Fossils provide evidence of extinct organisms that living long ago.
[CER] What do the fossils above tell you about the organisms AND the lowcountry South Carolina environment millions of years ago? Explain why and justify your evidence. (source link)
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/ Ii / Investigate
/ Iii / Level Up!
During this lesson you will learn more about what evidence shows that different species are related.
✎Notes:
- Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms (both visible and microscopic) that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.
- Fossils can be compared with one another and to living organisms according to their similarities and differences.
/ IV / choose your path
NOVICE [+2 points]
In August 2022, an 8 year old boy found a fossilized shark tooth that's believed to be from the long-extinct angustidens, a prehistoric megatooth shark species. He found the tooth during a vacation trip in Summerville South Carolina. Click here to learn more. What does this fossil evidence tell you about the organisms and the environment in Summerville, SC in the distant past? |
ACCOMPLISHED [+3 points]
Ohio is a great state for viewing and collecting fossils. By comparing data about where fossils are found and what those environments are like, fossilized plants and animals can be used to provide evidence that some environments look very different now then they did a long time ago. What can you conclude about Ohio's past environment from this fossil evidence? |
ADVANCED [+4 points]
Some of the first Antarctic fossils ever found were discovered by Captain Robert F. Scott a British Royal Navy officer who collected about 40 pounds of rock containing fossils. 1. What kind of fossil is this? Plant, animal, fungus, bacteria, other? 2. What is the environment currently like where this fossil was found? 3. What is the relative age of this fossil? Young or old? 4. What are some modern, present day organisms similar to this fossil? 5. What can you infer about this environment in the past where this fossil was discovered and compare it what the environment is today. |
EXPERT [+5 points]
Since Scott's initial finds, scientists have found hundreds of amphibian and reptile fossils in several sites near the Beardmore and Shackleton Glaciers in Antarctica. These scientists concluded that these fossils are, "proof that these land masses had all once been connected together to form Pangaea, a super-continent and “superhighway” for migrating animals." 1. Check out this article and explain what this evidence means to you about the organisms that once lived in this area and what you can conclude about what the environment was like long ago. 2. Discuss whether or not you agree or disagree with there conclusions. Explain why or why not. |
MASTER [+6 points]
Research your favorite fossil ever found. Create a one-page digital poster that includes an image of the fossil and a summary of what you can conclude from that evidence including what kind of fossil it is, the environment where it was currently found, its relative age, and any possible relationships it has to modern organisms that exist today. |
/ V / Knowledge Check
The Basilosaurus dating about 40 million years ago – has been uncovered during a new excavation at Wadi Al-Hitan, a natural World Heritage site in Egypt. The discovery reveals for the first time the creature’s complete skeleton and includes fossilised remains of other sea creatures inside its stomach. These include crab, sawfish – and a small whale that was preyed by the Basilosaurus. Next to the fossilised structure, several sets of shark teeth illustrate how the whale was eaten after its death and reflect the abundance of such species that existed at the time, which is now covered by a vast desert.
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/ VI / redemption points+Redemption Points
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/ VI / enrichment bonusEnrichment Bonus+
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✓ Mastery Check
National Research Council 2012. A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13165
This site contains original content that may not be authorized for use by the creator and is legally used under the fair use principles section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1986 (17 U.S. Code § 107)
The official NGSS website. https://www.nextgenscience.org
LS4.A, 3-LS4-1
Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity) [3-LS4-1]
This site contains original content that may not be authorized for use by the creator and is legally used under the fair use principles section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1986 (17 U.S. Code § 107)
The official NGSS website. https://www.nextgenscience.org
LS4.A, 3-LS4-1
Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity) [3-LS4-1]