Evidence is information that helps us to prove if something is true or not true.

The fossil record is the collective name for all of the fossil evidence gathered by scientists.

A fossil is the remains or imprint of living things that are sometimes preserved in rock.

A theory is a carefully thought-out explanation for something about our world that is based on learning from scientific enquiry.

Palaeontologists study fossils as a guide to the history of life on Earth.

What fossils can tell us about the past

Science

In this Evolution and inheritance unit, pupils learn that, normally, offspring vary and are not identical to parents. In the Heredity and DNA unit, they will build on this knowledge to learn about how genes and chromosomes work. 

In the New life unit, pupils learnt that animals, including humans have offspring which grow into adults. In this Evolution and Inheritance unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to parents

Evolution and inheritance

What do palaeontologists use to gather clues about life on prehistoric Earth?

{{}} are our best form of evidence about the history of life on Earth.

The collective name for all of the fossil evidence that has been found and the ages of those fossils is called the fossil {{}}.

Theories may change over time as we gather more evidence.

All theories are ideas that are unproven.

It is impossible to prove that a theory is correct.

Scientific enquiries can help scientists to make more accurate theories.

Palaeontologists make scientific theories using the evidence they gather from fossils. Which of these statements about theories are correct?

whether it was a vertebrate or an invertebrate

What deductions could palaeontologists make about this animal using clues from this fossil?

which organisms were alive at the same time as each other

Which of these cannot be learned by studying the fossil record?

evidence of living things from millions of years ago

living things that have died and are decaying

a time before history lessons were taught

a time before humans made written and pictorial records

Many prehistoric animals are now extinct. What does prehistoric mean?

rocks that are formed when layers of sediment build up over time

rocks that are formed when extreme heat melts other rocks pressing them together

Most fossils are found in sedimentary rocks. What are sedimentary rocks?

quickly once an animal or plant has died. 

the soft parts like the skin, organs or flowers

the hard parts like bones, teeth and shells

usually the whole living thing is fossilised

Which parts of living things usually become fossils?

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

What fossils can tell us about the past

Lesson outcome

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.