Travel back in time to 560 million years ago and discover the ancient life forms that once thrived beneath what is now Charnwood Forest. In this creative hand-on activity, students use recycled materials and reconstructed images to build models inspired by the remarkable fossils found in the area. A creative way to explore early life, scientific interpretation, and sustainability.
Key stage: Key stage 2
National Curriculum links: Science, Design & Technology
- Science:
- Understand how fossils are formed
- Recognise that living things have changed over time
- Recognise that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago
- Observe, gather, and record data (WS)
- Make predictions and draw conclusions (WS)
- Design & Technology:
- Design and construct fossil models using recycled materials
- Developing practical skills and an understanding of how structures are made.
Further resources to explore:
- The Scientific Kitchen – recreate Markfieldite, one of Charnwood Forest’s most notable rock types in this tasty, hands-on recipe!
- Geological Snap! – discover the exciting geology of Charnwood Forest using this easy and fun game, based on the card game Snap!
- Geological Twister – borrow the Geopark’s giant geological twister to learn more about the exciting geology of Charnwood Forest.
- Darwin’s Dilemma – find out about the work of Charles Darwin on the theory of evolution and discover the fossils of Charnwood Forest.
- Bomb Rocks – a field trip to explore the geology and geography of Charnwood Lodge and Beacon Hill.
For access to the resources, please email our Education Officer, Hayley Rock, hrock@nationalforest.org