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Activity for Out of the Ashes

Image of a prehistoric mammal taken from the film.

Topic

  • Evolution
  • Paleobiology
  • Extinction
  • Earth Science
  • Earth History

Resource Type

  • Activities
  • Film Activities

Level

High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Saved By
14 Users
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Description

This activity explores the concepts and research presented in the short film Out of the Ashes: Dawn of the Age of Mammals, which explores how life on Earth recovered after a major asteroid impact.

The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K–Pg) asteroid impact led to the mass extinction of 60%–80% of all species on Earth, including all non-avian dinosaurs. As Earth recovered, plants and animals coevolved in ecosystems once occupied by dinosaurs, leading to the current diversity of species on Earth. The fossil record can be used to reconstruct the past and better understand the evolution and diversity of life on our planet.

The “Student Handout” probes students’ understanding of the key concepts addressed in the film. The “Educator Materials” document provides suggested pause points in the film with questions for students, background information, and detailed discussion points; a list of related resources and references; and an answer key for the “Student Handout.”

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.

Student Learning Targets

  • Describe evidence for how the K¬–Pg asteroid impact led to widespread ecosystem changes that resulted in the extinction of many species, including all the non-avian dinosaurs.
  • Describe how after the asteroid impact, plant and animal species (especially mammals) evolved and diversified.
  • Interpret graphs and data from the fossil record to explain the ecological changes and diversification that occurred after the K–Pg mass extinction.
  • Use knowledge of the ecological roles of organisms (such as decomposers, protein-rich plants, or generalist feeders) to infer past evolutionary processes.
     

Estimated Time

Within one 50-minute class period.

Key Terms

asteroid, dinosaur, concretion, fern, fossil, legume, mass extinction, paleontology, recovery, succession

Primary Literature

Grossnickle, David M., Stephanie M. Smith, and Gregory P. Wilson. “Untangling the multiple ecological radiations of early mammals.” Trends in Ecology & Evolution 34, 10 (2019): 936–949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2019.05.008. 

Lyson, Tyler R., I. M. Miller, A. D. Bercovici, K. Weissenburger, A. J. Fuentes, W. C. Clyde, J. W. Hagadorn, et al. “Exceptional continental record of biotic recovery after the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction.” Science 336, 6468 (2019): 977–983. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay2268. 
 

Terms of Use

The resource is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. No rights are granted to use HHMI’s or BioInteractive’s names or logos independent from this Resource or in any derivative works.

Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)

PDF files meet criteria.

Version History

Date Published 08.18.21

NGSS (2013)

HS-LS2-6, HS-LS4-4, HS-LS4-5, HS-ESS2-7

AP Biology (2019)

EVO-1.M, EVO-3.G, EVO-3.H, EVO-3.J, SYI-2.C

IB Biology (2016)

5.1

AP Environmental Science (2020)

Topic(s): 2.5, 2.6, 2.7
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-2.G.5, ERT-2.H.2, ERT-2.J.1, EIN-4.B.2
 

IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)

3.2

Common Core (2010)

MP2

Vision and Change (2009)

CC1, CC5

Materials

Resource Google Folder (link)
Educator Materials (PDF) 2 MB
Student Handout (PDF) 588 KB

Use This Resource With

Video Resource
Out of the Ashes: Dawn of the Age of Mammals

Explore Related Content

Other Resources About the K-Pg Extinction

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Calculating Iridium Fallout From an Asteroid Impact
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Weighing the Evidence for a Mass Extinction: In the Ocean
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Determining the Size and Energy of the K-T Asteroid
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Weighing the Evidence for a Mass Extinction: On Land
Image from the activity
Card Activities
Finding the Crater
Computer generated image of an early mammal
Short Films
Out of the Ashes: Dawn of the Age of Mammals
Screen shot from the quiz
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Interactive Assessment for The Day the Mesozoic Died
Title screen of the film
Short Films
The Day the Mesozoic Died

Other Related Resources

Showing of
Image from the interactive
Click & Learn
The Making of Mass Extinctions
Lessons
Weighing the Evidence for a Mass Extinction: On Land
Computer generated image of an early mammal
Short Films
Out of the Ashes: Dawn of the Age of Mammals
Photo of Barnosky and Maguire from the film
Scientists at Work
Anthony Barnosky and Kaitlin Maguire Measure Mammal Extinctions at the John Day Fossil Beds
Screenshot of CGI dinosaurs reacting to the asteroid strike
Film Activities
Activity for The Day the Mesozoic Died
Screen shot from the quiz
Interactive Videos
Interactive Assessment for The Day the Mesozoic Died
Title screen of the film
Short Films
The Day the Mesozoic Died
Image from the activity
Card Activities
Finding the Crater
Image from the interactive
Click & Learn
Deep History of Life on Earth
Photo of Tyler Lyson from the video
Scientists at Work
How To Find a Dinosaur
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