By: Annis Hapkiewicz, Retired, Okemos High School, Okemos, MI
Using the Artifact Ages Radiometric Dating Simulation Kit, students learn about radioactivity. Students calculate the age of artifacts by examining samples containing “parent” and “daughter” isotope represented by multicolored bingo chips.
An archeological site in Flinnlandia was recently excavated and ancient artifacts were recovered! Now it’s time for your students to become “real-world” scientists, determine the age of the artifacts and see how long ago this civilization lived. Students learn about radioactivity, radioactive decay and the half-life of isotopes and apply these principles to carry out the radiometric dating simulation. Students calculate the ages of four different artifacts by examining samples containing “parent” and “daughter” isotopes, represented by different colored bingo chips. Possible items representing actual physical artifacts are also suggested, but not provided. Includes complete instructions and reproducible student handouts.
Super Value Kit is complete for 15 student groups. All materials are reusable!
Correlation to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Science & Engineering Practices
Asking questions and defining problems Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking
Disciplinary Core Ideas
MS-ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth HS-PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
Crosscutting Concepts
Cause and effect Patterns Scale, proportion, and quantity Systems and system models Energy and matter Structure and function
Performance Expectations
HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.