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SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Learning Module
in
EARTH SCIENCE

(Weeks 15 & 16)

 Learning Module in Earth Science

Name:_______________________________________ Grade Level: _____

LESSON 6
GEOLOGIC TIME
Learning competency/ies:
• describe how index fossils (also known as guide fossils are used to
define and identify subdivisions of geologic time scale
• describe the history of the earth through geologic time

Objectives

This lesson aims to:

• analyse fossil footprints puzzle to practice how palaeontologist to

uncover history
• describe the division and subdivisions of geologic time scale through
length of time and evolutionary events
• value the hard work of geologist in explaining history through pieces
of evidence found in earth
•
•
Review
Activity 1.
WORD WEB
Direction: Write any word/phrase that is related to the word fossil.
Define what is a fossil using the words and phrases you write in the word
web.

FOSSIL

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What is fossil? (based from the words/phrases in the word web)

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Pre-assessment
Matching Type: Match the column A to Column B. Write the letter of the
correct answer on the space provided before each number.

Column A Column B
______1. Index fossil A. Cenozoic
______2. Body fossil B. Cretaceous
______3. Trace fossil C. fossilized bone
______4. Eon D. fossilized foot print
______5. Era E. Neogene
______6. Quaternary F. Paleozoic
______7. First evidence of life G. period
______8. First dinosaurs H. Phanerozoic
______9. First flowering plant I. Precambrian
______10. First amphibian J. Triassic
K. Trilobites

Introduction
Fossils are any remains or evidence of prehistoric life found in the
natural environment. Fossils provide critical informationabout the
development of life on Earth and about past environments. The study of
fossils is called paleontology and scientists who study fossils is called
palaeontologists.

Content
Fossils are group into two broad categories: body fossils B and trace
fossils.
• Body fossils – preserved body parts of organisms
Example whole body,
• Trace fossils – preserved tarces or sign sthat living things were
present
Example footprints, worm burrow in sedimentary rocks, fossilized
dung or feces

Index fossils are commonly found, widely distributed fossils that

are limited in time span. They help in dating other fossils found in the

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same sedimentary layers

Examples:
• Ammonites, brachiopods, graptolites, nanofossils, trilobites

Correlation by Index Fossils

(adapted from http://peter-mulroy.squarespace.com/correlating-rock-
layers/
Because animals evolve over time, some fossils are typical of a
particular time in the Earth’s history. These fossils are very useful for us
because we can use them to date the layers of rock that they are found
in. Fossils that can be used in this way are called index fossils, and rock
layers with the same index fossils in them can be correlated.

To be considered an index fossil, it must meet 3 criteria:

1. The fossilized organism must be easily recognizable. It must be

easy to ID and look unique.

2. The fossils have to be geographically widespread, or found over

large areas so that we can use them to match layers separated by
huge distances.

3. The fossil must have lived for only a short time, so that it
appears in only horizontal layer of sedimentary rocks.

Often you will be required to use these characteristics to decide

which fossils in rock outcrops can be used as index fossils.
For example: the diagram below shows several rock outcrops separated
by large distances in each outcrop are several fossils. Which of the fossils
shown is an index fossil?

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When choosing the right index fossil we can reinterpret the

characteristics of index fossils to help us:
1. Easily Recognizable is usually not an issue in these problems
because the diagram clearly illustrates each fossil.
2. Widespread = The fossil must show up in each of the different
outcrops (columns).
3. Short Lived = Within each outcrop, the fossil can only appear in
one layer (row).
To find the index fossil you must eliminate any fossils that don’t
show up in each rock outcrop and those that show up in more than one
layer per outcrop.

We can eliminate “fossil 1” because it shows up in multiple layers

in the same outcrop. (It lived for too long of a time period in Earth’s
history to help establish dates of other rocks).
We can eliminate “fossil 2” because it shows up in multiple layers
in column 2. (It lived for too long a time period).
We can eliminate “fossil 3” because it is only in one layer in one
outcrop.

After we've eliminated all the fossils that don't fit the requirements, we
have only 1 left that appears in all the outcrops, and in only one layer per
outcrop. So the correct index fossil is:

Using Index Fossils to Correlate Rock Layers

We can use index fossils and key beds to correlate, or match rock
layers that are the same age. By doing this we can then place other layers

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of rocks in order of their relative ages to find the oldest and youngest
rocks in a series of outcrops.
For Example: Examine the outcrop below and determine which layers are
the oldest and youngest.

To find the oldest and youngest layers in the entire diagram, we first have
to correlate the three outcrops. We can do this by using the trilobite
index fossil, because it appears in all three outcrops.

By correlating them, we now know that layers A, K, and Q are the

same age. So to find the oldest rocks we look below them, and to find the
youngest rocks we look above them. If we create a chart building our way
up and down by looking directly above and below each layer we will find
the top and bottom.

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Geologic time scale, the

extensive interval of time
occupied by the geologic
history of Earth. Formal
geologic time begins at
the start of Achean Eon
and continues to present
day. It subdivides all the
time into named units of
abstract time called (in
descending order of
duration) eons, eras,
periods, epochs and ages.
The enumeration of those
geologic time units is
based on stratigraphy ,
which is the correlation
and classification of rock
strata.

Self-Check Activities
Activity 1
FOOT PRINT PUZZLE
(Act like a palaeontologist)
Direction: Analyze the foot print pattern below. It was found in bedrock millions
of years old. Read and answer comprehensively the follow up questions.

Questions:

1. What do you think happened to produce this particular

pattern of footprints?
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2. Propose a sequence of events that could account for the
details you see in the footprints.
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3. Can you think of alternate explanations for this pattern?

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4. How can you determine which explanation is correct?

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Activity 2
GEOLOGIC TIME PIE GRAPH

Direction: Complete the information in the table below and create a Pie
Chart to represent the percentage of each division of time in Table with
respect to the Geologic Time Scale.

The Geologic Time Scale – the time line of the History of the Earth, is
based from the rock record. It is subdivided into hierarchal intervals, the
largest being Eon, followed by Era, Period, and Epoch, respectively.
Subdivision of Geologic time is based from significant events in the
Earth’s History as interpreted from the rock record.

1. Fill the data table to show the number of millions of years each Era
lasted. Note percents must be rounded off to nearest .5%.

DIVISION OF GEOLOGIC TIME DURATION % of

TIME INTERVAL (in millions Geologic
(in millions of years) Time
of years)
Cenozoic Era 66.4 – present 66.4
Mesozoic Era 245-66.4 178.6
Paleozoic Era 570- 245
Proterozoic 2500-570
Archean Precambrian 3800-2500
Hadean 4550-3800

2. Create a pie chart to show the percentage of time each Era of

geologic time represents in geologic Time scale.

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3. On a separate sheet of paper, complete a Brace Map showing the

Geologic Time scale Eras as shown on the Geologic Time Scale
reference chart.

Sample braces map

4. Mark the following important events on your brace map next to the
correct period.

million years ago or ma

Evolutionary events Period

a. First evidence of life (3,850 ma) -------------------
b. Photosynthesizing bacteria (3,700 ma) -----------
c. Oldest fossils (3,500 ma) ----------------------------
d. First Eukaryotes (2,700 ma) ------------------------
e. Ediacaran Fauna (600 ma)---------------------------
f. The Cambrian Explosion (530 ma)------------------
g. First land plants and fish (480 ma)-----------------
h. Arthropods on land (420 ma)------------------------
i. First insects (407 ma)---------------------------------
j. First amphibians land vertebrates (375 ma)------
k. First dinosaurs (220 ma)---------------------------
l. Early mammals (220 ma)---------------------------
m. First birds (150 ma)---------------------------------
n. First flowering plants (130 ma)---------------------

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5. What do you notice about the complexity of the fossils as we move

through the Geologic Time scale from Precambrian times to quaternary
periods? What can you conclude?

Evaluation
Multiple Choice: Read and comprehend well the questions. Give the
correct option that best answers the questions.

1. In the division of the geologic time scale, which of tehf ollowing

represents the longest amount of time?
A. Epochs C. Eras
B. Eons D. Periods
2. What is the era with the shortest amount of time?
A. Cenozoic C. Precambrian
B. Mesozoic D. Paleozoic
3. Which period is also known as “age of invertebrates”?
A. Devonian C. Permian
B. Ordovician D. Silurian
4. What is the time when plants grow and die easily thus forming a
lot of coal?
A. Cambrian C. Permian
B. Ordovicain D. Pennsylvanian
5. In which era Mastodons and mammoths are the dominant
creatures?
A. Cenozoic C. Paleozoic
B. Mesozoic D. Precambrian
6. Which of the following is not correctly paired?
A. Cambrian – Trilobites
B. Carboniferous – Dinosaurs
C. Devonian – Fishes
D. Ordovician - Cephalopods
7. What types of rock fossils are commonly found?
A. Chemical sedimentary rock
B. Clastic sedimentary rock
C. Foliated metamorphic rock
D. Non foliated sedimentary rock
8. What kind of fossils are is a footprint of a dinosaurs called track by
the geologist?
A. body fossil C. trace fossils
B. mummified fossil D. imprint

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9. Fossils of organisms that lived in a very specific time period for

relatively short period of time are called trace fossils. How do
palaeontologists use index fossil?
A. Identify what animal may have eaten.
B. Make a mold to identify fossils of the same shape
C. Follow a trail of footprints to lead to complete skeletons in all
rock
D. Estimate the date when that fossil and surrounding rock were
formed
10. The diagram below is a portion of geologic time line. Letters
A, B, C and D represent the time intervals between labelled events.

Refer to the figure above, which time period earliest birds

developed.
A. A B. B C. C D. D

Enrichment Activities
Activity 2.B.3
COMPARING FOSSIL TYPES
Direction: In this activity let us experience a bit of how geologist analyse
pieces of evidences they found digging the earth. Analyze statement 1 to 5,
write true if it is correct and false if it is wrong. Give your explanation based on
the illustration of location I and II.

Correlation is usually accomplished by comparing rock types or fossils in

different locations. The fact that two places have the same kind of rock does
not mean they are of the same age. According to the principle of
uniformitarianism, the processes and events that make different kinds of rock
have occurred throughout geologic history. A geologist must look hard to find
fossils that can be used to correlate rocks from one location to another.

1. Layer A, B and C are probably the same age as layer 1,2 and 3
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2. Layer D and 4 are related since they contain the same fossil, in the
same sequence and the same rock type.
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3. Layer G and G do not correlate with layer 5 and 6.

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4. In case of G and 5 they correlate because fossil correlation is
usually more dependable than correlation by rock types.
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5. The oldest rock layer in both locations is the schist at the bottom of
location II.
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Reflection. Give your reflection about the work of geologist in order to

make our geologic time scale and describe the earth’s history.

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Bibliography
https://www.cpalms.org/Public/PreviewResourceLesson/Preview/43470

http://upsctree.com/2017/01/10/editorial-geography-watch-trails-indian-
dinosaurs/

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/time-scale.htm

https://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/glossary/indexFossils.sht
ml

https://www.britannicca.com/science/geologic-time

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