Age of The Earth and Geologic Time Scale
Do you need a little help teaching your middle school science class about the age of the Earth and the geologic time scale? Students will also like Analyzing the Fossil Record.
This is a
I include a suggested timeline to use this material over the course of
This unit includes an informative 22-slide PowerPoint presentation on the methods scientists use to find Earth's age. This is how I start the unit.
Keep your students accountable with scaffolded notes that accompany the PowerPoint:
Next, I challenge students with three pages of nonfiction text passages with comprehension questions:
Students will construct an explanation based on evidence from rock strata and the fossil record to explain the geologic time scale and age of the Earth.
This unit is aligned with MS-ESS1-4. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history.
AlsoUtah SEEd 7.2.6
7th grade
Make an argument from evidence for how the geologic time scale shows the age and history of Earth. Emphasize scientific evidence from rock strata, the fossil record, and the principles of relative dating such as superposition, uniformitarianism, and recognizing unconformities.
Students will use mathematics and computational thinking to make a scaled-down timeline of the major events in Earth's history... Along the same lines, students will enjoy learning about Pangea.
...and they will construct scientific explanations on the age of the Earth:
This complete unit ends with a two-page assessment in the format similar to the end of the year testing:
This resource also includes foldables that are perfect for your interactive science notebook:
And a blank foldable if you want to use your own vocabulary words:
Answer keys are included for EVERYTHING!
This resource has DOZENS of reviews on Teachers Pay Teachers and a PERFECT 5-star rating! Check out a couple of reviews:
Love that you included a schedule and alignment of standards to resource. I also love the integration with the Reading Informational text standards.-Kim S.
I used this for 7th grade and it was awesome. My students loved the activities. Aligns with standards.- Solo
Give yourself a little break while covering the geologic time scale.
I've done the work for you!
Download this complete unit from my TPT store NOW:
The science topics addressed in this unit include:
- Age of Earth
- Stratigraphy
- Relative Age
- Absolute Age
- Radioactive Dating
- Law of Superposition
- Principle of Cross-cutting relationships
- Principle of Original Horizontality
- Index Fossils
- Isotopes and Half-life
- Geologic Time Scale
- Precambrian Time
- Paleozoic Era
- Mesozoic Era
- Cenozoic Era
- Major Events in Earth History
See other resources for Middle School Science: