Guide 7A Geologic Time
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Quiz, Media, & Portfolio Directions
Review Geologic Time Contents
Geologic Time Objectives
Geologic Time
Describe how researchers study early earth, including stratigraphy and geochronology.
Precambrian
Provide the approximate time span, geologic changes, and representative organisms of the Precambrian Supereon.
Phanerozoic
Provide the approximate time span, geologic changes, and representative organisms of the Phanerozoic Eon, including the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras.
Dinosaurs
Tell the dinosaur story including evolutionary origins, structural features, major taxonomic groups, new avenues of research, and theories for their extinction.
Tentative and Durable
Explain how scientific knowledge can be both tentative and durable, providing examples of knowledge that exemplifies both of these characteristics.
Geologic Time Quiz
Quiz Directions
Complete all five sections and take the quiz on Canvas.
Use the learning outcomes above to guide your studying.
Geologic Time Media Piece
Introduced in the Geologic Time section of this guide:
The next two sections of this guide go into more depth on geologic time. Once you complete the sections, construct a timeline that shows the relative lengths of geologic time and representative organisms. This can be paper, digital, or other materials.
Include:
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The order and relative lengths of the Precambrian Supereon and its three Eons (Hadean, Archaen, Proterozoic) and the Phanaerozoic Eon and its three Eras (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic.
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Indications of the approximate time (Eon or Era) when these organisms appear in the fossil record: earliest bacteria, cyanobacteria, eukaryotes (complex single cells), multicellular organisms, the first animals, fish, land plants, reptiles/amphibians, mammals/birds.
The Precambrian will be very long relative to the Phanerozoic Eon; you may need to have a creative way of looping the timeline. The eras are also different relative lengths.
This can be challenging, but an effective way to learn the order of geologic time. The time spans can be found through Wikipedia and other online sources. Be aware, they often don’t show the relative lengths, many illustrations shorten the Precambrian for convenience.
Media Piece Directions
Upload your geologic timeline to Canvas.
Animal Biology Portfolio
Portfolio Directions
Continue adding your quiz answers and media pieces to your final portfolio.
Back to Module Overview
Research Question 7: How long has it been here?
This Guide
7A: Geologic Time