Discovery Education
Discovery Education: The Fossil Record
This lesson plan explores the fossils of animals that lived in the ancient oceans such as in the area now known as the Burgess Shale in the western Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Other
Virtual Fossil Museum: Fossils Across Geological Time and Evolution
Learn about fossils throughout geological time. Includes images of different types of fossils.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Fossil Formation
[Free Registration/Login Required] A flipchart recording the process of fossilization using a marine vertebrate, an ichthyosaur as an example. Not highly, interactive, but there is a flow chart for students to complete.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Paleotopia: Windows to the Past
A link to a website that contains teacher materials for a game that reinforces the concepts learned about fossils. Students can understand how the record of life on Earth is revealed by fossils as they become paleontologist in this game...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: What Can We Tell From the Fossil Record?
Find out what the fossil record tells scientists about the geologic and biological history of the Earth.
Other
American Coal Foundation: Lesson Plan: Coal Formation
In this four-part instructional activity, students will conduct a simulation of the coal formation process and will show the ability to do scientific inquiry. For the final project, they will use their findings they have recorded on...
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Evolution Aqa
Evolution is the change of inherited characteristics within a population over time through natural selection, which may result in the formation of a new species. Fossils provide a record of organisms that lived a long time ago. They also...
University of California
Ucmp: Paleoecology
This engaging presentation gives examples of insights gained throught the science of paleoecology. Examples are provided that show how paleoecologists use fossils to determine past climates, ecosystem changes and interactions between...
Other
Young Geologist
Pick from among twelve fossils to learn more about what kind of animal they were and how long ago they lived.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Biology: History of Life
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This comprehensive lesson by CK-12 explains how scientists learn about the past by examining and dating fossils.
University of California
Ucmp: Chondrichthyes Fossil Record
This Berkeley site offers a great overview of when the class appears in the fossil record.
University of California
Ucmp: Cnidarian Fossil Records
At this University of California, Berkeley site you can find out far back the Cnidarians show up in Fossil records. Also, find out how much they have changed over time! Be sure to click on the highlighted words to go to other interesting...
University of California
Ucmp: Aves: Fossil Record
A very good article on the fossil evidence and the prominent theory on the evolution of birds. Addresses both sides and presents information. Predominently agrees with the pro-dinosaurian point of view.
University of California
Ucmp: Uc Museum of Paleontology/ Fossil Records of Porifera
Takes a look at the fossils of sponges, and describes what they mean in terms of evolution.
Indiana University
Ensi: The Great Fossil Find Lesson Plan
Students hear a story as they "find" bones that you have put in an envelope for them. Their job is to begin assembling the bones as best they can. The students will invariably come up with different configurations--just like scientists...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Inferring Ancient Environments From Fossil Foraminifera
This student activity demonstrates how foraminifera can be used to infer characteristics of ancient environments.
Other
Fossil Record
This effective site traces the history of modern man from his early ancestors (Australopithecus Afarensis) to Homo Sapiens sapiens.
Other
University of California Museum of Paleontology: Paleontology Portal
Portal of the University of California Museum of Paleontology provides access to the museum's extensive research resources and fossil holdings. Includes career preparation advice for future paleontologists and a series of links to...
Other
Illinois State Museum: Mazon Creek Collection Database
Mazon Creek fossils are named for the collecting area in northeastern Illinois where many of the best specimens are found. They are an important source of information about the plants and animals that inhabited this part of North America...
Other
Western Oregon University: Earth System Science: Geologic Time [Pdf]
An 81-page slideshow that looks at the principles of geology with respect to relative dating, at different concepts describing geological processes, at absolute age and radiometric dating, at the eons and eras in the geologic time scale,...
University of California
Ucmp: The Evolution of Flight in Birds
Evidence from the fossil record is used to support bird evolution from small carnivorous dinosaurs. In the student module, feathers, behavior, and skeletal structure are examined in an interactive lesson designed to impart a complete...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Riddle of the Bones
At the online companion Web site of "Evolution," the seven-episode series on PBS, piece together clues to how one of our early ancestors looked as you examine images from four significant fossil finds of Australopithecus afarensis.
Other
Smith College: Tiger Panthera Tigris [Pdf]
This 8-page PDF document provides extensive detail on the tiger. Content explores this animal's characteristics and bone structure, range and distribution, fossil record, importance of specialized features, ontogeny and reproduction,...