Global Ups & Downs: Changing Sea Level (6-12)
Overview of the box
Concepts and Standards
Lessons:
1 Consequences
of global warming
2 Experimenting
with ice melt
3 Glacial evidence
4 Fossil evidence
Activities:
1 Reefs, limestone, &
sea level change
2 What about fossils?
3 Foraminifera &
changing sea level
4 Foraminifera &
climate change
5 Using isotopes to track
sea level change
6 Sea level change &
mass extinctions
5 Impacts of topography
6 Impacts on ecosystems
Online resources
Student Web Page
Teaching Boxes Home
Lesson 4: Fossil Evidence

Activity 2

What about Fossils?

Materials / Preparation

Computers with Internet access for individual or small groups of students

Grouping

Groups of two or three

Teacher tips

If students are not familiar with fossils and how they form, we strongly recommend this lesson to serve as either a review or clarification. Students explore the concept of how fossils are formed by visiting Getting into the Fossil Record.
Notice that there are two levels, Level 1 for Middle School and Level 2 for High School. Choose the one most appropriate for your students.

The following site provides more information on fossils and an introduction to geologic time and the principle of superposition: Geologic Time

Procedure

  1. Class discussion: "Yesterday you mentioned that reefs and certain animals are found in oceans and we saw that we can find evidence of past reef systems in areas where there are occurrences of fossiliferous limestone. What would provide evidence of other marine organisms?"
  2. This will lead to the idea of fossils, how they are formed, and where we might find them. At this stage have students go to Getting into the Fossil Record, which can be accessed directly from the Global Ups and Downs Student Web Page.
  3. After students have completed the activities at the above site, have them pair up and hypothesize in response to the following question: “How can we use fossil evidence to test our hypothesis that sea level has changed over time?”
    Students should record their answers in their notebook.
  4. Explain that they will be exploring several ways that scientists have used fossils to examine past sea level changes.

Extensions

If students are unfamiliar with geologic time and superposition, have them visit Geologic Time.

Resources used

Geologic Time
http://www.teachingboxes.org/catalog.jsp?id=DLESE-000-000-008-864

Getting into the Fossil Record
http://www.teachingboxes.org/catalog.jsp?id=DLESE-000-000-002-402