Fossil Fun!

Science/Language Arts

Objectives

• Students will define words such as fossil and paleontologist through listening to a book and discussion.
• Students will make their own clay fossil.
• Students will write a story about how they `discovered' their fossil, utilizing knowledge learned throughout the lesson.

Anticipatory Set

Materials

• Fossils Tell of Long Ago , Aliki. Thomas Y. Crowell, Co. New York, 1972.
• Pictures of Paleontolgists at work
• Fossil samples
• A ball of clay and a piece of 6"x 2" tagboard for each student
• Objects to imprint in the clay (shells, rocks, leaves, etc.)
• 5 lb. box of Plaster of Paris
• Container and wooden spoon to mix the plaster
• Pencils

Procedure

1. Read and discuss the book Fossils Tell of Long Ago.
2. Have the students create definitions of fossil and paleontologist. Write these in an accessible spot for the children on butcher paper shaped like a rock.
3. Discuss how they think fossils were formed. Write these along with the defintions.
4. Model the fossil making process for the students.
5. Write two sentences:
   (a) A fossil ...
   (b)A paleontologist ...
6. Each student will receive a ball of clay and a piece of tagboard. The tagboard will be stapled into a circle to form a barrier for pouring plaster.
7. Roll clay out to a thickness of not less than 1".
8. Insert the paper ring into the clay, to form the barrier for the plaster.
9. Select an object to make into a fossil, press it into the clay.
10. Remove the object from the clay.
11. Teacher will fill the molds with Plaster of Paris.
12. The next day, review the information learned and discuss how fossils may have been made in nature.
13. Children will be paleontologists and `discover' their fossils by removing the paper circle and the clay.
14. Children will write a story in their Geology journals using their knowledge of fossils and paleontologists to describe how they discovered their fossil.

Evaluation

1. Can the students define the target words? Are they participating in the discussion? Did they write logical sentences to describe fossils and paleontologists? Have they attempted to use the words in their stories?
2. Did the students make the clay fossil accurately?
3. Do the stories make sense? Are they using information learned during instruction and discussion?