December Earth Science Lesson Plans
Date
12/2-12/3
Tues/Wed
Objectives
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12/4-12/5
Thurs/Fri
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12/8-12/9
Mon/Tues
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12/10-12/11
Wed/Thurs
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Activities
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Standards
MSCS 4: BM 4
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Review glacial features (10 mins)
Virtual Field Trip: “How the Ice Age Helped Shape
Montana” (60 mins)- Follow the directions on the
worksheet to visit several websites and answer
questions about glaciers and Montana’s landscape
Quest (Quiz/Test) Review
Interpret rock layers using
principles of relative dating
and absolute age dating.
Explain how rocks allow
geologists to interpret
Earth’s history
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Review
Glaciers Quest (30 mins)
Read 12.1 and complete question sheet (15 mins)
Relative dating
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MSCS 4: BM 4
Interpret rock layers using
principles of relative dating
and absolute age dating.
Explain how rocks allow
geologists to interpret
Earth’s history

Discuss 12.1: Relative Dating (30 mins)Uniformitariansim, James Hutton, Relative DatingSequence of events, Law of Superposition, Principle of
Original Horizontality, Principle of Cross-Cutting
Relationships, Inclusions, Unconformities, Correlation
of Rock Layers
 Relative Dating Workbook Activity (30 mins)- Discuss
HW: Finish workbook activity
 Review relative dating (10 mins)
 Read 12.2 and complete question sheet (20 mins)
 Fossil Discussion/Notes (20 mins)- Fossil Formation,
Unaltered Remains, Altered Remains – petrified,
molds, casts, carbonation, preservation (amber),
Indirect Evidence (tracks, burrows, etc.), Conditions
Favoring Preservation
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MSCS 4: BM 4
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MSCS 4: BM 4
Identify the landscape
features formed by glaciers
Explore how Montana was
impacted by the last ice age
Define fossils and explain
how fossils are made
Identify the factors that
determine if an organism
will become a fossil
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard
BM= Benchmark
12/12-12/15
Fri/Mon
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12/16-12/17
Tues/Wed
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12/18-12/19
Thurs/Fri
12/22-12/23
Thurs/Fri
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Define fossils and explain
how fossils are made
Identify the factors that
determine if an organism
will become a fossil
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Fossils and Geologic Time Webquest (50 mins)- Life
has a history, Fossil Record, Understanding Geologic
Time
 What is absolute age dating and how is it different
than relative age dating? (15 mins)- Notes/discussion
HW: Read 12.3 and complete question sheet (20 mins)
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Describe the geologic time
scale
Recognize some of the
important events in
geologic history
Review for geologic history
test
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Handout Chapter 12 Test Review
Break students up into 4 groups: Students will review
their topic thoroughly and then present it to the rest
of the class (45 mins)- Poster: Relative Dating, Fossil
Evidence, Absolute Dating, Geologic Time Scale
 Review for Test (30 mins)- Work on test review
HW: Study for test- TEST NEXT CLASS
MSCS 4: BM 3
Chapter 12 Assessment
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MSCS 4: BM 4
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Test (45 mins)- Geologic Time, Relative Dating,
Absolute Dating, Fossils
Planet Earth Episode
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9.1 Plate Tectonics reading worksheet
Plate Tectonics Intro video
MSCS 4: BM 1
Model the interaction of heatdriven convection and the
movement of the plates
Identify the types of plate
boundaries
MSCS= Montana Science Content Standard
BM= Benchmark
MSCS 4: BM 4