Grade Level: Kindergarten
Teacher of Lesson: Anne Regnier
Approximate Time: two hours over two days

Objectives:

1. Students will recall the information they learned in lessons 1-3 including types of life that make fossils, fossil formations, and tools that paleontologists used to dig and observe fossils.
2. Students will apply knowledge of fossils by making a collaborative book.
3. Students will indirectly learn about the components of book making.

Materials:

1. Fossil reference books (ones that contain lots of pictures).
2. Computer
3. Markers and crayons.
4. Cardboard pages used for book making machines, book binders, book making machine
5. Glue

Procedures:

Statement of purpose: Today we will be making a class book about what we learned about fossils. The book will have three chapters. The first chapter will be types of animals that make fossils. The second chapter will be types of fossils. The third chapter will be types of tools paleontologists use to find and observe fossils. Everyone will be responsible for about three pages of the book. Then, we will make a cover for it, and using the book binding machine, we will bind it together. The book will become part of the classroom library so that you as well as other students can use it to learn about fossils.

1. Gather the students together in a group.
2. Having the chart the students made in lesson #1 visible, ask the students what kinds of animals or plants make fossils. As the child answers give him/her a page of the book to illustrate. For example, if a child says "dinosaurs" give him/her the page created on the computer that says "dinosaurs." See appendix 3 for example book.
3. After all the animals/creatures have been named, move onto the second part of the book - types of fossils. Discuss with children once again types of fossil formations. Have books available that show pictures of fossils to remind students. Also remind them that we saw the fossil types on the laser disc if they can't remember all of them. Pass out a page of the book from chapter two to students as they recall types of fossils.
4. Finally, move into chapter three- tools paleontologists use to find and observe fossils. Have the children think about tools they used when they were looking for their own in the sand table. Hand out a page from the book to each child for chapter three.
5. Instruct the children that need to draw a picture that would best show other students what there animals/plants, fossils, and tools would look like. They may use pencil, markers, or crayons, and they can draw their picture directly onto the page they were given.
6. The next day, gather the students together again to assist in the book making process. Have the students think up a title of the book and decide how they want to name the authors (individual names, Bridget's class, Room 9, etc.)
7. Children can take turns punching holes out of cardboard for binding
8. Have each student glue their page onto the cardboard pages used for book making.
9. Decide with children the order that they want the pages of the book to go in.
10. Using book binder, have students help bind the book together.
11. At reading time or free choice, have a teacher or students read the book to the rest of the class.

Evaluation:

1. Were students able to recall what they had learned from past lessons?
2. Were students able to depict the information into pictures accurately?
3. Were students able to follow directions in the book making process?

Reflections:

Was there too many pages in book so that the pictures weren't done with care? Did the students like making a book? Were they proud of what they had done? Did other students want to look at the book?