Fossil Finds

60 minute Program | Grades 2 – 12, Post-Secondary, Adults

Fossils Finds guides students through a variety of hands-on activities to demonstrate how paleontologists use clues from the past to learn about ancient life. During this workshop students will:
  • Recognize fossils and characterize their preservation type.
  • Describe the process of fossilization from “death to discovery.”
  • Illustrate the principles of relative dating using sketches of rock layers.
  • Identify geologic time periods based on fossil evidence.
Students will touch and handle real fossils and visit with George, the museum’s resident dinosaur! This workshop lasts approximately one hour.

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Science 2: Materials can be changed through physical and chemical processes
• Physical ways of changing materials, chemical ways of changing materials

Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources
• The rock cycle, local types of earth material

Science 7: Evolution by natural selection provides an explanation for the diversity and survival of living things, Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
• Organisms have evolved over time, the fossil record provides evidence for changes in biodiversity over geological time

Earth Science 11: Earth materials are changed as they cycle through the geosphere and are used as resources, with economic and environmental implications
• Earth materials can be identified and classified based on their properties

Earth Science 12: Geologic time is preserved in Earth’s rock record as fossils and reflects profound changes in the history of life on Earth
• The geologic time scale sequences the major events in Earth’s history, the fossil record, dating methods of rocks and events, Earth’s past can be reconstructed by correlating fossils and rock strata

In addition to a guided program, you are welcome to combine your visit with any of our self-led (FREE) activities. Please visit our Educator Resources for ideas!