Fossils
Year 6
Unit Overview
Children will learn about fossils and how they are formed. They explored the process of fossilisation in Year 3. In this block, children revisit and deepen their understanding of fossilisation. By the end of this step, children should be confident in recalling that a fossil is the imprint in a rock of a living thing that lived a long time ago.
Children are introduced to the enquiry question “How have fossils changed over time and does this provide evidence for evolution?”. This is a research enquiry. They will be given opportunities to explore how fossils formed during different periods of history have enabled scientists to gather evidence that supports the idea of evolution.
❇ MEMORABLE MOMENT
Through drama and roleplay, children will put themselves in the position of Mary Anning.
️✏️ WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
Biography about Mary Anning.
🌳 LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Outdoor learning in the school grounds and drama lessons in natural habitats.
Unit Sequence: Learning Intentions
What is fossilisation? To identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.
What can we learn from fossils? To recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.
Who was Mary Anning? To identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.
Scientific Enquiry: Investigations
How have fossils changed over time and does this provide evidence for evolution? Identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.
🏁 SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW
Performance of job adverts to try and persuade the class to take the job.
📖 FOCUS TEXT(S)
Evolution and Inheritance by Nichola Tyrrell
The DNA book: Discover what makes you you.
Mary Anning (Science superstars) by Robert Snedded
Our Hairy Past: Evolution and Life on Earth by Nancy Dickmann