Fossil evidence reveals how life on Earth has changed over time. Fossil Patterns: Clues to Life Through Time is a Grade 7 science learning stations activity focused on biological evolution, common ancestry, anatomical change, and the history of life preserved in the fossil record.

Rather than treating fossils as isolated discoveries, students examine how fossil locations, rock layers, and geological ages provide evidence of changes in organisms and ancient ecosystems. They consider transitional fossils and extinction events to interpret patterns of unity and diversity among living things across geological time.

Investigating Patterns in the Fossil Record

The activity centres on a station-based investigation in which students work with case-study cards and record their thinking on a separate recording sheet. As they move through the stations, students use evidence to investigate biological evolution and connect observations from the fossil record with explanations about life's history.

• Anatomical change: Analyse fossil evidence for patterns of change in organism structures over time.
• Common ancestry: Interpret similarities and differences in fossil evidence when considering evolutionary relationships.
• Rock layers and geological ages: Use the locations and ages of fossils to place evidence within Earth's history.
• Transitional fossils: Examine evidence that helps explain changes in groups of organisms.
• Ancient ecosystems and extinction: Compare evidence to explain how life on Earth has changed across time.

What's Included

• Station recording sheet for documenting observations and evidence.
• Station wrap-up activity for bringing together ideas from the investigation.
• Station case-study cards for the classroom rotation activity.
• Answer Key PDF with a Teacher Guide containing Learning Objectives, Teaching Tips, Discussion Questions, and Common Mistakes.

Classroom Use

Place the case-study cards at stations around the classroom and organise students into small groups. Groups begin at different stations, read the available case study, and record key information on their own recording sheets rather than writing on the cards. After the allotted time, groups rotate until they have visited every station. Finish with a class discussion in which students compare their evidence and explain the patterns they identified.

This structure gives students a defined way to investigate evidence, document their reasoning, and revisit the relationships between fossils, geological time, and evolutionary change. The teacher guidance also provides discussion prompts and common misconceptions to address during instruction or review.

NGSS Connection

The resource identifies NGSS MS-LS4-1 and addresses fossil evidence within the broader topic of biological evolution: unity and diversity. Teachers can use the activity when teaching the fossil record and discussing how scientific evidence contributes to explanations of life's history.

Use this Grade 7 fossil evidence activity for a science learning stations lesson, a collaborative investigation, or a review of biological evolution and the evidence for common ancestry.