MondayNovember 14,

2011(Major Divisions of the Geologic Time Scale;

Complete Activity – Make Your Own Geologic Time

Scale)

The Launch PadMonday, 11/14/11

In what eon, era, period, and epoch are we now living?

The Phanerozoic EonThe Cenozoic Era

The Quaternary PeriodThe Holocene Epoch

Assignment Currently Open

Summative or Formative

Date Issued

Date Due

Date Into

Grade Speed

Last Day

Project – Moon Features F1 10/18 10/21

Quiz 9 S (last 6-wks) 11/2 11/2 11/3 11/17

Video WS – Fearless Planet – Earth Story F2 11/3 11/10

Activity – Draw Earth’s Internal Structure

F3 11/8 11/9 11/10 11/14

Quiz 10 S1 11/10 11/10 11/11 12/2

Activity – The Geologic Time Scale “Cheat Sheet”

F4 11/11 11/15

AnnouncementsI will be here today

until 5:30 PM.

Latest News

NASA has announced its intention to launch an unmanned flight of the Orion Spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle by 2014. The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, or Orion MPCV as it is more commonly known, will test out systems that will be

employed on the Space Launch System (SLS). If successful, this will allow astronauts to travel beyond low-Earth-orbit for the first time in over four decades.

Latest News??

“This flight test will provide invaluable data to support the deep space exploration missions this nation is embarking upon,” said NASA Associate Administrator for Communications David Weaver.

The flight has been dubbed Exploration Flight Test or EFT-1 and will be comprised of two high-apogee orbits that will conclude with a high-energy reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Like the

Mercury, Gemini and Apollo capsules before it, the Orion MPCV will conduct a water landing.The test mission will lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station located in Florida. It is designed to provide the space agency with vital flight data regarding how the vehicle handles re-entry and

other performance issues.

“The entry part of the test will produce data needed to develop a spacecraft capable of surviving speeds greater than 20,000 mph and safely return astronauts from beyond Earth orbit,” said

Associate Administrator for Human Exploration and Operations William Gerstenmaier. “This test is very important to the detailed design process in terms of the data we expect to receive.”

Presumably the use of a Delta IV Heavy would allow NASA to accelerate its human exploration objectives at an accelerated rate. Since the flight will be unmanned, there is no need to man-rate the launch vehicle and given the current economic issues facing the United States, the use of so-

called “legacy” hardware could ensure that costs are kept down.

NASA has also stated its intention to release competitive solicitations for design proposals for new, advanced liquid or solid boosters to be used on the SLS. Another contract that will be opened for

competition will be for payload adaptors for both crewed as well as cargo missions.The Orion spacecraft was originally part of the Constellation Program. Its design has since been

modified – but its mission to one day fly astronauts to the Moon, Mars and beyond – remains. The EFT-1 test flight will allow technicians and NASA officials to better determine what further changes

need to be made to best aid the completion of NASA’s exploration goals.

Latest News Video

The Geologic Time ScaleGeologic time is divided into Eons.

1. Precambrian Eon

a) Archean Eon

b) Proterozoic Eon

2. Phanerozoic Eon

The Geologic Time ScaleEons are further divided into Eras.

1. Archean Eon• Eoarchean Era• Paleoarchean Era• Mesoarchean Era• Neoarchean Era

2. Proterozoic Eon• Paleoproterozoic Era• Mesoproterozoic Era• Neoproterozoic Era

3. Phanerozoic Eon• Paleozoic Era• Mesozoic Era• Cenozoic Era

The Geologic Time ScaleThe Phanerozoic Eon is further divided into Periods.

1. Phanerozoic Eon• Paleozoic Era

• Cambrian Period• Ordovician Period• Silurian Period• Devonian Period• Carboniferous Mississippian Period• Carboniferous Pennsylvanian Period• Permian Period

• Mesozoic Era• Triassic Period• Jurassic Period• Cretaceous Period

• Cenozoic Era• Tertiary Period• Quaternary Period

The Geologic Time ScaleThe Cenozoic Era is further divided into Epochs.

• Cenozoic Era• Tertiary Period

• Paleocene Epoch• Eocene Epoch• Oligocene Epoch• Miocene Epoch• Pliocene Epoch

• Quaternary Period• Pleistocene Epoch• Holocene Epoch

Complete ActivityMake your own Geologic Time

Scale, labeling all eons, eras, and periods. Include the epochs at

your discretion.