Direction: Create a timeline of events that happened to you since you were born up

to the present time. Choose only 20 events that you think are the most important.
Present your timeline at the end of class.

Answer the ff question:

1. Is there a “center” or theme in your timeline and life? If you will give a title for
your timeline what would it be and why?
2. Identify the turning points in your timeline. What were the thoughts, feelings, and
actions that you experienced?
3. Where do you want to be in a year, 5 years, and 10 years? What do you expect
your future timeline will be?
 ICE AGE

I_ _ A _ _ _
DINOSAUR

D___S__R
ASTEROID

___E__I_
CRUDE

_R__E
ANCESTOR

A___S___
EXTINCT

__T___T
DEVELOPE

D_ _ E _ _ P _
PERIOD

_E__O_
FOSSILS

___S___
TIMELINE

_I _ _ L _ _ _
LORIE MAE N. VIDUYA START
 The Earth has existed for 4.6
billion years
 The geologic time scale
divides all those years into
sections
 Like how your science book is
divided into Units, then
Chapters, then Sections, then
Pages
 Each section is unique
because it shows a specific
change in life or in the Earth’s
surface
WHAT IS A GEOLOGIC
TIME SCALE?
System of chronologic
measurement relating
stratigraphy to time
that is used by
geologist and other
earth scientists
 The largest sections are called “eons”
 “Eons” are divided into “eras” (the 2nd largest section)
 “Eras” are divided into “periods”
 Then “periods” are divided into “epochs”
 Usually the oldest sections are shown
on the bottom and the most recent sections
are shown on the top
INTRODUCTION TO
CONCEPT:

Period
Era Epoch
Eon Period
Era Period
 Major changes in Earth’s history mark the boundaries between the
sections
 Most sections have been divided because a major organism developed
or went extinct.
 Extinction = the death of every member
of a species
 It can happen because of competition
between the species, so some organisms
ran out of food or space
 It can happen because the environment
changed, and some organisms could not
survive in the new environment.
 Mass extinction = the extinction of
many species at the same time
 Can you think of an example of a mass
extinction?
 It can be caused by gradual changes
in climate or ocean currents
(Uniformitarianism)
 Or by catastrophic events, like an
asteroid hitting the earth and blocking
out the sun (Catastrophism)
Hadean, Archean and
Proterozoic Eons
Precambrian Super Eon: “time before life”
Hadean Eon* 4.6 – 3.8 billion years ago (BYA)
Heavy bombardment of meteorites
Earth’s surface molten lava

*Note: Not considered a part of the geological time scale (no evidence)
Archean Eon: 3.8 – 2.5 BYA
Earth starts cooling from molten state
Crust forms – Continental building
Surface temperatures still really hot
Oceans emerge

Reducing atmosphere of
methane, ammonia, hydrogen,
and other gases.

Earliest bacteria forms

Proterozoic Eon: 2.5 BYA – 542 million years ago (MYA)
Continued accretion of continental landmasses
Build up of oxygen thanks to bacteria algae etc…
Many glaciations occurred (Snowball Earth)
Evidence of earliest marine life
The production of O2 of cyanobacteria caused a drastic change in the chemical composition of the
Earth’s atmosphere. Many species of bacteria and protist were killed by the higher concentration of
oxygen. New types of organism evolved using biochemical adaptations enabling them to survive with
the presence of oxygen. This allowed the domination of aerobic eukaryotes, the first multicellular
organism.

Rodinia
 PRECAMBRIAN
Hadean Eon Archeozoic Eon Proterozoic Eon
4.6 to 3.9 billion (Archean) 2.5 billion years
years ago 3.9 to 2.5 billion ago to 540 mya
“Rockless Eon" - years ago *multi-celled, animals
The solidifying of "Ancient Life" appear, including
the Earth's sponges.
The first life forms
continental and *Single supercontinent
evolve called Rodinia.
oceanic crusts.
*First multicellular life:
colonial algae and
soft-bodied
invertebrates appear.
Paleozoic Era
 PHANEROZOIC EON
Paleozoic Era:
The Paleozoic is bracketed by two of the
most important events in the history of
animal life.
1. Multicellular animals went dramatic
diversity explosion
2. Largest Mass extinction of mostly 90%
of marine organisms
 Began 542 million years ago and ended 251
million years ago
 Divided into 6 periods
 Many new life forms appeared during the 1st
period, the Cambrian Period =
“Cambrian Explosion”
 For the first time on Earth, organisms had
hard parts (shells, exoskeletons)
 Some organisms that were alive during this
period still exist today (ferns and
salamanders) but they were giants!
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Cambrian Period
"The Age of Trilobites"
540 to 500 mya
 The Cambrian period is the 1st period of the Paleozoic Era.
 “Age of the Trilobites” or the “Age of Fish”
 Explosion of life in the oceans began during this era.
 Most of the continents were covered in warm, shallow seas.
 Invertebrates were dominant – Trilobites
 Echinoderms, brachiopods,mollusk, primitive graptolites
 Fish emerged during this time (pikaia)
 Fish led to the arrival of amphibians
 The end of the Paleozoic era is called the “Age of Amphibians”

 Rodinia began to break into smaller continents

 Mass extinction of trilobites and nautiloids due to glaciation
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Ordovician Period
505 to 438 mya
 Began:495 million years ago
 Primitive plants appear on land
 Primitive fishes, seaweed and fungi
 Began:495 million years ago
 Ended: Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction
443 million years ago
 PALEOZOIC ERA

Silurian Period
438 to 408 mya
443 MYA – 416 MYA
Climate: Moderately warmer, stable temps. Less glaciations
Flora: Primitive plants found on land
- appearance of 1st vascular plants ( COOKSONIA)
Fauna: Marine invertebrates, vertebrates fish with jaws
- CRINOIDS, BRACHINOIDS, CORALS
Continental Masses:
Super-Continent Gondwana

Couple minor mass

extinction of
organisms due to rapid
changes in sea level
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Devonian Period
"The Age of Fishes"
408 to 360 mya
 The Devonian is also known as the Age of Fishes, since several major fish lineages evolved at this
time. Sea levels were high and the global climate was warm. Sea surface temperatures in the
tropics averaged 30 Celsius, much like the warmer parts of the Pacific today.
 Fish and land plants become abundant and diverse. First tetrapods appear toward the end of the
period. First amphibians appear. First sharks, bony fish, and ammonoids. Many coral reefs,
brachiopods, crinoids..
 Began: 417 million years ago
 Ended: Late Devonian mass extinction
354 million years ago
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Carboniferous
Mississippian Period
360 to 325 mya
CARBONIFEROUS MISSISSIPPIAN
PERIOD
360
 TO 325
The Mississippian MYA
is named for the upper Mississippi River valley, not the state of
Mississippi, which has very few rocks of this age

 Wide-spread coal swamps , foraminiferans, corals, brachiopods, blastoids, seed

ferns, lycopsids, meganuera and other plants .
First winged insects-
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Carboniferous
Pennyslvanian Period
325 to 280 mya
CARBONIFEROUS MISSISSIPPIAN
PERIOD
360
 TOthe Pennsylvanian
However, 325 MYA is named for the state of Pennsylvania.
 First reptiles. Many ferns. The first mayflies and cockroaches appear.
 PALEOZOIC ERA
Permian Period
"The Age of Amphibians"
280 to 248 mya
 Permian Period
"The Age of Amphibians"
280 to 248 mya

 The Permian name means "coal-bearing," and this is a time when extensive coal beds
were formed around the world.
 The Age of Amphibians" - Amphibians and reptiles dominant. Gymnosperms dominant
plant life
 The Permian ended with largest mass extinction. Trilobites go extinct, as do 50% of all
animal families, 95% of all marine species, and many trees, perhaps caused by glaciation
or volcanism.- world’s largest extinction
Mesozoic Era
 PHANEROZOIC EON
Mesozoic Era:
Many of the Old life forms had just gone
extinct in the Permian Extinction, the
world’s largest mass extinction.
Depleted state was followed by an
explosion of new life forms such as
dinosaurs, mammals, birds and flowering
plants
 Began 251 million years ago
 Surviving reptiles and amphibians evolved into many other species
(like dinosaurs) = “Age of Reptiles”
 At the beginning of this era the continents were joined as Pangaea.
 Pangaea broke up around the middle of this era.
 Reptiles became the most abundant animals because of their ability to adapt to the drier climate
of the Mesozoic Era.
 Skin maintains body fluids
 Embryos live in shells

 Flowering plants appeared during the END of this era.

 MESOZOIC ERA

Triassic Period
248 to 208 mya
 TRIASSIC PERIOD
 The first dinosaurs, mammals, and crocodyloformes appear.
 Mollusks are the dominant invertebrate. Many reptiles, for example,
turtles, ichthyosaurs.
 Triassic period ends with a minor extinction 213 mya (35% of all
animal families die out, including labyrinthodont amphibians,
conodonts, and all marine reptiles except ichthyosaurs). This allowed
the dinosaurs to expand into many niches.
 MESOZOIC ERA

Jurassic Period
208 to 146 mya
 The fossil of the earliest
known bird, Archeaopteryx,
was discovered in 1861

• Fossils of dinosaurs with

feathers may support
the bird-dinosaur theory
 MESOZOIC ERA

Cretaceous Period
146 to 65 mya
 Another mass extinction happened
65 million years ago
 Marked the end of the Mesozoic Era
and the beginning of the Cenozoic
Era
 All of the dinosaurs and half of the
other animals & plants went extinct
 Scientists think an asteroid hit Earth,
the dust clouds blocked out the sun,
plants died, then herbivores, then
carnivores.
Cenozoic Era
 PHANEROZOIC EON
Cenozoic Era:
The most recent Era of the three major
subdivisions of animal history.
Also called as the Age of Mammals
65.5 million years ago to present
 Began 65 million years ago and continues today
 Scientists know the most about this Era because the fossils are in the
top rock layers and are easier to find
 Land & climate has changed a lot
 What big change will happen that
will end this era & start the
next?
 The Paleocene epoch was a time of dense forests and evolutionary
experiments. The extinction of the dinosaurs and other giant reptiles at
the end of the Cretaceous paved the way for mammals and birds to
evolve to fill those empty niches, so many new creatures appeared.
 Began: Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction
65 million years ago
 Ended:54.8 million years ago

 Plesiadapiforms
 The Eocene began as a time of global warming, with temperatures across the planet
soaring. Forests thrived and trees grew even in polar regions. Eventually, the Eocene
became cooler and drier.
 Apperance of 1st rodents ( mesoprocta hypsodus) and primitive whales

 Began:54.8 million years ago

 Ended:33.7 million years ago
 Over 30 million years ago, the Oligocene epoch saw the start of the
global cooling that would eventually shift the Earth's climate to one
where glaciers were present and ice ages were possible. Worldwide, this
was the time when grasslands began to expand and forests - especially
tropical ones
 Many new mammals appear (pig, deer, cats, rhino), grass is common
 Began: 33.7 million years ago
 Ended: 23.8 million years ago
 “moderately recent”
 More mammals like horses, dogs, bears, modern birds,
 apes, ramapithecus appear