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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digging into the Past

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students discover how fossils are found and how they help scientists reconstruct the past. They examine how they shed light on what kinds of animals and plants lived over the years, when they lived, and under what environmental conditions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Draw T. rex

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students explore how scientists determine what prehistoric animals looked like based on their bones. They draw a picture of the skull of a Tyrannosaurus Rex by copying an image from an overhead or book.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Big is a Dinosaur?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create enlarged replica of a stegosaurus drawing, using a grid to practice coordinates.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils 2: Uncovering The Facts

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students recognize the kind of information that can be accumulated by studying dinosaur fossils, and explain that some fossil facts are made based on comparisons with living organisms. They are introduced to the concept of evolution.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hunting Invertebrate Fossils in the Classroom

For Teachers 2nd - 8th
Students acquire a general knowledge of fossils and paleontology, the study of evidence of life in the past and identify the major invertebrate groups (phyla) commonly found in the fossil record.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Great Fossil Find - Reconstructing the Pieces

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students go on an imaginary fossil hunt. They follow a script read by the teacher, students "find" (remove from envelope) paper "fossils" of some unknown creature. They attempt to reconstruct fossil pieces into an animal.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fun with Fossils

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders explore the geologic process of fossil formation. In this geology lesson plan, 2nd graders discuss the job of a paleontologist and make their own model of a fossil. This lesson plan includes teacher directed questions.
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PPT
Curated OER

Science Jeopardy - Virginia Geology

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Unique in content, this Jeopardy-style game quizzes participants on the geology of the state of Virginia. Categories include provinces, east or west, under the surface, once alive, and fun facts. Other than teachers of upper elementary...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils and Dinosaurs

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore fossils and dinosaurs. In this science instructional activity, students discuss how fossils are created. Students draw muscles and skin on a stegosaurus.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Age of Fossils

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore radioactive dating using a radiometric Dating website. In this chemistry lesson plan, students will work in small groups to collect data that shows how fossils are dated. As a follow-up, high schoolers will...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Formation

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars discuss fossils. In this science lesson, students simulate fossils within Earth's layers by using gummy fish and bread.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Classifying Rocks

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders classify rocks. In this rocks and minerals lesson, 3rd graders observe, make inferences and conclusions about rocks, minerals, soil and fossils.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What We Know About Dinosaurs?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders determine what can and cannot be learned from fossils. In this fossils lesson, 3rd graders discuss what can and cannot be learned from fossils, then students create and observe their fossils.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Curious? It's Gotta Have Heart

For Students 4th - 5th
In this "Curios?  It's Gotta Have Heart" worksheet, students answer 4 multiple choice questions interactively with immediate feedback about a heart found in a dinosaur fossil.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils: The Eras of the Earth's History

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students research the four geologic eras of Earth's history. In this extension on a fossils instructional activity, students research the different eras of Earth's history. Students use AppleWorks to create a bar graph containing...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What are the Different Kinds of Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine different types of fossils. In this fossil lesson, students investigate the attributes of mold fossils, trace fossils, cast fossils, and true form fossils. Students create their own fossil samples.
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Interactive
Curated OER

Curious? Is T-Rex King?

For Students 3rd - 4th
For this "Curious? Is T-Rex King" worksheet, students answer 4 multiple choice questions interactively, then check their answers online.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Vertebrate History in Rocks

For Teachers 4th - 6th
In this reading comprehension worksheet, students read the noted section in their science textbooks and respond to 4 short answer and 3 fill in the blank questions regarding fossils embedded in rock formations.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Practicing Paleontology

For Students 2nd - 6th
For this paleontology worksheet, learners use newspaper, fossils, a ruler, and more to discover what is inside a fossil. Students then answer 4 questions about their activity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determining the Age of Fossils

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students examine the concept of radioactive dating. In this radioactive dating lesson plan, students investigate how to determine the ages of fossils and rocks as they learn about half-life radioactive decay.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Description of Materials for Parts of a Fossil Lesson Plan

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students study fossils. In this fossils lesson plan, students discuss and study real fossils. Students color in pictures of fossils and their sections. Students then identify fossil picture parts and names. Students write definitions for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Mesozoic Era

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders recognize that the Earth was different in different eras. In this Mesozoic Era activity, 6th graders compare the time frame of the different eras and how long they lasted for by graphing them. Students study the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Achaean

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders study the characteristics of the Achaean era. In this Achaean era lesson, 4th graders examine the clock of eras and compare the characteristics of different eras. They determine that the rocks associated with this era can...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

What Is A Fossil?

For Students 5th - 6th
In this fossils worksheet, students read 13 clues pertaining to fossils. Students fit their answers in a crossword puzzle. There is no word bank.