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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Fossil Fuels: Understanding a Nonrenewable Resource

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Incorporate fossil fuel issues into your curriculum with these lesson plan ideas.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Correlation And Strata: Findasaurus

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students use fossils to correlate and locate the correct strata, and determine where in those strata dinosaurs might be found. They see it is now possible to see how dinosaur fossils can be traced from one place to another.
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

What Do You Know About T. Rex?

For Students 6th - 12th
There's so much to learn about dinosaurs. A 10-question quiz tests knowledge of the more detailed characteristics of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. As individuals complete the quiz, they better understand how fossil records helped define some of...
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Extreme Mammals

For Students 6th - 12th
Extreme characteristics can create some unusual mammals. Learners flip through a slide show of some of the most interesting mammals that are both living and extinct. Implement as a remote learning resource or use in-class to review...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Formation Fun

For Teachers 4th
Students compare the three types of fossils: preserved organisms, mineral replacement fossils, and impression fossils. They create a model of amber, sponge fossil, and make traces of fossil.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaur Skeletons

For Teachers K
Students investigate the anatomy of a dinosaur, describe its skeleton, and arrange pretend bones using toothpicks, popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, and a variety of wooden beads.
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Organizer
Curated OER

What Are Fossils?

For Students 2nd - 3rd
In this fossils worksheet, learners will review the 4 steps necessary to create a fossil. Students will fill in the blank of 4 statements in this graphic organizer.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geology- Gemstones, Fossils and Rocks Quiz

For Teachers 4th - 5th
In this earth science quiz worksheet, students answer 10 fill-in-the-blank questions about gemstones, fossils, and rocks. They see pictures of rocks, minerals, and a dinosaur fossil on the page. They check their answers with the word...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Dinosaurs Ruled the World

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create their own fossil.  In this fossil lesson, students explore dinosaurs and fossils through reading Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki.  Upon completion of the story, students use modeling clay to create a cast. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Books for Teaching Dinosaurs

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students investigate dinosaurs through books. For this lesson about dinosaurs, students read a variety of books about dinosaurs. Students become familiar with dinosaurs through reading about them. Students learn that reading is...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

LESSON PLANS (print version) pdf What is a Fossil?

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students can better explain how mould and cast fossils occur when they make their own cast fossils using plaster of Paris and objects such as shells, bone or even their own hand or footprint.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaurs

For Teachers K - 5th
Students will develop goals for inquiry. They will also improve content area reading and research skills. The context of studying dinosaurs will help learners to distinguish from organisms that live presently and those from the past...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Hunters!

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore the various ways in which geologists create fossil records. Working in pairs, students create a model of a fossil record through a hands on activity. They relate their experience to recent discoveries in geology and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Adventure

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil.  In this earth science lesson, students are taught about fossils and create a book that tells what happened to a dinosaur's bones after they die.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do We Learn From Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate what a fossil is and how it came to be.  In this fossil lesson, students examine pictures of skeletons and identify characteristics that can and cannot be determined by a fossil.  Students complete diagrams of a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paleontologist: Can You Dig It?

For Teachers K
Students investigate what a paleontologist does. They participate in a dinosaur dig, write a story, and explore the Dinosaur Dig website to view and discuss photos of a real dinosaur dig.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creating New Forms of Life

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Although not particularly educational, here is a creative group activity in which high school biologists will use their imaginations to create a new life form combining characteristics from existing life forms. Each group must come up...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Footsteps

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create their own dinosaur tracks using clay. In addition, 4th graders compose a story about the dinosaur / animal who created the tracks. They study photographs of dinosaur tracks before beginning.
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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

Layer of Time

For Students 6th - 12th Standards
Dig through the layers for a better understanding of fossils. Scholars learn that fossils form in layers of sedimentary rock. Pupils arrange virtual layers to show the fossil record of different species. Once the layers are correct, they...
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Activity
American Museum of Natural History

Mesozoic Museum

For Students 6th - 12th
Mini museum curators create an exhibit that showcases the Mesozoic era. Pupils use their knowledge of dinosaurs to make informative posters, drawings, and dioramas. Following three steps to complete the hands-on activity, scholars read...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What We Know About Dinosaurs?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders determine what can and cannot be learned from fossils. In this fossils lesson, 3rd graders discuss what can and cannot be learned from fossils, then students create and observe their fossils.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaur Daze

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students review, create, and inquire about dinosaurs, the fossilization process, and paleontology by successfully completing each of six classroom stations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Footprint Detectives: Making Inferences Using Dinosaur Trackways

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Young scholars analyze and discuss footprints and dinosaur tracks. They listen to books about paleontologists, create and analyze their own trackways using black paper and chalk, examine the data, and form hypotheses about footprints and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are the Different Kinds of Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine different types of fossils. In this fossil lesson plan, students investigate the attributes of mold fossils, trace fossils, cast fossils, and true form fossils. Students create their own fossil samples.