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Finding the Crater

Topic
  • Evolution
  • Extinction
  • Earth Science
  • Earth History
  • Geology
Resource Type
  • Activities
  • Card Activities
Level
High School — General
Used In
1 BioInteractive Playlists
Favorited By
12 Users
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Description

This activity supports concepts covered in the film The Day the Mesozoic Died. Students will analyze geological evidence from ten different sites around the world to predict the location of the asteroid impact that caused the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period.

This hands-on activity requires students to “visit” different K-T boundary sites, evaluate the evidence at each site, find these sites on a map, and predict where the crater is located. It tests a diverse set of skills, including mapping, mathematical scaling, and interpretation of mixed visual, graphic, and textual evidence.

Student Learning Targets
  • Interpret stratigraphic diagrams to identify the different types of rocks and deposits found in rock layers.

  • Plot longitude and latitude on a world map.

  • Make claims based on geological evidence.

Details
Estimated Time
One to two 50-minute class periods.
Key Terms

breccia, ejecta, foraminifera, iridium, nickel-rich spinels, shocked quartz, spherule, stratigraphic diagram, tektite

Terms of Use

Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.

Version History
Date Published 05.09.12
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-ESS1-6; SEP4

AP Biology (2019)

SYI-2.C; SP3, SP4

AP Environmental Science (2013)

I.A

Vision and Change (2009)

CC5; DP1

Materials
Teacher Materials (PDF) 948 KB
PowerPoint presentation (PPT) 2 MB
PowerPoint presentation (PDF) 2 MB
World Map (PDF) 680 KB
K-T Boundary Sites (PDF) 2 MB
Additional Materials
  • world map (provided)

  • colored pencils

  • “K-T Boundary Sites” cards

Use This Resource With
Video Resource
The Day the Mesozoic Died

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Finding the Crater
Bernice O'Brien describes how she uses the "Finding the Crater" activity to allow her students to build scientific claims from real-world evidence.
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This Resource Appears in the Following Playlists
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By: BioInteractive

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