Finding Fossils What is a fossil? How is a fossil formed? What do we learn from fossils?

We are learning to … Understand what a fossil is. Discover how a dinosaur becomes a fossil.

What I’m looking for… That you know what a fossil is Can describe how fossils are formed Say what we learn from fossils

Let’s have a look at some fossils… m/Website_Directory.html

Fossils Fossils are the remains or imprints left by plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. The fossils may look the same as when the plant or animal was alive but have now changed to stone.Fossils are the remains or imprints left by plants and animals that lived millions of years ago. The fossils may look the same as when the plant or animal was alive but have now changed to stone. They become buried under layers of rock which then wears away so they can be seen againThey become buried under layers of rock which then wears away so they can be seen again Fossils can be found anywhere.Fossils can be found anywhere. 23 rd June 2015

Palaeontology What is it like to be a palaeontologist?

We are learning to … Understand what a palaeontologist does?. Discover how difficult this job can be. Sort dinosaurs

What I’m looking for… That you know what a palaeontologist isThat you know what a palaeontologist is Can describe what they doCan describe what they do Work carefully with your ‘fossil’Work carefully with your ‘fossil’ Can sort dinosaursCan sort dinosaurs

What is it like to be a palaeontologist? palaeontologists do a lot of physical work they have to hike into remote areas while carrying a lot of heavy supplies Some fossils are buried deep into embankments, requiring a tough slog with pickaxes and shovels to remove the sediment

Then they have to excavate, very carefully, around the fossil so that they don’t damage it In addition to excavating, they draw detailed maps, recording exactly what position the fossils were found in and at what depth. Would you like to be a Palaeontologist?

Let’s be Junior Palaeontologists…

In your Topic books I would like you to… Yellow, Blue and Red- write a paragraph about what are fossils. What it must be like to be a palaeontologist. Think about where they go to find fossils, how careful they need to be, how long it takes, what equipment they need, what they have to do. White and Green– write a few sentences about what it must be like to be a palaeontologist

Can we use what we have learnt to sort out this mystery?