Demonstration

The Ohio Geological Survey has developed a hands-on activity for students to explore Earth's 4.6-billion-year history and key events. Each stop on a pre-measured timeline corresponds to key events, beginning from the planet's formation to the end of the most recent Ice Age. At each marked point, a participant joins the timeline holding a 2-D artistic recreation of the event while the instructor shares a short narrative that explains what was happening on Earth at that point in time. These visuals can be downloaded and printed from the Ohio Geological Survey to help anchor abstract concepts in physical markers, making "deep time" more accessible and memorable. Educators can also customize the activity by omitting events or specific geologic periods that are not represented in the geology of their state, which emphasizes that the geologic record of Earth's history is not consistent across multiple locations.
This activity encourages participant discussion and supports earth science, biology, environmental, and mathematical teaching standards. Accomplished in approximately 30 minutes, this hands-on experience can be utilized in a classroom setting as well as informal education programs, such as those at local parks or museums.