Science 4 Inquiry
Layers and Laws: The Law of Superposition and Index Fossils
What can layers of rock teach us about the climate? Young scientists solve a mystery about who stole a cookie by applying the law of superposition. Then, they apply the same concept to solve a more difficult mystery, trying to determine...
Baylor College
Fossil Fuels and the Carbon Cycle
Humans are quickly depleting Earth's fossil fuels and locating them is becoming increasingly difficult! Layered muffins are used for models as young geologists take core samples in order to determine the presence of oil. Consider first...
Curated OER
Relative Dating-Telling Time Using Fossils
Students explore how to read fossil range charts. They develop an knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the fossil record. Students become familiar with the concepts index fossil and fossil range. Students use bar graphs to...
Curated OER
How Old Is Illinois?
High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago. Pupils pretend they are geologists. They must determine the age of all rock layers between the Mississippi River and Lake...
Curated OER
Fossils Footprints Across Time
Learners examine fossils to understand how they are formed and how they give information about geological history. In this fossil lesson plan, students research and write about fossils and make models of different fossil types.The PDF...
Curated OER
Fossils
In this fossil worksheet, students match six terms with their definitions about types of fossils and they circle the proper term to make nine statements true about preservation of fossils.
Curated OER
Fossils
In this fossils worksheet, students review the different types of fossils including index and trace fossils. This worksheet has 6 matching and 9 true or false questions.
Curated OER
How Old Is Illinois?
Students use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of rock in Illinois. They use a chart to identify the fossils and then identify the periods of rock.
Curated OER
Be a "Fossil Detective" an Effective Tool in Earth Science Education
Young scholars examine the geological time scale: the Earth is ancient; time can be divided into periods based on its fossil content.
Curated OER
Fossils
In this fossil worksheet, learners answer eight questions about the types of fossils, the characteristics of each type of fossil and the information fossils give.
Curated OER
Fossil Hunt
Young scholars ask questions about the nature of science as they experience a 'Fossil Hunt'. They reconstruct a book that has been literally destroyed, just as the fossil record has been changed by billions of years of geological processes.
Curated OER
Fossils: Part of the Picture
In this fossils worksheet, students read how scientists use fossils to gather evidence about ancient animals and plants. Then students complete 2 short answer questions.
National Wildlife Federation
Why All The Wiggling on the Way Up?
Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then makes a...
Columbus City Schools
The Mystery of Earth’s History
Every living creature can leave a fossil record, yet most fossils belong to extinct organisms rather than ones currently living. Scholars learn about dating rock layers, fossils, and the environment of the past. Pupils understand that...
Curated OER
Crystals & Fossils
In this earth science activity, students identify and locate vocabulary terms related to crystals and fossils. There are 32 words located in the puzzle.
Curated OER
Fossil Evidence
Young scholars evaluate each other's fossil imprints and they try to identify the original object. They comprehend the importance of accuracy in identifying a fossil imprint. Students create an answer sheet that has space for the names...
Lerner Publishing
Meet the Dinosaurs
Take your class of youngsters on a prehistoric adventure with this four-lesson series on dinosaurs. Accompanying the Meet the Dinosaurs books by Don Lessem, these lessons engage children in writing their own dinosaur books, making...
Curated OER
Utah Archaeology
Learners study past cultures of those who made areas of Utah their home by exploring the artifacts these cultures left behind. Students will explore different types of fossils and learn that fossils are evidences of past life.
Curated OER
Bellwork April 12-16
In this bellwork instructional activity, students answer questions about the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras. They answer questions about fossils, half life, and radioactive material.
Curated OER
Life and Geologic Time
In this geologic time learning exercise, students will define the difference between eras, periods, and epochs in the geologic time scale. Students will also look at the role of geological events and fossils. This learning exercise has...
Curated OER
Geological History Vocabulary
In this geological history worksheet, high schoolers define 17 terms associated with index fossils, nuclear decay, and radioactive decay.
Curated OER
Earth's History
Sixth graders investigate how fossils are formed. They analyze a photo of the Grand Canyon, and create a fossil cast and mold using plaster of paris and shells.
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: Dinosaur Bones (Barner)
Dig into some prehistoric vocabulary in Bob Barner's informative book Dinosaur Bones. This works best if you introduce the primitive words before reading the story. These are the focus terms in the text: ancient, climate, extinct,...
Curated OER
A Day in the Life of a Coal Miner (1910)
Students compare and contrast fossil fuels and bio-fuels. They brainstorm what mining might look like in the future. Students view the film "A Day in the Life of a Coalminer." They discuss fossil fuels and the methods of extraction....