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Overview:
What is it like to work as a paleontologist? In Activity 1, students listen to or read an interview with paleontologist Paul Sereno, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, to learn about his passion for science and his discovery of SuperCroc in sub-Saharan Africa. In Activity 2, students join a dig with paleontologist Mike Everhart to learn what happens when a scientist in the field suddenly discovers fossil remains. In the Closing Activity, students create a story or conduct an interview and present or record their work for an imaginary radio program.
This lesson is one in a series designed to accompany the National Geographic film, Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure. It was developed and reviewed with input from scientists, teachers and museum educators.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, science, language arts, theater arts
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Time:
Activity 1 (Meet a Paleontologist): 20 minutes
Activity 2 (Join a Dig): 45 minutes
Activity 3 ("Fossils Rock!" Radio Program): 60 minutes
Film (Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure): 40 minutes
Materials Required:
Objectives:
Students will
- learn about the work of paleontologists;
- learn about the tools paleontologists use on a field dig;
- learn about actions paleontologists take after discovering a fossil;
- write a story or conduct an interview using vocabulary and information from previous activities; and
- present or record their work.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Guiding Question: Why and how do paleontologists study fossils?
Show students the picture of paleontologists working on a fossil dig (see Sea Monsters′ Poster). Ask students to describe what is happening in the picture. Remind students to use observational skills to look for tools, geographic clues, and the work being done.
Background Information
Paleontology is a science dealing with the life of past geological periods as known from fossil remains. Paleontologists look for, discover, excavate, and study fossils to learn about life on Earth during prehistoric times.
Development:
Activity 1: Meet a Paleontologist
Students listen to or read an interview with paleontologist Paul Sereno, a National Geographic Explorer–in–Residence, to learn about his passion for science and his discovery of SuperCroc in sub–Saharan Africa.
Directions:
1. Explain. Scientist Paul Sereno searches for, discovers, and studies fossil remains. Scientists who do this work are called paleontologists. While on a dig in sub–Saharan Africa, Sereno discovered the fossil remains of Sarcosuchus imperator ("flesh crocodile emperor"), one of the largest crocodilians to ever walk the Earth. This SuperCroc was 40 feet long (as long as a city bus) and weighed about ten tons.
Note: Additional information about SuperCroc and Paul Sereno, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, is available online.
2. Distribute "Meet a Paleontologist" (PDF, Adobe Reader required) to each student.
3. Listen or read aloud. Ask a pair of students to read the interview aloud, with each student playing the role of interviewer or interviewee.
Note: This interview has been adapted and abridged for students. The original audio interview was broadcast on National Geographic World Talk (nationalgeographic.com/radio/worldtalk) and is available online.
4. Review and discuss. Check student comprehension. Write new vocabulary words on the board and discuss with students. Have students answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper and then discuss as a class.
- Why does Paul Sereno think science is fun?
(answer: He believes that science is about discovery and creativity, and asking questions or finding answers that no one else has.)
- Why does Paul Sereno think it is important to study dinosaurs?
(answer: Dinosaurs are a connection to the distant past, a time that we can only dream about or think about scientifically.)
- Where did Paul Sereno find SuperCroc?
(answer: In Africa.)
- What did SuperCroc look like?
(answer: Its skull was six feet long and its body was 40 feet long.)
- Why do you think it is named SuperCroc?
(answer: This prehistoric crocodile was twice as long and many times heavier than modern crocodiles.)
5. Brainstorm. Ask students to brainstorm additional questions they might have about paleontologists and their work. Write this list on the board and suggest that students look for answers to these questions as they watch Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.
Note: The film "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure" primarily profiles prehistoric marine reptiles, which are not classified as dinosaurs but lived at the same time.
Activity 2: Join a Dig
Students join a dig with paleontologist Mike Everhart to learn what happens when a scientist in the field suddenly discovers fossil remains.
Directions:
1. Explain. In 2002, paleontologist Mike Everhart was prospecting, or looking, for fossils in Kansas when he came across a wonderful discovery. In this activity, students will read or listen to his firsthand account of this find and then answer questions.
Note: Additional information about Mike Everhart′s work is available online.
2. Distribute Join a Dig (PDF, Adobe Reader required) to each student.
3. Listen to the story. Play the "Join a Dig" audio recording narrated by the scientist, or read the story aloud. Students can read along as they listen. The audio recording is available online.
4. Review learning. Write new vocabulary words on the board and discuss with students. Then use the following questions to lead a class discussion on the story. Have students answer the following questions on a separate piece of paper and then discuss as a class. Alternatively: Discuss the following questions with the whole class.
What actions did Everhart take to find and collect the fossil remains?
Possible answers:
- Observe
- Identify
- Photograph
- Locate
- Excavate (remove) dirt
- Sketch
- Protect
- Transport
What tools did Everhart use? Why were they helpful?
Possible answers:
- Map and GPS data to record the location of the fossil
- Camera and notebook to document the fossil
- Large pick, shovel, small knife, ice pick, and small brush to remove dirt and excavate the fossil
- Wet paper towels, burlap, plaster, plastic, and a plaster frame to protect the fossil
- A van to transport the fossil
Closing:
"Fossils Rock!" Radio Program
Students synthesize their learning to write a story or conduct an interview. They will orally present or record their work for a fictional radio program.
1. Explain. Students will create a story or conduct an interview for a fictional radio program called
"Fossils Rock!". They can work in groups or individually, as appropriate.
2. Distribute "Fossils Rock!" Radio Program (PDF, Adobe Reader required) to each student. Review the directions with students.
3. Student presentations. After students have had time to prepare their story or interview, have them present their work to the class. Students can pretend they are recording an imaginary radio program called "Fossils Rock!".
Option: Student work can be recorded using a computer with a microphone, or an audio or video recorder.
This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0514981. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Suggested Student Assessment:
Rate student work on a scale from 1 to 5 on each of the following categories: creativity, accurate use of vocabulary, accurate understanding of paleontology, organization of main ideas.
Extending the Lesson:
Adaptations
- This activity contains content-area reading and listening. Support students who have difficulty comprehending some of the text by providing scaffolding such as reinforcing vocabulary concepts, using words in context, predicting, summarizing and clarifying key points, and modeling comprehension strategies.
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