48

Lesson 48 of 84 ยท Earth's History

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ŸŒ‹ Rock Realm

Fossils: Clues to the Past (Part 2)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #48

Earth's History.

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

โšก The twist

Weather isn't random โ€” it's just complicated.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒ‹ There are 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth right now.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Before you observe: what shape will it leave?

What You'll Learn

Fossils are preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms. They form when organisms are buried in sediment that hardens into rock over millions of years.

Key Words

  • sediment
  • igneous
  • metamorphic

Materials Needed

  • newspaper
  • spray bottle
  • cups
  • thermometer
  • rain gauge

Safety First

  • Wear safety goggles when mixing liquids.
  • Wash hands after handling materials.
  • Be careful with scissors โ€” ask an adult for help if needed.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Set up a weather station: use a thermometer, rain gauge (a jar with a ruler), and wind sock (a plastic bag on a stick). Record data for one week.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

Which layer of Earth is the thinnest?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

Today's weather, tomorrow's beach, next century's coastline โ€” all this.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Look at the sky for 5 minutes and try to predict tomorrow's weather.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œWhat's the slowest change you can think of?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐Ÿ”ญShare card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

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Checkout complete lesson on Earth's History for 4th Grade

Get the full Earth's History track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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