Teach It: 5 Ideas for Fossils and Past Environments

Let’s take a look at fossils and past environments! Fossils are fascinating phenomena that lead students to excitement about the discovery of our Earth’s past. Depending on the experiences students have had about fossils, they can bring in common misconceptions such as:

Fossils only include animals, not plants
Scientists know the exact age of a fossil
Organisms from prehistoric times are not alive today
Fossils of tropical origins cannot be found in cold or dry environments
Fossils are only bones and shells of extinct animals

Below are FIVE tips to help 4th grade and 5th grade students form claims based on evidence rather than their misconceptions.

#1 Dig up fossils

Begin with an EXPLORATION activity using our Fossil Dig activity.

Students are given a bin with various layers of dirt/mulch with fossils in each layer to explore. Don’t have any fossils? Make your fossil models using labeled rocks or objects, or check Amazon for an affordable fossil set.

Your students will begin collecting evidence of the environment for specific fossils supporting the claim of how the landscape changed over time.

#2 Make impression fossils

To help students understand how impression fossils form, give them a hands-on activity using clay and small objects!

Give each student a ball of clay and a small paper plate.
Have them flatten the clay to about 1 cm thick.
Instruct students to choose a small object and press it into the clay to make an impression.
Let the clay dry for 24 hours.

#3 Fossil Acrostic

As students collect information about fossils through their research, create an acrostic visual to remind them of key points that can help address misconceptions and apply new learning.

#4 Observation Stations

Once students understand that older fossils are most found in layers below younger fossils, Fossils Observation Stations is great for getting students up and walking to apply their knowledge during the explain phase.

You can also assign the observation stations digitally! I loved using the Google Chrome Extension Pear Deck or a Near Pod in my classroom to have students discuss the stations in real time.

5. Use the Fossils Activity Pack

The Fossils and Past Environments Activities Pack has five great activities that allow your students to engage with using the 5E model.

A few of the activities I mentioned below give more detailed slides, notes, and ways to explain and elaborate on certain concepts through science notebook activities and digital inquiry.

Recommended Possible Use:

Lesson 1: Engagement/Exploration

Fossil Dig Activity

Lesson 2: Explanation

Fossils Slides and Notes

Lesson 3: Explanation

Fossils Notebook

Lesson 4: Elaboration

Fossils and Past Environments Digital Inquiry

Lesson 5: Review

Fossils Observation Stations

Top Teaching Tools for Fossils and Past Environments

Print, investigate, teach, and even use Google Classroom with these phenomenal fossil resources!

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