Science 4 Inquiry
Layers and Laws: The Law of Superposition and Index Fossils
What can layers of rock teach us about the climate? Young scientists solve a mystery about who stole a cookie by applying the law of superposition. Then, they apply the same concept to solve a more difficult mystery, trying to determine...
Curated OER
Relative Age Dating
Modeling dough and paper cutouts in science class? Learn about how relative age dating concepts, like the Law of Superposition and cross-cutting relationships, can be used to describe the formation of sedimentary layers.
CK-12 Foundation
Sedimentary Rock Classification: How Old is That Layer?
A timely resource illustrates the effects of the passing years on sedimentary rock formation! Young geologists discover just how long it takes to create shale, slate, and other sedimentary rocks. The interactive also shows...
Curated OER
Relative Ages of Rocks
In this ages of rock worksheet, students will review the processes and techniques of determine the age of rocks. Then students will use a rock layer diagram to determine what rock materials are older or younger. This worksheet has 16...
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
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...
Curated OER
Rules of the Game
In this rules of the game worksheet, students create a foldable demonstrating the laws of superposition and the principle of folding. Students will answer questions as it relates to rock layers and the principle of folding.
Curated OER
Edible Rock Activity
Who knew Snickers® could be used to teach science? Give your budding earth scientists a chance to explore the Law of Superposition, in addition to a well-earned snack.
Curated OER
Rock Cycle Review
In this rock cycle worksheet, students review major concepts related to rock formation by answering 15 multiple choice questions and matching 15 terms to their definitions. Students identify 7 rocks as metamorphic, sedimentary, or...
Curated OER
The Rock and Fossil Record-Science Puzzlers, Twisters & Teasers
In this earth science worksheet, students complete 12 questions about rocks and fossils in the form of anagrams, riddles, sequences, and brain teasers.
Curated OER
Who Was Here First? Relative Dating
Students read about and complete question activities for the topic of relative dating. For this relative dating lesson, students read information for the topic and then complete two activities to further their understanding of geologic...
Curated OER
The History of Rock and Roll
Seventh graders examine how the different layers of rock show the history of the Earths surface. In this rock lesson students divide into groups and complete an activity using clay.
Curated OER
Determining Age Of Rocks And Fossils
Young scholars discuss together how to determine the relative age of each of the rock units in the block diagram (Figure 1). After students have decided how to establish the relative age of each rock unit, they should list them under the...
Curated OER
Metamorphic Rocks
In this metamorphic rocks worksheet, students name the components that change in size and shape when metamorphic rocks are formed. Then they describe the metamorphic rock formed from shale and its texture. Students also name the rocks...
Curated OER
Relative Dating - Telling Time Using Fossils
Learners use fossil range charts to explain relative dating. They graph for ammonites, marine organisms that went extinct at the same time as dinosaurs.
Curated OER
Excavating Your Recycling Bin as a Fossil Record
Students explore how scientists examine the past and use rock layers with fossils to understand the past. For this excavation lesson students divide into groups and complete an activity.
Curated OER
Relative Ages of Rocks
For this rocks worksheet, high schoolers review how sediments are layered over time and how the relative ages of rocks are determined. This worksheet has 1 matching and 11 multiple choice questions.
Curated OER
Regents High School Examination: Physical Setting Earth Science 2008
Throughout this earth science exam, high-school geologists complete a series of multiple choice and short answer questions about the solar system, atmosphere, and earth system. This is an amazing test, as are all of the exams developed...
Curated OER
Rocks Unit
Students learn about all types of rocks through a unit study consisting of 6 days. They are doing activities such as illustrating rocks, answering questions on a worksheet, reading, and reviewing questions. After the end of each...
Curated OER
Dating Popcorn
Young scholars simulate the dating process with popcorn. In this geology activity, students discuss how geologist find the age of rocks by gauging the amount of decay of radioactive elements. They have 6 bags of popcorn and each group...
Curated OER
The Dynamic Earth
Students participate in assessments related to the layers of the Earth. They read chapters of text, answer questions, watch videos, and identify and label continents and oceans on a map. They design posters, create vocabulary cards,...
Curated OER
Seafloor Spreading
In this seafloor spreading worksheet, students use 12 given terms to complete sentences about the layers of the Earth and the components of the layers of the Earth.
Curated OER
What is the Mantle Like?
In these earth science worksheets student complete this project to model activity in the mantle, one Earth's four layers. The project includes liquid and powder materials in addition to several measuring components. Students must then...
Curated OER
Geologic Time: Relative and Absolute Dating
Young scholars 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.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Using the Scientific Process to Study Human Evolution
Did humans and dinosaurs coexist? How do we know? Scholars dig in to the tools and methods researchers used to study the process of human evolution by watching a slideshow with embedded video clips. Pupils learn the importance of asking...