DISCUSS:
What do you think this belongs to?
DISCUSS:
So far, Doug has found fossil seashells and a fossil shark tooth. What other fossils do you think Doug would find in the quarry?
DISCUSS:
Do you think habitats have changed in other parts of the world besides Illinois? How could you find out?
Fossil Dig printout | 1 per student |
Fossil Dig Answer Key teacher-only resource | 1 per class |
Fossil Dig Questions worksheet | 1 per student |
Mystery Fossils printout | 1 per pair |
Glue Sticks
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1 glue stick per student |
Scissors
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1 pair per student |
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom.
Tape will also work.
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Details
3 stickers per student
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We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.
Mystery Fossils will print two per page so you may want to cut each page in half before class. Each student needs a ½ sheet for the activity.
Student slideshow: English | Spanish
Teacher printout: English & Spanish
In this reading, students learn the story of how whale fossils were discovered during road work in Chile.
For a limited time, view archived reading extensions here.
Fossil Formation!
This website from the Kentucky Geological Survey includes several hands-on activities that demonstrate how different types of fossils form. It includes a variation on the classic plaster and mold activity using white glue instead.
Meet some paleontologists and watch as they unearth and transport fossils.
In this video, paleontologists in Argentina discover and transport fossils to a museum for further study. (4:19, PBS)
Meet Mark Rentz, a paleontologist who studies fossils in Florida. Watch this video to see him talk about finding shark and whale teeth in a Florida creek. (3:13, WGCU Curious Kids)
You can elaborate student learning and engagement with Mystery Science mini-lessons.
What was the Ice Age like? In this mini-lesson students learn how habitats and animals changed during the Ice Age.
What’s the biggest shark that ever lived? In this mini-lesson students consider how they could figure out how large an ancient shark was even though we only have fossils of their teeth!
If you are in an NGSS state, these mini-lessons support the DCI LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
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