Earth Science Projects

The Universe in a Year

Summary:

Represent the 15 billion year history of the Universe as dates on a one-year calendar. Watch the video below by the  , Carl Sagan, the American Astronomer who popularized the study of the Universe.

Project Timing:

Will vary

The Calendar of Time

January 1 Big Bang

              5 First stars are born

              20 First galaxies form

March.     The Milky Way Galaxy forms

September. The Solar System forms – The Sun, planets, asteroids, moons

October.       First single celled organisms

November.   First multi-celled organisms

December 19  First animals with shells and hard parts  

                   20 First vertebrates

                   21 Life still confined to the sea, seaweed is the only plant

                   22 First signs of land plants and animals

                   23 First insects and spiders

                   24 Amphibians dominant

                   26 Mammals & reptiles appear

                   27 Dinosaurs abundant, first birds appear

                   28 Dinosaurs extinct, increase in diversity of mammals of all kinds

                   31 11:50pm – Anatomically modern humans appear

Materials:

• A3 cardboard or paper

• Current calendar for reference

Procedure:

1. Draw or use a calendar to show days and months, or for a blank calendar go to the following website: https://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_act/nature/graphics/cal.html

2. Add the information from the table above to the calendar.

3. Add drawings or pictures to the calendar to make it more attractive.

If 15 billion years = one year on this calendar,

• calculate when the first stars and galaxies formed – add this to the calendar,

• calculate when our Solar System formed and add this to the calendar,

• add other significant events in the history of the Universe.

Hint: Work out what a month, day, hour and minute represent on your Calendar of Time.

4. If you are working with other students, find out what they have added to their calendars. If they have added the same events, check calculated dates are the same/correct.

5. Now draw and illustrate a timeline showing the main events in the history of the Universe. Calibrate your timeline in millions and billions of years from the present. 

Project Submission:

Upload your calendar and timeline to the project dropbox or submit a hard copy to your instructor for evaluation.