Geological time-line - evolution of life on Earth

The new ELI published today is 'The toilet roll of time; make a geological timeline to take home'.

This activity has been devised to address the common lack of knowledge about geological time. Research has shown that many people have no idea of the great length of geological time nor of the order of the key events during the geological history of the Earth.
Click here for a video clip to accompany the activity.
Many more activities related to the evolution of life on Earth can be found on the website.

Rock cycle game

Have you tried 'Rockery 2 - rock cycle game'? Model the stages of the rock cycle - with your pupils.

Many more activities to teach the rock cycle can be found on our website.
Rock cycle through the window
Rock cycle in wax
James Hutton or 'Mr. Rock Cycle'
Sand on a sill.

Questions to ask about faults at any rock face

Today's new ELI is 'Questions for any rock face 8: faults; what questions about faults might be asked at any rock exposure?

This activity suggests questions to help pupils to understand faults seen in field exposures, and the forces that caused them.
At the end of this ELI pupils can:-
- describe the differences between faults and other kinds of fracture;
- distinguish between normal and reverse faults in the field;
- explain how the type of faulting is linked to compressional, tensional or shear forces.
Many more related activities about faults can be found on our website.

Which way did the river flow? - Sedimentary structures - imbrication

Sedimentary rocks often contain clues about their origins. Sediments which were deposited by fast-flowing currents in rivers or on beaches may
demonstrate imbrication, where rock fragments were pushed in one direction by the current so that they overlap each other. Ask your pupils to simulate this process with dominoes by trying the ELI 'Sedimentary structures - imbrication; which way did the river flow?'

Many more activities about the clues to environment given by sedimentary rocks may be found under 'sedimentary structures' in the index or by using the search engine on the website.