Student slideshow: English | Spanish

Teacher printout: English & Spanish

The following readings are free with registration at Readworks.

A collection of readings all about rocks! Review how rocks tell us about the past, learn about the three different types of rock, and explore the rapid changes that shape Earth’s surface (Grade 4). One of the readings also provides a review for how sedimentary rock forms (Grade 4).

You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.

• How old is the Earth? In this mini-lesson students explore how rock layers can help us figure out how old the Earth is.

• What's the best place to look for dinosaur fossils? In this mini-lesson students discover that understanding rock types can help you discover dinosaur fossils.

If you are in an NGSS state, these mini-lessons support the DCI ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth

Fossil Hunt — Everything you need to prepare to go on a fossil hunt of your very own. The American Museum of Natural History provides guidance on the supplies you’ll need and how keeping a field journal is an important part of fossil discovery!

Layers of Time Fossil Game — Play an online fossil game developed by paleontologist Sterling Nesbitt at the American Museum of Natural History. Watch the video to learn how sedimentary rocks and fossil patterns help us understand when organisms go extinct. Then play the online game to test your skills!

Colossal Canyon from this lesson’s activity is a model. In reality, there is no single location that has rocks from every geologic period. National Parks across the United States often have rocks and fossils from a specific geologic time scale. You can explore those geologic time scales and find out which types of rocks and fossils can be found at a National Park near you!

• Cenozoic Era: 66 million years ago to today includes the Paleogene Period and Neogene Period (Layer 6 of Colossal Canyon).
• Mesozoic Era: 252-66 million years ago includes the Triassic Period, Jurassic Period (Layer 4 of Colossal Canyon), and the Cretaceous Period (Layer 5 of Colossal Canyon).
• Paleozoic Era: 541-252 million years ago includes the Devonian Period (Layer 1 of Colossal Canyon), the Carboniferous Period (Layer 2 of Colossal Canyon), and the Permian Period (Layer 3 of Colossal Canyon).