The Great Fossil Find Make inferences based on observations Analyze fossil evidence to identify an organism

Congrats! You’re a Paleontologist You and your team are digging in a field in Montana, near the town of Randak. One clear crisp afternoon in October, you find four well preserved and complete fossil bones Withdraw 4 fossil bones from your envelope, without looking at the remaining ones!! It is too late in the day to continue the dig, so you return to camp with your find.

That night. . . You and your colleagues begin to assemble the 4 bones you found earlier. Since the bones were all found together and in an undisturbed layer, you assume they are all from the same animal. You spend the rest of the evening trying different arrangements of the bones in hopes of identifying the animal You have 5 minutes to try arranging them

Bedtime! As the night wears on, you get weary and decide to retire and begin anew in the morning Before you go to bed, jot down in your lab notebook the type of animal you think it might be.

Good Morning!! Montana mornings are marvelous. They are cool, clear, and clean. Just the kind of day you need to get to work done at the dig site. The rock layers holding your fossils are very hard and give up only 3 more specimens Withdraw 3 more bones from your envelope.

Back to Camp. . . With the day at an end you head back to camp to try assembling this mysterious animal again. You have 5 minutes to try some arrangements It’s late and you are weary. Maybe tomorrow you will figure out the puzzle. Record your ideas on what the animal might be in your lab notebook.

Day 3: The next day is cold. It is the last day of the digging season. Winter lurks behind the mountains, and you must leave. Just as the day is about to end in disappointment and defeat, one member of the group cries, “I’ve got them! I’VE GOT THEM!!!!” Withdraw 3 more bones from the envelope. You have 5 minutes to try arranging them.

Day 4: Liberty College Library Use your resources to help identify your fossil Record what animal you now think you have found.

Day 5-Collaborate with Colleagues Compare your findings and conclusions with other teams Record your final idea on what animal you have found. Turn in Group Daily Record Sheet Answer Individual Questions in your Science Notebook