Earth History: Fossils & The Changes in the Earth's Surface
Learning Objectives:
Understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of the Earth and its changing life forms.
4.E.2.1 Compare fossils (including molds, casts, and preserved parts of plants and animals) to one another and to living organisms.
4.E.2.2 Infer ideas about Earth’s early environments from fossils of plants and animals that lived long ago.
4.E.2.3 Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Essential Understandings:
4.E.2.1 Students know that fossils are evidence of living organisms that once existed on Earth. Students know that fossils share some characteristics based on where, how, and from what they formed. Students know that some organisms that lived long ago are similar to existing organisms, but some are quite different. Students know that organisms that are alive today, will, under the right conditions, leave fossil evidence.
4.E.2.2 Students know that fossils provide information about the environmental conditions that existed when the fossil organism was alive, as well as information about where, when and how, the organism lived.
4.E.2.3 Students know that the surface of the earth changes over time. Students know that there are many factors that contribute to these changes. Students know that such changes may be slow or rapid, subtle or drastic. Erosion and weathering are processes that change the Earth. Wind, water (including ice), and chemicals break down rock and can carry soil from one place to another. Under the right conditions, gravity can cause large sections of soil and rock to move suddenly down an incline. This is known as a landslide. Volcanic eruptions occur when heat and pressure of melted rock and gases under the ground cause the crust of the Earth to crack and release these materials. Solid rock can deform or break if it is subject to sufficient pressure. The vibration produced by this is called an earthquake.
Essential Concepts & Vocabulary:
Understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of the Earth and its changing life forms.
4.E.2.1 Compare fossils (including molds, casts, and preserved parts of plants and animals) to one another and to living organisms.
4.E.2.2 Infer ideas about Earth’s early environments from fossils of plants and animals that lived long ago.
4.E.2.3 Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.
Essential Understandings:
4.E.2.1 Students know that fossils are evidence of living organisms that once existed on Earth. Students know that fossils share some characteristics based on where, how, and from what they formed. Students know that some organisms that lived long ago are similar to existing organisms, but some are quite different. Students know that organisms that are alive today, will, under the right conditions, leave fossil evidence.
4.E.2.2 Students know that fossils provide information about the environmental conditions that existed when the fossil organism was alive, as well as information about where, when and how, the organism lived.
4.E.2.3 Students know that the surface of the earth changes over time. Students know that there are many factors that contribute to these changes. Students know that such changes may be slow or rapid, subtle or drastic. Erosion and weathering are processes that change the Earth. Wind, water (including ice), and chemicals break down rock and can carry soil from one place to another. Under the right conditions, gravity can cause large sections of soil and rock to move suddenly down an incline. This is known as a landslide. Volcanic eruptions occur when heat and pressure of melted rock and gases under the ground cause the crust of the Earth to crack and release these materials. Solid rock can deform or break if it is subject to sufficient pressure. The vibration produced by this is called an earthquake.
Essential Concepts & Vocabulary:
- prehistoric, paleontologist, fossil, types of fossils (amber, cast, mold, trace), preserved, organism, extinct, environment, properties,
- Processes that Shape the Earth: Slow Processes-erosion, weathering, landslide, Rapid Processes-earthquake, volcano, tsunami,
Songs & Videos: Fossils
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Fossil Virtual Field Trips & National Parks
- National Park Services-Fossils and Paleontology
- The Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
- Glacier National Park, Montana
- Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
- Mojave National Preserve, New Mexico
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
- Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado, Utah
- Dinosaur National Monument Virtual Tour
- John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
- Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado
- Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Student Interactives & Games: Fossils
- Understanding Geological Time
- StudyJams-Fossils
- Ducksters-Earth Science for Kids
- Kids Dinosaurs-What are Fossils?
- The Paleontology Portal for North Carolina
- The State Fossil of NC- The Megalodon Shark
- BBC Science & Nature-Prehistoric Life
- Scholastic Dinosaur Cove-Fun Facts & Games
- Fossils for Kids-Science Games & Videos
- Dinosaur Games & Activities
- The American Museum of Natural History-Dinosaurs for Kids Activities & Games
- Layers of Time Fossil Game
- OZ Fossils-The Age of the Megafauna Pitfall Game