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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ACTIVITY 6: MAKE A FOSSIL MOLD AND CAST and ACTIVITY 7: HOW BIG WERE PREHISTORIC ANIMALS?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Instructions for two terrific ancient history lessons for your primary paleontologists are provided in this resource. The first involves the creation of fossil cast replicas using plaster of Paris. The directions are detailed, but the...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Formation

For Teachers 6th - 8th
A fossil is worth a thousand words! Individuals craft their own amber fossil of an insect in addition to molds and casts of seashells. A third activity takes the lesson a notch higher: Learners measure stride lengths between tracks and...
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Lesson Plan
Science Friday

Fossil Detectives

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
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

Where Are the Dinosaurs?

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students recognize that they haven't seen a dinosaur because they no longer exist. In this dinosaur lesson, students view videos and understand what the dinosaur habitat was like. Students role play dinosaurs. Students explore dinosaur...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossils and our Past (part 1 of 3)

For Teachers 3rd
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Dinosaurs Ruled The World

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners discover how a paleontologist digs up fossils and what tools they use.  In this paleontology lesson plan, students discuss the importance of the job of a paleontologist, watch a video on the process of extracting fossils, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fabulous Fossils

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Students investigate how fossils are formed. They read the book, "Digging Up Dinosaurs," examine fossil samples, create a fossil imprint using play-doh, and complete a Fossil Questionnaire activity sheet.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Dinosaur Scavenger Hunt

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students explain what a fossil is, learn six dinosaurs and tell one characteristic about each, then describe verbally what a dinosaur might have looked like.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coffee Ground Dinosaur Fossil Prints

For Teachers Pre-K - 2nd
Students create fossils to understand how scientists learn about dinosaurs.  In this dinosaur lesson, students mix ingredients to make dough and put in objects that can make impressions. Students let fossil dry overnight. students then...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce Vocabulary: Dinosaur Bones (Barner)

For Teachers K - 3rd
Dig into some prehistoric vocabulary in Bob Barner's informative book Dinosaur Bones. This works best if you introduce the primitive words before reading the story. These are the focus terms in the text: ancient, climate, extinct,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Join the Dinosaur Age

For Teachers K
Students role-play and complete various activities associated with dinosaurs and paleontology. They listen to the book, "Dinosaur Bones," participate in a simulated dig site, explore various websites, sing dinosaur songs, and create clay...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dinosaurs In Argentina

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners study the fossils in Argentina and why it is a good place to find them.  In this dinosaurs lesson students learn about the recent dinosaur excavations. 
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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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Bare Bones Of Fossils

For Teachers 3rd - 6th
Studentsare able to understand the three ways foosils were created. They are able to make a reconstruction of a puzzle or draw a picture based on cluses and limited pieces of the puzzle or animal. Students are able to explain how fossils...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Study of Fossils

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders dig for fossils. In this fossil lesson, 5th graders read about the oldest found fossils and discuss the process of fossilization. They dig for their own fossils in a fossil box made of several dirt layers. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bringing Dinosaurs Back to Life

For Teachers 4th - 8th
Students explain how the earth makes fossils and how dinosaur remains become fossils. In this Bringing Dinosaurs Back to Life lesson, students solve paleo-puzzles which ask students to solve problems as if they were paleontologists....
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Digging Up Dino Data

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders use the Internet to research a specific dinosaur. They work in pairs and individually to browse dinosaur websites, take notes on pertinent information, write, edit and illustrate reports. They post their work.
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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

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

Identifying Fossils

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

Dinosaur Skeletons

For Teachers K
Students investigate the anatomy of a dinosaur, describe its skeleton, and arrange pretend bones using toothpicks, popsicle sticks, tongue depressors, and a variety of wooden beads.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forming Fake Fossils

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students make fake fossils using clay and leaves or shells
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

When Dinosaurs Ruled the World

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create their own fossil.  In this fossil lesson, students explore dinosaurs and fossils through reading Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki.  Upon completion of the story, students use modeling clay to create a cast. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fossil Formation

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students discuss fossils. In this science activity, students simulate fossils within Earth's layers by using gummy fish and bread.