Lesson 13 of 84 ยท Climate
Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ Rock RealmFossils: Clues to the Past
Fossils: Clues to the Past.
๐ฏ Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
โก The twist
The slowest changes are the biggest ones.
Mind = Blown
๐ชจ Every grain of sand on every beach used to be a mountain.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: which will erode faster?
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
- igneous
- metamorphic
- sedimentary
Materials Needed
- food coloring
- clear container
- rocks
- sand
- clay
Safety First
- Do not taste any materials.
- Wear safety goggles when mixing liquids.
Steps
Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.
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.
Compare the before and after states.
Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3Which layer of Earth is the thinnest?
Where you see this in real life
This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.
For the dinner table
โWhat's the slowest change you can think of?โ
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Checkout complete lesson on Climate for 8th Grade
Get the full Climate track as a printable PDF โ all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.
