Curated OER
Discover the science of archaeology
Students research archaeology. In this archaeology lesson, students conduct research about archaeology and one ancient culture. Students write a magazine article about an archaeological dig.
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Can You Dig It?
Learners investigate a fossil site and diagram a site map. They role play as paleontologists.
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Fabulous Fossils
Students investigate how fossils are formed. They read the book, "Digging Up Dinosaurs," examine fossil samples, create a fossil imprint using play-doh, and complete a Fossil Questionnaire activity sheet.
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Dig It!
Second graders complete various activities about dinosaurs and fossils. They conduct Internet research, participate in a sandbox dinosaur fossil dig, and create a computer slideshow presentation using information they found on various...
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Studying Fossils
Students compare and contrast key skeletal differences between chimpanzees and humans: brain size, teeth, hand and thumb, trunk, pelvis, lower limb, foot and big toe. They then sort and group a set of mixed "fossil bones" of chimpanzee...
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It's All in the Rocks
Students think critically to determine fact or inference when examining sedimentary layers with embedded fossils. They are being introduced to geology as well as evolutionary biology.
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Dino Traces
Young scholars are introduced to the type of evidence that is found at a typical dinosaur dig. They create rubbing casts of bone impressions on paper and, using bones, identify dinosaurs.
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Be a Paleontologist
Young scholars search for fossils in a simulated archeology site and explore how paleontologists mark out a dig site.
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Digging Into Science Lesson Plans
In this biology worksheet, students identify and write the various species that are still present today. Then they define evolution using three words. Students also describe what a fossil is and give some examples related to a particular...
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Join the Dinosaur Age
Students role-play and complete various activities associated with dinosaurs and paleontology. They listen to the book, "Dinosaur Bones," participate in a simulated dig site, explore various websites, sing dinosaur songs, and create clay...
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Archeological Finds
Young scholars explore archeology and it contributions to human history. They write a magazine article describing the discovery of a dig.
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Xenosmilus
Students play the roles of paleontologists on a dig. They unearth a few fossils at a time and attempt to reconstruct the animal the fossils represent.
American Museum of Natural History
Talk to a Titanosaur
Learn all about the Titanosaur with an engaging website that delves deep into the large reptile's physical traits, family history, discovery, and fossil reconstruction.
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Becoming Whales: Experiencing Discoveries of
Students experience, through a "dig," the historical discovery of fossils which increasingly link whales to earlier land-dwelling mammals. They encounter the intermediate forms which show changes that lead to the modern whale.
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No bones About It -A Mosasaur
Students model a paleontologist's activities. They identify dinosaur bones and reassemble them into a skeleton of an extinct reptile.
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Comparing Fossils
Students explore early hominid evolution as they analyze bones that share characteristics of both apes and humans. Students compare and contrast key skeletal differences between chimpanzees and humans. In groups, they sort and group a...
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A Basin Filled With Time
Students use fossil leaves and a mathematical formula to study climate change. In this climate change and fossil lesson plan, students determine the differences in temperatures during two different times during the Cenozoic era using...
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Identifying Fossils
Learners create model fossils. In this fossils lesson, students view pictures of fossils and compare and contrast these fossils. Learners read about fossils and create a database chart with the facts they learn. Students construct...
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It's All In The Rocks
Students think critically to determine fact or inference when examining sedimentary layers with embedded fossils. Geology and evolutionary biology are introduced. They individually write a story about various diagrams and share their...
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Dinosaur I Finding And Dating
Students investigate how long dinosaurs lived on Earth and how that compare to how long man has been on Earth. They discover how scientists excavate fossils.