Fossils and the rock cycle
I can describe the formation of fossils and how the rock cycle affects our fossil record.
Fossils and the rock cycle
I can describe the formation of fossils and how the rock cycle affects our fossil record.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Fossils are found in sedimentary rock, but not in other types of rock.
- Fossils are often the remains of living plants or animals.
- Bones buried in sedimentary rock can be very, very slowly dissolved by water and replaced by minerals in the water.
- Geological activities can break or completely destroy fossils.
Keywords
Fossil - The mineralised remains or impression of once–living organisms, or of traces left behind by organisms (e.g. skeletons, shells or impressions).
Mineral - An element or compound with a crystal–like structure. They are the 'building blocks' of rocks.
Sediment - A material deposited by water, wind or ice, such as pebbles or sand.
Sedimentary rock - A type of rock formed from the compression of sediments (rock fragments, minerals and remains of dead plants and animals).
Rock cycle - The gradual recycling of rocks over millions of years.
Common misconception
Pupils often interpret the rock cycle as the cause of rock formation.
Stress the rock cycle is a representation of relationships between the rock types. For rocks to change from one type to another requires specific conditions (i.e. igneous rock can change into metamorphic or melted into a different igenous rock).
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Fossils and the rock cycle, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Fossils and the rock cycle, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Carbon cycle and climate change unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
None required.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a natural, crystal-like structure
material deposited by water, wind, or ice
the mineralised remains or impression of once–living organisms
the process by which rocks are worn away and transported
Exit quiz
6 Questions
The mineralised remains or impressions of once-living organisms.
An element or compound with a crystal-like structure.
A material deposited by water, wind, or ice.
A type of rock formed from the compression of sediments.
The gradual recycling of rocks over millions of years.