Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating the Geologic History of Southeast Minnesota

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity is an inquiry-based, earth science field investigation of the geology of southeast Minnesota. Students will make observations of rock outcrops and landforms in the region using maps, pictures, and field sampling, then use...
Handout
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Earth Science: Unit 3: Geologic History: Timeline of the Earth [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This 2-page handout provides short descriptions of the different aeons, eras, and periods in the Earth's geological history.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Interpreting the Geologic History of Canyon De Chelly

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Earth Science teachers will combine field observations with the information given in the classroom to interpret the geologic history of Canyon de Chelly, Arizona.
Unit Plan
University of California

Ucmp: Understanding Geologic Time

For Students 3rd - 8th
A slideshow for teachers and students exploring Earth's geologic timeline and history. Click the buttons at left to select the teacher or student version.
Website
Burke Museum

Burke Museum: Research and Collections: Geology

For Students 9th - 10th
Under the heading "Research and Collections," this site details the information on Geology provided by the Burke Museum. Four online geology exhibits are listed and can be accessed by link.
Handout
Other

The Geological Society: Climate Change: Evidence From the Geological Record

For Students 9th - 10th
In this statement, The Geological Society describes the changes that are happening to the global climate in terms of what evidence has been observed in our geological history. For example, what happened during past events of rapid...
Article
US Geological Survey

U.s. Geological Survey: Fossils, Rocks, and Time

For Students 9th - 10th
Publication delves into the importance of studying the Earth's history and how we go about doing it. View pictures and diagrams showing the geological time scale and fossil succession.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Geologic History Field Investigation Minnehaha Falls

For Teachers 6th - 8th
An inquiry-based geology field investigation where students investigate sedimentary geology, stream processes, topography, rock layers, and land surface features as well as study past changes in the depositional environment in the area.
Online Course
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Earth and Space Science: The Geologic Timeline

For Students 9th - 10th
Take this online quiz and test your knowledge of geological history, and the formation of our atmosphere, water, crust, oxygen, tectonic plates, Moon, and the rest of the Earth.
Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Formation of Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How the Earth was formed.
Website
Other

University of California Museum of Paleontology: Paleontology Portal

For Students 9th - 10th
Portal of the University of California Museum of Paleontology provides access to the museum's extensive research resources and fossil holdings. Includes career preparation advice for future paleontologists and a series of links to...
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Earth and Life History

For Students 9th - 10th
In this amazingly comprehensive tutorial you will learn about the geological and environmental changes that occurred during the geologic time scale.
Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Geologic Time and Correlation

For Students 9th - 10th
In this amazing interactive tutorial you will learn about what methods are used by geologists to learn about the history of the Earth. Investigate a geologic time scale and learn about how scientists have developed and organized a record...
Unit Plan
University of California

University of California Museum of Paleontology: Geologic Time

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about geologic time, including the age of the Earth by putting it in terms of pages in a book.
Lesson Plan
Other

Digital Library for Earth System Education (Dlese)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This resource provides materials for teachers on a huge array of topics. Search site by topic, grade level, and desired output (such as lesson plan, case study, assessment or tutorial). Site is focused on earth science, geography, and...
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Web Geological Time Machine

For Students 6th - 8th
The Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley offers an online geological time machine which allows you to catch a glimpse of ancient eras in earth's history. Click into an "Era" to learn about its stratigraphy, life forms, localities, and...
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: The Earth's History

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart is a lesson on the geologic history of the Earth. It covers the four main eras of the geologic time scale: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic. Characteristics of each era are...
Website
University of California

Univ. Of Cal Berkeley: The Comet's Tale

For Students 9th - 10th
Site provides extensive information in the study of comets. Includes excellent graphics that depict what comets look like as they travel through the solar system. Also includes information on how comets may have effected the Earth's...
Lesson Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Geologic Time Scale Analogy

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Introduce students to the vastness of geologic time and the concept of scale.
Interactive
Other

Ian Webster: Ancient Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
See what any spot on Earth looked like millions of years ago.
Website
PBS

Nova: A Brief History of Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Graphic
Other

Paleogeography and Geologic Evolution of North America

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of maps depicting the paleogeography of 550 million years of geologic history.
Lesson Plan
National Association of Geoscience Teachers

Nagt: Geology of Westchester County, Ny

For Teachers 9th - 10th
The major goal is to correlate the lithology and geologic setting to unraveling the geologic history. Individual excursions center upon the local stratigraphy, features of glacial origin, evidence of Cameron's line, features of Croton...
Lesson Plan
National Association of Geoscience Teachers

Nagt: Bringing the Geologic Time Scale Down to Earth in the Students' Backyard

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This activity is specifically designed for a field trip to Drayton Hall, which is a historic plantation near Charleston, South Carolina. It does provide a model of how a similar activity could be designed for a local area, and there are...