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Main Topics & Concepts

The tools and methods used to date rocks and fossils.

Standards

SFUSD Content Standard 17.2 - Researching a variety of dating methods using radioactive materials and index fossils to construct a timeline of major events in earthÆs history.

Science Probe Text

Science Probe II Chapter 12.4 discusses absolute dating methods including radioactive decay and half-life.

Activity	Access	Description
Science Probe II Activity 12F Age Dating of Sedimentary Rocks		Students apply what they have learned about fossils and rocks to determine the absolute age of sedimentary rocks given in the book.

Activities & Lessons

Activity	Access	Description
Varve Dating Evolution and Nature of Science Institute		Students use shale billets from lake sediment to determine the age of the Green River Formation in Wyoming by counting the number of varves(annual sediment layers. This is a great hands-on activity using real data. Requires ordering the billets.
Determining the Age of Rocks and Fossils Museum of Paleontology		Students determine relative age of a geologically complex area and become familiar with the concept of half-life in radioactive decay.

Resources

Resources	Access	Description
Radiometric Time Scale USGS		This site has information about how radiometric dating is used to determine past age of rocks.
The Talk Origins Archive Talk.Orgins		This site discusses the way radiometric dating and stratigraphic principles are used to establish the conventional geological time scale.