Earth's history in 4.56 meters: constructing a timeline with calculator tape

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Author:

Carleton College Science Education Resource Center, Eric M. Baer

Subject:

Science and Technology

Institution Name:

SERC

Collection:

DLESE Community Service Center (SERC)

Grade Level:

Post-secondary

Abstract:

In this short activity, students make a timeline of Earth's history using calculator tape. The tape is 4.56 meters long, so that one billion years is equal to one meter. This exercise is designed to introduce students to the scale of Earth's history and help them gain a familiarity with some major events. It also teaches about scaling, the metric system, as well as the concepts of large numbers and deep time. The activity may be used in an introductory geoscience course. Learning goals, context for use, teaching tips, materials, assessment tips and related resources are provided.

Course Type:

Learning Module

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Activities and Labs

Media Format:

Text/HTML

Conditions of Use:

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0