The Ediacaran, Cambrian, and Ordovician: Through the Eyes of Trilobites
In this one time class we will be learning about some of the earliest complex life through the Ediacaran, Cambrian, and Ordovician periods, with a focus on trilobites.
Max Chipman
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(518)
What's included
1 live meeting
55 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
Beginner Level
In this one time class we will take a trip back over 600 million years to examine some of the earliest complex life on our planet. We will start with Ediacaran, before life developed hard parts, then transition into the Cambrian period, looking at the explosion of diversity, and lastly into the Ordovician where life starts to look a little less alien. For each of these time periods, we will discuss the major animal and plant groups, fossil localities, and shifts we see in the fossil record. We will look at how various ecosystems changed over this period of almost 200 million years and the evidence we see of this change in the fossil record. Lastly we will focus on one of the most enigmatic groups of animals from this time: the Trilobites, and look at some of the ecosystem level changes through their eyes. No experience, knowledge, or previous classes are required for this course, but a love of prehistoric creatures is encouraged, and my other classes on rocks, fossils, and geology may provide further background.
Learning Goals
Students will have an understanding of the first 3 major periods of complex life and specifically the trilobites.
Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
In creating the material for this class I used the following sources:
Xiao, Shuhai; Laflamme, Marc (January 2009). "On the eve of animal radiation: phylogeny, ecology and evolution of the Ediacara biota". Trends in Ecology & Evolution. 24 (1): 31–40.
S.C. Peng, L.E. Babcock, P. Ahlberg, Chapter 19 - The Cambrian Period, Editor(s): Felix M. Gradstein, James G. Ogg, Mark D. Schmitz, Gabi M. Ogg, Geologic Time Scale 2020,
Elsevier, 2020, Pages 565-629, ISBN 9780128243602
D. Goldman, P.M. Sadler, S.A. Leslie, M.J. Melchin, F.P. Agterberg, F.M. Gradstein,
Chapter 20 - The Ordovician Period, Editor(s): Felix M. Gradstein, James G. Ogg, Mark D. Schmitz, Gabi M. Ogg, Geologic Time Scale 2020, Elsevier, 2020, Pages 631-694, ISBN 9780128243602
Joined April, 2022
5.0
518reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Science from University of Toronto
Bachelor's Degree in Science from Acadia University
I have both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Earth Science, with a focus in paleontology, and have previously worked at a UNESCO fossil world heritage site.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$18
per classMeets once
55 min
Completed by 4 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 8-12
1-6 learners per class
