Starter quiz
- Which of the following is a type of rock that forms from the cooling of molten rock?
- sedimentary
- igneous ✓
- metamorphic
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- Which of the following is a type of sedimentary rock?
- granite
- marble
- limestone ✓
- basalt
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- Which of the following processes breaks down rocks into smaller pieces?
- melting
- weathering ✓
- compression
- fossilisation
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- Match the following key words to their definition.
- mineral⇔a natural, crystal-like structure ✓
- sediment⇔material deposited by water, wind, or ice ✓
- fossil⇔the mineralised remains or impression of once–living organisms ✓
- erosion⇔the process by which rocks are worn away and transported ✓
- True or false? Metamorphic rocks are formed by the cooling of lava.
- True
- False ✓
- ______ is the process where sediments are laid down or settle in a new location. It follows erosion, where the sediments are transported.
- 'deposition' ✓
Exit quiz
- What are fossils?
- Living organisms found in rocks.
- Mineralised remains or impressions of once–living organisms. ✓
- Types of minerals.
- Rocks that have been heated and pressurised.
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- Which type of rock can fossils be typically found in?
- igneous rock
- metamorphic rock
- sedimentary rock ✓
- all types of rock
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- Put the following steps in the process of fossilisation in the correct order, showing how fossils form over time.
- 1⇔Bones are buried in sediment.
- 2⇔Sedimentary rock forms around the remains.
- 3⇔Remains are slowly dissolved by water.
- 4⇔Remains are replaced by minerals from water.
- Match the following key terms to their definition.
- fossil⇔The mineralised remains or impressions of once-living organisms. ✓
- mineral⇔An element or compound with a crystal-like structure. ✓
- sediment⇔A material deposited by water, wind, or ice. ✓
- sedimentary rock⇔A type of rock formed from the compression of sediments. ✓
- rock cycle⇔The gradual recycling of rocks over millions of years. ✓
- Geological activities, such as tectonic movements, erosion, and volcanic activity, can break or completely destroy ______ by altering the rock in which they are embedded.
- 'fossils' ✓
- How can fossils provide information about past environments?
- By showing how rocks change over time.
- By indicating the types of organisms that lived in the past. ✓
- By revealing the mineral content of rocks.
- By displaying the crystal structure of minerals.
- By providing information about the conditions past organisms lived in. ✓
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Worksheet
Presentation
Video
Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Fossils are found in sedimentary rock, but not in other types of rock.
- Fossils are often the remains of living plants or animals.
- Bones buried in sedimentary rock can be very, very slowly dissolved by water and replaced by minerals in the water.
- Geological activities can break or completely destroy fossils.
Common misconception
Pupils often interpret the rock cycle as the cause of rock formation.
Stress the rock cycle is a representation of relationships between the rock types. For rocks to change from one type to another requires specific conditions (i.e. igneous rock can change into metamorphic or melted into a different igenous rock).
Keywords
Fossil - The mineralised remains or impression of once–living organisms, or of traces left behind by organisms (e.g. skeletons, shells or impressions).
Mineral - An element or compound with a crystal–like structure. They are the 'building blocks' of rocks.
Sediment - A material deposited by water, wind or ice, such as pebbles or sand.
Sedimentary rock - A type of rock formed from the compression of sediments (rock fragments, minerals and remains of dead plants and animals).
Rock cycle - The gradual recycling of rocks over millions of years.