Fossils
Background Information & Activities

Learning about fossils is a terrific way for children to explore Earth’s past. Your children have probably looked at fossils in natural history museums or read about them in books. Nearly every child has learned about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals. Fossils are clues to Earth’s history and help us understand how life has changed on our planet. Remind your children that a fossil is something left from a plant or animal that lived long ago that has turned into rock. It is important for your children to understand that fossils do not have to be bones or parts of plants, but they can be remnants of life, such as nests, footprints, and droppings. Fossils can form in many ways and your children should understand that the process takes millions of years. Scientists such as paleontologists study fossils and look for clues to draw conclusions about plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.

A fossil is something left from a living thing that lived long ago that has turned into rock. Many fossils are from living things that are extinct. Remind your children that when a living thing is extinct, it is no longer living and none of its kind is left on Earth. Some living things die out due to natural causes, such as dinosaurs, while others die out because of human interference, such as the dodo. People have found fossils of leaves, seeds, and cones of plants that lived millions of years ago, as well as fossil bones, shells, claws, teeth, and even whole skeletons. People have also discovered fossil footprints, nests, and droppings, which give insight into how living things moved or behaved.

Fossils can form in different ways, but some fossils form when a living thing dies and gets buried. Over time, the soft parts get eaten by bacteria or other organisms. The soft parts decompose, or break down, and the hard parts, such as shells, teeth, bones, or claws, are left behind. Over millions of years, layers of sediment pile on top, creating pressure. This helps turn the lower layers into rock. Water can seep into the area and bring in minerals. Minerals slowly replace the hard parts and create a slow chemical change that turns the hard parts into a fossil of the same shape. Slowly, erosion causes the top layers to recede and wear away and the fossil can be found. Many fossils are found in riverbeds or cliffs, where water has eroded an area for thousands of years.

Sometimes a living thing dies and gets buried under sediment. It decomposes, but its outline remains. Over millions of years the sediment turns to rock, but an imprint of the living thing is still left behind. Your children have probably seen fossil imprints of plants and shells and may have made imprints on their own using clay and different objects.

People have also found living things trapped in ice, such as woolly mammoths. The ice preserves the living thing and prevents it from fully decomposing. Some species of trees release a resin, which is similar to tree sap. Insects and small animals can get trapped in the resin and over time it hardens into amber with the animal inside preserved. These remnants are not considered fossils, they still provide valuable clues to Earth’s history.

Scientists use fossils to learn about Earth’s history. Remind your children that a paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils. You may want to explain that an archaeologist is slightly different. An archaeologist studies evidence from past human life and culture. Explain to your children that each fossil tells a story. For example, a fossil bone can give clues about the size of an animal. Fossil teeth can give hints about what the animal ate. Scientists often compare living animals with fossil bones to draw conclusions. For example, today’s carnivorous animals often have sharp teeth for tearing meat, while herbivorous animals often have flat teeth for grinding and chewing. Scientists can draw comparisons with fossil teeth to today’s animals to infer what a living thing ate millions of years ago. Fossil droppings can also give clues about what an animal ate. Some fossil droppings show traces of plant materials or bones of other animals.

Encourage your children to learn about Earth’s history. Your children will probably have many questions about fossils, so encourage them to look up information on the Internet or in the library to learn more. This will help develop their research skills and support their natural curiosity about our world.

Fossils Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Fossils Family Activities – Click Here!

Fossils Teacher Activities

Prints

Remind your students that scientists use clues from fossils to identify the plant or animal and learn about how it lived. Bring in clay or putty to your class and have them make a footprint or a handprint. Then mix the prints together and have students figure out who made each print. What clues can they use to figure out the answer? For example, if students are examining a footprint, what kind of shoe might have made it, a sneaker or a loafer? Students can narrow down the possible answers by looking at their classmates’ shoes. Encourage students to share their ideas and theories with the whole class.

Natural History Museum

If possible, take your students on a trip to a natural history museum. Have your students bring sketchpads and notebooks to draw fossils that interest them and write down any fascinating facts. Many museums offer tours or have experts available to talk to classes. Make sure your students come prepared with questions to ask. After the trip, discuss what your students have learned. Have them share their drawings and notes and talk about their favorite fossils.

State Fossil

Nearly every state has a state fossil. Research your state’s fossil together and learn more by visiting the library, looking up information in the Internet, or asking an expert. Where in the state can the fossil be found? Have students gather information and share what they learned. Then have each student pick a state and study the state’s fossil. Students can draw a picture of it and write facts about the fossil. Together, create a map of the United States using pictures of the fossils.

Fossils Family Activities

Fossils at Home

Go fossil hunting with your child! Fossils can be found everywhere, even in your own backyard or in your own town! Find local areas where fossils have been found. Many communities have fossil enthusiasts who know the best places to find fossil plants and animals. Riverbeds and creeks are great places to find fossils because water erodes the sediment and the earth is soft enough to expose fossils.

Make Your own Fossil

Help your child collect a few items to “fossilize” like leaves, pine needles, shells, even chicken bones. Then make a bowl shape out of aluminum foil. Fill the bowl half way with plaster of paris and press your items into the wet plaster. Wait 20-30 minutes until the plaster is mostly dry and remove your objects carefully. As your child to imagine what paleontologists of the future might learn from this fossil about plants and animals of our time.