Fossil Analysis and Interpretation

Mrs. Ross guides students through a hands-on lab analyzing fossil data to identify extinction and new species appearance. The lab involves using colored pencils and scissors to cut and align rock layers from different locations, identifying patterns in fossil types. Students will draw symbols of fossils from various layers and answer questions about extinction patterns. The lab concludes with affixing the completed work to the lab sheet.

What is the main goal of analyzing fossil data in this lab?

• To determine the age of the Earth

• To identify evidence of extinction and appearance of new species

• To find the oldest fossil on Earth

• To classify different types of rocks

What materials are required for the hands-on lab?

• Colored pencils and scissors

• A camera and tripod

• A microscope and slides

• A computer and internet access

What do the different colors in the rock layers represent?

• Different climates

• Different types of fossils

• Different types of sedimentary rock

• Different ages of the Earth

What should you do after cutting out the rock layers?

• Line them up based on similar compositions

• Throw them away

• Color them all the same

• Mix them up randomly

How can you identify a species that has gone extinct based on fossil data?

• If it is found in the oldest layer

• If it is missing from a layer

• If it is found in the youngest layer

• If it appears in all layers

Why is it important to see a similar pattern of change in fossils from different places?

• To find the most colorful rocks

• To identify the climate of the past

• To determine the age of the fossils

• To confirm the extinction of a species

What does a missing fossil in a layer indicate?

• The fossil is the youngest

• The fossil is the oldest

• The fossil has gone extinct

• The fossil is still present

What should you do with the symbols of fossils from different layers?

• Color them all the same

• Draw them on a separate sheet

• Erase them

• Ignore them

Which layer would contain the youngest fossils?

• The bottom layer

• The middle layer

• The top layer

• The layer with the most fossils

What is the final step after aligning and analyzing the rock layers?

• Mix them up again

• Throw them away

• Staple or tape them to the lab sheet

• Color them all the same