Curated OER
Making Fossils
Third graders examine the differences between cast and mold fossils. They discuss geological time and how many fossils are millions of years old, then create a cast fossil using clay and a shell, and a mold fossil using a shell and...
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Fossils and our Past (part 1 of 3)
Third graders investigate how some extinct organisms resemble organisms that are still alive today. They watch and discuss the Magic School Bus video about fossils, then create clay fossil imprints, matching the imprints to plaster of...
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Impressions in Clay
Students examine how fossils are created. They make impressions of different objects in clay and compare them to examples of fossils.
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What are the Different Kinds of Fossils?
Students examine different types of fossils. In this fossil activity, 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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Candle-Wax Fossils: Casts, Molds, and Impressions
Students examine and define fossils. They create their own impressions and molds in clay and candle wax, making external and internal molds.
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Fossils
Fifth graders create a fossil using an impression made with a shell pressed into clay and filled with plaster of Paris and a mold made out of dough and impressed with a shell. They also will receive a paragraph which contains four...
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Rockin? Chalk (Integrating science - make own chalk)
Students use plaster of Paris, talc, and cornstarch to create their own chalk. They hypothesize what mixture of ingredients produce the "best" chalk. Students discuss what they think are the characteristics of the "best" chalk.
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Fossil Evidence
Students evaluate each other's fossil imprints and they try to identify the original object. They comprehend the importance of accuracy in identifying a fossil imprint. Students create an answer sheet that has space for the names of the...
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Core
Eighth graders take their own "core sample" with clay and/or play-dough and correlate the layers of the earth.
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How Sedimentary Rocks are Formed
Students investigate the stripes in sedimentary rocks, using a structure at Petra, Jordan, as an example, and then do a hands-on activity using mixed nuts to illustrate the layering of sedimentary rocks.
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Water and Ice
Students explore water as it changes states of matter. In this physical property lesson, students use observation, measurement, and communication skills to describe changes in water as it goes from a solid to a liquid and back again.
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Core
Eighth graders examine conditions that can lead to the formations found and correlate the layers. In this rock layers lesson students complete an activity that allows students to take their own "core sample".