Not for Student Eyes!

Not for Student Eyes! Paleoclimates and Pollen Teacher’s Key: Black Hawk, Colorado Data The table below explains the age of the sediment layers and the quantity of "pollen" (i.e., paper dots or confetti shapes) to be used to make up each sediment sample. The pollen types are coded to the Pollen Key in the student guide. Before distributing the pollen to the sediment samples, you will need to decide which type of confetti represents which type of pollen.

The ages of sediment layers are given in "ybp" meaning "years before present". This table is intended for teacher use only. Distributing it to students would give them the answers to the activity. Color or Shape Number of dots or confetti Sediment Layer Plant Species Code needed

 ponderosa pine  A  8 1  aspens (150 ypb to  C  5 present)  meadow grasses and  B  12 wildflowers

 Engelmann spruce  D  7 2  limber pine  E  6 (150 ybp to 650 ybp)  lodgepole pine  F  6  bristlecone pine  G  6

 ponderosa pine  A  10 3  Douglas fir  H  9 (650 to 1,500 ybp)  meadow grasses and  B  6 wildflowers

 Engelmann spruce  D  5  limber pine  E  3 4  lodgepole pine  F  3 (1,500 ybp to 3,500 ybp)  bristlecone pine  G  3  sedges & mosses  I  6  willows  K  5

 ponderosa pine  A  6  meadow grasses and 5  B  10 (3,500 ybp to 8,000 wildflowers  C  5 ybp)  aspen  H  4  Douglas fir

 alpine grasses & daisies  J  7  alpine sage  L  4 6  Engelmann spruce  D  4 (8,000 ybp to 10,000 ybp)  sedges & mosses  I  6  willows  K  2  aspens  C  2 © 2011 National Earth Science Teachers Association. Windows to the Universe® is a registered trademark of NESTA. All Rights Reserved.