Paleoclimate Timeline
Provided by: LabXchange|Published on: September 6, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Data, Graphs, and Maps
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: In Collaboration with NASA
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This interactive timeline explains how scientists reconstruct Earth's climate history from before global temperature records began, introducing the field of paleoclimatology.
- Students explore nine lines of evidence, including the modern temperature record, tree rings, glacier positions, lake sediments, ice cores, ocean sediments, landforms, corals, and sedimentary rocks, each with the time span it covers and the climate clues it holds.
Teaching Materials
Prerequisites:
- Ensure students are familiar with the geologic time scale.
- Consider defining the term climate and differentiating between climate and weather, if necessary.
Classroom Implementation:
- Use this resource as an introduction to paleoclimatology. Have students explore the evidence types in jigsaw groups, utilizing the resources linked below the initial description.
Related Resources:
- This interactive game is an excellent resource for students to apply what they have learned from this timeline and explore the concepts in an engaging way.
Extensions:
- Have students compare the time spans of the different records and discuss why scientists need multiple, overlapping lines of evidence.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
LabXchange
Harvard University’s LabXchange is a free online platform for science education, created with support from the Amgen Foundation. It makes learning science online flexible and fun, with interactives, lab simulations, and more.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
