2.

Fossils
Subject/ Grade Level: Science/Grade 4
Time: 1 hour
NB Elementary Science Curricula:
GCO: Students will be expected to:
204-3 state a prediction and a hypothesis based on an observed pattern of events
204-8 identify appropriate tools, instruments, and materials to complete investigations
205-5 make observations and collect information relevant to a given question or problem
SCO: Students will be expected to:
301-4: Describe ways in which soil is formed from rocks.
300-7: Identify and describe rocks that contain records of the Earth's history.
NGSS Standards:
Identify evidence from patterns in rock formations and fossils in rock layers for changes in a
landscape over time to support an explanation for changes in a landscape over time. 4-ESS1-1
Science and Engineering Practice:
Make observations and/or measurements to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for
an explanation of a phenomenon. (4-ESS2-1)
Disciplinary Core Ideas:
Local, regional, and global patterns of rock formations reveal changes over time due to earth
forces, such as earthquakes. The presence and location of certain fossil types indicate the order
in which rock layers were formed. (4-ESS1-1)
Crosscutting Concepts:
Patterns can be used as evidence to support an explanation. (4-ESS1-1), (4-ESS2-2)
Language Arts NB Curriculum
GCO: Students will be expected to use a range of strategies to develop effective writing and
other ways of representing and to enhance their clarity, precision and effectiveness.
SCO: Students will be expected to
use technology with increasing proficiency in writing and other forms of representing
Lesson Objective: At the end of this lesson, students will understand the process of
fossilization (how fossils are formed).
Differentiation:
This is a very fun and engaging activity that is student friendly and meets the needs of all

learners. The activities included will support visual, interpersonal, intrapersonal, logical, and
kinesthetic learners. The teacher and E.A. will be circulating the room to help students who are
struggling or need some extra help.

Materials/Resources/Technology:
Water
Plaster
Containers
Objects: leaves, small dinosaurs, footprints, etc.
Sand
Smartboard (or computers, laptops, iPads)
Website: http://paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs/interactives/dig/main.html
Assessment checklist

Technology Component:
Students will be using digital photography to take pictures of their fossils and printers to print
out pictures to compare.
Computers or the smart board will be used to explore digging for fossils digitally.
ENGAGEMENT (20 minutes)
Because the students have visited the Bay of Fundy and the tour guide would have explained
some of the process of fossils and shown some examples, the teacher will pass example of
fossils and the class will have a discussion/ask the students some questions such as What is a
fossil? Where can we find fossils? What do fossils tells us? How are fossils made?
With the last question How are fossils made? the teacher will explain the process again for
those who may have forgotten or were absent.
EXPLORATION (15 minutes)
The students will create their own fossils! The teacher will mix water and plaster together.
Each student will be handed a plastic container, and the students will add sand in the
container. The students will be provided with different objects: leaf, small dinosaur, footprints,
etc. They will create an imprint of the object into the sand/clay. After they have completed this
step, the teacher will pour a mixture of plaster/water on the imprint. The student will write
their name on the container and leave it set to dry. The students can bring this home later in the
week.
Students will take pictures of their fossils and identify what they are by comparing them with
pictures found from resources in books and online. These pictures will be printed out and put
on the bulletin board outside the classroom for many to see.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/lessonplans/earth/fossils.html
EXPLANATION (10 minutes)
The teacher review everything and explain that fossils are the remains of animals and plants
that lived a long time ago. The teacher will explain that fossils are made in two different ways,

an animal or plant is buried and turns into rock, or the imprint of an animal or plant can be
preserved.
ELABORATION (15 minutes)
The teacher and the students will explore on the smartboard (if the computer lab is not
available) a website on digging their own fossil.
http://paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs/interactives/dig/main.html [Appendix I] The teacher can
explain that fossils can be very small or very big, and that they are often up in historic
museums. The teacher can also explain the term extinction such as the dinosaurs no longer
roam on the earth, but because of the process of fossilization, we can figure out that they
existed on this planet, and how their life was.
EVALUATION
While the students are creating their own fossils, the teacher will walk around the room to
have a small discussion on the process of fossilization. The teacher will ask questions such as
What is a fossil? How do you make a fossil? Why are these important?, etc. The teacher
will have a checklist to see if the students are understanding the process of fossilization.
[Appendix J]
Possible Extension Activity:
When the students fossils are dry, the students can place these somewhere in the schoolyard or
in the classroom. The students will become anthropologists/explorers/paleontologist. They
will have to identify what kind of fossil they found - dinosaur, or plant.

Lesson Evaluation and Revision:

How did the lesson work over all?
What things would we changes?
What things could we expand on?
What things do we need to make sure we keep?
Were the students engaged in the activities?
Were the differentiation strategies appropriate?