Overview
Brief Module Summary
The tour begins by introducing the fossil record and different types of fossils.
By examining how fossils are formed and the factors that promote or prevent fossilization,
students learn that not all types of organisms have an equal chance of becoming a fossil and that
fossilization is very rare.
The tour then focuses on what happens to a fossil after it is formed and the factors necessary for its discovery,
emphasizing the reasons that most organisms will not become part of the fossil
record.
Objectives
During this module students will learn:
- what a fossil and the fossil record are.
- how organisms become fossils.
- the factors that promote fossilization.
- the forces that can destroy or hide fossils.
- how paleontologists find fossils.
- why not all organisms will become part of the fossil record.
Prerequisites
None. This tour is intended to be an introduction to fossils and the fossilization process.
To Technical Requirements