UNIT 3

HOW OLD IS OLD?

EARTH HISTORY TIMELINE - Teacher Information Sheet
1. Earths crust hardened: 4.6 billion
There was no life, no water, and no atmosphere. years ago
2. Blue green algae: This first life on earth was microscopic 3.5 billion
and lived in the sea. Today we call it Spirulina. years ago
. Trilo!ites: "T#$%loh%!ites& 'ow the seas were full of 600 million
inverte!rates li(e shells, crinoids, years ago
sponges, )ellyfish
and giant trilo!ites.
*. +ish: These animals were the first verte!rates in the sea. 500 million
There was no life on land. years ago
,. +irst plants on land: These were simple plants li(e 440 million
mosses and ferns. Small insects crawled onto land. years ago
-. .mphi!ians: "am%+/B%ee%ans& These were the first 395 million
verte!rates to live on land, !ut returned to the water years ago
to lay eggs. They were related to frogs and salamanders.
0. #eptiles: These animals laid eggs on land and had scales 345 million
covering their !odies. years ago
1. /nsects: 2ragonflies were some of the first insects to fly. 345 million
Their wingspan was 3 inches. /nsects were everywhere4 years ago
5. 6iant tree ferns: The land was covered with lush, green 345 million
vegetation li(e the rain forests of today. years ago
13. Shallow sea covered most of what is now 'ew 7e8ico. 300 million
The water was warm. years ago
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HOW OLD IS OLD?
11. 2imetrodon: "dye%7EET%row%don& This large reptile had
a huge fin on its !ac( and loo(ed li(e a dinosaur, !ut it wasnt. 280 million
/ts legs were !ent out from its sides li(e an alligator, while a years ago
dinosaurs legs were attached under its !ody li(e an elephant.
/ts trac(s were found in the red roc(s at present day :eme; <ue!lo.
12. =onifers: These evergreen trees had cones, li(e pine cones, 280 million
with seeds. The earlier plants reproduced with spores that did years ago
not have male and female parts.

1. =oelophysis: "SEE>%o%+$E%sis& This was one of the first 225 million
dinosaurs and its fossil !ones were discovered at 6host #anch. years ago
/t was a predator the si;e of a tur(ey and is the '7 State 2inosaur.
1*. Seismosaurus: "S/?E%mo%S@#E%us& This was the longest 200 million
dinosaur in the world and its !ones were found south of :eme; years ago
<ue!lo. /t was related to the long%nec(s. "sauropods&
1,. .rchaeoptery8: "ar%(ee%@<%ter%i(s& This was the first !ird 200 million
and it was related to dinosaurs. .!out three feet long, it had years ago
feathers and sharp teeth. Scientists are not sure if it flew or glided.
1-. .llosaurus: ".>%o%S@#E%us& This 1, foot high predator 200 million
was the ancestor of Tyrannosaurus. years ago
10. Stegosaurus: "STE6%o%S.9#%us& This was an her!ivore 200 million
with !ony plates along its !ac(, spi(es on its tail. /t had a years ago
tiny !rain.
11. Tyrannosaurus re8: This was the largest carnivore 135 million
and its !ones were found in southern 'ew 7e8ico. years ago
15. +irst flowers: =olorful flowers and insect pollinators 135 million
developed together. This is called co%evolution. years ago
23. Triceratops: "try%S.$#%a%tops& This three horned dinosaur 135 million
was an her!ivore. /t was hunted !y Tyrannosaurus re8. years ago
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HOW OLD IS OLD?
21. 2inosaurs went e8tinct: Scientists thin( that an asteroid 65 million
crashed into the 6ulf of 7e8ico causing dust to dar(en the s(y, years ago
(illing the plants and eventually all the dinosaurs and many other
animals.
22. +irst horse: These early mammals developed in 50 million
'orth .merica and were the si;e of a fo8. years ago
2. #oc(y 7ountain uplift: <ressure from inside the Earth 40 million
pushed up the #oc(y 7ountains. years ago
2*. #io 6rande #ift: The EarthAs crust !egan to pull apart. This
caused a huge canyon five miles deep to form from =olorado 30 million
to 7e8ico that is filled today with sediment from the Sangre de years ago
=risto 7ountains. /t is still spreading two centimeters per year,
which is a!out the si;e of the length of your thum!nail.
2,. =amels: They lived in the valley west of the Sangre de 25 million
=risto 7ountains with larger horses and giant !ison. years ago
2-. 7astodon: "7.ST%o%don& . huge, stoc(y elephant that 25 million
had long hair and !rowsed on tree leaves in the hills. years ago
20. Shield volcanoes erupted west of Buesta: The lava 3 million
flowed down to =hamita, forming the cap roc( of 7esa <rieta. years ago
21. Smilodon "S7$E%loh%don& This large sa!er%toothed cat 1.6 million
hunted megafauna "large <leistocene animals& years ago
25. Coolly mammoths: Their long hair (ept these huge 1.6 million
elephants warm during the /ce .ge and they gra;ed on grass. years ago
3. :eme; volcano erupted: This created the Dalles =aldera. 1.4 million
/t was 13 times larger than 7ount St. Eelens and sent years ago
volcanic ash as far as Fansas.
1. #io 6rande !egan to flow: This new river followed 25,000
the #io 6rande #ift, creating the EspaGola Dalley. years ago
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2. <aleo%/ndians: The first people to live in 'ew 7e8ico were 13,000
nomads who hunted large /ce .ge mammals and gathered years ago
!erries, seeds and roots.
. >ast /ce .ge ended: 7any of the megafauna went e8tinct in 10,000
'ew 7e8ico, including the horse, the camel and the mammoth. years ago
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