2. What are Fossils?
Fossils – Preserved remains or traces of living things.

3. How are Fossils preserved?
When an animal dies, the remains are covered by sediment. This sediment hardens and forms rock layers over time.

4. Fossilization Video

5. What moves the sediment?
WEATHERING AND EROSION

6. Types of Fossils There are 6 types of Fossils: Molds Casts
Petrified Fossils
Carbon Films
Trace Fossils
Preserved Remains
Brain Pop Video -

7. Molds and Casts
Mold – A hollow area in sediment in the shape of the organism.
Cast – A solid (3D) copy of the shape of an organism.

8. Petrified Fossils
Petrified Fossils – When minerals replace all or part of an organism, and it becomes stone.

9. Carbon Films
Carbon Film – An extremely thin coating of carbon on rock.
All living things are made up of carbon!
When the other materials decompose or evaporate, carbon is left in the rock, creating a carbon film.

10. Preserved Remains
Preserved Remains – When most or all of an animal is preserved in its original form.
Amber, Ice and Tar can preserve an ancient organism exactly how it was long ago.

11. Trace Fossils
Trace Fossils – Fossils that provide evidence of the activities of ancient organisms.
Dinosaur Footprints are a perfect example!

12. Trace Fossil Inferences
Look at the footprints in the diagram.
What inferences can you make about what happened here?