Fossils
An A.K.S. Science Unit
KWL
What could this be?
Riddle:
What is old and tells
us the story of life on
Earth billions of years
ago?
Answer
Fossils
Fossils Facts
• Fossils are the remnants of past life on Earth
• Traces of prehistoric animals and plants (hard
skeletons, shells of animals, and woody plant
material) are preserved in sedimentary rock,
amber and ice
• A fossil is the imprint or remains of something
that lived long ago
• Fossils have also been found in amber
(hardened tree sap)
• Tree sap is a sticky liquid that can harden like
glue
• When an insect gets stuck in the tree sap, it
may become a fossil in amber
Amber
Frayer
• Frayer “ Fossils”
• Use pgs. C-22 and C-23
• Include a “Summary”
Imprints
Imprint Facts
• Imprints are shallow prints or marks in solid
rock
• Living things made the imprints
• Imprints are made when living things press on
the material that will later turn into rock
Molds
Mold Facts
• A mold is an empty space in rock where
something once was or lived
• Shells often leave fossils called molds
• Shell molds form after shells are buried in
sand or mud
• As water seeps in, it washes away the shells
Cast
Cast Facts
• A cast is a fossil made inside a mold
• A cast can form when minerals seep into a
mold
• As the minerals harden, they form a copy of
the mold’s shape
Inverted Triangle Graphic
• Create an “Inverted” triangle
graphic
• Compare and contrast: Imprints,
Molds, and Cast
• Include a “Summary”
• Don’t forget the “Middle”
Are they related?
Fossils tell us about the past
• Fossils help us learn about what Earth was like
long ago
• Fossils tell us about plants and animals that
lived in the past
• Fossils can also tell us about the how Earth
has changed
Venn Diagram
Compare and contrast
the “elephant” and the
“woolly mammoth”
What is going on in this picture?
What do you know about these
words?
• Excavate
• Archaeological dig
• Decompose
• Fourth or bottom layer
Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuel Facts
• A fuel is a material that is burned for its
energy
• Fossil fuels formed from the remains of plants
and animals from long ago
• Examples of fossil fuels include: oil, gasoline,
coal, and natural gas,
Why might we run out of coal in the future?
Frayer diagram
Frayer “Fossil Fuels”
Include a “Summary”
Writing Connection
• Write a three paragraph “Informational” story
about fossils
• Include an Introduction, body, and conclusion
• Remember to elaborate
• Use all 6+1 traits of writing
• Brainstorm
• Revise and Edit (conventions)
Fill out the “L”
side of your KWL
Science Experiment
C.R.C.T. Prep
Fossils are usually found in which type of rock?
A. Igneous
B. Sedimentary
C. Metamorphic
D. Craggy
What is the least number of years it takes for
a fossil to form?
A. 10 years
B. 100 years
C. 1,000 years
D. 10,000 years
Which part of an animal is least likely to be
preserved as a fossil?
A. Bone
B. Tooth
C. Skin
D. Claw
Fossils may also be found in ____________.
A. amber
B. tar deposits
C. frozen earth
D. all of the above
The body of an animal is more likely to
become fossilized if it______________.
A. is left on the surface on the ground
B. does not contain hard body parts such
as bones
C. is buried deeply in the ground
D. fossilization is equally likely with all of
the above
A trace fossil is ___________________.
A. part of the original organism that has been
preserved
B. a mark left behind by a living organism
C. a hollow print left by the outside of an
organism
D. a very small part of a fossil
A woolly mammoth found frozen in a glacier is
an example of a __________.
A. body fossil
B. trace fossil
C. mold fossil
D. cast fossil
During an archaeological dig, you excavate
through four layers of rock that contain
fossils. Where are the oldest fossils located?
A. in the first, or top, layer
B. in the second layer
C. in the third layer
D. in the fourth, or bottom, layer
Why do hard parts of an organism help fossils
to form?
A. hard parts are less likely to decompose
B. hard parts are less likely to be eaten
C. hard parts are less likely to be broken
D. all of the above
An archaeologist is a person who studies_____.
A. Remains of the past
B. Living things
C. Stars and planets
D. Rocks
What conditions help preserve a fossil?
A. Exposure to air and water
B. Rapid burn
C. The presence of scavengers
D. None of the above
Which part of a animal is most likely to be
preserved in a fossil?
A. Lung
B. Eye
C. Blood
D. Tooth
Song Time
Sung To: "Are you Sleeping"
Stomping Dinos, Stomping Dino
Where are you, Where are you
We never got to meet you
Never can we greet you
We miss you, We miss you.
Sung to: "Where oh where did my little dog go“
Oh, where, oh where did the dinosaurs go?
Oh, where, oh where can they be?
They were much too big to just disappear.
It sure is puzzling to me!
The Dinosaur Zoo
Allosaurus, Stegosaurus,
Brontosaurus too,
All went out for dinner
At the dinosaur zoo.
Along called the waiter
Called Tyrannosaurus Rex
Gobbled up the table
Because they wouldn't pay their cheques.
The Dinosaur Song
Dinosaurs lived long ago,
Long ago, long ago.
Dinosaurs lived long ago,
And now they are extinct.
Tyronnosaurus was a carnivore,
carnivore, carnivore.
Tyronnosaurus was a carnivore,
And he ate only meat.
Apatosaurus was a herbivore,
Herbivore, herbivore.
Apatosaurus was a herbivore,
And he ate only plants.
Dino-Pokey
(to the tune of "The Hokey Pokey")
You put your claws in,
You take your claws out,
You put your claws in,
And you scratch 'em all about.
You do the dino pokey,
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about!
Additional Verses:
feet in
feet out
stomp them all about
teeth in
teeth out
chomp them all about
tail in
tail out
wag it all about
I'm Bringing Home a Baby Dinosaur
(to the tune of "Baby Bumble Bee")
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur,
Won't my mommy fall right through the floor,
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur,
Tromp! Tromp! Tromp! ROAR! ROAR!
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur,
Won't my mommy hide behind the door
I'm bringing home a baby dinosaur
Ouch! Oh no! I'm squashed!
(to the tune of "Do Wah Ditty")
Here he comes just a stomping with his feet singing,
"Dino ditty, ditty dum, ditty do."
Searching all round for something good to eat
singing,
"Dino ditty, ditty dum ditty do."
He's huge, (He's huge), He's strong, (He's strong.)
He's huge, he's strong, won't be hungry very long.
"Dino ditty, ditty dum , ditty do."
"Dino ditty, ditty dum, ditty do."