The Great Fossil Find

THE GREAT FOSSIL FIND

1. WITHOUT LOOKING, PULL OUT FOUR FOSSIL BONES AND TRY TO PUT THEM TOGETHER.

DRAW YOUR IDEA IN THE BOX BELOW. BE SURE TO SKETCH EACH FOSSIL BONE.

WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE?

2. WITHOUT LOOKING, TAKE OUT THREE MORE FOSSIL BONES AND ADD THEM INTO YOUR PICTURE.

WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL DO YOU THINK IT IS NOW?

WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR PREDICTION?

3. WITHOUT LOOKING, TAKE OUT THREE MORE FOSSIL BONES AND ADD THEM INTO YOUR PICTURE.

WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL DO YOU THINK IT IS NOW?

WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR PREDICTION?

4. NOW, WALK AROUND THE ROOM AND GET SOME IDEAS FROM OTHER SCIENTISTS. ARE THEIR IDEAS THE SAME AS YOURS OR ARE THEY DIFFERENT? CIRCLE ONE:

SAME DIFFERENT

LIST TWO IDEAS YOU GOT FROM LOOKING AT OTHER GROUPS:

5. CHECK OUT THE FOSSIL RESOURCE MANUAL TO SEE WHAT THE SKELETONS OF LIVING ANIMALS LOOK LIKE. NONE OF THESE DRAWINGS ARE OF THE FOSSIL ANIMAL YOU ARE STUDYING!

LIST TWO IDEAS YOU GOT FROM THE RESOURCE MANUAL:

6. MAKE ANY CHANGES YOU THINK ARE NECESSARY ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE PUT THE FOSSIL BONES TOGETHER AND DRAW YOUR FINAL IDEA BELOW:

WHAT TYPE OF ANIMAL DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE?

ASK MR. DAILY FOR SOME TRACING PAPER AND TAPE IT ON TOP OF YOUR DRAWING ABOVE. ON THE TRACING PAPER, DRAW WHAT YOU THINK YOUR ANIMAL ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE.

GREAT FOSSIL FIND QUESTIONS

WHICH OF THESE THINGS HELPED YOU SOLVE THIS MYSTERY? CIRCLE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED YOU...

A. GETTING MORE FOSSILS (MORE EVIDENCE)

B. USING YOUR IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY

C. LOOKING AT THE IDEAS OF OTHER SCIENTISTS (STUDENTS)

D. LOOKING AT THE SKELETONS OF THINGS THAT ARE ALIVE NOW.

E. WORKING WITH A PARTNER

DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE SOLVED THIS MYSTERY?

YES NO

IF YES, EXPLAIN WHY:

IF NO, EXPLAIN WHY NOT:

DID YOUR INFERENCE CHANGE DURING THIS ACTIVITY?

YES NO

IF YES, EXPLAIN WHY:

IF NO, EXPLAIN WHY NOT: