In this lesson, you’ll create a poster on the carbon-14 dating process.

The purpose of this lesson is for you to summarize

your learnings on carbon-14 dating and demonstrate that you understand the source of carbon-14 and why its useful to
date material, what isotopes are and how they form, radioactive decay, and the carbon-14 dating process with its main use
and limitations.
The intended audience is the next year’s class of physics students as I intend on using some of these posters as a way of
introducing the topic of carbon-14 dating. You will submit the poster online, and we’ll randomly select 5 to share in the
class electronically.
Assignment:
Create a poster using your iPad of at least 8 key facts and findings you’ve made while learning about the carbon-14 dating
process. The facts and findings can be across the entire spectrum of our learning, from nuclear reactions to the dating
process itself. For the selection of your facts and findings, ensure you include at least one in each of these areas:
1. the equation for a nuclear reaction
2. an atomic structure of base elements versus their isotopes
3. the carbon dating process
4. limitations on the use of carbon dating
For each key fact or finding, use a visual, a heading and 15-25 words of text underneath to explain its significance. I’ve
included three links to content that are good summaries for carbon-14 dating. Please ensure you review these as part of
the lesson and use each one at least once as a source. Also included is a link to the piccollage app to use on your iPad if you
choose to use that software.
Areas to consider as you make your poster: Digital resources:
- What are the critical steps for preparing the VIDEO ON CARBON 14 DATING PROCESS
sample and then using it within the Accelerator
Mass Spectrometry (AMS)? WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ON CARBON DATING
- As scientists prepare the sample, what were some
of the things that they have to be concerned with? CARBON-14 DATING PROCESS FACTOID
How do they address those concerns as part of the
preparation process? pic collage software (itunes store – free version will work for this
- What materials contain carbon and can be used in lesson)
carbon dating?
- What are the different types of carbon isotopes?

Scoring Criteria Total points possible 100

Poster quality Presentation is clean and clear with a headline.
The visuals match the words
15
Facts/findings TOTAL 60
At least 8 visuals are presented 10
The header and notes are descriptive enough to
10
understand the visual
the equation for a nuclear reaction 10
an atomic structure of base elements versus their
10
isotopes
the carbon dating process 10
limitations on the use of carbon dating 10
Execution TOTAL 25
Poster was completed on an iPad 5
Grammar and spelling were correct 5
All 3 digital resources were cited 5
Data sources appropriated referenced 5
Poster submitted electronically 5
Credit: Disease Pictionary example was reapplied
Sample Poster on Carbon14 Dating