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The Rocks Under Illinois
The goal of this fine geology lesson is to have learners create a map that shows how the rock layers are arranged far underground where they can't be seen. The ambitious lesson plan requires high schoolers to learn the law of...
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How Old Is Illinois?
High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago. Pupils pretend they are geologists. They must determine the age of all rock layers between the Mississippi River and Lake...
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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...
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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.
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Sandwich Stratigraphy
Two activities are included in this resource. In the first, junior geologists model sedimentary rock layers, apply the Law of Superposition, and demonstrate folding and faulting of the Earth's crust. The model is technically a sandwich....
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Layers of Rock
Juvenile geologists drill clear plastic straws down into a playdough sedimentary rock model, pulling out sample rock cores. As they analyze their cores, they apply the law of superposition and discover that originally horizontal layers...
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Creating a Rock Sequence
In this rock sequence worksheet, students will sequence a list of 10 historical events according to the principle of superposition. Students will label these events on a cross-section diagram.
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Geologic Age
Students investigate rocks. In this geologic age lesson, students conduct an experiment to determine absolute age as one would for rock layers. Students graph data and problem solve using results.
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Fossils and The Law of Superposition
In this fossils and the Law of Superposition worksheet, students fill in 4 blanks with the proper terms that match definitions about fossils and rock layers. They complete 9 questions about 2 activities they performed related to the age...
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Rock of Ages
Students are given a classification table and samples from their location. They locate their samples on the classification table using the characteristics used in rock identification.
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How Old Is Illinois?
High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of rock in Illinois. They use a chart to identify the fossils and then identify the periods of rock.
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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...
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Geologic Age
Learners investigate radioactivity as a tool for measuring geologic time and how geologists use this information to determine the absolute age of rocks or minerals.
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Making Sedimentary Rocks
Students make models of sedimentary rock layers to explain how rocks form layers and represent ancient environments. Layers of sediment and fossils are added together to simulate the environment and connections to sedimentary rocks are...
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...
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Relative Ages of Rocks
In this rock worksheet, students are given a diagram of historical events in rock formation and they label the diagram with the events according to the principle of superposition.
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It's All in the Rocks
Students think critically to determine fact or inference when examining sedimentary layers with embedded fossils. They are being introduced to geology as well as evolutionary biology.
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Rocks and Soil
Students explore the physical properties of rocks. They explore the three different types of rocks and are able to compare and contrast their different properties. Students simulate the creation of sedimentary rock, they also...
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Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion
Students identify and describe rocks that contain records of the earth's history and explain how they were formed. They formulate questions about and identify needs and problems related to objects and events in the environment, and...
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Rock and Roll with Music and Movement
Fourth graders improvise music and dance to express their analysis of types of rocks. They discuss the three classes of rocks, list describing words, and create a short musical piece and dance to symbolize the rock they are dancing.
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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.
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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.
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Using Radioactive Decay to Determine Geologic Age
Pupils investigae using radioactive decay to determine geologic age.
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The Rocks Under Illinois
Pupils examine the rock layers in Illinois. They draw the many rock layers using the Geology website. They discover the arrangement of strata of rocks.