Mass Extinctions

Try a different approach! Examine the history of Earth and its mass extinctions with science comics. Grab the attention of even your most reluctant readers and take advantage of graphic novel trends. Teach science with comics!

There have been five mass extinctions on this planet. Each one has its own story and its own results. This comic defines and illustrates these extinctions and explains how the most recent mass extinction (The K-T Extinction) allowed mammals to evolve. Touch on the current extinction, the Anthropocene, in the mini-research project.

This lesson plan ties well with the NGSS Standard MS-ESS1-4 Earth’s Place in this Universe because it builds a foundational understanding of Earth’s history, extinctions that have occurred, and how some species have evolved as a result of those extinctions.

This Mass Extinctions download includes-

Color Content

1. Great for projecting on the front board
2. Colorful and engaging
3. Serves as a great science anchor chart poster!

Black-line Version

1. Easy to print
2. Perfect for interactive notebooks
3. Fun science coloring sheet

Doodle Notes

1. Guided notes combined with cartoons
2. Students can follow along and fill in the blanks as you teach
3. Can be used as guided reading

Mini-Research Project

1. Students dive a little deeper into the topics by researching each of the mass extinctions in Earth’s history.
2. Introduce the Anthropocene

Easel Activity

1. Upload directly to your digital classroom
2. Allows students to easily work from home

Are you looking for more?

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Check out the Earth Science Bundle! Available HERE!

Related Products

Animal Adaptations Doodle Notes

Fossils and History of Earth Doodle Notes

What makes Cool School Comics such an impactful learning tool?

They are FUN! 

• This is the most crucial benefit.
• Students are more willing to participate and more engaged.
• The content STICKS.

Visual learning is EFFECTIVE. 

• About 65% of the population consists of visual learners.
• Visual information is processed faster.
• Students who SEE information are more likely to retain it.

EASY to implement! 

• These lesson plans are complete and ready to go, requiring minimal prep time.
• You only need to make copies, upload supplementals to your virtual classrooms, and set up the hands-on activities.
• Lots of flexibility! You can print these as posters, add them to interactive notebooks, hand them out to students, or share them virtually. There is plenty of room for modifications.

ACTIVE LEARNING

• Every lesson plan has a low-prep, wallet-friendly, hands-on component.
• Instructions are in a visual format
• Follow-up questions or a lab report are always included

Comics make content ACCESSIBLE

• Naturally differentiated, comics accommodate a wide range of learning abilities and styles.
• Great for classrooms with a diverse population of learners
• They can simultaneously rope in both your gifted and struggling students (and everyone in between).
• Reluctant readers gravitate toward comics.
• Comics help English Language Learners and some SPED students find success.