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Lesson 1-Digging Fossils

This lesson plan outlines an activity where students learn about fossils by pretending to be paleontologists. The teacher will divide students into groups and have them use tools like paintbrushes and toothpicks to excavate "fossils" (chocolate chip cookies) embedded in sand. Students will discuss the different types of fossils they discovered. They will learn about body fossils versus trace fossils. At the end, the teacher will ask if any students are interested in becoming paleontologists.

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214 views3 pages

Lesson 1-Digging Fossils

This lesson plan outlines an activity where students learn about fossils by pretending to be paleontologists. The teacher will divide students into groups and have them use tools like paintbrushes and toothpicks to excavate "fossils" (chocolate chip cookies) embedded in sand. Students will discuss the different types of fossils they discovered. They will learn about body fossils versus trace fossils. At the end, the teacher will ask if any students are interested in becoming paleontologists.

Uploaded by

api-248710381
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION LESSON PLAN FORMAT

Name: Lainey Losekamp


Lesson Title: Digging into Fossils
Grade: Third

Date of lesson: November 5,2014


Content Area: Earth Science
School: Ivy Tech Elementary

Introductory
Type of Lesson:
Practice/Review
(CHOOSE ONE)
Mastery
Objective(s): Students will be able to explain the job of
a paleontologist and define what a fossil is.

Multicultural Goals: None.

Assessment Tool(s): Performance observation on their


participation and understanding of Digging into
Fossils activity.
Assessment Criteria: A checklist of observation will be
used with 50% accuracy since it is a review.
Academic Standards: 3.2.4 Identify fossils and describe how they provide evidence about the plants and animals
that lived long ago and the nature of their environment at that time.

Differentiation/Adaptations: None.
Background Knowledge/Prerequisite Skills: Understands
basic landforms, earth history, what a fossil is, and what
a paleontologist is.

Multiple Intelligences/Learning Styles & Blooms Levels:


None

Materials: 5 shoe boxes


A bucket of sand
3 packages of Chip Ahoy chocolate chip cookies
20 paint brushes
25 toothpicks
Napkins

Technologies Implemented: Computer, projector, and


screen.

Modifications: None.

Anticipatory Set: Begin the lesson by having the students watch a youtube video called, I am a Paleontologist-They
Might Be Giants. This video discusses what the job of a paleontologist consist of and what fossils are. Pass around
the four different types of fossils. (If unable to access these different types of fossils show pictures of the fossils on
the computer.) Ask students if they have ever seen any of these fossil before? Students respond.

Procedures: Teacher will introduce the lesson by, Today class we are going to work as paleontologist for our
school. We are going to learn how to work as a paleontologist and be able to define what a fossil is.
1. Divide students into groups of four. Assign groups to tables where there will be a shoe box filled with
sand and fossils. (The fossils are Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies.)
2. Each student should have a small shovel.
3. Student will use their small shovel to dig to find a fossilized rock, which is actually a chocolate chip
cookie.

4.
5.
6.
7.

Each student will bring their fossilized rock back to their seat with a napkin placed on their desk.
With their fossil brush (paintbrush) students will brush off the sand off the cookie.
Students will use toothpicks as a fossil pick. Students will use the pick to remove the chocolate pieces
out of the cookie. The chocolate pieces represent the fossils and the cookie represent the rock.
When all students are finished, we will discuss as a class which types of fossils were represented in the
activity. The chocolate chips that were picked out resemble body fossils and the imprints that remain
from the chocolate chips resemble trace fossils

Closure: Discuss with the class about what they have learned about fossils and the difference between a body
fossil versus a trace fossil. Ask students if they would like to become a paleontologist when they grow up? Why or
why not? If students have computer access when they go home have students visit the
www.projectexploration.org. This website provides information on paleontologist and fossils.

UDL Chart: None

Works Cited
Mosasaur, Bruce. (2011, Aug 27). I am a Paleontologist-They Might Be Giants. Canadian Fossil Discovery Center.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LidyPwIc-Cs&safe=active

Valenza, Eliziabeth. (2004, Oct 11). Fossil Dig. Teachers Net. http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/3255.html

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