Persuasive Powers: Letters and Debates · Spring Term

Formal Letter Writing Conventions

Mastering the conventions of formal correspondence to address local or global issues.

About This Topic

Fossils are the primary evidence we have for life on Earth millions of years ago. In Year 3, students learn the simple process of fossilisation: how an organism dies, is buried by sediment, and over a vast amount of time, its remains are replaced by minerals to become rock. This topic bridges the gap between biology and geology.

This unit aligns with the KS2 Science curriculum for Rocks and also touches on Evolution and Inheritance. Students learn why fossils are almost always found in sedimentary rock and what they can tell us about extinct species like dinosaurs or ammonites. This topic comes alive when students can physically model the patterns of fossilisation by creating their own 'fossil' casts and 'excavating' them.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The Fossilisation Timeline

Students use layers of different coloured playdough to represent sediment burying a 'dinosaur' (a plastic toy). They 'squash' the layers and then carefully peel them back to see the impression left behind.

⏱ 30 min·Individual

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Gallery Walk: Mary Anning's Gallery

Display images of fossils found by Mary Anning on the Jurassic Coast. Students move around to identify what kind of creature each fossil might have been and what it tells us about the past.

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

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Think-Pair-Share: The Missing Pieces

Show a picture of a fossil skeleton. Students discuss in pairs why we usually only find bones and teeth as fossils, and what happened to the 'soft parts' like skin and muscles.

⏱ 15 min·Pairs

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Fossils are actual bones that have just stayed there for a long time.

What to Teach Instead

Fossils are actually rock. The original bone has rotted away and been replaced by minerals. Using the term 'stone copy' helps students understand that the biological material is gone.

Common Misconception

You can find fossils in any kind of rock.

What to Teach Instead

Fossils are almost exclusively found in sedimentary rock. Igneous rock is too hot (it would melt the remains) and metamorphic rock usually squashes them beyond recognition. Sorting 'fossil-bearing' vs 'non-fossil' rocks helps clarify this.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a fossil to form?

Fossilisation is a very slow process that usually takes millions of years. It requires very specific conditions, which is why most living things do not become fossils when they die.

Who was Mary Anning and why is she important?

Mary Anning was a pioneering British fossil hunter from Lyme Regis. She discovered the first ichthyosaur and plesiosaur skeletons. Her work was vital in helping scientists understand that animals could go extinct.

Why are fossils only found in sedimentary rocks?

Sedimentary rocks form at temperatures and pressures that are low enough to preserve the remains of living things. Igneous rocks are formed from molten lava, which would destroy any organic matter instantly.

How can active learning help students understand fossils?

Active learning, such as creating clay impressions or participating in a 'mock excavation', helps students visualise a process that takes millions of years. By physically layering 'sediment' or acting as 'palaeontologists', they engage with the sequence of events in fossilisation, making the concept of 'deep time' more accessible and less abstract.

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