Fossils and Geologic Time
Grades 6-12

Students examine fossils in our collections and exhibits, looking for similarities and differences to organisms alive today. They discuss how paleontologists use evidence from fossils to investigate the history of the earth. In small groups, students reconstruct the order that major prehistoric events occurred and then create a timeline of geologic events from the formation of the earth to the present day.

During a “timeline walk” they encounter key events in the history of life that created opportunities for new forms to appear, including some of the fossils in our collections and the organisms alive today.

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