Fossil Record

Puts students in the role of the scientist who re-checked the textbooks: using real fossil measurements and a predictive regression model built from living fish, they calculate and discover that Dunkleosteus terrelli has been drawn roughly twice its actual size.

Data and Resources

Additional Info

Field Value
Subject Area Biology
Grade Band 9-10
Technology Tool CODAP
Class Time Estimate 2
Data Science Focus
  • 9-10.C.5.2a Construct and analyze models to represent linear and non-linear relationships in data.
  • 9-10.C.5.2b Use technology to create, test, and refine models.
  • 9-10.C.5.2c Evaluate and improve models by comparing predictions to observed data.
Standards Alignment
  • HS-LS4-1
  • HS-PS1-7
Prerequisites Basic understanding of what fossils are and how they form; converting between centimeters and meters.
Version 1.0
Date Created July 7, 2026
Last Updated July 7, 2026