Here's a topic classes can really dig—the fossil record. Use the well-organized and thoughtful road map to take eighth graders back in time to unearth the answer. Learn how our climate has changed, and how organisms have changed along side it. The content covers the topics of diversity as a function of sexual reproduction, adaptations for survival, and making inferences about Earth's climate at the time of fossil deposition.

Concepts

fossils, fossil records, extinction, sexual reproduction, inherited traits, evolution, adaptations, environmental adaptations, survival of the fittest

Show More Show Less

Additional Tags

science

Show More Show Less

Instructional Ideas

• The fossil lab is perfect for a station set-up
• Don't just tell science, show it! Write to one of the scientists responsible for linking protist species to petroleum reserves and receive SEM pictures of the featured protist, and, possibly, some of the protists themselves

Classroom Considerations

• Peppered Moths of the 1800's presentation requires a subscription to GIZMO; consider finding an alternate presentation of inheritance and sexual reproduction if needed
• Life Has a History provides your science scholars with a tour through geologic time; level two is designed for grades 5-12, so be sure to monitor students as they wind their way through the interactive and schedule computer lab time on this day

Pros

• Very rigorous, yet engaging
• Includes all printables and great online resource links

 

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.6-8.2 RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.7