Fossil Lesson 2

5 E Inquiry Model Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Duration: 4th grade

Lesson Objectives:

After analyzing the fossils and reading the interpretations about the fossils'
prehistoric environment, students will agree or disagree with the
interpretation and will provide evidence to back up their claim.

Colorado P-6 Academic Standards:

Content Area: Science

Standard: 2. Life Science

Concepts and skills students master: 2. Comparing fossils to each other or to

living organisms reveals features of prehistoric environments and provides
information about organisms today.

Evidence outcomes: c. Evaluate whether reasoning and conclusions about

given fossils are supported by evidence (DOK 1-3)

Materials:

Science journals

Pencils

Whiteboard markers

Fossils

Engage:
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Get up and moving: Yes or no?

Display the fossils under a document camera and give a short statement
about the fossil. Have students go to either side of the room: yes or no;
depending on if they think the statement matches the fossil. Once they pick
a side, have students talk in their group about why they picked that side,
have someone be a spokesperson to defend their answer. Do not give
students the answer to the statement, but have them think about what the
other side said.

- This is also a pre-assessment of how students will analyze and

interpret the fossils at the stations around the room.

Explore:

Students will visit stations. Each station will have a group of fossils that tell
the students what the prehistoric organism ate, how it traveled (if it did), and
where it may have lived. Based on that evidence, student will determine the
animal class it belonged to. Students will record their data in the science
journals.

Explain:

Jigsaw! Students will jigsaw with classmates that were not in their group to
compare results. Students will put a star next to something they had similar
and a check mark next to things they had but their partner didnt.

Come back as a whole class.

- What are some things we had in common with someone else?

- What are some things we had different than our partner?

o (Create a t-chart on the board for the above two questions to

track data.)

- What conclusions can we make from our data?

- Why do you say this animal is a ____________?

- Why do you say this animal ate ____________?

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- Why do you say this animal moved/traveled by ____________?

Elaboration:

Have students write down statements about themselves that would help the
class determine who they are.

- Be sure they do not write down their name!!

- What they are wearing.

- What their favorite food is.

- How many siblings they have.

- What their favorite sport is.

- Etc.

Once students have written down 3-5 sentences about themselves, have
them fold up their paper and drop it into the bucket.

Start with one student and let them pull out a piece of paper and read the
clues to the class. The class must determine what student the clues are
describing. They have 3 guesses (5 minute limit). Once that student is
discovered, they come up and read clues.

Questions to ask afterward:

- Why was it difficult to guess some students?

- What are some ways we were able to figure out which student the
clues described?

- Did you use evidence to help you determine which classmate the clues
were describing?

- How do we know if these clues are accurate? Do we have any

evidence?

- How does having/providing evidence help you come to a conclusion?

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- How does this relate to the work of a paleontologist?

- What are some strategies paleontologists might use if they are missing
information?

Evaluation:

During the discussion, as a whole group, about their conclusions from the
stations, determine how students are doing with using evidence to come to
conclusions.

Pre-assessment during engage phase Ask students questions during the

explore phase. Are they on the right track? Keep a sticky note with those who
may need a reteach.