Paleocene

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/paleocene

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 epoch of the Paleogene Period, succeeding the Cretaceous Period
2. What happened to the dinosaurs at the start of the Paleocene?A huge asteroid hit Earth, and volcanoes may have helped, killing many dinosaurs. This left many places empty for other animals to fill.
3. Why were the Earth’s forests so big during the Paleocene?The planet was very warm, about 24‑25°C, and there was no ice at the poles. This allowed forests to grow everywhere, even in places that are cold today.

Cenozoic Era: The current geological era, beginning after the extinction of the dinosaurs, often called the 'Age of Mammals'.
Faunal Turnover: Significant changes in the types and abundance of animal species within an ecosystem or over geological time.
Orogeny: A process of mountain formation, especially by a folding and faulting of the Earth's crust.