Secondary Principles
ED 360/361
Fall, 2013
Online Learning Experience
Teachers’ Names
Jordan and Matthias
Unit Title/Topic
Geological Time Eras
Previous Unit
Next Unit
Would Be first Unit of the Course
Subject
Earth Science
Grade/Class
Weather Patterns
9th Grade
STAGE 1: DESIRED RESULTS
Overarching Essential
Question (guides the
entire unit)
What geological processes and biological activity characterized the
development of the world throughout each of the major geological time
eras?
Content Standards
(GLCEs, HSCEs,
Common Core, or
professional
organizations)
Michigan State Science Standards:
Geological Time:E5.3C
Evolution: B5.3d, B5.1f
Next Generation Science Standards:
Evolution: MS-LS4-1, MS-LS4-2, MS-LS4-3
Geological Formation of Earth: MS-ESS1-4, MS-ESS1-3, 4-ESS1-1,
4-ESS2-1, ESS1.C
Essential Questions
throughout the Unit
What organisms lived during each geological era?
How did evolution lead to changes in the organisms in each era?
What how can do we use rock layers to date fossils?
What geological events changed the earth's shape during each era?
What period of time does each era cover?
Use research databases and evaluate sources.
Reading and reviewing scholarly articles.
Using technology to generate a presentation and summarize key points of a
unit.
Intellectual Processes
Key Concepts
Natural Selection
Evolution
Biodiversity
Plate Tectonics
Fossil Records
Climate Change
Geological Eras
Unit
Abstract
This unit will combine geological and biological concepts to teach students
about the changes in our world throughout the different eras of geological
time. The students will learn how our earth's history is broken down and how it
has changed over time. Online learning will target a specific geological or
biological concept each day and force students to think critically about how the
earth or it's life forms changed as a result of that concept. Combining
disciplines, students will have to draw from prior knowledge, web resources
and their peers to learn course content. Each day, an assignment will be turned
in, demonstrating progress towards an understanding of a course concept and
the era or period in which this concept helped shape change. The unit will
conclude with a collaborative media presentation that will show students'
understanding of course concepts and the geological time scale.
STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Formative – Performance Task
Formative – Other Evidence (observations,
questioning)
Daily online assignments will allow the teacher to
assess what students are taking from each day's
online content. Digital quick writes following
videos, online lectures, online activities will be
used. Shmoop quizzes will also be used to assess
students' learning. All assignments will be emailed
to the instructor.
Summative
Teacher observation of student conversations
during online activities. Student's questions about
assignments.
Since this is an online learning unit, the final assessment will be
technology based. Students will work in pairs to create a digital
presentation of the content they have learned throughout the unit.
The presentation could be a prezi, a movie, podcast or any other
creative digital format. Students will demonstrate their
understanding by presenting each of the major geological periods
along with one geological and one biological change that occurred
over the course of this period.
STAGE 3: LEARNING PLAN
Day/Lesson #
Lesson Topic
1
Introduction to Geological Time Scale
2
Precambrian Era: Organic Carbon
3
Precambrian Era: Super Continents and Plate Tectonics
4
Paleozoic Era: Cambrian Period - Natural Selection, Evolution
5
6
7
Paleozoic Era: Devonian Period - Climate Changes and
Implications on Aquatic to Terrestrial Shift
Paleozoic Era: Body Adaptations, Evolution, Biodiversity
11
12
13
14
Mesozoic Era: Triassic - Extinction, Climate Change, Plate
Tectonics, Fossil Records
Mesozoic Era: Jurassic Period - Pangaea Breaks in to Laurasia and
Gwandana
Mesozoic Era: Cretaceous Period - New Dinosaurs, Natural
Selection
Cenozoic Era: Tertiary Period - Gwandana Breakdown, Mammalian
Evolution
Cenozoic Era: Quaternary Period - Human Evolution
In class time to work on presentation
In class time to work on presentation
In class time to work on presentation
15
Final Showcase of multi-media presentation
8
9
10
Resources
Shmoop



http://www.shmoop.com/mechanisms-evolution/
http://www.shmoop.com/animal-evolution-diversity/land-animals.html
http://www.shmoop.com/animal-evolution-diversity/land-animals.html
Youtube
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SY3MZ_wNFW8
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3g-Giuw__LU
National Geographic
 http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/cretaceous/
Other Sources
 http://www.kidsgeo.com/geology-for-kids/0042-pangaea.php
 http://maps.unomaha.edu/maher/plate/week11/precambrian.html