Learning About the Cenozoic Era

The Cenozoic Era began around 66 million years ago and continues to the present. It is broken into 3 periods- the Paleogene the Neogene, and the Quaternary. The early part of the Quaternary Period, known as the Pleistocene Epoch, was our most recent ice age.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out the other posts in my Learning About Geologic History Series:

Learning About Fossils

Learning About Geologic History- The Paleozoic Era

Learning About the Mesozoic Era- The Age of the Dinosaurs

Activities and resources for learning about the Cenozoic Era

Periods of the Cenozoic Era

The Paleogene The Paleogene Period is the earliest period of the Cenozoic Era. It lasted from about 66 million years ago to around 23 million years ago. The Paleogene is most notable as the period when mammals diversified. By the end of the Paleogene most of the major groups of mammals that we know today were present.

Animals of the Paleogene Period include: terror birds (huge flightless birds), early horses, early rhinoceros and elephants.

Learn more about the Paleogene Period with the following links:

-The Time Terror Birds Invaded video from PBS Eons

-The Paleogene Period from Fossils, Facts, and Finds

The Neogene The Neogene Period began around 23 million years ago and ended about 2.6 million years ago. During the Neogene Period the Earth began a cooling trend. Forests were replaced by grasslands, driving evolution another direction once again. Mammals and birds continued on their path to becoming the familiar species we know today and the first hominins appeared in Africa.

Animals of the Neogene Period include: early primates and early bovids.

You can learn more about the Neogene Period with the resources below:

-The Neogene Period from Humboldt State University

-The Humans That Lived Before Us video from PBS Eons

The Quaternary The Quaternary Period spans from the end of the Neogene 2.6 million years ago to the present. It is divided into two epochs- the Pleistocene and the Holocene.

The Pleistocene is better know as the most recent ice age. The climate was colder and drier than it is today. At the peak of the ice age ice sheets covered all of Antarctica, large portions of Europe, most of modern day Canada, the northern parts of what is now the United States, and parts of South America and Asia.

Modern humans evolved and managed to flourish and spread during the Pleistocene. Other animals of this epoch include: woolly mammoths, cave lions, saber toothed cats, woolly rhinoceros, and giant ground sloths.

You can learn more about the Quaternary Period with the following resources:

-Pleistocene Epoch: Facts About the Last Ice Age from Live Science

-5 Giant Ice Age Animals video from SciShow Kids

-How the Earth was Made- America's Ice Age video from the History Channel

-The Mysterious Gigantic Lions That Used to Roam North America video from SciShow

-Ancient Animal- Giant Ground Sloth video

Activity Ideas

Cenozoic Animal Report- Choose an animal of the Cenozoic Era to study in depth and write a short report about it.

Cenozoic Vocabulary- Make a list of new words you come across while studying the Cenozoic Era. Some words you could include are:

-Ice Age: a glacial episode or series of episodes during a past geologic period

-Interglacial Period: a period of warming between cooler "glacial" periods

-Glacier: a large persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight