History of Planet Earth Science Games

In this series of games, your students will learn about local, regional, and global patterns of rock formations, earth forces, and how the presence and location of certain fossil types indicate the order in which rock layers were formed. History of Planet Earth learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts.

Concepts Covered

Rock layers, or strata, are horizontal layers of sedimentary rock that are deposited over time. Rock layers show the sequence of geological events in Earth’s history. In undisturbed rock strata, the youngest layers of rock are at the top and the oldest layers are on the bottom. Scientific evidence indicates that the Earth is approximately 4.6 billion years old. Earth’s surface has changed over time due to different natural processes, such as tectonic activity, weathering, erosion, and deposition.

Rock layers can be disturbed by earthquakes, causing some rock layers to be moved apart, pushed up or down, or flipped upside down. Rock layers can be disturbed by volcanic activity when magma cuts through the layers and cools to form new igneous rock, or transforms sedimentary rock layers into metamorphic rocks. Earthquakes occur along faults when tectonic plates shift relative to each other, causing the Earth to shake.

Fossils are the remains or traces of living organisms that lived a long time ago. Fossil evidence provides clues about the environment in which organisms lived. Fossil evidence provides clues about how Earth’s landscape has changed over time. Most fossils are found in the layers of sedimentary rock. Tree rings are related to the type of growth a tree experienced each year, providing clues about how the environment changed over time.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.st

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