UNIT COVER PAGE. School District: Bremen Dist. 228 Department: Science Course: Earth Science. Unit Title: Historical Geology Grade Levels: 9

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1 UNIT COVER PAGE School District: Bremen Dist. 228 Department: Science Course: Earth Science Unit Title: Historical Geology Grade Levels: 9 Topic Areas: Geologic Time and Fossils Time Frame: 3 weeks Date Created: 2/29/08 Date Modified: Unit Designer(s): Paul Dorney, Jacob Mooney, Tony Rappold, Melissa Reed, Mark Reiss, Vivian Turek Link to National/State Standards A Distinguish among the following: observing, drawing a conclusion based on observation, forming a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, organizing data, comparing data. Understand how to analyze fossil evidence with regard to mass extinction, episodic speciation, and biological diversity. Understand the causes of ecosystem disruptions: changes in climate, human activity, introduction of a nonnative species, changes in population size, sudden natural disasters. Understand that geologic time can be estimated by observing rock sequences and using fossils to correlate the sequences at various locations. Understand that current methods include using the known decay rates of radioactive isotopes present in rocks to measure the time since the rock was formed. Understand that interactions among the solid earth, the oceans, the atmospheres, and organisms have results in the ongoing transformation of the earth system. Understand that we can observe some changes (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) on a human time-scale, but many processes (such as mountain building and plate movements) take place so sporadically or so slowly (over hundreds of millions of years) that we cannot observe them but only infer that they take place from other kinds of evidence. Understand that Earth s climate has changed over time, corresponding to changes in Earth s geography, atmospheric composition, plate movement, and the cyclic changes in the orientation of Earth s axis of rotation and the shape of its orbit around the sun. Know and apply the accepted practices of science. Summary of Unit Students will study and understand that the earth contains a recorded history of its existence. This record allows scientists to predict future occurrences of dynamic processes. Resources Key Words Fossil Paleontologist Sedimentary rock Petrified fossil Eon Epoch Era Dendrochronology Key bed Permineralization Mold Cast Carbon film Trace fossil Geologic time scale Period Correlation Radiometric dating Varve Scientific theory Evolution Extinct Relative age Absolute age Cross-cutting relationships Altered hard part Cast Law of superposition Unconformity Fault Intrusion Half-life Original horizontality Superposition Fossil Index Fossil Extrusion Index fossil Atom Element Radioactive decay Unconformity Uniformitarianism Mold Original preservation 1

2 Enduring Understandings Students will understand that STAGE 1: IDENTIFY DESIRED RESULTS Earth s history is divided into divisions of time according to major events. Earth s history is written in the rocks. fossil records provides the evidence for the age of the earth. rock layers and carbon dating are used to determine the relative and absolute age of the earth. the present is the key to the past. Essential Questions How might we prove, confirm or justify the age of the earth? What is the meaning of uniformitarianism? What does the geologic time scale reveal in earth s history? What is the evidence for mass extinction events? What would it be like to walk in T-Rex s feet? What are the limits of my knowledge with earth s history? Knowledge and Skills Students will know principle of uniformitarianism, superposition, cross-cutting, horizontality fossil correlation fossil formation and types radioactive dating half life geologic time scale mass extinction events Students will be able to identify major events in geologic time. use absolute and relative dating to age date rocks and fossils. apply the principles of uniformitarianism to appropriately sequence rock layers. interpret evidence from the fossil record Students will be familiar with evolution human origins index fossils 2

3 STAGE 2: DETERMINE ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE What evidence will show that students understand? Required Assessments (brief description) Fossil record analysis (Perspective). Other Assessments (brief description) Dinosaur footprints Geologic time scale Re-creating fossils Internet activities Half-life lab (M & M s) 3

4 Learning Activities PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION What sequence of teaching and learning experiences will equip students to develop and demonstrate the desired understandings? W How will you ensure that all students know where they are headed in the unit, why they are headed there, and how they will be evaluated? Student interaction with fossil samples. Learning with the geologic time scale thru visuals. H How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit? How do we date ancient organisms? Discussion Footprint activity. E R E What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge? Activity: Fossilized gravel find and analyze found fossils. How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work? Journal reflection write from the perspective of a fossil (What s going on?) How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit? Link what students have learned about the past to predict the future. T How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit? Activities incorporate a variety of styles and individual/group work. O How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students? Principles of uniformitarianism. Fossil record Dating of rocks Geologic time Earth s history 4

5 Essential Questions at Topic Level Use the six facets of understanding to generate possible essential questions for the topic of your three-circle audit (curricular priorities). Explanation Interpretation What does the geologic time scale reveal in earth s history? How might we prove, confirm or justify the age of the earth? Application What is the meaning of uniformitarianism? (Topic Area) Historical Geology Empathy What would it be like to walk in T- Rex s feet? Self-Knowledge What are the limits of my knowledge with earth s history? Perspective What is the evidence for mass extinction events? 5

6 Student Performance Task Unit: Historical Geology Task: Perspective Course: Earth Science Time Frame: 1 period Overarching Understanding: Students will understand that new information can be integrated with prior knowledge creating deeper understanding of Earth processes. Enduring Understanding: Students will understand that Earth s history is written in the rocks. Essential Question: What is the evidence for mass extinction events? Vignette: You are an archaeo-journalist for National Geographic on an assignment in inner Mongolia. The task before you is to analyze a treasure trove of fossils found in the area to determine why there is a lack of insects during a certain geologic time period. Using the scientific method, design a hypothesis about the fossil and draw a conclusion about the lack of insects in the area. Standard: You will be graded using the following scale: Proper application of the scientific method to effectively defend/support your hypothesis. 6

7 Performance Task Blueprint Unit: Historical Geology Type: Perspective Topic Area: Fossil Record Time Frame: 1 period Goal To determine why there is a lack of insects during a certain geologic time period. Role National Geographic archaeo-journalist. Audience Literary world; geographic readers. Situation Inner Mongolia searching for fossils. (Administer a treasure trove of fossils.) Product or Performance Use the scientific method to design a hypothesis about the fossils found. Analyze the record and draw a conclusion about the lack of insects. Standards Successful result will be the use of the steps of the scientific method to effectively defend/support their hypothesis. 7