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Overview:
Every fossil has a story to tell. In this lesson, students learn how paleontologists study fossils from prehistoric times to gain insights into animals and their interactions. In Activity 1, students participate in a class activity to learn how fossils provide important clues to past life. In Activity 2, students examine a site map based on an actual discovery to gain a rare glimpse into the final moments of two extinct sea creatures. In the Closing Activity, students examine a fossil discovery in order to make their own site map.
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
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 7: "The physical processes that shape the patterns of Earth′s surface"
Standard 17: "How to apply geography to interpret the past"
National Science Education Standards
- Science Content Standard A: Science as inquiry—Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence
- Science Content Standard D: Earth and space science—Fossils
Time:
Activity 1 (Cretaceous Clues): 25 minutes
Activity 2 ("Impossible Fossil" Site Map): 25 minutes
Activity 3 (Create a Site Map): 45 minutes
Film (Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure): 40 minutes
Materials Required:
Objectives:
Students will
- learn how fossils provide evidence about a prehistoric plant or animal;
- learn how evidence found in fossils is used to understand prehistoric life;
- identify information from a site map;
- see how paleontologists record information;
- learn how fossil evidence is used to understand prehistoric life;
- examine an illustration and scientific notes; and
- create a site map to record a fossil discovery.
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: How do scientists analyze fossil evidence to reconstruct life in prehistoric times?
Try This First!
Ask students, "What is a fossil?" Explain that the study of fossils and the fossil record is called "paleontology" and that scientists who specialize in this research are called "paleontologists." Next, distribute and discuss A Fossil Forms (PDF), a student handout.
Development:
Activity 1: Cretaceous Clues
Students learn how fossils provide important clues to past life.
Directions:
1. Explain. Tell students that fossil evidence provides clues about past life. By studying an individual fossil, for example, a paleontologist can infer the age, size, brain capacity, locomotion, feeding preferences, and other information about an animal that lived millions of years ago.
2. Class activity. Write "Fossil Evidence" on the board. Tell students that fossils provide evidence about an animal′s physical appearance, behaviors, and interactions with other animals. Create a chart on the board with two columns labeled "Fossil Evidence" and "Clues to …?" Write the first evidence as "serrated teeth." Prompt students to make inferences about this evidence, i.e., the animal may eat meat. Ask students to explain their reasons for this, i.e., sharp teeth are needed to tear flesh. Continue with the other "Fossil Evidence" listed in the chart below.
Possible answers:
| Fossil Evidence |
Clues to. . .? |
| sharp teeth |
may eat meat |
| extremely long neck |
reach for food quickly or hard to reach places |
| bones not fully developed |
possible juvenile |
| marks on bones |
signs that other animals bit, chewed, or scavenged |
3. Building on learning. Now have students consider what clues two or more fossils together might provide. Sometimes this fossil evidence provides clues about the interactions between prehistoric animals.
Have students brainstorm different ways in which animals behave and interact with one another.
Possible answers: parasite/host, predator/prey, family group, communal group, reproduction, or feeding.
Then have students try to come up with some examples of fossil evidence to make inferences about possible animal interactions.
Possible answers:
| Fossil Evidence |
Clues to. . .? |
| two different animal bones together |
possible interactions– parasite/host, predator/prey, family group, communal group, reproduction, or feeding |
| clam shells inside rib cage |
animal ate clams |
Activity 2: "Impossible Fossil" Site Map
Students examine a site map based on an actual discovery to gain a rare glimpse into the final moments of two extinct sea creatures.
Directions:
1. Distribute "Impossible Fossil" Site Map (PDF) to each student. Tell students that paleontologists make careful field observations, notes, and drawings when they discover and excavate a fossil. This recorded information provides clues for the paleontologist and, in this case, may provide information about the life and death of prehistoric marine reptiles.
2. Review. Ask students to recall the possible clues they found in the evidence discussed in Activity 1. Remind them that physical evidence can provide a record of an animal′s physical appearance, behavior, and interactions with other animals. Review the types of animal interactions.
3. Complete the handout and discuss. Explain that this site map is modeled after the famous "fish in a fish" fossil discovery. Ask students why this is an appropriate name.
Answer: Because the ribs of the larger fish surround both sides of the smaller fish.
View Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.
4. Discuss. Ask students to name examples of animal interactions shown in the film. Next, ask students to recall examples of fossil evidence that supported some of these interactions. It may help to prompt students to recall these two examples: shark tooth found in Dolichorhynchops limb; Xiphactinus skeleton with fossilized fish skeleton found inside its stomach.
Answer Key:
- Smoky Hill Chalk, Gove County, Kansas
- Xiphactinus and Gillicus
- 87-82 mya (during Cretaceous)
- Gillicus inside ribs of Xiphactinus
- Xiphactinus ate Gillicus
- Xiphactinus ate Gillicus
- about 3 feet long
Closing:
Create a Site Map
Students examine a fossil discovery in order to make their own site map.
Directions:
1. Distribute Create a Site Map: Parts 1 & 2 (PDF, Adobe Reader required) to each student. Also, return "'Impossible Fossil' Site Map" (Activity 2) to each student.
2. Start the activity. Allow students time to review the vocabulary words, the sketch, and the notes, or review together as a class.
3. Review Directions. Tell students that they will play the role of a paleontologist by creating a site map based on this fossil find. They can use the "Impossible Fossil" Site Map (PDF) (Activity 2) as a model.
4. Create a site map. Students can work alone or in groups.
5. Student presentations. Have students present their work to the class. Discuss any interesting ideas or evidence.
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:
Score student site maps and notes according to the following criteria. Students should:
- Include a scale for the site map. (Note: one square equals one square foot)
- Draw the Tylosaurus to scale. (Note: the skull is four feet; the seven vertebrae are one foot, eight inches)
- Include at least four observations based on the field notes.
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