HISD
Elementary Science
Fossils Unit
Unit Connections
Changes to the Earth’s surface can reveal evidence of past
environments through weathering and erosion.
 What evidence do scientists have about past environments?
 What type of rocks are fossils found in?
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Misconceptions
Fossils are pieces of dead animals and plants.
Fact: Fossils are the remains of animals and plants that died
long ago. Their remains have been replaced by minerals and
the resultant cast is called a fossil.
Fossils of tropical plants cannot be found in cold or dry areas.
Fact: Fossil of all types can be found all over the world. If a
tropical fossil is found in a cold dry area it just means that one
time in the past the area used to be warm and humid and has
since changed.
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Concept & Processes & Skills
Fossils are preserved remains of dead organisms, or
preserved changes that organisms made in their
environment.
Many fossils are remains of organisms that died and were
buried by sediments that became pressed and cemented
together.
Trace fossils are records preserved in rock that show how an
organism changed its environment, such as tunnels,
burrows, tracks, or droppings.
Fossils provide clues about ancient organisms.
Fossils of extinct organisms are used to compare for
similarities and differences in existing species.
Fossils can be used to interpret the nature of the
environment in the past.
Graphic Cues
How fossil form:
Which fossil is oldest?
Just like when you
are stacking
papers the first one
on your desk is at
the bottom. The
first fossil formed is
at the bottom,
making it the
oldest.
Student Outcomes
Identify how fossils are formed.
 Will all plants or animals become fossils?
 What events must occur for an animal or plant to become a
fossil?
 What is a trace fossil?
Observe fossils to find clues about ancient organisms.
 What does this fossil show us about the organism?
 What can fossils show?
 How can we use fossils to learn about an extinct organism?
 How can we measure change in an organism by studying
fossils?
Use fossils to interpret changes to an environment over time.
 What does this fossil let me know about the environment it was
made in?
 Does this fossil show the environment has changed?
 What evidence do you have that the environment now is
different than the environment the fossil was made in?
 What clues will fossils give us about their environment?
 How can we measure changes in the environment by studying
fossils?
Identify approximate ages of fossil based on layer the fossils
are found in.
 How evidence do you have to determine which fossil is older?
 How can you determine which fossil was formed first?
 How can you determine which fossil was formed last?
Differentiate soil by its properties.
 How does color help identify soil?
 How does texture help identify soil?
 How does soil permeability help identify soil?
 Can all types of soil support all different kinds of plant life?
Why?
 Fossil
Vocabulary Focus
Key Vocabulary for the Week
 Organism
 amber
 trace fossil
 soil properties
Technology Resources
http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/fossilfun/burial/default.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/fossilfun/makingfossils/default.ht
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http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/rocksminerals-landforms/fossils.htm