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The Day the Mesozoic Died Worksheet Answers, Exercises of Earth Sciences

Trail of Evidence in video "The Day the Mesozoic Died". Attempt all questions after watching the video. Only sample answers are provided here

Typology: Exercises

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Published March 2013
Updated July 2014
www.BioInteractive.org Page 1 of 4
WORKSHEET
TEACHER MATERIALS
FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF EVIDENCE
OVERVIEW
This worksheet supports the HHMI short film The D ay the Mesozoic Died. As students watch the film, they will write down
the evidence that led to the discovery that an asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago, causing a mass extinction.
(Note: The film states that the mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago; that date was recently revised to 66 million
years ago. Refer to the In-Depth Film Guide for more information.)
KEY CONCEPTS AND LEARN ING OBJECTIVES
Earth’s 4.6-billion-year geological and biological history is deduced from the analysis of fossils, rocks, and
chemical signatures found in sediments worldwide. The layered evidence reveals a pattern of change varying in
tempo.
Catastrophes have played an important role in evolutionary history. The mass extinctions that have occurred in
the past 550 million years are examples of catastrophic change.
Students will be able to:
understand the relationship between the geological time scale and the layered pattern of exposed rocks in the
landscape—specifically, that deeper layers are older than layers closer to Earth’s surface.
identify the evidence that the K-T boundary marks a mass extinction event that coincides with an asteroid
striking Earth 66 million years ago.
gain an appreciation for the scientific process, which consists of asking questions, making observations,
formulating hypotheses, and gathering and evaluating evidence.
understand that scientists draw conclusions based on multiple lines of evidence and hypotheses from a range of
scientific disciplines.
appreciate that in the earth science field, scientists don’t typically conduct experiments to test hypotheses;
instead, they gather evidence to either confirm or refute hypotheses.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
Curriculum
Standards
NGSS (April 2013)
MS-PS3.C, MS-LS2.C, MS-LS4.A, MS-LS4.C, MS-ESS1.C, MS-ESS2.A, HS-LS2.B, HS-LS2.C, HS-
LS4.C, HS-LS4.D, HS-ESS1.C, HS-ESS2.A, HS-ESS2.E, HS-PS1.C,
Common Core (2010)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4,
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.8, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.1,CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.2,
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.8
AP Biology (2012-13)
4.B.4, 1.C.1, SP5
IB Biology (2009)
5.1, 5.4.8, D.2.7, D.2.9, D.1.3, G.2.6, G.2.7
KEY TERMS
evidence, hypothesis, theory, Cretaceous, Tertiary, iridium, asteroid, meteorite, supernova, foraminifera, pollen, spores,
extinction, fossil, sediment
TIME REQUIREMENT
This activity requires two 50-minute class periods.
SUGGESTED AUDIENCE
This activity is appropriate for middle school earth and life sciences and high school biology, earth science, chemistry,
and physics (all levels including AP and IB).
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Download The Day the Mesozoic Died Worksheet Answers and more Exercises Earth Sciences in PDF only on Docsity!

Published March 2013 Updated July 2014

TEACHER MATERIALS

FOLLOWING THE TRAIL OF EVIDENCE

OVERVIEW

This worksheet supports the HHMI short film The Day the Mesozoic Died. As students watch the film, they will write down

the evidence that led to the discovery that an asteroid struck Earth about 66 million years ago, causing a mass extinction.

(Note: The film states that the mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago; that date was recently revised to 66 million

years ago. Refer to the In-Depth Film Guide for more information.)

KEY CONCEPTS AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Earth’s 4.6-billion-year geological and biological history is deduced from the analysis of fossils, rocks, and

chemical signatures found in sediments worldwide. The layered evidence reveals a pattern of change varying in

tempo.

  • Catastrophes have played an important role in evolutionary history. The mass extinctions that have occurred in

the past 550 million years are examples of catastrophic change.

Students will be able to:

  • understand the relationship between the geological time scale and the layered pattern of exposed rocks in the

landscape—specifically, that deeper layers are older than layers closer to Earth’s surface.

  • identify the evidence that the K-T boundary marks a mass extinction event that coincides with an asteroid

striking Earth 66 million years ago.

  • gain an appreciation for the scientific process, which consists of asking questions, making observations,

formulating hypotheses, and gathering and evaluating evidence.

  • understand that scientists draw conclusions based on multiple lines of evidence and hypotheses from a range of

scientific disciplines.

  • appreciate that in the earth science field, scientists don’t typically conduct experiments to test hypotheses;

instead, they gather evidence to either confirm or refute hypotheses.

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS

Curriculum Standards NGSS (April 2013) MS-PS3.C, MS-LS2.C, MS-LS4.A, MS-LS4.C, MS-ESS1.C, MS-ESS2.A, HS-LS2.B, HS-LS2.C, HS- LS4.C, HS-LS4.D, HS-ESS1.C, HS-ESS2.A, HS-ESS2.E, HS-PS1.C, Common Core (2010) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.8, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.1,CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.2, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-12. AP Biology (2012-13) 4.B.4, 1.C.1, SP IB Biology (2009) 5.1, 5.4.8, D.2.7, D.2.9, D.1.3, G.2.6, G.2.

KEY TERMS

evidence, hypothesis, theory, Cretaceous, Tertiary, iridium, asteroid, meteorite, supernova, foraminifera, pollen, spores,

extinction, fossil, sediment

TIME REQUIREMENT

This activity requires two 50-minute class periods.

SUGGESTED AUDIENCE

This activity is appropriate for middle school earth and life sciences and high school biology, earth science, chemistry,

and physics (all levels including AP and IB).

Following the Trail of Evidence Updated July 2014

TEACHER MATERIALS

PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Students should be familiar with hypothesis testing and the difference between a fact and an opinion. They should also

know what a fossil is and understand that older fossils are found in deeper rock layers than younger fossils. They should

be aware of Earth’s geological time scale and its relationship to the relative timing of past events.

MATERIALS

Students will need the student version of this activity. Note that there are two versions of the student handout, one with

extra support for taking notes.

TEACHING TIPS

  • Show students a poster of Earth’s geologic time scale (for example, the poster “Earth Evolution: The Intersection

of Geology and Biology,” available at

http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/posters/2012%20Changing%20Planet.jpg). Point out the Mesozoic era and

the Cretaceous period. Explain that the Mesozoic is often referred to as the Age of Reptiles, including dinosaurs.

  • Discuss the following questions with your students:
    • What do you think caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and how do you know?
    • Were dinosaurs the only species to become extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period?
    • How can scientists determine what Earth was like millions of years ago?.
  • Give students the accompanying worksheet; note that there are two versions. The second version provides

more guidance on taking notes. Explain that as they watch each act of the film, they should be paying attention

to the key scientific evidence uncovered by the scientists featured in the film about what led to the extinction of

the dinosaurs and many other species at the end of the Cretaceous period.

  • At the end of each act, students should pair up (or work in small groups) to write down the evidence presented

in that act and what the evidence means in the table provided in their worksheet. To give students a better idea

of what they should write down, the evidence presented at the beginning of the film has already been entered

in the worksheet. Spend a couple of minutes reviewing that evidence.

  • You may want to ask your students to record some information—such as, locations, dates, chemicals, and fields

of study—on scrap paper as they watch the film. These notes will serve as reminders when working in small

groups at the end of each act.

  • After students have had time to compare and discuss their lists, ask some of the groups to share one or two

pieces of evidence they recorded. Ask the class to determine whether these examples represent a scientific fact

or an opinion.

  • At the end of the film, lead a class discussion on which facts provided key clues for or against the asteroid-impact

hypothesis.

  • After this discussion, students should complete their worksheets.

ANSWER KEY

(This is an example of a completed table. Students’ responses will vary.)

EVIDENCE PRESENTED WHAT THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS

Forams were large and diverse in the Cretaceous period, but at the start of the Tertiary period, most foram species went extinct.

There was a mass extinction of forams; this mass extinction happened at the same time as the dinosaur extinction. With the forams gone, the base of the food chain was gone.

The change in foram fossils occurred 65 million years ago, the same time as the dinosaurs disappeared.

Extinctions documented in the fossil record line up exactly with the K-T boundary.

The change in foram fossils was observed at two different locations more than 1,000 km apart.

The foram extinction was widespread rather than a local event.

The K-T boundary at Gubbio had 30 times more iridium The amount of iridium is low in Earth’s crust but high in

Following the Trail of Evidence Updated July 2014

TEACHER MATERIALS

QUESTIONS

1. What piece of evidence initially convinced Dr. Alvarez that a mass extinction had occurred at the K-T boundary?

There were many different foram fossils below the boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods and

fewer above the boundary, which means that the boundary marks the time of the mass extinction.

2. What was the first clue that an asteroid had struck Earth at around the same time as the mass extinction?

They found a high concentration of iridium, an element rare in Earth’s crust but abundant in asteroids, at the

boundary between the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods.

3. What additional observations and findings supported the asteroid-impact hypothesis?

Scientists have found glass spherules, shocked quartz, and tektites in the K-T layer. These findings are consistent

with a collision or explosion that generated an immense amount of heat and high-energy shock waves. Near the

Gulf of Mexico, scientists have found tsunami deposits. Scientists have found a 200-km-diameter crater in the

Yucatán peninsula that matches the age and predicted size of the asteroid.

4. Which piece of evidence definitely showed that an asteroid had struck Earth? Explain your answer.

The crater at Chicxulub was the smoking gun. Finding a crater that matched the age and size of the asteroid

provided direct evidence for the impact. All the other evidence before was indirect.

5. How does the asteroid-impact hypothesis explain the extinction of the dinosaurs and other species?

A strike by a 10-km asteroid would have caused tons of dust and debris to be blown into the atmosphere,

blocking the sun for many years. Photosynthesis would have stopped, resulting in the death of plants and

eventually animals.

6. Provide two or more examples from the film that illustrate how scientists use multiple lines of evidence and a range of

disciplines to draw conclusions.

  • A geologist discovered the K-T boundary and noticed the differences in foraminifera populations.
  • Paleontologists analyzed and interpreted changes in fossils of foraminifera, dinosaurs, and other species below, at, and above the boundary.
  • Physicists measured iridium levels in Earth’s crust and at the K-T boundary.
  • Astronomers suggested that a supernova or an asteroid could have been responsible for the high iridium levels found at the K-T boundary.
  • Botanists were involved in explaining the changes in plant populations and breakdown of food chains

AUTHORS Written by Mary Colvard, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School (retired) Edited by Laura Bonetta, PhD, Mark Nielsen, PhD, and Eriko Clements, PhD, HHMI; Susan Dodge, editorial consultant Reviewed by Philippe Claeys, PhD, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Copyedited by Linda Felaco

FIELD TESTERS Carmen Druke, Presbyterian School; Diane Sutton, New Utrecht High School; Jake Lederman, High School for Law, Advocacy, and Community Justice; Melody Hamilton, PS171.