SOL Prep

Geological and Biological Events in Earth's History

Virginia SOL ESII.4

Investigate and understand that major geological and biological events are recorded in rocks and fossils.

Study ESII.4 with SOL PrepBack to Earth Science II Advanced Survey

What students need to be able to do

  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim about the age of Earth.
  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim about the use of different radioactive isotopes for absolute dating of rock and/or fossils for a location.
  • Analyze the major geologic and biological events in Earth's history in terms of the scale, proportion, and quantity and determine the significance.
  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim about the coevolution of Earth's systems (hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere).
  • Explain the geological events of a region based on correlating rock strata with and without fossils from different locations within a region.
  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim using a variety of sources (rocks, fossil records, and geologic maps) about how changes to climate and ecosystems in Earth's history affected life.
  • Develop and use a timeline to interpret the geologic history of Virginia based on evidence.