Discovering Fossils

Students investigate the practice of digging for fossils. They participate in a mock dig of fossils using real bones and other artifacts. Then students dig through sand in order to go through the simulation. Students make observations...

A paleontologist finds a fossil, but then what happens? An engaging video explains what happens to fossils once they make it back to the lab. It then demonstrates three different ways of excavating the fossil from the matrix. 

Fossil Lake, Wyoming contains the most complete representation of early Eocene life in the world. The first of three videos on location at Fossil Lake discusses the process of finding fossils. It introduces the tools and methods used to...

Here is an unusual question: How can I become a famous fossil for future generations to examine and adore? It is from this comical perspective that viewers learn how fossilization occurs. Show this for your middle school paleontologists...

How does one go about finding fossils? Find out with an informative webpage that looks at the digging process, showcases rocks and common fossils, helpful tips, and a list of archeological do's and don'ts. 

Take a trip on a fossil hunt. Pupils read about a trip to the Gobi Desert by a group of paleontologists to find fossils. Learners view pictures taken on the trip and determine what the scientists go through in the search for answers to...

Sixteen slides showcase an average day on the job for a paleontologist, Ross MacPhee. Engaging images include world maps and real-world photographs from an archeological dig in Antarctica. A brief description accompanies each slide.

An engaging interview allows scholars to get to know Proto Andy, a protoceratops fossil. Following along with the transcript, learners delve into six questions, including how he became a fossil, what he was like when he was alive, and...

What can this rock be? Pupils pretend to be paleontologists by sketching fossils and making predictions about their types. To determine whether they can identify the type of dinosaur, class members compare their observations and...

Watch how paleontologists scour the Gobi Desert to find fossils that fill in a gap in the fossil record. How big did dinosaurs get during the Jurassic period? Get your class thinking about these questions and more with this short clip....