New
New
Year 4
Future fossils discussion and sketchbook work
I can use my understanding of the fossilisation process to identify potential fossils of the future.
New
New
Year 4
Future fossils discussion and sketchbook work
I can use my understanding of the fossilisation process to identify potential fossils of the future.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- To understand that only the hard parts of organisms fossilise.
- Know the key features that would help us to identify what future fossils might look like.
- To be able to make predictions about what future fossils would look like.
Keywords
Fossilise - the process of making a fossil
Abundant - existing or available in large quantities
Perishable - something that can spoil, decay, or go bad quickly
Common misconception
All plastics can be recycled.
Not all plastics can be recycled because some types are too hard to process or aren't accepted by recycling programs. Some plastic remains as waste.
Teacher could model or show example of sketchbook work on visually recording ideas and thoughts.
Teacher tip
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which of these would most likely fossilise?
plastic toy
fur
eyeball
hair
Q2.
Select the items that are human-made.
seashell
rock
Q3.
Which environments preserve things well over time?
dry and arid environments
locations with frequent volcanic activity
areas with fast moving rivers
Q4.
Match each item with its correct category.
natural
human-made
natural
human-made
natural
Q5.
provide valuable visual and physical evidence for understanding ancient organisms and their shapes.
ammonites
rocks
stones
shells
Q6.
Soft tissues usually , leaving only the hard bones or shells behind.
digest
decompress
mould
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
What is the process of making a fossil called?
fossilisention
fossilineting
fossilaction
Q2.
If something is decomposing it is ...
growing more parts.
breaking all the rules.
growing into smaller parts.
Q3.
What does extinction mean?
when you take a sting out of your skin
when something is past its sell by date
the process of making a new species
Q4.
Which parts of an organism are most likely to fossilise?
the soft, fleshy parts
the hair and skin
the fur
Q5.
Which of these are driving species to extinction?
human beans
haricot beans
jelly beans
Q6.
Which one of these items is most likely to fossilise?
a designer label T-Shirt
a paper bag
a cream cake
Additional material
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