GMSS_CA_Lesson Plans
Chapter 7 The Age of Earth
Lesson 1 Relative Ages of Rocks
Standards: 4.a
Schedule
Single Periods:
Block Schedule:
5 sessions
2.5 sessions
Lesson Objectives
1. Explain how geologists identify past events by studying rocks.
2. Reconstruct the geologic history of an area.
3. Describe how early geologists estimated Earth’s age.
Motivate
____ Launch Lab, p. 279
____ Lesson Focus Transparency, Ch. 7, Lesson 1 (EL)
____ Foldables, p. 279
____ Target Your Reading, p. 281; Worksheet, p. x, CRB (EL)
Teach
____ Interactive Classroom, Ch. 7, Lesson 1 
____ MiniLab, p. 290; Worksheet, p. x, CRB
____ Teaching Transparency, Ch. 7, Lesson 1 (EL)
Grade 7
Chapter 7
1 of 5
GMSS_CA_Lesson Plans
Leveled Resources
Below Level
On Level
Advanced Learner
__ Reading Essentials, English,
Ch. 7, Lesson 1 (EL)
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 1
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 1
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 1,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 1,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Reinforcement Worksheet, p. x,
CRB
__ Enrichment Worksheet, p. x, CRB
__ Reading Essentials, Spanish,
Ch. 7, Lesson 1 (EL)
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 1
__ Chapter Content Mastery,
English, p. x, CRB (EL)
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Chapter Content Mastery,
Spanish, p. x, CRB (EL)
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 1, pp.
xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Virtual Lab 
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Culturally Relevant Activities for
Science
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 1 (EL) 
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Virtual Lab 
__ Culturally Relevant Activities for
Science
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 1 (EL) 
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 1 (EL) 
Assess
_____ Lesson Review, p. 289
_____ Interactive Classroom, Lesson Review, Ch. 7, Lesson 1 
_____ Standards Check, ca7.msscience.com
_____ ExamView Assessment Suite
Grade 7
Chapter 7
2 of 5
GMSS_CA_Lesson Plans
Chapter 7
Lesson 2 Absolute Ages of Rocks
Standards: 4.b, 4.g
Schedule
Single Periods:
Block Schedule:
7 sessions
3.5 sessions
Lesson Objectives
1. Describe the different types of radioactive decay.
2. Determine the age of a mineral given the relative amounts of parent and daughter
isotopes and the half-life of the parent.
3. Explain how sedimentary rocks are dated.
Motivate
____ Lesson Focus Transparency, Ch. 7, Lesson 2 (EL)
Teach
____ Interactive Classroom, Ch. 7, Lesson 2 
____ DataLab, p. 298
____ Lab, pp. 300–301; Leveled Lab Worksheets A/B, pp. xx-xx, CRB
____ Teaching Transparency, Ch. 7, Lesson 2 (EL)
Grade 7
Chapter 7
3 of 5
GMSS_CA_Lesson Plans
Leveled Resources
Below Level
On Level
Advanced Learner
__ Reading Essentials, English,
Ch. 7, Lesson 2 (EL)
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 2
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 2
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 2,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 2,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Reinforcement Worksheet, p. x,
CRB
__ Enrichment Worksheet, p. x, CRB
__ Reading Essentials, Spanish,
Ch. 7, Lesson 2 (EL)
__ Science Notebook: Active
Reading and Note-taking,
Ch. 7, Lesson 2
__ Chapter Content Mastery,
English, p. x, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Content Vocabulary,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Content Mastery,
Spanish, p. x, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Test B, pp. xx-xx, CRB
__ Chapter Outline, Lesson 2,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Content Vocabulary,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Test A, pp. xx-xx, CRB
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Virtual Lab 
__ Culturally Relevant Activities for
Science
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 2 (EL) 
__ Chapter Content Vocabulary,
pp. xx-xx, CRB (EL)
__ Chapter Test C, pp. xx-xx, CRB
__ Vocabulary PuzzleMaker, Ch. 7,
ca7.msscience.com (EL)
__ Language Arts Support for
Science, Ch. 7 (EL)
__ School to Home Connection
Activities, Ch. 7
__ Virtual Lab 
__ Culturally Relevant Activities for
Science
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 2 (EL) 
__ StudentWorks Plus, Ch. 7,
Lesson 2 (EL) 
Assess the Lesson
_____ Lesson Review, p. 297
_____ Interactive Classroom, Lesson Review, Ch. 7, Lesson 2 
_____ Standards Check, ca7.msscience.com
_____ ExamView Assessment Suite
Review and Assess the Chapter
_____ Chapter Review, pp. xx-xx, CRB
_____ Standards Study Guide, p. 304
_____ Interactive Tutor, ca7.msscience.com
_____ Standards Review, pp. 305–307
_____ Standards Review, ca7.msscience.com
Grade 7
Chapter 7
4 of 5
GMSS_CA_Lesson Plans
_____ Standards Assessment, pp. 308–309
_____ ExamView Assessment Suite
Grade 7
Chapter 7
5 of 5