Learning about Fossils

This is a truly amazing project. Perfect to use during your next dinosaur unit. Second and fifth graders work together to draw and make a relief sculpture of a nine foot-long stegosaurus. They discuss what paleontologists do and then...

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. 

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...

Ever wonder what a paleontologist does, or have a little learner yearning to know everything about fossil hunters? This comprehensive video shows what paleontologists do and why they do it. Get your kids thinking about the wonders of a...

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...

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. 

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....

By viewing and reading these slides, your precious paleontologists learn what makes a fossil and what scientists can learn by studying them. Consider giving the website to pupils as homework. They can read the slides, take an assessment...

Students learn about the kinds of fossils and what scientists can learn from them.  In this earth science instructional activity, students are told how engineers and paleontologists work together.  Then students create a "fossil fondue"...

Paleontologists could be considered detectives of the past. A quick online lesson describes the science of paleontology and the importance of fossils. Young scientists read about how paleontologists analyze the features of fossils to...