The Precambrian Era!

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The Precambrian Era!

• By Kahli Veys

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When we say Precambrian, what time period are
we talking about?
The Precambrian era spans from the formation of
Earth, 4.5 billion years ago, to the evolution of
abundant macroscopic hard-shelled animals, about
500 million years ago.
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The Precambrian Era actually spans several eras
Precambrian!
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What Happened During the Precambrian Era?

• Earth formed
• Life arose
• First tectonic plates arose and began to move
• Eukaryotic cells evolved
• Atmosphere became enriched in oxygen
• And, just before the end of the Precambrian,
  complex multicellular organisms, including the
  first animals, evolved.

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If we represent Earths history on a 24 hour
clock
Precambrian Earth Video Click Here!!
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The Precambrian Era Broken Down

• Hadean 4.6 billion years ago to roughly 3.8
  billion years ago
• Archaean
• 3.8 - 2.5 billion years ago
• Started off very hot
• Lots of volcanic activityso much geologic
  activity that there were only protocontinents
  (not large continents that we have today)
• The Archean atmosphere is thought to have lacked
  free oxygen.
• Temperatures estimated to be near modern levels
• liquid water present
• Life Stromatalites and bacterial fossils have
  been found from this era
• Proterozoic
• 2.5 billion - 542 million years ago
• An eon that spans three eras Paleoproterozoic,
  Mesoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic
• Period before the first abundant complex life on
  Earth
• Featured massive, rapid continental accretion
• Large increase in atmospheric oxygen
• Life herbivorous eukaryotes (algae)
• First glaciation

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Our Activity Precambrian Board Game!

1. Get in groups of 2-3
2. Collect a piece of large (heavy-weight)
   construction paper, a notecard, a few pieces of
   colored paper, colored pencils, clay, a glue
   stick, scissors, markers, and crayons
3. Work with your group to come up with a simple
   board game concept (think Candyland!)
4. Your game will span the length of the Precambrian
   era
5. Use the art supplies to create your board game
6. Write out the rules to your game on the notecard
7. Make sure to make the game playable by 2 players
8. Be sure to include the time periods within the
   precambrian era, using the information found on
   the previous page of this slideshow!
9. When everyone is done, we will play each others
   games.

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Picture Sources by Slide 1. http//www.karencar
r.com/auto_image/auto_image_mid/Field_Museum_pre_c
ambrian_mural.jpg 2. http//www.dailygalaxy.com/ph
otos/uncategorized/2007/04/22/precambrian_era.jpg
http//www.answersingenesis.org/assets/images/
articles/ee/v2/geological-time-scale.jpg 3.
http//www.ideofact.com/archives/trilobite.jpg 4.
http//www.sharkbay.wa.gov.au/tourism/what_to_see_
and_do/images/stromatolites_lge.jpg
http//prelectur.stanford.edu/lecturers/gould/gifs
/burg.jpg 5. http//www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/link/
images/hist_img_01_prec.jpg
http//www.geology.wisc.edu/homepages/g100s2/publi
c_html/Geologic_Time/Time_Clock.gif 6.
http//www.wipsppc.com/symposium_poster.gif
http//www.mainsgate.com/spacebio/modules/lu_resou
rce/ArcheanLandscape.jpeg http//www.geo.msu.e
du/geogmich/Precambrian.html 7.
http//www.arcadiastreet.com/cgvistas/earth/images
/earth_ancient_volcano_600.jpg 8.
http//joshreads.com/?p1204 Information
Sources http//www.geo.msu.edu/geogmich/Precambr
ian.html http//www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/precambrian/
precambrian.html http//www.palaeos.com/Timescale/
Precambrian.htm