JiTT - Neanderthals and Modern Humans
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) What are Neanderthals? How do they differ from modern humans? 2) Discuss some of the new ideas as to why early human ancestors dispersed from Africa. 3) What are DNA studies telling us about human migrations and ...

JiTT - The Big 5 Extinctions and Then Some
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) What are the three leading ideas for the cause of the Permian mass extinction? What is the evidence for and against each? 2) Why are tropical forest species going extinct the quickest? 3) What are the ...

JiTT - Geologic Dating
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) How are zircons formed? 2) Which of the following statements describes relative geologic dating? a) the Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct at the same time b) dinosaurs came later than horseshoe ...

JiTT - Ethics of Fossil Collecting
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) What do you think it means for a fossil resource to be "abused"? 2) What's the issue with fossil hunting on federal land (such as National Parks)? Explain what your interpretation of the conflict ...

JiTT - Cambrian Explosion
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) How do scientists come up with the number 2 billion years ago for the first branch of life? Explain the dating technique and information that is used. 2) Describe the evidence AGAINST the Cambrian Explosion. ...

JiTT - The Legs of Snakes and Whales
Laura Guertin, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
1) What are the adaptations needed to move from water to land (whether it be an arthropod or a "pioneering amphibian")? 2) Could snakes be linked to marine lizards? What your view and interpretations of ...

Toilet Paper Analogy for Geologic Time
Jennifer Wenner, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
An in class demonstration of the vastness of geologic time using a 1000-roll sheet of toilet paper and unrolling it around the room.

Calculator tape history of the Earth
Eric Baer, Highline Community College
An activity where students make a geologic timeline from calculator tape.

Driving Through Geologic Time
Eric Baer, Highline Community College
An analogy of the Earth's history to a cross-country drive.

Exploring Radiometric Dating with Dice
Carla Whittington derived from Baer (1999) Related Links Radioactive Decay ProbabilityExponential Growth and Decay
An activity in which students use dice to explore radioactive decay and dating and make simple calculations.