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...
Estrella Mountain Community College
Online Biology Book: Paleobiology: Fossils and Time
Find out how fossil evidence has been the major link to learning about Earth's geologic history. See several illustrated interpretations of a geologic time scale in this online biology textbook.
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.
US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Mud Fossils
Two part lesson allows for students to observe real fossils then make and recover their own fossils using mud.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Geo Logic: Lagerstatten and Unique Fossils
With GEOLogic questions, students are asked to match several unique fossils with the sites and locations where they were found, as well as their geologic age.
University of California
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Stories From the Fossil Record
This colorful, interactive site demonstrates how fossils can be used to discover a range of information about the past. Topics include Past Lives, Paleoecology, Geologic History, and Biodiversity.
Other
Black Hills Institute of Geological Research: All About Fossils
The Black Hills Institute of Geological Research is a world-renowned center for paleontology. Here they describe in clear language how fossils are formed and preserved, and what information they give us about the past, particularly in...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Layers of Time: Fossil Game
Game through which students order layers of sedimentary rock, from oldest to newest, based on the type of fossils they contain.
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,...
US Geological Survey
U.s. Geological Survey: Geologic Time
A discussion of geologic time, how scientists use the concept, and how they have determined its span.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Fantastic Fossils
Students learn about fossils - what they are, how they are formed, and why scientists and engineers care about them.
University of California
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Geologic Time
Learn about geologic time, including the age of the Earth by putting it in terms of pages in a book.
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...
Talk Origins Archive
Talk Origins Archive: Radiometric Dating and the Geological Time Scale
A lengthy article with lots of information about radiometric dating, including pictures and charts.
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...
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.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Fun With Fossils
Fourth graders examine several fossil samples as they analyze different ways these fossils formed using both real samples and an interactive web page.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: 4.4 Fossils
Understand fossils and the fossil record as it relates to Earth's history.
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.
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.
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 California
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Fossil Evidence
Understanding Evolution provides evidence for evolution using fossils. There are also links to lesson plans.
University of California
Ucmp: Learning From the Fossil Record
Fossils provide scientists with clues about Earth's past. This site from the University of California's Museum of Paleontology is great for exploring lots of information on fossils.
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.
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