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Title
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Fossil Formation
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Type
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Primary: Laboratory
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Operation
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Tectonic Fury
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Mission:
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Mission 3: Analyzing the Evidence
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Print Page
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83
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Subjects
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Science | Earth and space science | Earth materials | Evolution | Biological evolution | Geologic time | Science as inquiry | Science process skills | Analyzing data | Collecting data | Communicating | Experimenting | Hypothesizing | Interpreting data | Measuring | Modeling | Observing | Predicting | Scientific habits of mind | Using mathematics
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Grades
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5 | 6 | 7 | 8
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Keywords
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fossil, model, Dr. George Guthrie, hypothesis, mold, cast, fossil formation, sediment, paleontologist, scatter plot, data, Earth's history
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Duration
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01:30:00 (HH:MM:SS)
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Audience
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Teachers | Elementary Grades | Junior High
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Created On
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5/7/2010
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Copyright
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Ira Block/National Geographic Image Collection
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From: Tectonic Fury Mission 3: Analyzing the Evidence (pp: 83) |
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Fossil Formation In this lab, students will analyze the effect of sediment composition on the quality of a model fossil. Then, they will use analytical techniques to hypothesize about an organism from a fossil. |
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When Dr. George Guthrie is exploring areas for potential carbon sequestration, he takes core samples to analyze the geologic layers. Fossils are often found within the core samples and layers he examines. But, many times the entire organism is not fully fossilized. Dr. Guthrie and his team must use a variety of techniques to hypothesize about what the missing parts look like from observations of other fossils or plants and animals that are still alive today.
In this activity, you will analyze the effect of sediment composition on the quality of a model fossil. Then, you will use analytical techniques to hypothesize about an organism from a fossil.
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| Materials |
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- shell or other item with detail
- hand lens
- tape measure
- graph paper
- marker
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| Lab Prep |
- Label the paper cups A, B, C, and D.
- Mold a piece of clay for each cup that is slightly smaller than the circumference of the cup and around 1–1.5 cm thick.
- Press the same surface of a shell or other item into the surface of each clay piece. Gently remove the shell.
- Gently rub a small amount of oil on the impression in the clay surface. Place each clay piece into the bottom of the cups with the impression facing up.
- Cover the clay in each cup completely with a mixture of plaster of paris and water, using the following proportions. Allow all mixtures to dry overnight.
| Container |
Plaster of Paris |
Water |
| A |
4 Tbsp |
0 Tbsp |
| B |
3 Tbsp |
1 Tbsp |
| C |
2 Tbsp |
2 Tbsp |
| C |
1 Tbsp |
3 Tbsp |
- Remove the plaster and clay from each cup, and gently peel the clay from the plaster fossil.
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| Make Observations |
- Looking at each plaster fossil, which mixture produced fossilized prints with the most and least detail?
- Describe some relationships between composition of the sediment and quality of the fossil print in each piece of plaster.
- Which type of fossil do your plaster fossils most represent, and how do these types of fossils typically form?
- Your teacher will provide your class with a “fossilized” hand print.
- Measure the hand span (distance from tip of thumb to tip of pinky finger).
- Describe any distinguishing features on the surface of the hand or fingers.
- Knowing how tall you are and the size of your own hand, predict the height of the person who made the print.
- Use the following method to determine the person’s approximate height.
- Measure the height and hand span of each member of your group.
- Compile the data from the entire class.
- Construct a scatterplot of the data where the x-axis is the hand span, and the y-axis is the student’s height.
- Draw a line of best fit on your graph, and use it to determine the approximate height of the person who made the fossilized print.
- How do your predictions in steps 4 and 5 compare? How can paleontologists determine information, such as behavior or size, about an animal from fossilized prints, such as dinosaur tracks?
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Journal Question
Describe some characteristics of an organism that may make it more suitable for fossilization, and what effect this may have on our understanding of Earth’s past. |
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