New
New
Year 6

Fossil fuels (non-statutory)

I can recognise that the remains of living things became fuels over millions of years, and that fossil fuels are non-renewable.

New
New
Year 6

Fossil fuels (non-statutory)

I can recognise that the remains of living things became fuels over millions of years, and that fossil fuels are non-renewable.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A fossil fuel is a natural fuel formed from the remains of living things over millions of years.
  2. The type of fossil depends on the original living thing and the amounts of heat and pressure.
  3. Fossil fuels have been used increasingly since the 1800s for heating, transport and generating electricity.
  4. Fossil fuels are non-renewable, as they cannot be replaced once they have been used up.
  5. Burning fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide and tiny pieces of solid matter, such as soot.

Keywords

  • Fossil fuel - A fossil fuel is a natural fuel formed from the remains of living things over millions of years, such as coal, crude oil or natural gas.

  • Burn - When something burns, it is on fire.

  • Non-renewable - A non-renewable resource or material is one that cannot be replaced once it has been used up.

  • Soot - Soot is a very fine powdery substance created when fossil fuels are burned.

  • Carbon dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a type of gas in the air.

Common misconception

Pupils may think that fossil fuels have been made from fossils, such as the ones they may see in the classroom or museums.

Explain that fossil fuels are the remains of living things that have been changed over millions of years by heat and pressure.

Encourage pupils to think about when fossil fuels are used in their daily lives. For example, they may have come to school in a petrol car or have a gas oven at home.
Teacher tip

Equipment

None required.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does the word 'formed' mean?
Correct answer: it is made or created
it is lost or forgotten
it is written down or recorded
Q2.
Many household appliances, like lights, fridges, TVs, and phones, need from either mains power or batteries to work.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: electricity, electrical
Q3.
Match the substance to the state of matter.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:glass,solid state

solid state

Correct Answer:cola in the glass,liquid state

liquid state

Correct Answer:bubbles in the cola,gas state

gas state

Q4.
Carbon dioxide in the air is in ...
a solid state.
liquid state.
Correct answer: gas state.
Q5.
What is an organism?
Correct answer: a living thing
a non-living thing
a body part within a living thing
a group of living things
Q6.
Micro-organisms are …
Correct answer: very tiny living things.
very small animals.
small insects.
a type of fine dust.

6 Questions

Q1.
Fuels formed from the remains of living things over millions of years are called fuels.
Correct Answer: fossil
Q2.
Which of these are fossil fuels?
dinosaur bones
wood
Correct answer: natural gas
Correct answer: crude oil
Correct answer: coal
Q3.
Different types of fossil fuel were formed by differing amounts of heat and pressure, as well as …
different species of dinosaurs.
different years in history.
Correct answer: different types of living thing.
Q4.
Why has the use of fossil fuels increased since the 1800s?
Correct answer: generating electricity
solar panels
food sources
Correct answer: transport
Correct answer: heating
Q5.
Substances produced when fossil fuels are burned include …
An image in a quiz
air
coal
Correct answer: soot
oxygen
Correct answer: carbon dioxide
Q6.
Which statements are true for fossil fuels?
they are renewable
Correct answer: they are non-renewable
they can be replaced when they have been used
Correct answer: hey cannot be replaced when they have been used up
Q5 J. Helgason/Shutterstock