The Geologic Time Scale: The Development of Life through time

Abstract

This text assists in understanding time relationships and how life on Earth has changed over time. The dates shown were compiled from several available sources. The first page shows some important events in Earth history, presented in the order in which they occurred. The data are also shown on the scale of a calendar year. On the second sheet is a chart showing the geologic eras, systems, and series. On the chart, each dot, number, or letter represents 1 million years. The dots get older as you read down the chart, or to the right along a row. They represent millions of years before present (mybp) and show the ages of the oldest known fossils of selected animals or the time of an event. Not all of the items are shown on the chart because of space limitations. Educational levels: Middle school, High school