Construct a Geologic Time Scale

For project you will construct your very own geologic time scale. Select ONE of the options below.

1. Create a model of the geologic time scale by making clay art or by using other props (toy dinosaurs, etc). In your model, have objects or artwork that show a major event or life form from each eon, as well as from each of the twelve periods of the Phanerozoic Eon. (You will need to do some research on the twelve periods of the Phanerozoic.) Examples might include a clay volcano for the Hadean, a plastic toy fish for the Devonian Period (since fish dominated the Devonian), or a human doll for the Quaternary Period (since we now live in the Quaternary), etc. Place them in order, with the earliest time on the far left and the most recent time on the far right. Record a video of your timeline or take pictures of the individual parts. With your model, include a written report of the item that you selected for each chunk of time and the time in history represented by each (252 mya, etc.). Submit your report and your pictures or movie for grading.

2. Design a museum exhibit on the geologic time scale. Have a different room for each of the first three eons, and then a room for each of the twelve periods of the Phanerozoic Eon. Think of images that would be appropriate to represent each piece of time (volcanoes for the Hadean, dinosaurs for the Jurassic Period, etc.) You will need to do some research on the twelve periods of the Phanerozoic in order to know what to include for each of them. For grading, either submit a written description of what each room will look like or record a podcast that gives visitors to your museum a recorded tour. Your written description or podcast should include the name of each room, at least one image for each room (a total of fifteen rooms: first three eons and twelve periods of the Phanerozoic), the times in history when each occurred, and why you selected the image that you did.

A good website for conducting research on geologic time is the Tour of Geologic Time site, maintained by the University of California at Berkeley. You can also check out the PaleoMap Project website, which has good descriptions of geologic time as well as animations that show the continents moving through time.