Tennessee SPI Objective:Compare fossils found in sedimentary rock to determine their relative age.

Notes Science

Check for UnderstandingCreate a diagram that illustrates the relative ages offossils in sedimentary rock layers.

Essential Question(s)1) How is sedimentary rock formed?2) What is the law of superposition?3) How are fossils in sedimentary rock formed?4) How is relative age determined?

SPI 0807.5.5Relative Age of Fossils

Instructions for Students1) Make sure you view this presentation in slideshow mode.2) You can find instructions about how to do this by doing a Google search or by searching YouTube.3) After you have it in slideshow mode, press the right-arrow keyboard button to advance through the presentation.4) If you need help, please communicate with your teacher.

Notes

What Are Fossils? Fossils are the preserved physical remains of deceased organisms that are at least 10,000 years old NOTE: Most organisms DO NOT become fossils after death NOTE: The formation of fossils is a RARE event

ScienceSPI 0807.5.5

Relative Age of Fossils

How are Fossils Formed?Fossils form in a variety of ways. For this lesson we will focus on fossils in sedimentary rock.

Link (2 min 10 sec-stop at 1:45): Fossils in Sedimentary Rock

Video Clip 01

Link (1 min 50 sec): What is a fossil?

Video Clip 02

Sedimentary Rock Sediment refers to particles of dirt, rock, and debris suspended in liquid. Sedimentary rock is formed from this.Law of Superposition Bottom layers are the oldest. Top layers are the youngest

Video Clip 03

Link (1 min 38 sec): Law of Superposition-Laundry Basket Analogy

Sedimentary Process and FossilsA) Erosion washes away particles of dirt and rock. B) These particles accumulate somewhere else into layers.C) Deceased organisms sometimes accumulate in these layersD) Under certain rare conditions, these organisms become fossilsE) Over time layers pile up on top of pre-existing layers

Video Clip 04 Link ( 1 min 51 sec): Sedimentary Rock Formation

Example: See 3 layers below …Layer A, Layer B, and Layer C Layer C is older than layer B.

So fossils in deeper layers are older than fossils above it.

Layer A

Layer B

Layer C

Layer B is older than layer A.

1

2

3

Fossil 3 is the youngest

Link ( 4 min 10 sec): Laws of Relative Dating

Relative Dating

Video Clip 05

We can tell if one fossil is older than another based on whichlayer we find it in. (Deeper layers-older. Shallow layers-younger)

Oldest

Youngest

Fossil 1 is older than fossil 2.

Questions ScienceSPI 0807.5.5

Relative Age of Fossils

Endoskeletons

Exoskeletons

Questions ScienceSPI 0807.5.5

Relative Age of Fossils