The Day the Mesozoic Died

The following classroom-ready resources complement The Day the Mesozoic Died. This 33 minute-long film tells the story of the extraordinary detective work that led to the stunning discovery that an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, triggering a mass extinction of animals, plants and even microorganisms.

At A Glance Film Guide (PDF)
Student Quiz (PDF)
In-Depth Film Guide (PDF)

“The Day the Mesozoic Died” (PDF)
A short article by Dr. Sean B. Carroll, which serves as a supplement to the film and great non-fiction reading for the Common Core standards.
Appropriate for: middle and high school science classes (all levels)

Lesson: Chemical Signatures of Asteroids Impacts
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A lesson in which students analyze the chemical data that lead researchers to conclude that the K-T boundary layer contained an extraordinary concentration of iridium. 
Appropriate for: high school physics, chemistry, and earth science (all levels)

Lesson: Distribution of Elements in Earth’s Crust
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A lesson in which students read a passage and answer questions about the information presented, testing their non-fiction reading comprehension.
Appropriate for: high school physics, chemistry, and earth science (all levels)

Lesson: Calculating Iridium Fallout From an Asteroid Impact
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
A worksheet in which students calculate how much iridium was released, and eventually deposited all over the Earth, by the impact of the asteroid that caused the K-T extinction.
Appropriate for: high school physics, chemistry, and earth science (all levels)

Hands-on Activity: Weighing the Evidence for a Mass Extinction
Teacher Materials (PDF) Student Handout (PDF)
Foram Cards: Page 1 (PDF) Page 2 (PDF) Page 3 (PDF) Page 4 (PDF)
A hands-on activity in which students see first-hand the difference in foraminifera fossils below and above the K-T boundary.
Appropriate for: middle school life science and high school biology (all levels)