Sediment Cores

Overview

Grade: 9-12

Topic: PG.EH: EARTH’S HISTORY

Standard: PG.EH.1: The geologic rock record • Relative and absolute age • Principles to determine relative age Original horizontality Superposition Cross-cutting relationships • Absolute age Radiometric dating (isotopes, radioactive decay) Correct uses of radiometric dating • Combining relative and absolute age data • The geologic time scale • Comprehending geologic time • Climate changes evident through the rock record
PG.GG.1: Glaciers and glaciation • Evidence of past glaciers (including features formed through erosion or deposition) • Glacial deposition and erosion (including features formed through erosion or deposition) • Data from ice cores Historical changes (glacial ages, amounts, locations, particulate matter, correlation to fossil evidence) Evidence of climate changes throughout Earth’s history
B.DI.3: Loss of Diversity • Climate change • Anthropocene effects • Extinction

Students will investigate how scientists use properties observed from sediment cores to recreate Earth’s history and study climate changes. Students discuss current and historic climate changes, and practice interpreting different core samples.

Format

• Watch Sediment Cores presentation (14:33)

• Watch From Ocean Floor to Climate Reconstruction video (5:44)

• Activity for students

• Extensions

Materials

• 12 fl oz clear bottle

• black marker

• ruler

• sand (SiO₂ )

• carbonate (CaCO₃ )

• clay (Al₂Si₂O₅ )

• water (H₂O )

*Option for teachers- Instead of viewing the recorded presentation, you can choose to present this power point to your students yourself during class. Here is the PPTX with presenter notes to download for use. (Can also be opened in Google Slides)

Activity

Students will create their own sediment core and record settling rates. Discuss how layers are formed and what clues that gives us into the past.

Activity Instructions

Extensions

Sediment Cores (1:12) - Video on sediment cores from Science Learning Hub

Lake-bottom Sediments for Studying Past Climate (0.55) - Video from Center for Science Education

Questions

Questions? Please contact your county SWCD educator