Tinted green coconut could be used for fresh grass. Chocolate rocks can be placed on frosting. Brown sugar can be used as dirt . Lifesavers could represent old tires and could lead to talks about the conservation and the environment. Using the toothpick to separate the items, layer by layer, students could record what was found in their section, in which layer of strata.
Students cooperate, discuss, and create a timeline.
After reading the book, the class could be asked to list the different things that happened in the book and sequence the events in the right order. This could be done as a group or the students could be asked to work on it individually depending on grade level. Older objects at the bottom, younger objects at the top. The strata could be portrayed by the different colors of the paper used as a background. A language exercise.