Fossilization - How Fossils Form | Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Introduction

National Middle School Science Standards

Life Science, Earth Science

Key Terms

fossil, fossilization, preservation, taphonomy, paleontology

Key Concepts

Defining fossilization
Conditions causing fossilization
Frequency of fossilization
Hard vs. soft tissue preservation
Technology used by taphonomists

Resource Types

Videos and Webcasts

How Bones Fossilize ... or Don't with Smithsonian Paleontologist Anna K. Behrensmeyer on Smithsonian Science How
How Do Paleontologists Reconstruct Environments from the Ancient Past NMNH on Smithsonian Learning Lab

Printable Lessons

Footprints Across Time Smithsonian Learning Lab
Fossil Unit American Geosciences Institute

Online Activities

Fossil Forensics Interactive Smithsonian Human Origins Program

Science Literacy Resources

Middle School Level

Excuse Me, Is This a Fossil? National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
Recording to Remember: A Conversation with Kay Behrensmeyer NMNH Field Book Project
Giving Fossils a Facelift Tween Tribune
Footprints to Fossils National Park Service

High School Level

Digging into the Hell Creek Formation (11/21/2014) National Museum of Natural History (NMNH)
What Will We Leave in the Fossil Record? (Art connection) Smithsonian Magazine
From the Field: The Data Are in the Strata (9/25/2015) Digging the Fossil Record: Paleobiology at the Smithsonian
Tiny Fossils, Big Excitement (4/6/2011) NMNH

Advanced Reading Level

From the Field: Core Exercises #3 (06/17/2013) Digging the Fossil Record: Paleobiology at the Smithsonian
Scientists Baked a “Fossil” in 24 Hours Smithsonian Magazine
From the Field: The Late Triassic of Arizona (10/14/2015) Digging the Fossil Record

Subject Guides

Paleontology Subject Guide Smithsonian Libraries

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

The Fossils and Fossilization teaching resources support students in meeting the following middle school NGSS Performance Expectations:

Life Science

MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record that document the existence, diversity, extinction, and change of life forms throughout the history of life on Earth under the assumption that natural laws operate today as in the past.
MS-LS4-2: Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

Earth Science

MS-ESS1 Earth's Place in the Universe

MS-ESS1-4: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth's 4.6-billion-year-old history.

MS-ESS2 Earth's Systems

MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth's surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Resource Type

Subject Guides

Grade Level

6-8

Learning Standards

Next Generation Science Standards

Topics

Earth Science, Life Science, Paleontology

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Fossilization - How Fossils Form