Radiometric Dating Teacher Resources

Uranium 235 has a half-life of over 700 million years and is the fuel used in the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Pupils see the half-lives and decay rates of Carbon-14 and Uranium-238. They also take measurements of these two...

Students read about and complete question activities for the topic of relative dating. In this relative dating lesson, students read information for the topic and then complete two activities to further their understanding of geologic...

Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...

In this absolute time learning exercise, learners define radiometric dating, tree rings and varves as means to measure absolute time. They are given information about each of these methods of dating.

Students explore radioactive dating using a radiometric Dating website. In this chemistry lesson plan, students will work in small groups to collect data that shows how fossils are dated. As a follow-up, students will research a...

Some 4.565 billion candles would be needed for a birthday cake for Earth. Young scientists view a video to learn about historical attempts to determine the age of Earth. They see how advances in radioactive dating led to the currently...

Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.

Learners investigate relative and absolute dating; determine the difference between the two dating systems; and apply this knowledge by creating a geologic timetable of their own.

Students identify and analyze how the geologic time scale was developed by investigating 11 periods of time and the vast expanse of time of the Earth's existence. They study their period, determine the important factors indicative to...

In this ages of rock worksheet, students review the processes involved with determining the ages of rocks which includes the radioactive decay of carbon-14. This worksheet has 5 matching and 5 short answer questions.

Fourth graders use their knowledge about fossils to arrange fossil pictures in sequence from oldest to youngest. They explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments and discover...

For this rocks worksheet, students review the process of absolute dating of rocks and compare it to the relative dating process. This worksheet has 16 fill in the blank questions.

What an impression fossils make! In this activity, aspiring paleontologists view fossils and construct a timeline to further understand how the lack of natural adaptation caused historical organisms to become extinct. While they...

Students create an evolutionary tree based on fossil morphology and their ages. In this fossil record lesson plan, students are given 23 pictures of fossil. They study their morphology and arrange the fossils by age and structures on a...

Young scholars use M&Ms to simulate radioactive decay of elements.

Students explore different ways geological time can be measured: comparing the time dimensions for each method, the mechanisms of each method, and the materials used.

Students record data, make observations, and share in experimentation and discussion of numerical experiments.

A huge site from The University of North Carolina regarding radiometric dating, how it works, inaccurate methods, Carbon-14 dating, and lots more.

A lengthy article with lots of information about radiometric dating, including pictures and charts.

A look into how a scientist can tell the approximate age of a rock by using radiometric dating. [4:40]

Learn about different types of radiometric dating, such as carbon dating. Understand how decay and half-life work to enable radiometric dating. Play a game that tests your ability to match the percentage of the dating element that...

Learn about different types of radiometric dating, such as carbon dating. Understand how decay and half life work to enable radiometric dating. Play a game that tests your ability to match the percentage of the dating element that...

Explore various types of radiometric dating.

In this video segment from A Science Odyssey, scientists explain how Earth's age was determined by examining the radioactive rocks in Earth's crust.