Don’t close this browser tab!

This Mystery is being downloaded to your device so you can play it at home without an Internet connection.

Keep this tab open once it's downloaded in order to play the Mystery.

If you experience problems, please talk to your teacher.

0% Cancel
Where can you find whales in a desert?

Where can you find whales in a desert?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

DISCUSS:

What do you think this belongs to?

mystery-fossil
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

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?

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
01/16
Find a partner.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
02/16
Get these supplies. You’ll get more later.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
03/16
Write your name on this Fossil Dig sheet. Cut along the 2 dotted lines
until you reach the stop signs.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
04/16
Put the page with your name in it on top of the other page. Then fold
stickers over both pages near the arrows.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
05/16
Open the top layer, Layer A, of your fossil dig. Examine the fossils
that you find in this layer.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
06/16
Look at the traits of each fossil. Then fill in question #1 on your
worksheet and discuss with your partner.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
07/16
Discuss. Then fill in question #2 on your worksheet.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
08/16
Open Layer B of your fossil dig. Examine the fossils that you find in
this layer.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
09/16
Fill in question #3 on your worksheet and discuss with your partner.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
10/16
Discuss. Then fill in question #4 on your worksheet.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
11/16
Get the rest of your supplies.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
12/16
Cut out your Mystery Fossils.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
13/16
Observe the traits of your Mystery Fossils. Sort them into two piles.
It’s ok if it’s hard to tell where some belong.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
14/16
Place them into their fossil layer. Then glue them in.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
15/16
Discuss these questions.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Step
16/16
Discuss these questions. Then watch the next video.
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?

DISCUSS:

Do you think habitats have changed in other parts of the world besides Illinois? How could you find out?

Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Video trouble?
Slide Image
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

habitat


1 of 13

the place where an animal or plant lives
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

desert


2 of 13

a habitat that is usually hot and that gets very little rain
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

forest


3 of 13

a habitat with lots of trees
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

grassland


4 of 13

a habitat with mostly grasses and very few trees
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

ocean


5 of 13

a habitat that is a large area of salt water
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

polar


6 of 13

a habitat that is very cold
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

quarry


7 of 13

a large, deep pit that people remove rock from
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

trait


8 of 13

something you can observe about a living thing, such as the broad fins of a fish
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

fossil


9 of 13

the remains of a plant or animal that lived a very, very long time ago
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

observe


10 of 13

to pay close attention to something
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

claim


11 of 13

to say or write an idea
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

evidence


12 of 13

information that can be used to support or reject an idea
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Slide Image

model


13 of 13

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
Full Screen
Controls Icon Exit Full Screen
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep

THIS LESSON WAS REVISED ON JULY 1, 2019. Here is a link to the previous version.
In this lesson, students explore the idea that the rock under our feet sometimes contains fossils, and investigate how these fossils reveal changes in habitat through time. In the activity, Fossil Dig, students use paper to create a model fossil dig. They identify traits of fossils to determine what the habitat looked like when these organisms were alive. Then they use this information to figure out where some Mystery Fossils belong in their fossil dig.

Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

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
1 glue stick per student
Scissors
1 pair per student
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom. Tape will also work.
Details
3 stickers per student
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare Mystery Fossils

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.

Exploration

10 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

Wrap-Up

10 mins

Extend this lesson

Vocabulary

Unit Reading

Activity

Video

Mini-lessons

Transcripts

Credits