3 - LS4.A (B) - Fossils - ASSIGNED (LH 1/30/2014)

Module: Fossils

DCI: LS4.A (B) Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity – Fossils provide evidence about the types of organisms that lived long ago and also about the nature of their environments.

PE: 3-LS4-1 Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of the organisms and the environments in which they lived long ago.

[Clarification Statement: Examples of data could include type, size, and distributions of fossil organisms. Examples of fossils and environments could include marine fossils found on dry land, tropical plant fossils found in Arctic areas, and fossils of extinct organisms.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include identification of specific fossils or present plants and animals. Assessment is limited to major fossil types and relative ages.]

The ideas in this standard are: 

- fossils provide evidence about the types of living things that lived long ago

- the fossils also provide evidence about the types of environments from long ago

We will be splitting hairs between this batch and the extinct plants and animals batch.  Really, the only difference is that this batch throws more of a spotlight on the types of environments.  

Possible Question Starters: 

"This table gives information on different fossils.  According to the information on the table, finding which fossil in a region would lead to the conclusion that the area was, long ago, covered with trees?"

"Finding fossils of which type of organism in the rock layers below a forest would lead to the conclusion that the area long ago had a large lake?"

correct answer - freshwater plants

incorrect answer - small reptiles