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.

Sediment Layer
Plant Species
Color or Shape Code
Number of dots or confetti needed
1
(150 ypb to present)
  • ponderosa pine
  • aspens
  • meadow grasses and wildflowers
  • A
  • C
  • B
  • 8
  • 5
  • 12
2
(150 ybp to 650 ybp)
  • Engelmann spruce
  • limber pine
  • lodgepole pine
  • bristlecone pine
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • 7
  • 6
  • 6
  • 6
3
(650 to 1,500 ybp)
  • ponderosa pine
  • Douglas fir
  • meadow grasses and wildflowers
  • A
  • H
  • B
  • 10
  • 9
  • 6
4
(1,500 ybp to 3,500 ybp)
  • Engelmann spruce
  • limber pine
  • lodgepole pine
  • bristlecone pine
  • sedges & mosses
  • willows
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • I
  • K
  • 5
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • 6
  • 5
5
(3,500 ybp to 8,000 ybp)
  • ponderosa pine
  • meadow grasses and wildflowers
  • aspen
  • Douglas fir
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • H
  • 6
  • 10
  • 5
  • 4
6
(8,000 ybp to 10,000 ybp)
  • alpine grasses & daisies
  • alpine sage
  • Engelmann spruce
  • sedges & mosses
  • willows
  • aspens
  • J
  • L
  • D
  • I
  • K
  • C
  • 7
  • 4
  • 4
  • 6
  • 2
  • 2

© 2011 National Earth Science Teachers Association. Windows to the Universe® is a registered trademark of NESTA. All Rights Reserved.