TN Earth Science Standards - Geologic History

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Checks for Understanding 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9
Science Curriculum Standards 3204 - Earth Science	Internet Resources
Explain the law of uniformitarianism. 4.1	Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past.
Differentiate between absolute and relative time. 4.2	Clocks in the Rocks you may also find useful information on the subject by looking at Clocks in Rocks: Isotopes and Age of Earth
Compare and contrast how relative and absolute dating techniques are used to interpret the advance of geologic history. 4.3	Age of Fossils The Clock Of Eras - a graphic aid to help visualize geologic time Determining Age of Rocks and Fossils - from UCMP Berkeley Fossils, Rocks, and Time - from USGS Fossils Through Time - choose a time period to see what life was like Geology of the Grand Canyon - The ultimate display of rock layers Prehistoric Life - determining the age of rocks and fossils Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past. Principle of Superposition - in a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary layers or lava flows, the oldest layers are at the bottom. (includes an animation) Relative Age - determining relative age from the rock record Relative Dating - stratigraphy and the principles of relative dating Relative Time Scale - from USGS Who's On First? - a relative dating activity
Construct a geologic timetable for the evolution of earth and the history of life. 4.4	Amber: Window to the Past - Click on different pieces of amber to find out what is captured inside and what clues the fossilized remains provide about ancient ecosystems. Evolution from PBS Evolution: Theory and History - including journey into the world of phylogenic systematics. Extinctions from PBS Fantastic Fossil Finds - Burgess Shale, LaBrea tar pits, Solnhofen Quarry, and Subtropical Eocene Fossil Forests of the North Fossil Database - from the Natural History Museum of London Fossil News - from Science Daily Geologic Time and the age of the earth. Geology and Geologic Time - General history of the science, links to each of the eras and the life in them. History of Flight - Pterosaurs, Bird Evolution, Insect Flight and Archaeopteryx Hooper Virtual Natural History Museum - posted by The Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Horse Evolution Human Fossil Database - browse or search the database, or use their timeline Invertebrates - Gastropoda and Cephalopoda Life Has a History - an educational module sponsored by the National Science Foundation (select level 3 for 9-12) Microscopic fossils - Foraminifera and Arcellaceans Museum of Paleontology - posted by University of California, Berkley Paleogeography Through Geologic Time Paleontological Collection Catalogs and related resources Paleontology Without Walls - Introduction to the UCMP Virtual Exhibits The Pleistocene - 1.8 million to 11,000 years ago Pleistocene Animals of the Midwestern U.S. Timelines - Travel back to different time periods in the history of the earth. Vivid, fleshed-out reproductions of the extinct creatures appear in scenes depicting their environments as they might have been millions of years ago. Trilobite: A guide to the order of Trilobites
Interpret evidence for plate tectonics such as the fossil record, mountain range formation, rock strata, paleomagnetism, paleoclimates, and configuration of the continents. 4.5	Animations Plate Tectonics animation Animations in the form of PowerPoint shows are available from the PLATES project at the University of Texas. Earth's Interior & Plate Tectonics - covers the following: The Earth's Interior, The Lithosphere & Plate Tectonics, Oceanic Lithosphere, Continental Lithosphere and Plate Tectonics. History - Plate Tectonics: The Rocky History of an Idea Plate Tectonics - lessons from Volcano World Plate tectonics animations - produced for the US Geological Survey video Secrets in Stone. They have been converted to animated gifs for web display Mechanisms Paleomap Earth History maps Paleomap VR animations Pangea to the Present - a study of the history of the Earth's tectonic plates. Plate Tectonics presented by NASA's Observatorium Plate Tectonics map and a description of the three types of boundaries. Plate Tectonics, the Cause of Earthquakes Plate Tectonic Reconstruction Service. In this section you can calculate plate tectonic reconstructions of any age back to 150 My. This is a cool interactive site. Savage Earth animations - Animations include hot zones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis Science Odyssey: You Try It: Plate Tectonics - A hands-on exercise about plate tectonics and earthquakes from PBS. Requires Shockwave plug-in Small Animation - single small graphic showing plate movement through time This Dynamic Earth - The story of Plate Tectonics from the USGS
Recognize that fossils contained in sedimentary rock provide evidence of past life forms, changes in life forms, and environmental change. 4.6	Amber in Nature - Look at pieces of amber to find out what is captured inside and what clues it provides about the ancient ecosystem. Exploring Evolution - In this interactive web lab you will explore the many lines of evidence scientists use to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of organisms. Along the way you will solve a mystery, compare bones and DNA, and look for fossils. Fantastic Fossil Finds Fossil Horse Cyber Museum - from the Florida Museum of Natural History Fossil Lesson Plans - lesson plans on fossils of individual phyla, as well as general lesson plans for introducing fossils and how they are formed Fossils - Clues to the Past - Fossils provide clues to what life was like in ancient times. Fossils of Iowa Fossils Rock - especially for teachers, students, and home-schoolers who want to put some fun into their earth science classes How fossils can form - This animation shows the formation of a cast and mold, one way that fossils can form. Casts are copies of fossilized plants or animals. Molds are hollow impressions of the fossil. This process takes thousands or millions of years. How Fossils Form - from Enchanted Learning Life Has a History - an educational module sponsored by the National Science Foundation (select level 2 for 5-8) Paleontology Portal Recreating extinct animals from fossil evidence is like completing a giant jigsaw puzzle, but without all the pieces. Resources for K-12 Teachers and Students - from The Paleontology Portal Tennessee Fossils - take a look in the photos section Trilobite Cookies - just for fun, looks like a great cookie Using Fossils - discussion of two principal uses of fossils; dating and interpreting environment Virtual Fossil Museum - fossils across geological time and evolution What Are Fossils - from the San Diego Natural History Museum What is a Fossil - discussion of Type I and Type II fossils
Determine the relative age of fossils in sedimentary rock. 4.7	Age of Fossils The Clock Of Eras - a graphic aid to help visualize geologic time Determining Age of Rocks and Fossils - from UCMP Berkeley Fossils, Rocks, and Time - from USGS Fossils Through Time - choose a time period to see what life was like Geology of the Grand Canyon - The ultimate display of rock layers Prehistoric Life - determining the age of rocks and fossils Principal of Uniformitarianism - states that the processes affecting Earth today are the same ones that affected it in the past. Principle of Superposition - in a sequence of undisturbed sedimentary layers or lava flows, the oldest layers are at the bottom. (includes an animation) Relative Age - determining relative age from the rock record Relative Dating - stratigraphy and the principles of relative dating Relative Time Scale - from USGS Who's On First? - a relative dating activity
Interpret the sequence of rock strata using superposition, cross-cutting relationships, inclusions, the fossil record, and absolute dating techniques. 4.8
Predict how an environmental change might influence the development of new species or cause the extinction of an existing species. 4.9