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Chapter 12: Clues to Earth's Past

Radiocarbon Dating
Radiocarbon dating can determine the age of different materials. Visit this site and explain how we know the age of something after dating it with radiocarbon. Suppose you have an item that you believe is a million years old. Explain whether or not it would be worth it to send the item out to be dated using the radiocarbon method. How useful is radiocarbon dating in most geologic research?

About Geologic Maps in the U.S. Geological Survey
On this site you can learn how USGS maps tell you the age of rocks around the country. Make a key explaining how these maps are color coded.


Dating Exhibit
This site offers an explanation of different dating techniques archeologists use, including relative dating. Write an article about how relative dating was used to provide more information about the statues on Easter Island.

Who's On First: A Relative Dating Activity
Here is an online activity on relative dating for a college course. Under your teacher's supervision, perform this activity with a partner.

Unit 4: Change Through Time

Natural Selection
This page has a Java simulation that demonstrates allele frequency and natural selection. Choose various numbers for this simulation and run the experiment.

Enter Evolution: Theory and History
Visit this site to learn more about the scientists whose ideas contributed to the development of the theory of evolution. Write an entry in your journal entry pretending that you are a dinosaur researcher from the 1800s, explaining your theories.

Welcome to Primate Info Net
Information about primates; includes links to primate centers and organizations. Find out about the International Directory of Primatology. What is the purpose of this organization?

Order Primates
Access this site for detailed information about primates. Which living primates are the smallest? Which are the largest? Into what two large groups are living primates divided?

Paleontology Without Walls
Visit the virtual exhibits at this site to learn more about paleontology. Use the information on this site to construct your own geologic time line and display it in your classroom.

Learning From Fossils
Fossils provide scientists with clues about Earth's past. Go to the University of California's Museum of Paleontology to learn more about fossils. What type of things can scientists learn by studying fossils? Read some articles on this site and then write a entry in your science journal explaining how paleontology can help society.

The Origin of Life
This is a virtual tour of an exhibit about the origin of life. Visit this Web site and look at the different exhibits. Write captions for each picture shown on the Web site.

Origins of Humankind Web site
Current articles that explore the origins of humans. Browse through some of the articles and summarize one of them in your science journal.

Geology and Geologic Time
This site provides information about the geologic relationships of rock layers, as well as much about geologic time and the history of the earth. As a group project, develop a poster showing the different eras of geologic time.