Activity 2
Explanation:
A Clock of the Eras
Activity 2A:
Refer to page 2 of your Student Resource Booklet to find the length of each period or era
listed below in millions of years. Then calculate the percentage of total geologic time for each.
Fill in the chart accordingly.
Time Period
Geologic Time
Percentage of Total
Time
Precambrian Era
Archaean Period
Proterozoic Period
Paleozoic Era
Mesozoic Era
Cenozoic Era
Quaternary Period
Activity 2B:
Now use the data in the table to make a pie chart showing the relative length of each geological
period. Remember to include a title, numerical interval markings, labels, and a key.
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Activity 2C:
Explain how you calculated total time and percentages.
Activity 2D:
Imagine the pie chart as a Clock of the Eras. How many hours did it take for life to begin to
develop on earth?
Activity 2E:
What time did fish appear?
Activity 2F:
How many hours did the dinosaurs live?
Activity 2G:
Stand with your arms extended straight out to each side, and imagine the history of the earth
represented by the distance from the tips of the fingers on your left hand to the tips of the fingers
on your right. If a nail file were to run across a fingernail of your longest finger, the time that
humans have been on the earth would be erased. What evidence can you provide to support this
statement?
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Activity 3
Elaboration:
You Be the Expert Geologist!
Scientists have discovered countless details about the earth’s history. Beginning on page 4 of
your Student Resource Booklet there are several pages of information to help you learn more
about the geologic timeline. The class will work together on this task. Your teacher will assign
responsibility to each group for teaching one small section of this material to the rest of the class.
Before beginning, think about what your classmates might already know about the material,
and what they need to learn about it. Refer to page 3 of your Student Resource Booklet,
'Planning the Lesson,' for directions.
Individual members of your group are responsible for:
 taking notes on one part of the section, paraphrasing, not copying the material;
 finding other sources of information in the classroom, the computer lab or the school
library, if time allows;
 checking the accuracy of another member’s facts;
 creating note cards to use during the lesson; and
 creating a visual aid to use during the presentation.
Activity 3A:
Use the space below to take notes on your section of the timeline. If you decide to quote from
the text, be sure to use quotation marks.
Activity 3B:
Your team should now plan the presentation of the lesson. Every member must participate
actively in some part of the presentation. Use the space below to describe the sequence of your
group’s lesson.
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Activity 3C:
Use the following lines to outline your part of the presentation in detail.
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Activity 4
Evaluation:
Put it to the Test
Activity 4A:
Write two questions that will assess your classmates’ knowledge or understanding of the main
ideas of your lesson. These can be short answer, multiple choices, true/false or fill in the blank.
1.
2.
Activity 4B:
Write one question that will help students mentally organize the information you presented. This
may involve restating the information, identifying the most important facts and the supporting
details, making comparisons or drawing conclusions. This question should require your
classmates to refer back to the text you discussed.
Activity 4C:
Write one question that will require students to connect the new information you presented to
prior knowledge. This should necessitate comparison of the ideas you presented with previously
learned information. It should be an open ended question that will stimulate higher level
thinking. A good answer to this question will need support from the text as well as a personal
response.
Activity 4D:
Write one question that requires students to analyze your presentation. This might include
asking them to prove or disprove the accuracy of your facts, to comment on your organization or
to suggest ways to improve the effectiveness of the lesson.
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Timeline of Life
Student Resource Booklet
Constructing a Geological Timeline
1. Use a scale that makes one million years
equal to one mm of distance. One cm will
represent 10 million years. Ten cm will
represent 100 million years.
2. Take turns with your partners labeling
the timeline. Put your names on one side of
the paper.
3. Label the end of the paper “4,500 million years ago.” Beginning at this
point, makes a line every ten centimeters. Label the first line 4,400 million,
the second line 4,300 million, the third line 4,200 million and so forth.
4. After the 600 million mark, make a mark every centimeter. Continue to
label the years every ten centimeters.
5. Using the chart “Dates for the Timeline,” label the periods and events on
your timeline at the correct places.
6. Use colors to make the chart more interesting.
7. Provide a key to explain the scale of your timeline.
4,500
million
years
ago
4,400
million
years
ago
4,300
million
years
ago
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Dates for the Timeline
Time in Earth’s History
Precambrian Era
Hadean Period
Archaean Period
Proterozoic Period
Paleozoic Era
Cambrian Period
Ordovician Period
Silurian Period
Devonian Period
Mississippian Period
Pennsylvanian Period
Permian Period
Mesozoic Era
Triassic Period
Jurassic Period
Cretaceous Period
Cenozoic Era
Tertiary Period
Quaternary Period
Approximate Beginning
4,500 million years ago
4,500 million years ago
3,800 million years ago
2,500 million years ago
544 million years ago
544 million years ago
505 million years ago
440 million years ago
410 million years ago
360 million years ago
325 million years ago
286 million years ago
245 million years ago
245 million years ago
208 million years ago
146 million years ago
65 million years ago
65 million years ago
1,800,000 years ago
Events
Solar System Forms
earth slowly cools
microscopic life evolves
photosynthesis begins
“Explosion” of Life
trilobites rule the seas
first fish
first land plants
first true plants
first amphibians
reptiles evolve
Pangaea splits apart
Rise of Dinosaurs
small, fast dinosaurs
first birds
dinosaurs dominate
Age of Mammals
flowering plants reign
humans evolve
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Timeline of Life Scoring Guide
Activity 1A:
1 pt. Answered in complete sentences
0 pt. Other
Activity 1B:
2 pt. Hypothesis and justification
1 pt. Hypothesis or justification
0 pt. Other response
Activity 1C:
2 pt. Similarities and differences stated.
1 pt. Similarities or differences stated.
0 pt. Other
Activity 1D:
2 pt. Reasonable plan and display described.
1 pt. Reasonable plan or display described
0 pt. Other
Activity 1E:
3 pt. Scale is explained in a key.
Timeline is correctly marked off.
Each time period is labeled.
Important events plotted accurately.
Colors or textures add interest.
2 pt. Four out of five
1 pt. Three out of five
0 pt. Two or less
Activity 1F:
1 pt. Reasonable answer in complete sentences
0 pt. Blank or incomplete
Activity 1G:
1 pt. Accurate comparison in complete sentence
0 pt. Blank or incomplete
Activity 1H:
2 pt. Two appropriate questions
1 pt. One appropriate question
0 pt. Blank or incomplete
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Activity 2A:
2 pt. Chart complete
Calculations correct
1 pt One element missing
0 pt. More than one element missing
Activity 2B:
3 pt. Graph’s title tells its purpose
Parts of graph are clearly labeled
Even intervals are marked
A key is provided
Graph is accurate
Graph is neat
Colors or textures add interest
2 pt Six out of seven
1 pt. Four or five out of seven
0 pt. Three or less
Activity 2C:
2 pt Clear explanation
Examples used to support explanation
1 pt One element missing
0 pt Incomplete or inaccurate
Activity 2D:
1 pt. Accurate answer in complete sentence
0 pt. Inaccurate or incomplete
Activity 2E:
1 pt. Accurate answer in complete sentence
0 pt. Inaccurate or incomplete
Activity 2F:
1 pt. Accurate answer in complete sentence
0 pt. Inaccurate or incomplete
Activity 2G:
2 pt Explanation and justification
1 pt Explanation only
0 pt Other
Activity 3A:
1 pt. Neat, organized notes
0 pt. Other
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Activity 3B:
3 pt. Introduction states objective
Main ideas presented
Vocabulary defined
Examples and descriptions used
Lesson includes a practice activity
Conclusion restates main ideas
Lesson plan is well organized
2 pt Six out of Seven
1 pt Four or five out of seven
0 pt Three or less
Activity 3C:
2 pt. Main ideas presented clearly
Examples and descriptions used
Presentation is well organized
1 pt Two out of three
0 pt Other
Activity 4A:
2 pt Two questions
1 pt One question
0 pt Blank or incomplete
Activity 4B:
1 pt One appropriate question
0 pt Blank, incomplete or inappropriate
Activity 4C:
1 pt One appropriate question
0 pt Blank, incomplete or inappropriate
Activity 4D:
1 pt One appropriate question
0 pt Blank, incomplete or inappropriate
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Timeline of life student worksheets
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Timeline of life student worksheets
Page 5
Timeline of life
student
worksheets
Name: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Period: _____ table: _____
Date: _________________________________________
ACTIVITY 1 DUE _______________________________
ACTIVITY 2 DUE _______________________________
ACTIVITY 3 DUE _______________________________
ACTIVITY 4 DUE _______________________________
Timeline of life student worksheets
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