Eocene

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/eocene

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?Second epoch of the Paleogene Period, Cenozoic Era
2. Why was the Earth so hot during the Eocene?The planet had average temperatures around 27°C, and a big warming event called the PETM released lots of carbon, making the climate very warm.
3. How did mammals change during the Eocene?Mammals quickly grew into many kinds, like early horses, tapirs, rhinos, whales, bats, and primates, filling many places that dinosaurs had left.

Paleogene Period: The earliest period of the Cenozoic Era, known for the rise of mammals and birds after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM): A geologically brief period of extreme global warming and carbon release occurring at the boundary of the Paleocene and Eocene epochs.
Bolide Impact: The event of a large meteoroid or asteroid striking the Earth's surface, often causing widespread environmental disruption.
Mammalian Radiation: A period of rapid evolutionary diversification of mammals into new forms and ecological roles.