Cambrian

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cambrian

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the geological epoch?The first geological period of the Paleozoic Era and the Phanerozoic Eon
2. What was the Cambrian period and when did it happen?The Cambrian period was a time about 538.8 to 486.85 million years ago when many new animals first appeared.
3. Why did so many new animals appear during the Cambrian?Changes in the Earth's oceans and atmosphere, plus new land shapes, gave animals new places to live and helped them evolve quickly.

Phyla: The highest-level taxonomic category below kingdom, representing fundamental body plans of animals.
Tectonic Plates: Large, rigid slabs of rock that make up the Earth's crust and upper mantle, constantly moving and interacting.
Phanerozoic Eon: The current geologic eon, beginning approximately 541 million years ago, characterized by abundant and diverse animal and plant life.