Curated OER
The Fossil Record
Students research about the animals found in Burgess Shale. In this earth science activity, students evaluate the significance of fossils in human history. They create models of their chosen animal.
Center for Educational Technologies
Earth Floor: Geologic Time
This is a nice explanation of geologic time and Earth's major eras. Although this site is designed for younger students, it is mostly text with few images.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Geologic Time Scale
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How the geologic time scale is divided.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Nhmu: Time Machine a Journey Into the Past
Identify geologic time periods and the animals and plants that lived during that time period.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: Geologic Time: The Oligocene
Travel through Earth's history to learn about the Oligocene time period, which is characterized by the appearance of most of the living families of mammals.
University of California
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Geology and Geologic Time
This site provides information about the geologic relationships of rock layers, as well as much about geologic time and the history of Earth.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Jurassic Period
Overview of the Earth in the Jurassic Period told by photos, news, videos, and external links with emphasis on what grew then, what lived then, the causes of mass extinction, types of fossils, and what life was like in general.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Triassic Period
Overview of the Earth in the Triassic Period as told by photos, news, and external links with an emphasis on what grew then, what lived then, the causes of mass extinction, types of fossils, and what life was like in general.
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.
Other
Arkansas Geologic Survey: Geologic History of Arkansas
An overview of the different geologic time periods and how each affected the area of what is now the state of Arkansas.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: Geologic Time: Hadean Eon
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Hadean Eon that covers topics such as the formation of the earth, its surface and atmosphere, fossil evidence, erosion and plate tectonics.
Other
The Paleontology Portal: Fossil Gallery
An image gallery of fossils through time. Students choose a time period to see what life was like by studying the fossils.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: The Wall of Time
This illustrated timeline from the Lunar and Planetary Institute provides a journey through four-and-a-half billion years of time from the birth of our solar system to its current existence today.
Estrella Mountain Community College
Online Biology Book: Paleobiology: The Late Paleozoic
College-level biology book covers the Late Paleozoic geologic time period in Earth's history. See photographs of fossil evidence from that era in addition to diagrams to help with understanding.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Flora and Fauna of the Ordovician Period
Describes plants and animals that lived during the Ordovician Period, where it falls in the geologic time scale, tectonic activity happening then, the climate and environment, and extinction events.
Other
American Coal Foundation: Lesson Plan: How Was Coal Formed?
Two-part lesson in which middle schoolers learn about when and how coal was formed. They will do research on geologic time frames and order them by eon, era, period, or epoch.
PBS
Nova: A Brief History of Earth
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.
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Earth Science: Unit 3: Geologic History: Timeline of the Earth [Pdf]
This 2-page handout provides short descriptions of the different aeons, eras, and periods in the Earth's geological history.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Geologic Time Line
A time line of Earth's geologic periods from 600 million years ago.
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Mud Fossils
In this lesson students 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.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Irish Elk
Examine the enthralling world of the Irish elk by uncovering details about its behaviors, habitats, geological time periods, and classification through photos, a video, descriptions, and external links.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Explore the exciting world of the killer dinosaur, Tyrannosaurus Rex, by learning about its behaviors, geological time periods, and classification through descriptions, videos, photos, news, and external links.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Woolly Mammoth
Explore the exciting world of the woolly mammoth by discovering facts about its behaviors, habitats, geological time periods, and classification through news, photos, videos, descriptions, and external links.
BBC
Bbc Nature: Wildlife: Stingrays
Discover the fascinating world of the stingray by learning about its distribution, behaviors, habitats, geological time periods, and classification through videos, news, photos, descriptions, and external links.