Science Skills Station PDF

Science Skills Station Objective(s) 1. Apply the law of superposition and the principle of original horizontality to relatively date rock strata. 2. Determine the relative timing of disturbances, such as faults and igneous intrusions, to the rock layers they affect. 3. Explain ho...

Science Skills Station Objective(s) 1. Apply the law of superposition and the principle of original horizontality to relatively date rock strata. 2. Determine the relative timing of disturbances, such as faults and igneous intrusions, to the rock layers they affect. 3. Explain how erosion can play a role in altering the size and shape of rock layers. 4. Make observations and use relative dating rules to determine the age of rock layers and formations. Overview Relative dating is the science of determining the relative age of rock layers and/or fossils within those rock layers based on the comparative positions of those rock layers. Relative dating does not determine the actual age of a rock layer. It determines the relative age of one rock layer in comparison to other rock layers. In other words, it determines which layer of rock is oldest, older, youngest, etc. There are four important rules that help us data rock layers: 1. The Law of Superposition: According to this law, sedimentary rock layers are laid down on top of each other. The bottom is the oldest and the top is the youngest. 2. The Principle of Original Horizontality: This rule states that sediment is deposited horizontally or in “flat rows” due to gravity. 3. Cross-Cutting Relationships: This principle states that a fault or fracture through rock layers must be younger than the layers through which it cuts. 4. Intrusive Relationships: This principle states that an igneous intrusion is younger than the rock layers through which it “intrudes” or cuts. At this station, you will study geologic cross sections to study these rules that help us relatively date rock layers. Follow the directions. Record all data on the recording sheet. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 13 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Science Skills Station Activity #1 Directions: Obtain the bag of images for activity #1. The images show the geologic cross section of rock layers at a specific location for four different periods in time. Answer the following questions using the images. Questions 1. What image is the oldest? In other words, which image represents this location in the most distant past? Justify your answer. 2. Which image is the youngest? In other words, which image represents this location in the most recent history? Justify your answer. 3. Sequence the two images that represent what the location might have looked like between the oldest and youngest image. 4. Is there a pattern in the way rock layers form? Activity #2 Directions: Obtain the bag of images for activity #2. The images show the geologic cross section of rock layers at a specific location for eight different periods in time. Answer the following questions using the images. Questions 1. What image is the oldest? In other words, which image represents this location in the most distant past? Justify your answer. 2. Which image is the youngest? In other words, which image represents this location in the most recent history? Justify your answer. 3. Sequence the six images that represent what the location might have looked like between the oldest and youngest images. 4. What happened to the rock strata during the four oldest images of this location? 5. What happened to the rock strata during the next two images of this location? 6. What happened to the rock strata during the two youngest images of this location? Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 14 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Science Skills Station Summary Questions 1. Do your observations support the Law of Superposition? Justify your answer. 2. Do your observations support the Principle of Original Horizontality? Justify your answer. 3. Do your observations support cross-cutting relationships? Justify your answer. 4. Do your observations support intrusive relationships? Justify your answer. 5. Can you determine the specific age of each rock layer based on your observations? Explain. 6. Below is an image of what this location looks like today. What events occurred that would’ve resulted in this cross section? 7. How might the cross section change if the igneous intrusion occurred after the first four layers of rock formed but before the fault? Explain your answer or draw a picture. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 15 © Stephanie Elkowitz Activity #1: Image C Activity #1: Image A Activity #1: Image D Activity #1: Image B Activity #2: Image C Activity #2: Image A Activity #2: Image D Activity #2: Image B Activity #2: Image G Activity #2: Image E Activity #2: Image H Activity #2: Image F  Narrative Station Objective(s) 1. Discuss rules that help scientists determine the relative age of rock layers. 2. Employ the Law of Superposition and the Principle of Original Horizontality to explain how sedimentary rock layers form. 3. Use cross-cutting relationships and intrusive relationships to determine the relative timing of disturbances, such as faults and igneous intrusions. Activity #1 Direction: Read What is relative dating? Then answer the questions. Questions 1. What is relative dating? 2. What does the Law of Superposition state? 3. What does the Principle of Original Horizontality state? 4. How would the relative age of a fault compare to the rock layers it fractures? 5. How would the relative age of an igneous intrusion compare to the rock layers it cuts through? 6. Based on what you learned in this reading, sequence the features and rock layers in the geologic cross section below. D E C B F A Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 19 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Narrative Station Activity #1 WHAT IS RELATIVE DATING? Relative dating is the science of determining the relative age of rock layers and fossils within those rock layers based on the comparative positions of those rock layers. Relative dating does not determine the actual age of a rock layer. It determines the relative age of one rock layer in comparison to other rock layers. In other words, it determines which layer of rock is oldest, older, youngest, etc. There are four important rules that help scientists date layers of rock: 1. Principle of Original Horizontality. According to the Principle of Original Horizontality, sediment is deposited horizontally or in “flat rows” due to gravity. Over time, the sediment is compacted to form sedimentary rock. 2. Law of Superposition. According to the Law of Superposition, sedimentary rock layers are laid down on top of each other. Sediment is deposited on the surface of the Earth. Over time, sediment accumulates and compacts to form sedimentary rock. For the rock layer to form, a layer of rock must have existed below it. Therefore, lower or deeper layers are always older than higher or shallower layers. 3. Cross-Cutting Relationships. The Principle of Cross-Cutting Relationships states that a fault through rock layers must be younger than the layers through which it cuts. A fault could not cut through a rock if the rock did not previously exist. Faults create fractures in layers of rock. The fracture causes layers of rock to fold or slide. 4. Intrusive Relationships. Sometimes magma from deep within Earth slowly pushes up through sedimentary rock in Earth’s crust. It usually does not rupture through the surface but rather creeps up into existing rock. The magma cools and forms igneous rock. We call this an igneous intrusion. This principle states that an igneous intrusion is younger than the rock layers through which it “intrudes” or cuts. Sometimes geologic processes, such as erosion, can alter the size and shape of rock layers. Erosion can cause all or part of a rock layer to wear away. This can happen when a fault pushes rock layers or when moving water erodes away rock layers. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 20 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Narrative Station Activity #2 Directions: Use a computer to access and watch a 6 ½ minute video about the rules that relatively date rock layers. Then answer the questions. Video Links SafeShare.TV Link: https://safesha.re/gwk Original YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/EadTLGMu3LI Questions: 1. Compare how rock looks horizontally compared to how it looks vertically. 2. What is the difference between the Law of Superposition and the Principle of Original Horizontality? 3. What is the relative age of the rock found at the bottom of a cross section? 4. How can erosion impact the size and shape of rock layers? 5. What is an igneous intrusion? How does it impact the size and shape of rock layers? 6. What could cause rock layers to tilt like shown in the diagram below? G F E H D C B A 7. Sequence the rock layers from oldest to youngest. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 21 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Assessment Station Objective Recall concepts, terms and ideas relating to relative dating. Skills Utilized Define key terms Sequence events Summarize a concept Determine relationship List pros and cons Interpret data Make predictions Critique Assessment Directions 1. Answer the following questions. Write down your answers on the recording sheet. 2. There are two bonus questions. If time allows, try to answer these questions. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 22 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Question #1 Question #2 How does the Law of Superposition What does the Principle of help us determine the relative age Horizontality tell us about the way of rock strata? rock strata form? Question #3 Question #4 Below is an igneous intrusion. Compare Below is a fault that exists in layers of the age of the igneous intrusion to the rock. Compare the age of the fault to rock layers in which it cuts through. the rock layers that it fractures.  Question #5 Question #6 Rank the rock layers in the geologic What occurred in the geologic cross cross section below from oldest to section at F, G and H? Explain when youngest. these events occurred relative to the age of the rock layers. F G H A B C D E BONUS Question #7 BONUS Question #8 Two students are asked to rank the rock Scientists can determine the age of features in the geologic cross section rocks using radiometric dating. With below. One student ranks rock layer A as radiometric dating, scientists compare the youngest. The other ranks rock trace amounts of naturally occurring feature E as the youngest. Which radioactive isotopes, such as carbon-14 student is correct? Justify your answer. and uranium-235 or uranium-238, with their decay products. These substances A can be used to date rocks or fossils up to 60,000 years and between 1 million and B 4.5 billion years, respectively. C E What are the advantages and disadvantages of using radiometric dating over relative dating? Which is D better? Justify your answer.  Problem-Solving Station Objective(s) Develop a model that demonstrates the sequence of events that results in a specific pattern of rocks in a geologic cross section. Overview Relative dating is the science of determining the relative age of rock layers and fossils within those rock layers based on the comparative positions of those rock layers. Relative dating does not determine the actual age of a rock layer. It determines the relative age of one rock layer in comparison to other rock layers. In other words, it determines which layer of rock is oldest, older, youngest, etc. There are four important rules that help us data rock layers: 1. The Law of Superposition: According to this law, sedimentary rock layers are laid down on top of each other. The bottom is the oldest and the top is the youngest. 2. The Principle of Original Horizontality: This rule states that sediment is deposited horizontally or in “flat rows” due to gravity. 3. Cross-Cutting Relationships: This principle states that a fault or fracture through rock layers must be younger than the layers through which it cuts. 4. Intrusive Relationships: This principle states that an igneous intrusion is younger than the rock layers through which it “intrudes” or cuts. At this station, you will develop a model that demonstrates rock layer formation, faulting, igneous intrusion and erosion. The model will show the sequence in which these events occur so to explain the pattern of rock formations in a geologic cross section. Follow the directions. Draw the model on your recording sheet. Then answer the questions. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 25 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Problem-Solving Station Activity Below is a geologic cross section. It shows several rock layers, faulting and an igneous intrusion. These formations shaped the rock in this area. Additionally, erosion played a role in the shape and formation of the rock. Directions: Create a model that shows the sequence of events that led to the pattern of rock formations in this cross section. Your model should: Demonstrate the Law of Superposition and the Principle of Original Horizontality Apply Cross Cutting and Intrusive Relationships Show in a step-by-step fashion the formation of a rock layer Show when an event such as a fault, igneous intrusion or erosion occurs relative to the formation of new sedimentary rock layers Use the index cards to develop your model. Create a sequence of images that model the events that led to the cross section. Number the index cards to show the sequence and/or staple the cards together. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 26 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Problem-Solving Station Questions 1. How does your model demonstrate the Law of Superposition and the Principle of Original Horizontality? 2. How does your model demonstrate cross-cutting and intrusive relationships? 3. Does your model help you better understand how the pattern of rock formations occurred in the geologic cross section? Explain. 4. If technology was available, how could you improve your model to demonstrate better the sequence of events that resulted in the pattern of rock formations in the geologic cross section? 5. Are there any rock formations in which you might find fossils? Are there any rock formations in which you would never find fossils? Explain your answer. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 27 © Stephanie Elkowitz  Synthesis Station Objective Students will compose a CER report with evidence and reasoning to summarize how the observations, data and information collected in the laboratory support a claim. Background Information CER stands for claim, evidence and reasoning. In science, CER can be used to write conclusions for laboratory activity (a CER report). CER organizes the relationship between observations, data, interpretations and explanations. At this station, you will be provided a claim statement. You will use evidence from the lab and scientific reasoning to write a CER report (one paragraph conclusion). Claim The claim is a statement that answers a testable question. It is usually a one sentence statement and often describes the relationship between two variables. In this activity, you will be provided with the claim statement. Evidence Evidence is scientific data used to support the claim. Evidence can be qualitative, quantitative or a combination of both. You can use data from observations, measurements, tables, graphs or research as evidence to support the claim. Reasoning Reasoning is the logical explanation that connects the claim and the evidence. It establishes how and why the evidence supports the claim. The reasoning should include scientific principles or ideas that are important to the claim and evidence. Relative dating determines the relative age of rock layers and fossils within Claim those rock layers based on the comparative positions of those rock layers. Directions 1. On the template, cite evidence from the science skills, narrative and/or problem- solving station that supports the claim above. You can bullet point the ideas. 2. On the template, cite logical explanations and scientific principles that explain how and/or why the evidence supports the claim above. You can bullet point the ideas. 3. Write a one paragraph CER report. Write in complete sentences. The CER report is the conclusion to the lab. It should include the claim, evidence and reasoning. Relative Dating SNAPs Lab 28 © Stephanie Elkowitz