Lesson Plans and Worksheets
- Home /
- Teacher Resources /
- Science /
- Biology /
- History of Life
Browse by Subject
Featured Testimonial
What an awesome site! I have been able to find so many great starter ideas that I have been able to work from, expand, or simple use as written. Many of the history lessons are so well thought-out and complete. Wonderful!
- Karen W., Teacher
- Clive, IA
- 01-24-11
History of Life Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved History of Life educational resource ideas and activities
Title
Resource Type
Views
Grade
Rating
A somewhat amusing assignment, this worksheet lists statements that an ancient organism may have made and asks learners to determine what geologic era that each may have lived in. It uses witty word puzzles and fill-in-the-blank-style questions to query learners on the history of life on Earth. You could use this as a homework assignment with middle school earth scientists, but make sure to work through it first so that you will have an answer key prepared.
Students explore the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Plate Tectonics. In this history of life activity, students explain two ways the Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Big Bang are of direct benefits to humans.
In this history of life worksheet, students explain how fossils form and how they can be interpreted. Students fill in the missing eras and periods in the geologic time scale provided.
High schoolers create a large (classroom-sized) timeline showing the history of life on Earth for the last 5 billion years. They are able to identify the events that are relevant to their taxonomic projects (the Origins and important developments in their groups' study taxa).
Using meters as years, your class works together to map out the geologic time scale on a football field. Plenty of background information is included in this lesson plan as well as several resource links and a student worksheet. Your earth science class will score a touchdown in understanding geologic history!
In this fossils worksheet, middle schoolers will study a picture of dinosaur and insect fossil prints and determine what story the fossils tell. Then students will complete 4 short answer questions about how biologist use fossils to study the history of life.
In this life history learning exercise, students review the fossil record, geological time scale, and the origin of eukaryotic cells and multi-cellular organisms. Students also review patterns of evolution. This learning exercise has 12 matching, 21 short answer, 39 fill in the blank, and 9 multiple choice questions.
In this Earth's history worksheet, learners will complete 5 true or false questions based on the early history of the Earth. Students will match 7 fossil vocabulary words to their definitions. Learners will complete 4 short answer questions about relative dating of fossils and then complete a table placing certain events in the era that they occurred.
In this origin of life worksheet, learners will review the different theories on how life originated on the Earth including the experiments conducted by Louis Pastuer, Francesco Redi, and Miller and Urey. Students will complete 14 fill in the blank questions and 14 short answer questions.
In this history of life worksheet, students will explore how mass extinctions have occurred on Earth, the different periods of the geological time scale, and scientists' use of fossil records. Students will complete 3 fill in the blank questions and 5 short answer questions.