Colorado Cross Section Cupcake Geology

This lesson, from the Northern Wyoming Community College District, focuses on geology and the earth's structure in the context of locating and extracting natural resources. Using specially prepared cupcakes, student learn about the earth's geologic history through drawing and labeling rock layers, identify layers where fossils occur, interpret a cross-section of their cupcake, measure and record layers from this cross section, and identify layers where oil occurs (as they all appear symbolically within the cupcakes). 

The lesson, intended for students in 6th and 7th grade, takes about 90 minutes to complete, not including the preparation time for the cupcakes. Upon completion of the lesson, students will have developed an understanding of sequencing events in geologic time, how evidence from the fossil record can be used to support an argument, the resources found in local geology and their relevance.