Toilet Paper Time
Name:_____________________________________
Goal: To map out some important geological events in the Earth’s history using toilet paper.
Pre-questions:
Answer the following questions the best that you can. Use complete sentences!
1. How long ago did the dinosaurs live?
248-65 million years ago.
2. How long before that did Earth form?
4,352,000,000 years.
3. How long ago did humans appear on Earth?
100,000 years ago.
4. How do you think geologists know this? What evidence do they have?
Answers will vary, but fossils was a popular answer.
What to do with the Toilet Paper:
Use the columns below (# of sheets and centimeters) to make marks on the toilet paper
Hints:


Toilet paper is fragile! It will break if you are not careful. Use tape sparingly to fix any tears.
You will have to write lightly or it will rip.
# of
Sheets
Centimeters
Predicted Event
in Geological
Time
Prediction Using
Teacher Word Bank
Actual Event in
Geological Time
.000
.0005
.08
.000
.0005
.81
Present Day
Present Day
Present Day
.50
2.0
5.08
20.32
2.50
25.397
3.25
33.02
3.25
11
33.02
111.76
12.25
14
16.25
18.15
124.46
142.24
165.10
184.41
24.5
28.5
248.92
289.56
Modern man
Linking of North and
South America
Opening of the Red Sea
Collision of India with
Asia
Separation of Australia
and Antarctica
Beginning of the Cenozoic
Era
Dinosaurs became extinct
Opening of the Atlantic
Ocean
Mesozoic Era begins
Final assembly of Pangea
First reptiles
Early trees, formation of
coal deposits
Early fish
Early shelled organisms
Years Ago
0
100,000
1,500,000
10,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
65,000,000
65,000,000
200,000,000
245,000,000
280,000,000
318,000,000
340,000,000
400,000,000
544,000,000
28.5
289.56
230
230
2,300
2,300
Beginning of the
Paleozoic Era
Precambrian Era
Origin of Earth
Origin of Earth
Origin of Earth
544,000,000
4,600,000,000
4,600,000,000
When you finish marking your toilet paper:
Now that your toilet paper has marks on it, try to guess what geologic event in Earth’s history
happened at each mark. Think about what you know about events on Earth….what has developed,
been formed, lived, died, etc. Fill in the column labeled “Predicted Event in Geologic Time” with your
guesses.
Class discussion:
Answer the following and be prepared to share with the class:
Choose 3 of the predicted events and justify why you put them where you put them.



Guided Predictions:
Using the Teacher’s Word Bank, try to guess what geologic event in Earth’s history happened at each
mark. Fill in the column labeled “Prediction Using Teacher Word Bank”
Actual Answers:
Listen now as your teacher tells you when stuff really happened! We will discuss the events for you
to record and talk about how long ago they actually happened.
Creation of your toilet paper timeline:
Using the “Actual Event in Geologic Time” column, write the event next to the mark that you made
earlier. Once again, write carefully as toilet paper rips easily!
Post-Questions:
1. Why is a time scale used to represent Earth’s history instead of a calendar?
2. Looking at the 4 eras (Cenezoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic, Precambrian) which one is the longest?
Why would geologists divide the eras unequally?
3. What are 2 reasons we would want to know about Geologic Time?
Word Bank
Opening of the Atlantic Ocean
Final Assembly of Pangaea
Linking of North and South America
Precambrian Time begins
Mesozoic Era begins
Dinosaurs become extinct
Separation of Australia & Antarctica
Collision of India with Asia
Early trees, formation of coal
deposits
Modern Man on Earth
Early shelled organisms
Early Fish
First reptiles
Beginning of Paleozoic Era
Beginning of Cenozoic Era
Opening of the Red Sea
Answer Key:
sheets
.000 sheets
.0005 sheets
.08 sheets
.50 sheets
2.0 sheets
2.50 sheets
3.25 Sheets
3.25 sheets
11 sheets
12.25 sheets
14 sheets
16.25 sheets
18.15 sheets
24.5 sheets
28.5 sheets
28.5 sheets
230 sheets
230 sheets
centimeters
.00 cm.
.0005 cm.
.812 cm.
5.08 cm.
20.32 cm.
25.397 cm.
25.397 cm
33.02 cm.
111.76 cm.
124.46 cm.
142.24 cm.
165.10 cm.
184.41 cm.
243 .92 cm.
289.56 cm.
289.56 cm.
2,300 cm.
2,300 cm.
Event
Present
Modern man
Linking of North and South America
Opening of Red Sea
Collision of India with Asia
Separation of Australia and Antarctica
Beginning of Cenozoic Era
Dinosaurs became extinct
Opening of Atlantic Ocean
Mesozoic Era begins
Final assembly of Pangaea
First reptiles
Early trees, formation of coal deposits
Early fish
Early shelled organisms
Beginning of Paleozoic Era
Precambrian time begins
Origin of earth
yrs before
present
0
10,000
1,500,000
10,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
65,000,000
65,000,000
200,000,000
245,000,000
280,000,000
318,000,000
340,000,000
400,000,000
544,000,000
544,000,000
4,600,000,000
4,600,000,000