In this lesson unit, students visit Grand Canyon National Park through an OutSCIder Classroom video then engaging in multiple hands on activities to learn the Laws of Stratigraphy.
Topic: Laws of Stratigraphy
Essential question: What can rock layers tell us about the Earth’s history?
Objective: Students will be able to explain past events by analyzing rocks, rock layers, and fossils.
Next Generation Science Standards:
- MS-ESS1-4 – Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history.
- HS-ESS1-5 – Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
- HS-ESS1-6 – Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.
Agenda:
- Engage – Students watch “Learning Laws of Stratigraphy – Grand Canyon National Park | OutSCIder Classroom” and complete the discussion guide. Estimated time: 30-40 minutes
- YouTube Link
- Student Sheets: Printable/Digital
- Explore – Students analyze Grand Canyon rock layers to interpret geologic history. Estimated time: 75 minutes
- Explain – Students model relative dating and the Laws of Stratigraphy. Estimated time: 75 minutes
- Elaborate – Students use absolute dating to age rocks and fossils and compare it to relative dating. Estimated time: 50 minutes
- Evaluate – Students create a museum display based on the geologic history of their community. Estimated time: 250 minutes
- Assessment – Students will be evaluated based on Museum Display Rubric
- For questions regarding this resource, please contact OutSCIder Classroom.
- Contact Name: Chris Anderson
- Phone No: 4403151152
- Email Address: chris@outscider.org