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 )
Lesson
Watch Sediment Core presentation (14:33)
Watch From Ocean Floor to Climate Reconstruction (5:44)
*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.
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