Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Paleozoic Era

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students access prior knowledge to create a chart of eras. In this Paleozoic era lesson, students research the Paleozoic era to find information to create dioramas. Students participate in fossil activities.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Bellwork April 12-16

For Students 7th - 9th
In this bellwork activity, students answer questions about the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. They answer questions about fossils, half life, and radioactive material.
Worksheet
Curated OER

The History of Life

For Students 6th - 8th
For this history of life worksheet, students will use diagrams of the Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Era to complete 4 fill in the blank statements.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Missouri Time Scale

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Young scholars plot events that happened years ago beginning with volcano activity.  In this investigative instructional activity students are introduced to the different eras and plot them on a map. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology of Connecticut

For Teachers 8th - 9th
Students examine the geology of Connecticut, including plate tectonics, glaciation, and fossil formation. After reviewing past lessons, they write essays about what life may have been like in the Mesozoic Period. Following a field...
Website
University of California

Ucmp: The Paleozoic Era

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent overview of the Paleozoic Era. It also provides a chart where you can learn information regarding each of the time frames within the era.
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Web Geological Time Machine

For Students 6th - 8th
The Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley offers an online geological time machine which allows you to catch a glimpse of ancient eras in earth's history. Click into an "Era" to learn about its stratigraphy, life forms, localities, and...
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Cambrian Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Cambrian Period that covers topics such as the Cambrian Explosion, Burgess Shale fauna, trilobites, fossil evidence, and climate and plate tectonics.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Ordovician Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Ordovician Period that covers topics such as reef ecosystems, Paleozoic Fauna, fossil evidence, and climate and plate tectonics.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Silurian Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Silurian Period that covers topics such as life in the seas, invasion of land, fossil evidence, and climate and geology.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Mississippian Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Mississippian Period that covers topics such as life in the seas, tetrapods and other life on land, fossil evidence, and climate and tectonics.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Episd: Life During the Paleozoic

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] From the beginning with the Cambrian explosion and ending with the Permian extinction students will go in depth studying the Paleozoic Era that occurred hundreds of...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Burgess Shale

For Students 9th - 10th
This terrific site from the National Museum of Natural History gives general information about the Burgess Shale and the fossils found within. Use the links to go the Burgess Shale specimens page where there are drawings of many of the...
Website
Estrella Mountain Community College

Online Biology Book: Paleobiology: The Late Paleozoic

For Students 9th - 10th
College-level biology book covers the Late Paleozoic geologic time period in Earth's history. See photographs of fossil evidence from that era in addition to diagrams to help with understanding.
Website
Other

Universitat Munster: History of Paleozoic Forests

For Students 9th - 10th
A very in-depth article from the Universitat Munster regarding the trees of the Paleozoic Period.
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Paleozoic Era: Lesson 3

For Students 9th - 10th
This lesson illustrates the paleozoic era of the history of the earth. It is 3 of 4 in the series titled "Paleozoic Era."
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Paleozoic and Mesozoic Seas

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Reveals that during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic, six marine transgressions and regressions caused sea level to rise over the continents, leaving evidence in rocks in...
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Paleozoic and Mesozoic Seas

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How shallow seas appeared and disappeared throughout the Paleozoic Era.
Website
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Paleozoic Era

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief overview illustrating the Paleozoic era in Earth's geologic history.
Activity
Other

Open Learn Learning Space: Life in the Palaeozoic

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource introduces students to the Palaeozoic Era. Some topics examined are the Cambrian explosion, Ordovician seas, Silurian Period, and the vertebrate evolution. The activity includes a unit outline, online forum, and a learning...
Handout
Other

Arkansas Geologic Survey: Geologic History of Arkansas

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the different geologic time periods and how each affected the area of what is now the state of Arkansas.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Paleozoic Era: Major Events and Important Facts

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides a detailed discussion of the Paleozoic Era and a timeline of its periods and epochs. Looks at geological and tectonic events, climate changes, flora and fauna, and a mass extinction event.
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Flora and Fauna of the Ordovician Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes plants and animals that lived during the Ordovician Period, where it falls in the geologic time scale, tectonic activity happening then, the climate and environment, and extinction events.
Handout
Center for Educational Technologies

Earth Floor: Geologic Time

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a nice explanation of geologic time and Earth's major eras. Although this site is designed for younger students, it is mostly text with few images.