If the age of the Earth were to be scaled to the length of the Golden Gate Bridge (about 6000 ft), then 600 years of civilization would be equivalent to 0.10 in (about the thickness of a car key). A lot has occurred during the history of Earth. During this webquest you will explore geologic time, the era’s, and some of the significant events that have occurred in Earth’s history up to the present day.

Part 1 Geologic Time:

Go to: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/gtpage1.html

Read and continue to click next until you reach the book analogy for question number 1.

1. Using the book analogy provided, what is the approximate age of the Earth?

Continue reading until you see the bookmarks appear on the left, then proceed to view the bookmarks and click “done” after reading the chapter.

2. Click on the bookmarks provided in section 2 and record the events and how many years ago they occurred.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

Continue on through the sections completing the timelines and the required tasks.

3. The following questions are based on sections 6 through 10 of the tutorial.

a. How is relative time recorded?

b. Where was the oldest layer of rock found? The youngest rock layer?

c. Describe the Law of Superposition.

d. Which of the fossils was the oldest?

e. How is radiometric dating helpful in determining the history of Earth?

f. How is the geological time scale broken up?

Continue reading through section 9 and then complete the 5 multiple choice questions in section 10.

4. What was the correct answer to question 5 on the quiz?

5. How many questions did you get correct on the quiz?

Part 2, Events in Time:

Go to: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/prehistoric-time-line.html 

Click on “Explore The Time Line” You will begin with the oldest era, the Precambrian era.

Precambrian

1. When did the Era begin and end?

2. List the important events that occurred in the Precambrian era.

a.

b.

c.

3. Explore more about the world’s oldest known rocks by clicking on the icon. How old are these rocks?

4. How old are the oldest known minerals?

Paleozoic

1. When did the Era begin and end?

2. List the important events that occurred in the Paleozoic Era.

 a.

 b.

 c.

 d.

 e.

 f.

 g.

 h.

 i.

 j.

 k.

3. Choose an even to read more about, other than the extinction, and briefly describe the event below.

4. Learn more about the extinction that occurred at the end of the Paleozoic era. Describe how life was affected and the theory behind the extinction.

Mesozoic

1. When did the Era begin and end?

2. List the important events that occurred in the Mesozoic Era.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

g.

3. Describe the dinosaur extinction that occurred at the end of the era. Include how life on the planet was affected and the thought as to how the extinction occurred.

Cenozoic

1. When did the Era begin and end?

2. List the important events that occurred in the Cenozoic Era.

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

BBC Nature - History of life on Earth

Geologic Time Webquest