Year 9 - Science
Fossils show that species change over time
Adaptations, competition, natural selection and evolution
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit explores variation within and between species, competition, and natural selection. It focuses on asking questions, making predictions, planning scientific enquiries, and testing hypotheses. It also covers analysing results, explaining findings, and identifying new questions that arise.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what fossils are and how they provide evidence that species change over time.
Key Notes
- Fossils provide evidence about organisms from long ago and their habitats.
- All fossils are the mineralised remains of once-living organisms or of traces left behind by organisms.
- Fossils show that some species have gone extinct.
- Fossils show that the features of some species have changed over time.
- There are limitations to the conclusions and explanations that can be made from fossil evidence.
Vocabulary To Learn
- fossil: Fossils are the mineralised remains of once-living organisms, or of traces left behind by organisms.
- organism: An organism is something that is living, or was once living but is now dead.
- minerals: Naturally occurring chemical compounds of elements such as carbon, calcium, silicon and iron.
- extinct: An extinct species has no living members.
- fossil record: All the fossils ever found, and their ages, provide a body of evidence called the fossil record.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Most students will be aware that bones can become fossilised but not realise that other remains such as wood or footprints can also become fossils too.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Fossils provide evidence about organisms from long ago and their habitats. All fossils are the mineralised remains of once-living organisms or of traces left behind by organisms.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'fossil'
Fossils are the mineralised remains of once-living organisms, or of traces left behind by organisms. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Most students will be aware that bones can become fossilised but not realise that other remains such as wood or footprints can also become fossils too. Correction: This lesson contains a broad range of examples of the types of remains that can become fossilised.
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