Student #
Period_______
Background: Figure 1 shows two stacks of rock layers, one in Montana and one in France.
Objective: Determine (a) which strata in Montana correlate with (are the same as) strata in France and (b)
which stratum in France contains the same dinosaur fossil are stratum “d” in Montana.
Step 1: Make a hypothesis. Using a colored pencil, connect the borders of the strata in Montana with those in
France. The connection you draw is your hypothesis.
(1) Write the letter of the stratum in France you predict will contain the dinosaur fossil: __________
(2) Why did you connect the strata in this way?
Background: Figure 2 shows index fossils found in certain strata. Each fossil will be found in only one stratum
in Montana and only one stratum in France.
Objective: Determine (a) which strata in Montana correlate with (are the same as) strata in France and (b)
which stratum in France contains the same dinosaur fossil are stratum “d” in Montana.
Step 2: Using colored pencils and the information in Figure 2, draw the fossils in the strata shown on the chart.
Draw the fossils in the appropriate strata in Figure 1. Make your best effort to reproduce the drawings
accurately.
Step 3: Using a DIFFERENT colored pencil than you used in Step 1, connect the borders of the strata from
Montana with the accurate corresponding strata in France. Draw the dinosaur bone in the correct stratum.
Post-Activity Questions
1) Compare the connections you made in Step 1 and Step 3. How close was your hypothesis to the real
correlation? Which ones were most accurate? Why?
2) Which stratum in France do you now believe contains the dinosaur fossil? Is it the one you guessed earlier?
What was the clue that helped you make your conclusion?
3) Which fossil is the youngest?
4) Which fossil is the oldest?
5) a. Where and when was there a geologic event? How do you know?
b. Critical Thinking Describe what happened during the geologic event.
6) Critical Thinking Fossil 6 is not present in the strata in France. Knowing what you know about the changing
nature of Earth’s surface, why might this be?
7) Using the chart below identify what would be the best dating method (or methods) to determine the age of
each of the fossils located in the strata column in Montana.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Montana Strata
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
Hypothesized
Age
10,000
500,000
50 million
150 million
300 million
350 million
550 million
Time
Period/Era
Cenozoic
Cenozoic
Cenozoic
Mesozoic
Paleozoic
Paleozoic
Paleozoic
Type of Rock
Minerals
Sedimentary
Sedimentary
Sedimentary
Sedimentary
Igneous/Volcanic
Sedimentary
Igneous/Volcanic
Carbon, Calcium
Quartz, Feldspar
Quartz, Feldspar
Potassium, Aluminum, Sulfur
Iron, Magnesium, Uranium
Quartz, Feldspar
Quartz, Feldspar, Uranium
8) Based on the physical characteristics of the fossils you uncovered, which fossils do hypothesize are the most closely
related (claim)? Which characteristics led you to think so (evidence)?