Fossils
In this section students are introduced to what fossils are and how they can be used to learn about life in the past. In order for students to be able to use fossils for interpretation, they should first be familiar with what fossils are and how fossilization occurs. From this knowledge they are better able to understand that the fossils that are found are just a small percentage of the life that has existed in the past. These fossils can help us understand not only what existed in the past, but also how life has changed (in addition to a whole lot more!). One important aspect of fossil interpretation is using certain fossils, called index fossils to date layers of rock from different parts of the world.