Imagine how the world looked millions of years ago. What animals might have been roaming around the spot where you are now sitting? You might be having trouble picturing the prehistoric world. Fortunately, the animals and plants of the past left a record of their existence - fossils. Scientists use fossils to find out what Earth looked like in the past. Fossils can help determine whether an area used to be dry land or an ocean. They also can help scientists determine what the climate in the past was like. Using the resources of the Internet and sharing data with your peers, you can start to discover how North America has changed through time.

How has your area changed over geologic time?

How might the area where you are now living looked thousands or millions of years ago? Do you think the types of animals and plants have changed much over time? Form a hypothesis concerning the change in organisms and geography from long ago to the present day in your area.

    Goals

1. Gather and communicate details about fossils found in your areas.
2. Synthesize information from various sources to make conclusions about the fossil record and the changes in your area over time.
3. Form conclusions about the fossil record and changes in your area over time based on information from various sources.
   

    Data Sources

• Activity Links
• View Student Data

     Plan

1. Choose one of the following geologic time periods to research: the Pleistocene epoch, the Cretaceous period, the Pennsylvanian period, or the Ordovician period.
2. Gather information from the links here or the library about the fossil plants and animals found in your area during one of these geologic time periods. Find information on where and how the fossil organisms lived.

     Do

1. Obtain descriptions of other fossils in your area from the sites listed here.
2. Complete a data table in your Science Journal like the one below. Add any additional information that you think is important.
3. Post the information in the data table below.