Module 4: Studying Mass Extinctions

1. Students will research the causes of mass extinctions including, but not limited to:
   • Climate change (global warming/glaciation)
   • Tectonic activity
   • Changes in Sea level/chemistry
   • Changes in atmospheric chemistry
   • Bolide impact (iridium anomalies as evidence along with craters)
   • Others: including extinction of food species, competition, parasites, epidemics, etc.
2. Groups of students will choose one of the Earth’s mass extinction events and research the proposed cause(s) of that event.
   * Students will then produce a presentation to share their finding with the rest of the class or another appropriate audience in the form of a power point presentation, news report video, newspaper article, or other acceptable form. May be used as a summative assessment at the teacher’s discretion. *One or more groups of students may be assigned research on the current extinction rate, its causes, and how this extinction event compares to those in the past.
3. In conclusion: the class may want to discuss what lies in the near and distant future for Earth’s living creatures, including humans.

I have also purchased the DVD Walking with Prehistoric Beasts from The Discovery Channel. This is an excellent video that could be used as a review of the entire unit and to stimulate interest in further discussion and to prepare the students for biology and inquiry into Charles Dawin’s theory of Natural Selection.

Supplemental Files: 

Mid-Devonian-Fossils-PP-Trip-M4.pdf