JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
5.7A Explore processes that led to formation of sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels
5.7 D Identify fossils as evidence of past living organisms and the nature of the environments at the time
using models.
Key concepts
 Sedimentary rock is formed over millions of years from the deposition of sediment in layers.
 Fossil fuels are formed over millions of years from the deposition of organic materials in layers.
 Sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels are formed when materials are compressed and heated deep
under the Earth’s surface.
 Fossils are evidence of once living things
Brick words: Fossil, Sediment, Sedimentary rock, Fossil fuel, Organism, Environment
Mortar: Evidence, Formation, Processes, Models
Fossil - The remains or imprint of marine life embedded and preserved in rock layers deep in the earth.
Fossil fuels - A hydrocarbon deposit, such as petroleum, coal, or natural gas, derived from living matter of a
previous geologic time and used for fuel.
Sediment - Sand-like material and debris that settles or is deposited by water, wind or glaciers over time.
Reference: http://myweb.cwpost.liu.edu/vdivener/notes/sed_rx.htm
Activity 1: Processes that led to the formation of sedimentary rocks (formation of layers)
Reference http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/create/sediment.htm
Explore: Card sort activity to review weathering, erosion, and deposition. This is a prediction based on prior
knowledge. The cards will be resorted in Explain.
Explain: Project the image below and review the reading with the students as they complete a cloze
paragraph. Then review the card sorts and allow the students to rearrange the cards as needed. Once the
cards are in the correct order ask the students to glue them in their science notebooks. They should also
glue the cloze paragraph in their science notebooks.
How Sedimentary Rock Is Formed
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
For thousands, even millions of years, little
pieces of our earth have been weathered-broken down and worn away by wind, water
and ice. These broken pieces are called
sediments. Sediments are then washed
downstream by erosion where they settle to the
bottom of rivers, lakes, and oceans. Layer after
layer of sediments are deposited on top of each
other. These layers are pressed down more and
more through time, until the bottom layers
slowly turn into rock.
Elaborate: Complete the Formation of Sedimentary Rock Chart.
Activity 2: Fossils and sedimentary rocks (building a model)
Engage: Aliki Fossils tell of long ago page 1 - 13
Explore: TAKScope layering activity NEW 5.7 A (Explore)
Preparation
 Label each baggie with its contents (Cheerios and so on).
 Put the cup of Cheerios in one of the bags; the cup of Bran Flakes in another bag; and so on until each
bag has cereal, crackers, or pretzels.
Materials
 6 pint-size or quart-size baggies
 1 clear plastic cup (9-12 ounces)
 1 cup each Cheerios, Bran Flakes, Fruit Loops, Cocoa Krispies
 Small pretzel sticks
 Gold Fish Crackers
 Box of crayons or colored pencils
 Plastic spoon
Facilitation points
 Distribute a set of the six baggies and clear plastic cup to each group.
 Make sure students add the correct "fossil" to the appropriate "sediment".
 Some of the "fossils" from each layer should be visible from the side of the cup.
 Other materials can be substituted if needed.
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Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Fossils are very important indicators of depositional environment. Fossils include preserved skeletal
fragments, plant roots, etc., and burrows, footprints, leaf impressions, etc. Coral and many shell fossils
indicate deposition in water. Leaves indicate deposition on land.
Activity 3: Fossils as evidence of past living organisms (This will only take about 15 minutes)
Question: What can fossils teach us about life on Earth in the past?
Fighting dinosaurs video that supports fossils as evidence of past living things lesson. American Museum of
Natural history and the exhibit name is "Fighting Dinosaurs: New discoveries from Mongolia." There are
three videos. All are appropriate.
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/fightingdinos/videos.php#
And/Or Youtube Vesuvius videos (3-D Mount Vesuvius erupting)
Activity 4: Sedimentary rock sequence activity and sorting cards
Place emphasis on which layer is oldest and which layer is youngest.
Activity 5: Formation of and Extraction of fossil fuels (10 minutes)
Old TAKScope oil and coal word (formation) sort
Use a video to show an oil well drilling assembly and a coal mine. (Discovery Education)
Also…How stuff works: Alaska’s oil contains video that includes pictures below.
Activity 6: Putting it all together - Assessments
Engage: Here is a link to a poster that you can use as an engage for the fossil fuel lesson. Notice how many
items are made from petrochemicals.
http://www.mii.org/PosterDetMiningAtPlay.htm
Assessment: Here is a link to the "Kids Energy - Oil" website that has three pictures that you can print and
cut out. Ask your students to arrange them in the proper order and write a paragraph describing the
formation of petroleum a fossil fuel
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=oil_home-basics
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Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Assessment: Here is a link to the "Kids Energy - Coal" website that has three pictures that you can print and
cut out. Ask your students to arrange them in the proper order and write a paragraph describing the
formation of coal a fossil fuel.
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics
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Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Multiple Choice Assessment
1) Where are fossil fuels formed?
A. On the surface of the atmosphere
B. On beaches near the coast
C. In forests near the equator
D. Deep inside the Earth
2) Which past environment led to the formation of coal?
A. Mountains
B. Swamps
C. Plains
D. Deserts
3) The majority of coal, oil, and natural gas deposits were formedA. in the last 10,000 years.
B. approximately 100,000 years ago.
C. more than 300 million years ago.
D. over the past 200 years.
4) Microscopic organisms, like plankton, are abundant in the ocean. When they die, they sink to the bottom
of the ocean, the first step in the formation of oil. What happens next?
A. The plankton are eaten by many kinds of bottom-dwelling creatures that change them into oil.
B. The plankton remain on the bottom of the ocean until they mix with mud, which quickly forms
oil.
C. The plankton get buried under layers of sediments and heat and pressure slowly converts the
plankton to oil.
D. The dead plankton mix with the salt water and undergo a chemical reaction that transforms
them into oil.
5) How does the Sun contribute to the formation of fossil fuels?
A. Fossil fuels come from the remains of living things, which got their energy from the Sun.
B. The Sun heats up the ocean to create correct temperatures for forming fossil fuels.
C. The Sun is directly responsible for turning metamorphic rocks into fossil fuels.
D. The Sun creates wind that weathers rocks on the Earth’s surface and turns them into fossil
fuels.
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Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
6) What would be the most logical interpretation if fossil clams were found in rock layers below layers
containing fossil trees?
A. Trees used to grow in seawater.
B. The area was once a sea, but then it dried up.
C. Clams were collected by ancient people and used as jewelry.
D. Clams used to be land animals, but then moved to the sea.
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7) Which of the following would best help a scientist identify the approximate age of a fossil?
A.
Color of the fossil
B. Size of the fossil
C. Rock layer where the fossil was found
D. The number of fossils found in a sample
8) The diagram above shows the relative positions of fossils in a sequence of sedimentary rock layers. Using
this information, which fossil is the oldest?
A.
B.
C.
D.
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Engage card sort. Students will cut out the word strips and arrange them in order. They should add
arrows or indicate the sequence of the events. Student may elaborate what caused the different
events (ie wind, water or ice).
Rock  Weathering  Sediments Erosion  Deposition Pressure New Sedimentary Rock
Rock
Deposition
Weathering
Pressure
Sediments
New Sedimentary
Rock
Erosion
Rock
Deposition
Weathering
Pressure
Sediments
New Sedimentary
Rock
Erosion
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
CLOZE Paragraph
For _________________________, even millions of years, little ________________ of our earth have been
_________________________--broken down and worn away by ______________, water and
_________________. These broken pieces are called ___________________. Sediments are then washed
downstream by __________________________ where they settle to the __________________ of rivers,
lakes, and oceans. Layer after layer of _______________________ are deposited on top of each other. These
layers are ________________________ down more and more through time, until the bottom layers slowly
turn into _______________________.
CLOZE Paragraph
For _________________________, even millions of years, little ________________ of our earth have been
_________________________--broken down and worn away by ______________, water and
_________________. These broken pieces are called ___________________. Sediments are then washed
downstream by __________________________ where they settle to the __________________ of rivers,
lakes, and oceans. Layer after layer of _______________________ are deposited on top of each other. These
layers are ________________________ down more and more through time, until the bottom layers slowly
turn into _______________________.
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Elaborate
Formation of Sedimentary Rocks Chart
Weathering of rocks
Draw a picture
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Sedimentary Rocks are the product of
Erosion
Deposition
Draw a picture
Draw a picture
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Pressure
Draw a picture
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Formation of Sedimentary Rocks Chart
Weathering of rocks
Draw a picture
Sedimentary Rocks are the product of
Erosion
Deposition
Draw a picture
Draw a picture
Pressure
Draw a picture
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
Explain your drawing
using complete
sentences.
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JACKSON/HUERTA
December 2010
Sedimentary Process/Fossil Fuels
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