FOSSILS: A Moment Frozen In Time

Arizona Standards GRADE 3 Strand 6: Earth and Space Science Concept 1: Identify the basic properties of Earth materials PO 4: Describe fossils as a record of past life forms

What is a Fossil? A fossil is the remains or evidence of any creature or plant that once lived on the Earth. (Mann, 2005)

Are There Different Kinds of Fossils? One way to group fossils is by how they were formed.

Body Fossils Actual remains of an animal or plant. Imprints made by the dead animal or plant. RARE Ancient Bird from China with Great Detail (Virtual Fossil Museum, 2002)

Body Fossils Can Be Made From: Bones Teeth Skin impressions Hair Animal shells Impressions of an animal or plant…even if parts are missing!

Trace Fossils Something made by the animal while it was alive that has hardened into stone. Dinosaur footprint from the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm, southwestern Utah (M. Wilson, 2008)

Trace Fossils Can Be Made From: Animal Tracks and Trails Burrows: (a hole an animal dug into mud). Borings: a hole or holes an animal dug into a hard surface (like wood or rock). Eggs and Nests Coprolites: poop that has become fossilized (no-longer stinky, but still icky!) Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, 2001

Hands-On Activity: Making Fossils Materials One cup salt One cup flour One tsp. alum (available at any pharmacy) 3/4 cup water Items to make fossil impressions - bones, leaves, toy dinosaurs, shells, etc.

Hands-On Activity: Making Fossils Procedure Mix the dry ingredients together. Slowly add the water until a dough is formed and the mixture sticks together. Roll the dough into balls, then flatten into a pancake. Press the leaves, shells, bones, toy dinosaurs, or other objects in the dough to make an impression. Dry. Paint if you desire. Extend it! Group the fossils into Body or Trace fossils!

Where Can I Go to See Fossils in Arizona? Arizona Museum of Natural History 53 North MacDonald Drive Mesa, Arizona 85201 (480) 644-2230 R.S. Dietz Museum of Geology Arizona State University – Tempe Campus Bateman Physical Sciences, F Wing Room 186 Tempe, Arizona 85287 (480) – 965-7065

Helpful Teaching Websites for Fossils Paleontological Experiences for Science Teachers by the University of Wisconsin http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/hughes/stu-act.html Learning from the Fossil Record by the UC Museum of Paleontology http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fosrec/ Earth Science Classroom Activities from the Kentucky Geological Survey http://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/activities.htm