Extinction events have happen throughout geologic history, but only five mass extinctions occurred over the last 4.5 billion years. Scholars view fossils from a layer of sediment during an extinction event and observe patterns to draw conclusions. Then, they compare the size of fossils using calculations since the scale of each photo varies.

Concepts

mass extinction, fossils, fossil records, sediment

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Explain why the International Union of Geological Sciences removed the tertiary period in 1989 and what replaced it
• Extend the lesson by debating if we are currently in the middle of a mass extinction event

Classroom Considerations

• Relies on prior knowledge of fossils, rock layers, and the geological time scale

Pros

• Connects math and science concepts
• Encourages higher order thinking skills

Cons

• None

Common Core

8.EE.C.7.a HSN-Q.A.1 RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.4 RST.6-8.7 RST.9-10.3 RST.9-10.4 RST.9-10.7 RST.11-12.3 RST.11-12.4 RST.11-12.7 MP2 MP5