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Lesson Plan

So You Wanna Be a Paleontologist?

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Grade Level:

Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade

Subject:

Science

Lesson Duration:

60 Minutes

State Standards:

Colorado Academic Standards for Science: 4th grade; 2.2.a – Explain what fossils say, the similarities between fossil and living organisms. 2.2.b – Interpret evidence for past environments. 2.3.c – Compare and contrast different habitat types.

Thinking Skills:

Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations.

Essential Question

What do paleontologists do?

Objective

Students will be able to define what paleontology is and what a paleontologist does. They will also be able to list the steps paleontologists take when digging for fossils using appropriate tools and methods. Lastly, students will learn how to piece “fossils” back together and develop theories of the “fossils” history.

Background

Paleontologists are scientists who study fossils. Generally, fossils are found in very remote and inaccessible regions throughout the world. There are many steps taken by paleontologists to discover fossils. For example, the job requires a lot of time searching for a fossil site. Once a discovery has been made, the hardest part of the job comes in: carefully excavating and removing the fossil(s) for transport back to the laboratory. Paleontologists take detailed notes, photographs and measurements during excavation to ensure they can learn the most about the fossil and the environment. Unfortunately, complete fossil organisms (e.g., whole skeletons, entire plants) are rarely found; therefore, paleontologists must also use imagination and deductive reasoning to put the pieces back together.At Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, paleontologists study the fossil animals and plants that existed in Florissant during the Eocene (34 million years ago) and Ice Ages of the Quaternary (50,000 years ago). Most of the fossils found at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument are fossil plants and insects. However, mammals and birds have been found as well. In this activity, we will be looking at the rare mammals and birds that have been discovered by paleontologists at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.

Preparation

You will need:

• Popsicle sticks (8 to 10 per person depending on the size)

• Tape

• Markers

• Pictures of extinct animals from Florissant (included)

• Paper

• Pencil

Materials

A collection of prehistoric animals that once would have roamed Florissant Valley 34 million years ago.

Download Extinct Animals of Florissant Valley

Lesson Hook/Preview

Paleontologists are scientists who study fossils. Fossils are often found in remote places all over the world that can be hard to get to. Because of this, paleontologists spend a lot of time outside searching for them. In this activity you will get an idea of what it is like to be a paleontologist. (Check out our "So You Wanna Be a Paleontologist" video to see a couple of interns at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument show you how to play this game!)

Procedure

#1: Lay 10 popsicle sticks side by side flat on a table. Tape them together on the top and bottom then flip them over.
#2: Draw a picture of one of the extinct animals from Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument on the popsicle sticks.
#3: Take the tape off of the popsicle sticks and mix them up. Have someone else take the sticks and hide them. If you have a sandbox you can have the other person bury them in the sand. Or they can hide them all in a different room.
Paleontologists can spend a long time hunting for fossils before they find any. Much of the time is spent looking for a good site. Once a fossil is found, the hardest part of the process starts. The scientists have to excavate and remove the fossils from the ground. This often is very difficult and takes a lot of hard physical work to do. And then they have to get the fossils they dig out ready to be moved to a lab for study!
#4: Find the popsicle sticks! You can use brushes or other tools to excavate them out of the sandbox or go searching for them at your “site” in your house. Use the paper and pencil to take notes about where you find the sticks and the position they are in. Are they lying flat or on their side? Are they standing up? Are they close together or spread out? Are any on top of each other?
In the field paleontologists take detailed notes, photographs, and measurements while they excavate fossils. This way they can learn as much as possible about the fossil and past environment.
#5: Once you find the sticks put them back together like a puzzle. You can let someone else try to put it together. Did you find all of the pieces of your fossil?
Unfortunately, complete fossils of an organism are extremely rare. Usually there is a piece missing from the fossils we find. When this happens, paleontologists have to use their imagination and deductive reasoning to make educated guesses and fill in the missing pieces.Once the fossil is put together, we can then study it. At Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, paleontologists study the fossil of plants and animals that lived in the Florissant valley during the Eocene (about 34 million years ago) and Ice Age of the Quaternary (about 50,000 years ago). Most of the fossils found in the Florissant Formation are plants and insects. But mammals, birds, and fish have also been found. What kind of organism is your fossil?

Vocabulary

• Fossil: noun; a trace print or the remains of a plant or animal of a past age preserved in earth or rock

• Paleontology: noun; a science dealing with the life of past geological periods as known especially from fossil remains

• Paleontologist: noun; a specialist in paleontology

• Excavation: noun; the act or process of excavating or uncovering by digging away covering earth; a hollowed-out place formed by excavating

• Extinct: adjective; no longer existing

• Sedimentary rock: noun; a rock formed by or from sediment

• Eocene: adjective; of, relating to, or being an epoch of the Tertiary period of geological history or the corresponding series of rocks

• Quaternary: adjective; of, relating to, or being the period of geological history from the end of the Tertiary to the present time or the corresponding series of rocks

Assessment Materials

Reflection

Is it likely that paleontologists find fossils that are complete in the field? Why or why not? How do paleontologists fill in the gaps of a fossil? Tell the students that although they found their fossil scattered around a room, typically, paleontologists find fossils in rock. Do you think it would be easier or more difficult to uncover a fossil from rock or loose sediment? Would the kind of rock that a fossil was found in be important? Why?

Rubric/Answer Key

It is extremely rare that a paleontologist will find a complete fossil. Usually there is something missing because the organism might have partially decayed or been broken apart, or the fossil might have been eroded or damaged before discovery.
Paleontologists have to use a little bit of imagination and reasoning to fill in the missing pieces.
Loose sediment is much easier to dig in.
The kind of rock a fossil is in can help tell paleontologists about the enviornment the fossil was deposited in (sandstone could mean a beach or desert, shale could mean shallow water like a lake, etc.).

Additional Resources

Check out our So You Wanna Be a Paleontologist activity webpage for step by step instructions with pictures!

Contact Information

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