Grade Level(s):
- 3-5
- 6-8
- 9-12
Source:
- UC Museum of Paleontology
Resource type:
- Classroom activity
Time: ~40 min
Overview
Students play the roles of paleontologists on a dig. They "unearth" a few fossils at a time and attempt to reconstruct the animal the fossils represent.

- [History of life: Grades 6-8] Life forms of the past were in some ways very different from living forms of today, but in other ways very similar. (LS4.A)
- [History of life: Grades 9-12] Life forms of the past were in some ways very different from living forms of today, but in other ways very similar. (LS4.A)
- [Evidence of evolution: Grades 3-5] Form is linked to function.
- [Evidence of evolution: Grades 3-5] Fossils provide evidence of past life. (LS4.A)
- [Evidence of evolution: Grades 9-12] There are similarities and differences among fossils and living organisms.
- [Nature of science: Grades 3-5] Scientific ideas may change with new evidence. (NOS3)
- [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence. (P6, NOS3)
- [Nature of science: Grades 6-8] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
- [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientific knowledge is open to question and revision as we come up with new ideas and discover new evidence. (P4, P6, NOS3)
- [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] A hallmark of science is exposing ideas to testing. (P3, P4, P6, P7)
- [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists can test ideas about events and processes long past, very distant, and not directly observable.
- [Nature of science: Grades 9-12] Scientists may explore many different hypotheses to explain their observations. (P7)
- [Studying evolution: Grades 3-5] Scientists study fossils and how and when they were formed. (LS4.A)
- [Studying evolution: Grades 6-8] Scientists use fossils to learn about past life. (LS4.A, ESS1.C)
- [Studying evolution: Grades 9-12] Scientists use fossils (including sequences of fossils showing gradual change over time) to learn about past life.
- Disciplinary Core Idea LS4.A: Evidence of Common Ancestry and Diversity
- Disciplinary Core Idea ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
- NOS Matrix understanding category 3. Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence.
- Science and Engineering Practice 4. Analyzing and interpreting data
- Science and Engineering Practice 6. Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Science and Engineering Practice 7. Engaging in argument from evidence
An excellent lesson for demonstrating and discussing the nature of science. Adaptable to multiple grade levels. Best to laminate sets of the fossil bones for repetitive use.
Adapted from ENSI's Great Fossil Find.