If the Dead Could Talk
EQOD: What is a fossil and what can it tell us?
If the Dead Could Talk (Cornell Note Set Up)
EQOD: What is a fossil and what can it tell us?
Question Section:
Initial Thoughts:
-
Write down only what is highlighted!
Make sure you always set up your notes like this!
Take 3 minutes to write down your initial thoughts :)
Evidence I: Fossil Explorers
Let’s explore some fossils!
1. Sketch a quick drawing of the fossil you got
2. Write down what you see in this fossil
3. What questions do you have about the fossil you discovered? Think about where
it could have lived, what could it have eaten, what was its size, etc...
Example of Fossil Activity
1.
2.
Quick Sketch
What do I see?
a.
In this fossil picture I see three long lines
that look like leaves that come together in
one end. It seems like the fossil is on sand,
not really rock
3.
Questions
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Is this a plant?
If this was a plant, how large was it?
Where was this plant located when alive?
Where was this fossil found?
Was it part of a tree or a shrub?
Evidence I: Fossil Explorers
1. Sketch a quick drawing of the fossil you got
2. Write down what you see in this fossil
3. What questions do you have about the fossil you discovered? Think about where
it could have lived, what could it have eaten, what was its size, etc...
Frog Fossil
Bird Fossil
Horshoecrab Fossil
Plant Fossil
Juvenile Cave Bear Fossil
Raccoon Skull Fossil
Starfish Fossil
Slipper Lobster Fossil
Evidence I: Fossil Explorers
-
-
From our continental puzzle, we
know that once upon a time all of our
continents used to be one HUGE
piece of land
This was known as….Pangaea!
Different type of lifeforms lived all
over Pangea and, as they died, fossils
were formed across continents!
This land began splitting little by little
throughout the years until it became what
we know today!
Evidence I: Fossil Explorers
Evidence I: Fossil Explorers
- One misconception is that fossils are always bones that have been
dugged up from millions of years ago
- There are two main types of fossils:
- Body Fossils are the preserved remains of a plant or animal’s
body.
- Trace Fossils are the remains of an activity of an animal, such as
preserved tracks, footprints, fossilized eggshells, and nests.
Evidence II: Fossil Finders
Copy down the following chart.
Fossil
Mesosaurus
(Meso)
Glossopteris
(Glos)
Cynognathus
(Cyg)
Giant Lystrosaurus
(Lystro)
Description
Location
Prediction (could
these animals have
crossed an
ocean?)
Evidence II: Fossil Finders
Critical Reading Strategy!
First, number the reading by
chunks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Intro
Mesosaurus
Glossopteris
Cynognathus
Lystrosaurus
First, we will be reading the introduction
together.
We will be doing a choral read, I will read and as
a group you fill in the blank.
Let’s practice...
Evidence II Fossil Finders
Now… work
together
with your
team to fill
out the
chart.
This will be
given a
sticker for
the work!
Fossil
Mesosaurus
(Meso)
Glossopteris
(Glos)
Cynognathus
(Cyg)
Giant Lystrosaurus
(Lystro)
Description
Location
Prediction (could
these animals have
crossed an
ocean?)
Fossil
Mesosaurus (Meso)
Glossopteris (Glos)
Cynognathus (Cyg)
Giant Lystrosaurus
(Lystro)
Description
Location
Prediction (could these
animals have crossed
an ocean?)
Analysis: Claim + Evidence = Yas or Nah?
1. Claim: All fossils are made of bone and animal body parts.
a. Statement: A group of archeologists recently found
fossils in South America of a animal species found in
Africa.
b. Is the statement evidence? Yes or no. Why or Why
not?
c. Does the statement back up the claim? Yes or no. Why
or why not?
Analysis: Claim + Evidence = Yas or Nah?
3. Claim:All fossils are made of bone and animal body parts.
a. Statement: According to scientists, trace fossils are
the remains of an activity of an animal, such as
preserved tracks, footprints, fossilized eggshells, and
nests.
b. Is the statement evidence? Yes or no. Why or why not?
c. Does the statement back up the claim? Yes or no why
or why not?
Analysis: Claim + Evidence = Yas or Nah?
2. Claim: South America and Africa were once connected
millions of years ago.
a. Statement: Fossils of the reptile sepecies Mesosaurus
have been found in both Africa and South America.
This animal only lived in fresh-water.
b. Is the statement evidence? Yes or no. Why or why not?
c. Does the statement back up the claim? Yes or no why
or why not?
Reflection, Summary and Big Idea
Reflection: Create a drawing /”Instagram Post” that shows what you learned as a
fossil finder. Add a nice caption using one of the following words: Trace Fossils,
Body Fossils, Pangaea.
Summary: EQOD What is a fossil and what can it tell us?
Big Idea: Fossils are animal remains from the past and they tell us about the
Earth’s history.