Guide 7A Geologic Time
Resources
Additional activities, a behind-the-scenes gallery, recommended books, and more.
About this Guide
Travel in Time
Most people at some point in their lives wonder what it would have been like to live in some other time, a recent or distant past. We live in a time when visiting the past is more possible than ever. Whether it’s visiting an online natural history museum, reading the work of science historians, or immersing in augmented reality, it’s possible to adopt a point in time to study in depth. When our time seems a bit overwhelming, dipping into the past is eye-opening and rejuvenating.
Lesley
Additional Activities
Compelling art makes geologic time even more interesting.
Terrific Tourist Traps
They are easy to drive right by, but some of the most interesting museums are small handmade endeavors that receive little attention. Enthusiasts collect and make artifacts around a limited topic, in some cases presenting information in a unique and compelling manner. Look for the less traveled paths.
Dino Games
Children’s educational toys can range from educational and entertaining to really questionable; but dinosaur toys are unique in their quality and quantity. Models, simulated fossil dig kits, digital animations, and replicas can be high quality. Select a dinosaur group of interest and build an educational collection.
Behind-the-Scenes
Minimal Impact
If fossils are not within a legal collection zone, photography is a great alternative.
Arranged Fossils
This slide contains a carefully placed arrangement of Formanifera, small snail-like protist species.
Face-to-Face
Full-sized models are an opportunity to view organisms from different perspectives, experiencing what it may have been like to interact with organisms of the past.
Journal for Everything
You can take it with you: capturing leaves, mini specimen bags, notes, receipts, and other ephemera between the pages.
The temperate rainforest along the Oregon Coast includes ferns and mosses similar to those found far back in the fossil record.
Sometimes it does feel like stepping back in time.
Recommended Books
Interesting illustrations and a top science writer send you back in time.
Smithsonian + dinosaurs = can't miss.
Fossil books can contain ID information not located anywhere else.
Build a Library
Whether its digital or print, collect resources that assist in exploring, describing, and explaining the natural world.
Geologic Time Product Page
Complete this guide’s products before advancing on to the next guide
Back to Evolution
Module 7 Overview
This Guide
7A: Geologic Time