Changes through

1
Changes through Geologic Time Reading the
Rocks and Fossils
Learning Objectives
2
Geologic Time Scale Product of Reading the
Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks Clues to Ancient Environments
3
Time
Physical and Chemical
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Sedimentary Environments
The present is the key to the past James Hutton
and Charles Lyell
http//csmres.jmu.edu/geollab/Fichter/SedRx/SedEnv
ir.html
5
Sedimentary Rocks Clues to Ancient Environments
http//www.gly.fsu.edu/7Esalters/GLY1000/11Seds_s
edrocks/Slide9.jpg
Click Here to Learn About Reading the Clues
6
Sedimentary Rocks Clues to Ancient Environments
http//www.mc.maricopa.edu/dept/d43/glg/Study_Aids
/depenvirons2a.jpg
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Return to Activity Your State, Your Rocks, Your
History

• Part II. Explore your State and its Rocks

http//www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnavtim
e_space
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Principle of Faunal Succession ? William Smith
(17691839)
Geologic Time Scale Product of Reading the
Rocks Product of Understanding Fossils

• Three Basic Concepts
• Fossils represent the remains of once-living
  organisms.
• Most fossils are the remains of extinct
  organisms that is, they belong to species that
  are no longer living anywhere on Earth.
• The kinds of fossils found in rocks of different
  ages differ because life on Earth has changed
  through time.

http//pubs.usgs.gov/gip/fossils/succession.html
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Implications of Faunal Succession
Locality 1
Locality 2
Youngest
Same Age
Same Age
Oldest
Modified from http//regentsprep.org/Regents/eart
hsci/rockcorrelation.htm
10
Geologic Time Scale Product of Reading the
Rocks Product of Understanding Fossils
Click Here to Begin
Developed by the University of California Museum
of Paleontology
11
Geologic Time Scale Product of Reading the
Rocks Product of Understanding Fossils
Examine the four sections to learn about the
many things fossils can teach us.
Developed by the University of California Museum
of Paleontology
http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/exploration
s/tours/stories/middle/intro.html
12
Activity
Geologic Time Scale Product of Reading the
Rocks Product of Understanding Fossils
Click Here to Begin
1. Complete the In the Field and In the Lab parts
one and two. 2. Go to Special Assignment the Dry
Creek Adventure folder 3. Come back to the next
slide.
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Return to Activity Your State, Your Rocks, Your
History

• Part III. Explore your State, its Rocks and its
  Fossils

http//www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnavtim
e_space
14
Conclusions
Key Concepts
The Earths landscape is constantly
changing. Change is the only constant.
The present is the key to the past.. Uniformitari
anism We use modern environments to understand
ancient environments.