Teaching overview
Learning points
- An asteroid crashed into Earth over 66 million years ago.
- Scientists think the asteroid impact caused a mass extinction on Earth.
- It is believed that this asteroid impact killed 75% of species, including dinosaurs.
Curriculum keywords
- Rocks
- STEM
Read the story
Earlier this year, scientists successfully drilled into a giant crater made by the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs. Researchers are now studying the rock samples that were taken during the 2-month drilling project, looking for clues about life on Earth 66 million years ago.
Share with students
Spark a discussion
- Where is the Chicxulub Crater located?
- How do scientists think the crater formed?
- Why did scientists drill into the crater, and what did they hope to accomplish?
Twig Science: A Complete Pre-K–8 Program for the NGSS
Immersive Investigations with High-Quality Multimedia
- Investigating, designing, building, and understanding phenomena
- Hands-on, digital, video, and print investigations
- Synchronous/asynchronous distance learning