How Fossils Form
Explain in simple terms how fossils form: an organism dies and is quickly buried in sediment; over millions of years minerals replace the remains and the sediment turns to rock, preserving the shape
Teaching approaches
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1 approach
If your child made a salt-dough fossil at school, could they explain how real fossils form underground over millions of years?
Explain in simple terms how fossils form: an organism dies and is quickly buried in sediment; over millions of years minerals replace the remains and the sediment turns to rock, preserving the shape
Learning resources
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This concept
Check understanding
- Describe the basic sequence: organism dies, buried in sediment, minerals replace remains over time
- Explain why fossilisation is rare — most organisms decompose before being buried
- Use the words 'sediment', 'minerals', and 'rock' correctly when explaining
“If your child made a salt-dough fossil at school, could they explain how real fossils form underground over millions of years?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Dinosaurs & Paleontology
- Age range
- Ages 7–9