One Stop Shop For Educator
The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many more
GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards feature located on GeorgiaStandards.Org.
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
Content:
S7L5. Students will examine the evolution of living organisms through inherited characteristics that promote survival of
organisms and the survival of successive generations of their offspring.
a. Explain that physical characteristics of organisms have changed over successive generations (e.g. Darwin’s finches and
peppered moths of Manchester).
c. Trace evidence that the fossil record found in sedimentary rock provides evidence for the long history of changing life forms.
Habits of Mind:
S7CS1. Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these
traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works.
a. Understand the importance of—and keep—honest, clear, and accurate records in science.
b. Understand that hypotheses can be valuable, even if they turn out not to be completely accurate.
S7CS3. Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific
explanations.
d. Draw conclusions based on analyzed data.
S7CS4. Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulation equipment and materials in
scientific activities.
a. Use appropriate technology to store and retrieve scientific information in topical, alphabetical, numerical, and keyword files,
and create simple files.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 1 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
S7CS5. Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters.
b. Understand that different models (such as physical replicas, pictures, and analogies) can be used to represent the same thing.
S7CS6. Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
c. Organize scientific information using appropriate simple tables, charts, and graphs, and identify relationships they reveal.
S7CS7. Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively.
a. Question claims based on vague attributions (such as “Leading doctors say…”) or on statements made by people outside the
area of their particular expertise.
b. Identify the flaws of reasoning that are based on poorly designed research. (i.e., facts intermingled with opinion, conclusions
based on insufficient evidence.)
c. Question the value of arguments based on small samples of data, biased samples, or samples for which there is no control.
d. Recognize that there may be more than one way to interpret a given set of findings.
Nature of Science:
S7CS8. Students will investigate the characteristics of scientific knowledge and how that knowledge is achieved.
c. As prevailing theories are challenged by new information, scientific knowledge may change.
S7CS9. Students will investigate the features of the process of scientific inquiry.
a. Investigations are conducted for different reasons, which include exploring new phenomena, confirming previous results,
testing how well a theory predicts, and comparing competing theories.
b. Scientific investigations usually involve collecting evidence, reasoning, devising hypotheses, and formulating explanations to
make sense of collected data.
d. Scientists often collaborate to design research. To prevent this bias, scientists conduct independent studies of the same
questions.
e. Accurate record keeping, data sharing, and replication of results are essential for maintaining an investigator’s credibility with
other scientists and society. Scientists use technology and mathematics to enhance the process of scientific inquiry.
Enduring Understandings:
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 2 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
Physical characteristics of populations of organisms change over time due to changing conditions.
Fossils provide evidence for change.
Essential Question:
How does a paleontologist decide where to look for fossils of a particular age and type?
What evidence might a paleontologist use to determine when one fossil organism lived in comparison to others found nearby? How can we work
together and create an illustration of our fossils in their sedimentary layers?
ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES
Outcome /
Performance
Expectations:
The students will work collectively as paleontologists to research fossils and create an illustration of these fossils
in their respective fossil layers.
General Teacher
Instructions:
Emphasize the following essential questions as instruction ensues:
1. Activating strategy: How does a paleontologist decide where to look for fossils of a particular age and type?
2. Teaching/Learning activity part one: What evidence might a paleontologist use to determine when one fossil
organism lived in comparison to others found nearby?
3. Teaching/Learning activity part two: How can we work together and create an illustration of our fossils in their
sedimentary layers?
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 3 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
Materials Needed:
Safety Precautions:
Task with Student
Directions:
1. Computers with internet access, one per student
2. Fossil layers computer simulation handout
3. Fossil layers computer simulation overhead
4. handout with fossil choices and suggested websites
5. Fossil time period research
6. Fossil record illustration directions/overhead
None
I. Activating Strategy: Computer Simulation and the Fossil Layers
Purpose: To facilitate the students’ understanding of the fossils layers
Materials: One computer per student, one fossil layers computer simulation handout per student, overhead
1.
2.
3.
4.
Inform students that they will be going to the computer lab to practice their paleontology skills.
The students will visit a website and complete a simulation to place fossils in the correct layer of the earth.
Have students follow the provided handout to complete this assign
After returning to class, place the following questions on the overhead; these are the same questions the
students were to answer while they were completing the computer activity.
a) Which layers of the earth hold the oldest fossils?
b) Which layers of the earth hold the youngest fossils?
c) In which layer(s) of the earth are human fossils found?
d) What kinds of fossils are found at the oldest layers of the earth?
e) What kinds of organisms are in all the layers of the earth?
f) What kinds of organisms lived a short period of time compared to other organisms?
5. Have students answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper, and without the use of their notes.
6. Go over the answers together and take this for a daily grade.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 4 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
II. Teaching/Learning Task: Creating an Illustration of the Fossil Layers
Part One:
Purpose: To practice research skills to date a fossil so students can work collaboratively to create an illustration to
show the fossil’s place in the fossil layers and in comparison to other fossils.
Materials: Computer lab or library for research, handout with fossil choices and suggested websites, fossil time
period research
1. Inform students that they will begin researching a fossil; no one else will be researching their fossil.
2. Inform students that today’s research will only focus on the time period in which the organism lived.
3. The students will compare the time period in which their fossil lived to others in the class, and create an
illustration to show the relationships.
4. Allow students to choose a fossil using the list of fossil choices and suggested websites handout
(Compliments of Carol Potter-Wegner; Norcross High School)
5. Take the students to the computer lab or library and have them research their fossil.
6. Have students use the fossil time period research handout and the fossil choices and suggested websites
handout to guide their research.
Part Two:
Purpose: To have students apply what they have learned in the paleontology computer simulation and fossil
research to create an illustration of the fossil record.
Materials: One sheet of butcher paper per group, student research that was completed the day before, fossil record
illustration directions/overhead.
1. Place students in groups of five.
2. Inform students that they are going to work together to create an illustration of their fossils and the fossil
layers.
3. The illustration will be completed on a large sheet of butcher paper.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 5 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
One Stop Shop For Educators
Georgia Performance Standards Framework for SCIENCE – GRADE 7
4. Show students that their illustrations will be similar to the illustrations that were used on the website
simulation that they completed: http://www.amnh.org/ology/
5. Give each group of students a large piece of butcher paper.
6. Place the directions on the overhead to guide students through this process.
7. If time permits, have students present their illustrations to the class.
III. Summarizing Activity: Whack-a-mole
Purpose: To have students summarize what they have learned about fossils
Materials: Classroom participants
1. Inform students that they are going to play a game called “whack-a-mole”.
2. This game is modeled after the theme-park/carnival game where the player holds a large soft mallet and
bonks on the heads of moles that pop up out of holes.
3. In this game, the students will be the moles, popping up and down.
4. One student pops up, and says one thing they have learned about fossils so far.
5. When this student sits down, another student pops up and shares what they have learned.
6. The game continues until no more “moles” pop up.
7. If two students pop up at once, then one student must sit down and try again.
Georgia Department of Education
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
SCIENCE y GRADE 7 y EXPLORING THE FOSSIL LAYERS
JULY 2008 y Page 6 of 6
Copyright 2008 © All Rights Reserved
Back
Paleontology and Fossil Layers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Write the heading on your paper.
Go to the following website: http://www.amnh.org/ology/
Look for the “Choose an Ology” section of this webpage.
Click the down arrow to scroll to Paleontology.
Click on Paleontology.
Click on the icon that says “Puzzle Game: Layers of Time”.
Read the introduction and then press start to begin the fossil layers game.
When playing the game.
• Complete at least three simulations in level one
• Complete at least three simulations in level two
• Complete at least three simulations in level three
9. Write a paragraph about what you have learned.
10. Answer these questions in your paragraph.
• Which layers of the earth hold the oldest fossils?
• Which layers of the earth hold the youngest fossils?
• In which layer(s) of the earth are human fossils found?
• What kinds of fossils are found at the oldest layers of the earth?
• What kinds of organisms are in all the layers of the earth?
• What kinds of organisms lived a short period of time compared to other organisms?
Paleontology and Fossil Layers
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
Write the heading on your paper.
Go to the following website: http://www.amnh.org/ology/
Look for the “Choose an Ology” section of this webpage.
Click the down arrow to scroll to Paleontology.
Click on Paleontology.
Click on the icon that says “Puzzle Game: Layers of Time”.
Read the introduction and then press start to begin the fossil layers game.
When playing the game.
• Complete at least three simulations in level one
• Complete at least three simulations in level two
• Complete at least three simulations in level three
19. Write a paragraph about what you have learned.
20. Answer these questions in your paragraph.
• Which layers of the earth hold the oldest fossils?
• Which layers of the earth hold the youngest fossils?
• In which layer(s) of the earth are human fossils found?
• What kinds of fossils are found at the oldest layers of the earth?
• What kinds of organisms are in all the layers of the earth?
• What kinds of organisms lived a short period of time compared to other organisms?
Back
U
Fossil Layers: Follow-up Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate sheet of
paper. Do not write the questions, but answer the questions in
complete sentences.
1)
Which layers of the earth hold the oldest fossils?
2)
Which layers of the earth hold the youngest fossils?
3)
In which layer(s) of the earth are human fossils found?
4)
What kinds of fossils are found at the oldest layers of the
earth?
5)
What kinds of organisms are in all the layers of the earth?
6)
What kinds of organisms lived a short period of time
compared to other organisms?
Back
Fossils to Research
1
2
3
4
5
Fossil or Fossil
Group
Stromatolites
(bacterial fossil
mounds)
Suggested Links
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/cyanofr.html
http://mafweb.rsmas.miami.edu/RIBS/TeachingModules%5CModule2_StromThroughTime.
pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite
Cambrian
Explosion/Burgess
Shale(early
invertebrates)
Homo
heidelbergensisf
(early human)
http://www.burgess-shale.bc.ca/
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/CambrianExplosion.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/change/deeptime/paleoz.html
Sinonyx (wolf-sized
mesonychid with
developing whale
like features)
Pakicetus (ancient
whale)
http://www.bluelion.org/sinonyxlargeprint.htm
http://balenoptera.mx.tripod.com/
http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/heid.htm
http://hometown.aol.co.uk/robertrob8/myhomepage/phones.html
http://www.geocities.com/palaeoanthropology/Hergaster.html
http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Pakicetus
http://www.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/ANAT/Pakicetid.html
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDGwhales/Whales.htm
6
Ambulocetus
(ancient whale)
http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/prog1/page7.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/4/l_034_05.html
7
Basilosaurus (early
whale)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/seamonsters/factfiles/basilosaurus.shtml
http://www.intersurf.com/~chalcedony/Basilosaurus1.html
http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/prog2/page2.htm
Page 1 of 7
8
Dorudon (early
whales)
http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/gingerich.html
http://www.talkorigins.org/features/whales/
9
Tiktaalik (fish with
tetrapod
characteristics)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12168265/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiktaalik
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5325720
http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/54079?&print=yes#54083
http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F40713F63B540C758CDDAD0894D
E404482
10 Archaeopteryx
(bird-like reptile)
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/archaeopteryx/info.html
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/birds/archaeopteryx.html
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/paleo/paleonews/Archaeopteryx.htm
http://www.daily-tangents.com/Aves/Archaeop/
11 Dromaeosauridae
(theropod with bird
characteristics)
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/saurischia/dromaeosauridae.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromaeosauridae
http://dino.lm.com/images/display.php?id=1364
12 Mononykus
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_n1_v15/ai_14891471
olecranus (bird like http://www.dino-nakasato.org/en/special97/Mono-e.html
dinosaur)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mononykus
http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v112n04/p0958-p0963.pdf
13 Sinosauropteryx
prima (feathered
dinosaur)
http://www.sinofossa.org/sinosaur/sinosauropteryx.htm
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/dinos/Sinosauropteryx.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinosauropteryx
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/dinosaurs/diorama/forest.php
Page 2 of 7
14 Australopithicus
afarensis (bipedal
ape)
http://www.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_longfor/timeline/afarensis/afarensis-a.html
http://www.anthro4n6.net/lucy/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/human/human_evolution/mother_of_man1.shtml
http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/australopithecusafarensis.htm
http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/afar.html
15 Synapsids
(mammal like
reptiles)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapsid
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/synapsids/synapsida.html
http://www.tolweb.org/notes/?note_id=466
http://tolweb.org/Synapsida
16 Doliodus
problematicus,
Cladoselache
(ancient sharks)
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1001_031001_sharkfossil.html
http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/ancient.htm
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/prehistoricsharks/gallery6.html
17 Ichthyostega,
Acanthostega
Early amphibians
(tetrapods)
http://www.devoniantimes.org/Order/re-elipistostege.html
http://sciam.com/print_version.cfm?articleID=000DC8B8-EA15-137C-AA1583414B7F0000
http://www.tolweb.org/Ichthyostega
http://www.devoniantimes.org/Order/re-ichthyostega.html
http://www.devoniantimes.org/Order/re-acanthostega.html
http://www.tolweb.org/Acanthostega
http://www.devoniantimes.org/opportunity/tetrapodsAnswer.html
18 Haikouichthys
ercaicunensis
(Oldest fish fossils)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4498049.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/504776.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4498049.stm
http://www.odu.edu/sci/cqfe/world%20of%20fishes/oldest%20fish/oldest%20fish%20disc
overed.htm
Page 3 of 7
19 Shark teeth and
scales
http://econtent-01.its.yale.edu/paleo/pdf/Fossil_Shark_Teeth.pdf
http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/evolution/earliest.htm
http://www.sharkattacks.com/prehistoric.htm
20 Early reptiles
http://www.bio.miami.edu/tom/bil160/bil160goods/21_dinos.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4441940.stm
21 Hyracotherium
(ancient horse)
http://nature.ca/notebooks/English/dahorse.htm
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/vertpaleo/fhc/hyraco1.htm
22 Glyptodont (ancient http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/darwin/trip/armored.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyptodon
armadillo)
23
Early Mammals
(Eomaia &
Jeholodens jenkinsi)
http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2002/apr/mammals/index.html
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/04/0423_020425_firstmammal.html
http://www.sinofossa.org/mammal/eomaia.htm
http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=7
8
24 Mesohippus
(ancient horse)
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/vertpaleo/fhc/mesoh1.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesohippus
25 Therapsids
(mammal like
reptiles)
http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/400Therapsida/400.000.html
http://www.kheper.net/evolution/therapsida/Therapsida.htm
http://www3.telus.net/therapsid/therapsid-index.htm
26 Merychippus
(ancient horse)
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/vertpaleo/fhc/merychippus.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merychippus
Page 4 of 7
27 Homo habilis
(ancient hominoid)
http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/hab.html
http://www.archaeologyinfo.com/homohabilis.htm
http://www.ecotao.com/holism/hu_habilis.htm
http://www.msu.edu/~heslipst/contents/ANP440/habilis.htm
http://www.msu.edu/~robin400/habilis.html
28 Early primates
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070123105055.htm
http://anthro.palomar.edu/earlyprimates/first_primates.htm
29 Trilobites (ancient
arthropods)
http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/fossils/trilobite.html
http://www.ucm.es/info/paleo/personal/diegogbc/ecdysis.pdf
30 Oldest land animal
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3427499.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3427499.stm
http://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/Silurian2.htm
31 Oldest insect
fossils
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3478915.stm
http://www.ub.es/dpep/meganeura/52inrocks.htm
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/earth/fossils/article-oldest-insect-fossil/the-oldestfossil-insect-in-the-world.html
32 Homo ergaster
http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/erec.html
http://www.msu.edu/~heslipst/contents/ANP440/ergaster.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/human/human_evolution/leaving_home1.shtml
Page 5 of 7
Suggested Print Resources
1. Dawkins, Richard. The Ancestor’s Tale; A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution, Houghton Mifflin Company,
Boston, 2004.
2. Gould, Stephen Jay. Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History, W.W. Norton & Company,
New York, 1989.
3. Martin, Robert A. Missing Links: Evolutionary Concepts and Transitions through Time, Jones & Bartlett, London,
2004.
4. Stringer, Chris and Andrews, Peter. The Complete World of Human Evolution, Thames & Hudson, New York,
2005.
5. Zimmer, Carl, Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea, Harper Collins, 2001.
General Web Sites
Geological Time
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologic_timescale
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/Preambrian_Paleobiology.htm
http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Paleobiology/Paleozoic_paleobiology.htm
Fossils
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=fossil_gallery&sectionnav=main
http://hometown.aol.com/darwinpage/transitionals.htm#Transitionals
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional/part1a.html
http://www.wits.ac.za/geosciences/bpi/fossilpictures.htm
Page 6 of 7
Whale Evolution
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDGwhales/Whales.htm
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/03/4/l_034_05.html
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gingeric/PDFfiles/PDG413_whalesmhyst_opt.pdf
http://www.edwardtbabinski.us/whales/evolution_of_whales/
Bird Dinosaur Connection
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/avians.html
http://www.ucm.es/info/paleo/personal/patricio/DMKCR-2004.pdf
Hominoid Fossils
http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/a_tree.html
http://www.msu.edu/~robin400/habilis.html
Horse Fossils
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fhc/
http://chem.tufts.edu/science/evolution/HorseEvolution.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/03/0317_050317_horseevolution_2.html
Fish Fossils
http://www.devoniantimes.org/who/pages/acanthodians.html
BIG PICTURE CONCEPTS THAT SHOULD BECOME EVIDENT FROM THE FRAGMENTED PUZZLE
1. Fish evolved before amphibians which evolved before reptiles which evolved before birds (feathered reptiles)
and mammals.
2. After one vertebrate group first (i.e. fish) appears, it continues to this day with modifications.
3. Later derived groups such as mammals and birds are not found among Devonian and Silurian fish.
4. There are many transitions between all the vertebrate groups.
5. Inherently, there are gaps in the fossil record and inferences play an important role in developing the big
picture.
Page 7 of 7
Back
Fossil Research
Fossil Research
Student name: ___________________
Student name: ___________________
Fossil name: _____________________
Fossil name: _____________________
Time period in which the organism lived (for
example, the megalodon shark lived between 18 and
1.5 million years ago)
Time period in which the organism lived (for
example, the megalodon shark lived between 18 and
1.5 million years ago)
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Location on the planet where the fossil has been
found (for example, fossils of megaladon shark
teeth have been found all over the world such as
North America, South America, Europe, Australia,
Africa, and Europe):
Location on the planet where the fossil has been
found: (for example, fossils of megaladon shark
teeth have been found all over the world such as
North America, South America, Europe, Australia,
Africa, and Europe
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Basic description of the organism:
Basic description of the organism:
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Sketch of what the organism might have looked
Sketch of what the organism might have looked
like:
like:
Back
Fossil Record Illustration
Group Mission: Work together to create an illustration of the fossil record. Use the
fossils you researched in the illustration only. Make sure that the illustration has a
time scale on the left side.
1. Choose a group leader.
2. The group leader should talk to the other group members and determine which
fossil in the group is the youngest and which fossil in the group is the oldest.
3. Based on this information, the group leader should lead a conversation to
determine the groups’time scale. For example, let’s say that the youngest fossil in
the group is the megalodon shark which lived 1.5 M.Y.A., and the oldest fossil in
the group is a trilobite which lived 545 M.Y.A. The time scale for this group
would be 543.5 M.Y. because 545 minus 1.5 is 543.5.
4. The person sitting to the left of the group leader will measure the height of the
butcher paper in centimeters.
5. The person sitting to the right of the group leader will then use the following
equation to solve for X (X is the number of millions of years that will be
represented for every 10 centimeters).
10 centimeters
X
Height of the butcher paper (cm) = Group Time Scale
6. The person sitting across from the group leader needs create horizontal lines
across the butcher paper every ten centimeters.
7. The group leader will label the Y-axis with the appropriate numbers in millions of
years and label this axis.
8. Every member should then add drawings of their fossil to the illustration and add
color.
9. A volunteer in the group should also create a title for the illustration.