Students dig through rock layers and discover that fossils and the order of the layers are like pages in Earth’s storybook — the deeper you go, the older the story.
Students will be able to…
How do scientists know what Earth looked like millions of years ago — without a time machine? The clues are hidden in the rock layers.
Project this and tap each rock layer. Have students discover that the deeper layers are older, and that the fossils reveal what the land was like long ago.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
How can rock tell us about the past?
Students investigate the model.
Teacher explains.
Connect to change over time.
Three quick checks.
Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core literacy. State-standard crosswalks available on request.
Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time.
Provide evidence of the effects of weathering or the rate of erosion.
Analyze and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence about organisms and environments long ago.
Explain events, procedures, or concepts in a scientific text based on specific information.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students press colored clay or sand into layers, adding “fossils” (beads/shells) in each, then trade and “read” the history of a partner’s layers. A printable layer-reading sheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.