Fossil Frenzy Grade 4 Challenge

Your Challenge The Museum still needs a main attraction before it open in 3 days. The museum workers are counting on you to find out what type of fossil is in the Rocky Mountains Before you can figure out what the new fossil is, you will need to answer these questions: 1. What are fossils? 2. What are the different types of fossils? 3. What can we learn about an animal or plant from its fossil? 

Fossil Frenzy   Hurry up! The helicopter is about to take off to the Rocky Mountains and your the last passenger! A new fossil has been spotted and the museum has sent you to investigate. As a paleontologist, you have uncovered many new fossils but none like this. (a paleontologist is a scientist who learns about the world in the past by looking at fossils of animals and plants)   

What is it?

Day 1 Day 1: What is a Fossil? How do you think you are going to determine what animal or plant the fossil is if you don't know what a fossil is yet? Today, you will learn all about fossils, what they are and how they are made. Make sure to write down what you learn in your Fossil Journal. Click on: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/dinosaurs/foss il_study.htm http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/what_is_a_fossil.html

Day 2 Remember to write down what you learned about fossils in your Fossil Journal. Now that you know what fossils are, tell your friends what your learned and go searching for fossils. (Some good places include under rocks, at the beach, in dirt) Click on the link below to learn how to draw your own fossil. Make sure to draw it in your Fossil Journal http://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology#featu res/stufftodo_paleo/drawdinos.php??KeepThis=true&TB_i frame=true&height=550&width=600

Day 2 Day 2: What are the different types of fossils? We learned yesterday that there can be animal and plant fossils. Today, we are going to learn the different types of fossils. Click on the links below  to watch the video on fossils! Make sure to follow along in your Fossil Journal. Use the information you learn to fill out the sheet on the different types of fossils. Listen for familiar words and try to learn new words that you have not heard before. http://study.com/academy/lesson/fossil-definition-types- characteristics-examples.html

More Resources See evidence of the Earth’s past- http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci .ess.earthsys.nautiloid/the-grand-canyon-evidence-of- earths-past/ Becoming a Fossil- http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/tdc02.sci .life.evo.becfossil/becoming-a-fossil/ http://www.onegeology.org/extra/kids/fossils.html

Day 3: What can we learn about an animal or a plant from its fossil?   As we have already learned, there are many types of fossils. But what do they mean? By examining fossils, we can tell much about that animal or plant, including when it was alive, where it was alive, even if it was a boy or a girl! Click on the link below to read the interview of a dinosaur fossil! http://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology#featu res/facetofossil??KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height =530&width=750

What is it? Remember, your fossil is located in a Valley within the Rocky Mountains (a valley is the area in between two mountains where the land is lower to the ground or below sea level). Since the ground is mostly rock and hard, make sure to use a Jack Hammer when digging for your fossil (a jack hammer is a large drill that can be used on hard surfaces such as rocks). Geological Activity for Rocky Mountains- https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/nature/geologicactivity. htm Do your own research and figure out the fossil.

The fossil arrived just in time for the Grand Opening. Congratulations! The fossil arrived just in time for the Grand Opening.  The workers of the museum are so happy with your discovery that they are letting you introduce the fossil to your classmates!  

Final Project You saved the museum's grand opening! There are many ways you can introduce the information you learned to your classmates. You can... 1. Present to them your completed Fossil Journal. 2. Make a poster including what you learned about fossils 3. With a partner, conduct your own interview, where one students acts as the fossil and explains what they can teach us.  

Final Project Each option should answer these main questions: What are fossils? What are the different types of fossils? What can we learn about an animal or plant from its fossil?