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Fossils Reveal Ancient Environments
CONCEPTUALUnderstand that fossils tell us not only about ancient animals but also about ancient environments — for example, marine fossils found on a mountaintop show that area was once underwater
Mastery Evidence
- Give an example of a fossil that reveals a past environment different from today's
- Explain that finding marine fossils inland means that area was once covered by sea
- State that plant fossils can show whether an area was once a forest, desert, or swamp
Assessment Prompt
“If [child] heard that seashell fossils were found on a mountain, could they explain what that tells us about what the area used to be like?”
Prerequisites1
- Fossils & PalaeontologistshardAges 5—7
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- Fossils & Palaeontologists hard
Must understand fossils before interpreting what they reveal about past environments
- Dinosaurs Were Real hard
Must understand dinosaurs are extinct before learning fossils are how we know about them
Unlocks1
- Fossils as EvidencesoftAges 8—11