Finding the Crater

Resource Type
Description
This activity supports concepts covered in the film The Day the Mesozoic Died. Students will analyze geological evidence from 10 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
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Interpret stratigraphic diagrams to identify the different types of rocks and deposits found in rock layers.
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Plot longitude and latitude on a world map.
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Make claims based on geological evidence.
Estimated Time
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.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-ESS1-6; SEP4
AP Biology (2019)
SYI-2.C; SP3, SP4
Vision and Change (2009)
CC5; DP1
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