US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Fossils, Rocks, and Time
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.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Fossils in Time Unit
In this lesson, students learn about the earth's past by studying clues that have been left behind, such as fossils and rocks. Students will find the answers to many questions: What is paleontology?, What is geological time?, What can we...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Fossils
Seven hands-on lessons module where students learn about fossils. These inquiry-based investigations explore how fossils form, properties of fossils, comparing fossils, how they show the age of the Earth, and what paleontologists do.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Fossils and Rocks
Part of an online publication offered by the U.S. Geological Survey, this articles sheds light on how studying fossils became an important part of understanding geologic time.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Geologic Time Scale: Trends in Geologic Time
In this Earth Science indoor laboratory inquiry, students will create their own geologic time scale based on observation of teacher supplied, historically correct fossil data and also relevant rock samples with the age of the rock sample...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Mud Fossils
In this instructional activity young scholars will look at the major divisions of geologic time and learn about the fossils and forms of life which existed during those periods, helping them to understand how the age of rocks are preserved.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Prehistoric Climate Change and Why It Matters Today
In a instructional activity in this issue of Smithsonian in Your Classroom, students do the work of a team of paleontologists studying a time of rising carbon dioxide and rapid global warming during the Eocene epoch. By examining fossils...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Geo Logic: Lagerstatten and Unique Fossils
With GEOLogic questions, young scholars are asked to match several unique fossils with the sites and locations where they were found, as well as their geologic age.
Other
Western Oregon University: Earth System Science: Geologic Time [Pdf]
An 81-page slideshow that looks at the principles of geology with respect to relative dating, at different concepts describing geological processes, at absolute age and radiometric dating, at the eons and eras in the geologic time scale,...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Geologic Time and Correlation
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...
Read Works
Read Works: Fossils & Dinosaurs: The Age of Dinosaurs
[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction passage describes the time period when dinosaurs were still living on earth and describes the event that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.This passage is a stand-alone curricular...
University of Oxford (UK)
Oxford University Museum of Natural History: The Learning Zone: Fossils
This excellent website walks students through the basics of understanding fossils. It emphasizes that most common fossils would be invertebrates and, after learning more about these life forms, students can choose to take a quiz. The...
Other
Valdosta State University: Virtual Museum of Fossils
This resource provides an interactive introduction to paleontology. Take a tour, search by animal or time period, and peruse for hot links throughout the museum.
University of California
Ucmp: Explorations Through Time: Getting Into the Fossil Record
This interactive activity is part of a series of modules that investigate the history of life on Earth. Students will understand the basics of fossils and how they form after completing this activity. Teacher guide and lesson plans...
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Geologic Time
This large U.S. Geological Survey site offers a look at the age of the earth, how radiometric dating is used to calculate it, the major divisions of geologic time, and the classification and use of fossils.
New York Times
New York Times: Science
[Free Registration/Login Required] The New York Times maintains daily coverage of the latest in environmental news, including geology, global warming, wildlife and earthquakes.
Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum: Dinosaurs and Other Extinct Creatures
This is the opening site for the online exhibit at the Natural History Museum. The exhibit features a wealth of information on dinosaurs including a dinosaur directory, fossil specimens, information, pictures, and more. The exhibit also...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Renew a Bead
A quantitative illustration of how non-renewable resources are depleted while renewable resources continue to provide energy. The activity requires students to remove beads (units of energy) from a bag (representing a country). A certain...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Biology: History of Life
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This comprehensive lesson by CK-12 explains how scientists learn about the past by examining and dating fossils.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Historical Geology
In this interactive tutorial you will explore how geologists use clues in rocks to determine the order in which rocks formed. Learn how principles of radioactivity are used to assign actual ages to rocks. Students will explore fossils...
Other
Fossil Museum: Geologic Time
Pictures of fossils are arranged in chronological sequence and by geologic period. Pictures include scientific names and location where the fossils were found.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Prehistoric Climate Change and Why It Matters Today
A slideshow will introduce the process of climate change that the earth has experienced since the beginning of time. Discover "leaf margin analysis" which scientists use while studying fossils to determine the temperatures they were...
Climate Literacy
Clean: A Fossil Thermometer
For this activity, students calculate temperatures during a time in the geologic record when rapid warming occurred using a well known method called 'leaf-margin analysis.' Students determine the percentage of the species that have...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: American Field Guide: Relative Dating Telling Time Using Fossils
This website integrates video footage and information with lesson plans and activities to teach young scholars about the concept of relative dating. Students will graph a range chart for ammonites, determine the geologic age for several...