There’s more things to study under our feet!

WHAT IS A FOSSIL?

WHAT IS A FOSSIL?

WHAT IS A FOSSIL?

TRACE or REMAINS of something that lived LONG AGO! WHAT IS A FOSSIL? TRACE or REMAINS of something that lived LONG AGO!

That exposes us to Earth’s BIOLOGICAL (_ _ _ _) PAST.

That exposes us to Earth’s BIOLOGICAL (LIFE) PAST.

Where do we find fossils?

Kid finds mammoth tooth in backyard… http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-11-06-mammoth-tooth_N.htm

Kids finds mammoth tooth in backyard… http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2007-11-06-mammoth-tooth_N.htm

http://article.wn.com/view/2014/05/19/Huge_femur_found_in_Argentina_could_be_biggest_dino_yet/

Massive dinosaur fossil unearthed by Alberta pipeline crew.

Show BBC excerpt: Look at BBC vid exerpt: “How did we get here?”…do quiz. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1dp3l7_how-did-we-get-here-the-story-of-science-nova-discovery-history-space-documentary-hd_t 1-8 exploration & archiving diversity 14:22-19 minutes (fossilized Paris) 22:45-27 minutes (age of Earth experiment) 27-33 minutes (Geology inventor, Scottish unconformity—deep time—we are extensions of life) 39-42 Darwin 42-51 Wegener & plate techtonics, continental drift & biological evolution

Where do we find fossils?

Where do we find fossils? Anywhere something must have once lived!

Where do we find fossils? Anywhere something must have lived! But the evidence was NOT destroyed!

Why won’t we find fossils in IGNEOUS rock?

Heat destroys any rock record of life.

Why won’t we find fossils in METAMORPHIC rock?

All that heat & pressure destroyed any evidence of life… http://www.childrensmuseum.org/geomysteries/faq1_alt.html

You mostly find fossils in SEDIMENTARY rock because this rock is formed more gently…layer by layer.

Still, even if something dies in soft sediment, very little fossil records remains. WHY? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrSHku6-LFo

Still, even if something dies in soft sediment, very little fossil records remains. WHY? Because of DECOMPOSITION! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrSHku6-LFo

So, fossils are rare.

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories.

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. ORIGINAL REMAINS (mummified, frozen in ice, preserved tissue…)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. ORIGINAL REMAINS (mummified, frozen in ice, preserved tissue…DNA)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. ORIGINAL REMAINS (mummified, frozen in ice, preserved tissue, amber— DNA!)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved in amber--DNA) MOLDS (rock IMPRINT/impressions of once living things)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved in amber--DNA) MOLDS (rock IMPRINT/impressions of once living things)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) CASTS (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) CASTS (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) TRACE fossils:

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) PETRIFIED (HARD minerals replace cells!)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 5 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) PETRIFIED (HARD minerals replace cells!)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (hard minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue, amber--DNA) 2. Molds (rock IMPRINT/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D STATUE) 4. Petrified (HARD minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal)

Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal)

1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) Trace (records Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal) 6. Carbonized

1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) Trace (records Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal) 6. Carbonized (very thin layer of DARK carbon covers the rock)

1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) Trace (records Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal) 6. Carbonized (very thin layer of DARK carbon covers the rock)

1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue) 2. Molds (rock imprint/impressions of once living things) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (minerals replace cells!) Trace (records Paleontologists (scientists of prehistoric life) usually classify fossils into 6 categories. 1. Original remains (mummified, frozen, preserved tissue, amber -- DNA) 2. Molds (rock IMPRINT/impressions of once living) 3. Casts (sediment fill up a mold…making 3-D statue) 4. Petrified (HARD minerals replace cells!) 5. Trace (records the ACTIVITY of plant/animal) 6. Carbonized (very thin layer of DARK carbon covers the rock)

MAKE A TABLE: IS IT A FOSSIL? sample Is it a fossil? Why or why not? If yes, what kind? A B C D E F G H I J K L M

sample Is it a fossil? Why or why not? If yes, what kind? A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R