US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Mud Fossils
Two part lesson allows for students to observe real fossils then make and recover their own fossils using mud.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Fantastic Fossils
Learners learn about fossils - what they are, how they are formed, and why scientists and engineers care about them.
Estrella Mountain Community College
Online Biology Book: Paleobiology: The Late Paleozoic
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.
US Geological Survey
The Numeric Time Scale
This is a good source for getting an in-depth description of using radioactive decay to measure the ages of rocks. In addition to describing the process of radiometric dating, this resource also includes a geologic time scale and four...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Adventures at Dry Creek
This educational module enables young scholars (5-12) to experience ongoing research of University of California paleontologists studying about life in Montana 60-70 million years ago. It gives students the opportunity to experience the...
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Studying the History of Life
This in-depth article illustrates the concept of geologic time, and helps the learner understand why fossils are rare.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Fourth Grade Science: Earth Science: Relative Ages of Rocks
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Looks at how stratigraphy can be used to determine the relative ages of rocks, how unconformities occur, ways to match rock layers in different areas, and how...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: What Can We Tell From the Fossil Record?
Find out what the fossil record tells scientists about the geologic and biological history of the Earth.
PBS
Nova: A Brief History of Earth
This timeline is a good resource if you are looking for brief descriptions of the geologic periods. Descriptions include pictures of common organisms for each period and the range of time covered by each period.
McGraw Hill
Glencoe Biology: Fossil Evidence of Change: Self Check Quiz
Try these five multiple-choice questions about fossil evidence of change. After submitting answers, students can review the material.
New York Times
New York Times: Science
[Free Registration/Login Required] The New York Times maintains daily coverage of the latest in environmental news, including geology, global warming, wildlife and earthquakes.
Other
Bio Web Evolution: Homepage
This site from BioWeb Evolution was originally created as a ThinkQuest entry, and it has some good basic information about evolution. This page is on fossils and geologic time.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Chaco Canyon: Observation: How Old Is It?
How is time read on the stone of the Chaco Canyon? Find out systems geologists have for dating rocks and fossils.
Other
Fossil Museum: Paleobiology
This table is an overview of the appearance and extinction of major groups of organisms through geologic time.
Curated OER
The Virtual Fossil Museum: Fossils Across Geological Time and Evolution
Picture of the fossil Leanchoilia superlata from the Phylum Arthropoda recovered from Burgess Shale.
Climate Literacy
Clean: A Fossil Thermometer
In this activity, students calculate temperatures during a time in the geologic record when rapid warming occurred using a well known method called 'leaf-margin analysis.' Students determine the percentage of the species that have leaves...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: American Field Guide: Relative Dating Telling Time Using Fossils
This website integrates video footage and information with lesson plans and activities to teach students about the concept of relative dating. Students will graph a range chart for ammonites, determine the geologic age for several rocks,...
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Jurassic Period
Overview of the Earth in the Jurassic Period told by photos, news, videos, and external links with emphasis on what grew then, what lived then, the causes of mass extinction, types of fossils, and what life was like in general.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Triassic Period
Overview of the Earth in the Triassic Period as told by photos, news, and external links with an emphasis on what grew then, what lived then, the causes of mass extinction, types of fossils, and what life was like in general.
Other
Prehistoric Planet: Rock Layers: Timeline of Life on Earth
Offers an easy to understand explanation of the earth's layers and the fossils we find in each layer. It explains how these are interpreted by scientists to represent the evolution of animal and plant life through the geological eras.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Prehistoric Climate Change and Why It Matters Today
A slideshow will introduce the process of climate change that the earth has experienced since the beginning of time. Discover "leaf margin analysis" which scientists use while studying fossils to determine the temperatures they were...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Geo Logic: The Big Five Mass Extinctions
Using GEOLogic puzzles, students are asked to match the five largest mass extinction events with their relative dates, approximate duration, and severity based on clues given from various perspectives.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Sorting Out Sedimentation
Sedimentary rock forms in layers that are deposited one after the other over long periods of time. Oftentimes, sedimentary rock contains fossils and other debris that are deposited within the layers. Use this experiment to investigate...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Rock Cycle
Through five lessons, students are introduced to all facets of the rock cycle. Topics include rock and mineral types, material stresses and weathering, geologic time and fossil formation, the Earth's crust and tectonic plates, and soil...
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