Fossils

Many students are interested in dinosaurs. In order for them to understand the time frame and how we know this information, they need to understand the importance of fossils and how they tell us about our past. To make a fossil using clay, plaster of paris, and some sort of molding object such as a shell, leaf, bone, etc.

Materials:

1. Any of the numerous Science or Dinosaur books which give information about fossils.

2. Pictures of Paleontologists at work.

3. A ball of clay and a piece of 6"x2" tag board per student.

4. Objects to imprint in the clay [shells, rocks, leaves, etc.]

5. A 5 pound box of plaster of paris.

6. A container and wooden spoon to mix the plaster.

The word "paleontologist" will be written on the board and a sign "paleontologists at work" will be placed on the activity table. Pictures will be shown of a Paleontologist at work. Students will be asked whom they think a Paleontologist is and what he does. A definition will be written based on this input.

Samples of fossils will be passed out for students to examine. Students will be asked to discuss, within their work groups, how they think the fossils were made and why Paleontologists use them as keys to our past. The information will be shared with the class and posted on a chart.

Each student will be given a ball of clay and a strip of tag paper 6"x2" [stapled into a circle]. The students will roll the clay out to a thickness of not less than 1 inch. Next the student will insert the paper ring so that it forms a seal. The student will select an object he wishes to make into a fossil and press it into the clay. When the student carefully removes the object an imprint is left. At this time the students can review how this might have happened in nature. The next morning, after reviewing their chart on fossils, the children may become Paleontologists and "discover" their fossils by removing the circle of paper and clay. They may have the next 5 minutes to share them with their classmates. They will be placed on the activity table until dismissal so the students can examine them during their spare time.

USGS, The Learning Web, http://www.usgs.gov/education/learnweb/Lesson3.html