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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: Making Trace Fossils

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore types of fossils and discover how sediment affects fossil preservation. They focus their study on trace fossils and create their own using sediment, water, and a small organism such as a snail or lizard. Students use...
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Lesson Plan
Science Friday

Fossil Detectives

For Students 6th - 8th
What can this rock be? Pupils pretend to be paleontologists by sketching fossils and making predictions about their types. To determine whether they can identify the type of dinosaur, class members compare their observations and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Kit I - Lesson Plan

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Here is a 14-page lesson plan that deftly outlines a wonderful educational experience for your youngsters. In it, students learn about a variety of animals that have left behind clues of their existence in fossil form. Many excellent...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils!

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners explore what fossils are, how they are formed, what different types there are and why they are significant to both our present and past geology history. They participate in a hands on fossil observation of their choice and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Discovering Fossils

For Teachers K - 5th
Students explore fossils. In this fossils geology lesson, students use tools to reveal embedded "fossils" (made with plaster of Paris by the teacher-instructions included), then describe and illustrate their findings.
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PPT
Curated OER

The Rock and Fossil Record

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Go deep in your paleontology unit with this spectacular set of slides! It introduces viewers to the types of fossils, a few famous fossils, and the geologic eras. This is done with easy-to-read text, diagrams, photos, and even videos. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Kit II

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Youngsters examine four fossil replicas and chart their time periods, vertebrate or invertebrate, and the names of other organisms living at the same time. A specific fossil kit is available for sale if you do not have the same samples....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Fossil Evidence for Evolution

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners examine how scientists use fossil evidence to trace evolution of various species and methods used to date fossils.
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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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Adventure

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students create a book about the process of a dinosaur becoming a fossil.  In this earth science lesson, students are taught about fossils and create a book that tells what happened to a dinosaur's bones after they die.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Old Is Illinois?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of the strata between Rock Island and Chicago. Pupils pretend they are geologists. They must determine the age of all rock layers between the Mississippi River and Lake...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Fossils

For Students 7th - 12th
In this fossils worksheet, students review the different types of fossils including index and trace fossils. This worksheet has 6 matching and 9 true or false questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identifying Fossils

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students create model fossils.  In this fossils instructional activity, students view pictures of fossils and compare and contrast these fossils.  Students read about fossils and create a database chart with the facts they learn. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lesson 1 - What Are Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Students define and research fossils. In this fossil lesson, students access teacher assigned Internet sites to examine images of fossils. They determine the definition of a fossil and find out how fossils are formed. They also define a...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

What is a Fossil?

For Students 7th - 9th
In this fossils worksheet, students are given a bag of fossils mixed with non- fossils. They are to determine which category each item belongs to and give a reason. They answer questions about how they determine fossils from non-fossils.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Formation Fun

For Teachers 4th
Students compare the three types of fossils: preserved organisms, mineral replacement fossils, and impression fossils. They create a model of amber, sponge fossil, and make traces of fossil.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Examining the Fossil Record

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars create an evolutionary tree based on fossil morphology and their ages. In this fossil record lesson plan, students are given 23 pictures of fossil. They study their morphology and arrange the fossils by age and structures...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Fossils and The Law of Superposition

For Students 6th - 8th
In this fossils and the Law of Superposition worksheet, middle schoolers fill in 4 blanks with the proper terms that match definitions about fossils and rock layers. They complete 9 questions about 2 activities they performed related to...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Fossils

For Students 7th - 9th
In this fossil worksheet, students match six terms with their definitions about types of fossils and they circle the proper term to make nine statements true about preservation of fossils.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do We Learn From Fossils?

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Students investigate what a fossil is and how it came to be.  In this fossil lesson, students examine pictures of skeletons and identify characteristics that can and cannot be determined by a fossil.  Students complete diagrams of a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Adventure

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students work as a class to write a general definition of fossil based on their discussion and examine pictures of the different types of fossils. Once discussion is complete, they write and illustrate a book about a T Rex that has died...
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Website
American Museum of Natural History

What's the Big Deal About Paleontology?

For Students 6th - 12th
Paleontologists could be considered detectives of the past. A quick online lesson describes the science of paleontology and the importance of fossils. Young scientists read about how paleontologists analyze the features of fossils to...
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Activity
It's About Time

The Fossil Record

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
What do you call a plated dinosaur when he is asleep? A stego-snorus! Through four hands-on activities, young paleontologists rotate through stattions to learn about preservation in rock, resin, ice, and conservation of animal tracks....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Old Is Illinois?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students use fossils found in rocks to determine the age of rock in Illinois. They use a chart to identify the fossils and then identify the periods of rock.