Need Fossil Teaching Material

[fossil man]

i was approached about doing a 10 minute talk to kids about fossil, but i didnt want to bore them with dates, numbers, or formations. I was wondering if any of you have done similar things and what stuff you used to capture there attention and hold it. Any information anyone can afford or pointers, or material online would be great. It will be a outdoor classroom, if that might help in the presentation some how. Thanks for input ahead of time.

[PaleoRon]

A fossil sand box where kids can "find" their own fossils will usually get them interested.

[obsessed1]

Follow this link. It will take you to the "Friends of the Auroa Fossil Museum" website. Click on education. It has instructions on how to get teaching materials along with a 5 gallon bucket of fossil containing material for the students to go through and find thier own fossils!

http://www.afmfriends.org/Education/tabid/66/Default.aspx

[Bill]

I gave a talk to a lot of youngsters, years ago. I didn't realise how young they were until I got to the classroom. The talk had to suddenly become more basic, because of their age. Luckilly I took some small ammonites, belemnites, and gastropods for each child. Although they seemed interested with these, their faces changed and they became almost hyperactive with joy, when I talked about and gave them some shark teeth each.

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

I too have presented to elementary students. Keep it short and simple. Definitely have give-aways like Bill said. They always ask if I have any dinosaur stuff. So if you do, take that. Take specimens that can be touched and handled as well as a few that can't. I created small bags for each kid with one each of: shark tooth, blastoid, archimedes, crinoid stem, and horn coral. I waited to the end of the program to give them their specimens, if you do it early on, they might not listen to you anymore.

[ashcraft]

I have done similar for various age groups from very young to very old, your biggest problem is time. Ten minutes will go by quickly. Topics to consider- "What is a fossil?" "are any available locally?" "What was the climate like here, and how do we know that?"

Kids love vertebrate fossils, particularly dinosaurs, but ice age material is something they are also familiar with. A sand pile works great (If you have the time), and you can salt it with whatever you have. Small pieces of petrified wood, blastoids, snails work well. I have also thrown in "arrowhead pieces" that I don't have any use for, and I usually add a handful of change to vary what they find.

Brent Ashcraft

[Haizahnjager]

If you have the time, create little information cards to sum up your main points. This allows the kids to just pay attention to what you are saying and enjoy themselves. I agree with what most have said; Bring something for them to touch and take home, that's what will excite an 8/9 year old.

Good Luck,

-HZJ

[Auspex]

May I share a little interpretation 101?

>Don't try to make more than 3 points to a group that age (no more than 5 to adults).

>Plan your points, and their segues.

>Present the information in 3 steps: Tell them what you will be telling them, Tell it to them, and Tell them what you just told them.

I learned this basic framework in an interpretation course, and it has served me well in the nature programs I give.

[PaleoPutz]

I am a third grade teacher so I have done this once or twice. If you have any specimens that actually look like what they were I would use those. For example, kids have trouble picturing what the entire thing looked like if you are only showing them a toe bone fragment. If this isn't possible try finding pictures of what the critter looked like. They like dinosaur coloring sheets too. enchantedlearning.com has some decent, if not basic, stuff. It is a member site, but there are quite a few freebies as well.

[fossil man]

wow, I just want to say thanks for all the helpful suggestions and the info links. These are all great suggestions. I really want to give all of them something but the thing is, i will be talking to 16, back to back, classes of kids. I figured I would try and talk about what is a fossil, since most of my fossils are marine in orign i would talk about the inland seas and how the fossils were formed, and do a fossil comparison and show the weight difference. I was thinking about going either getting some fossil containing material and letting them go through it or getting a common fossil (like a clam and giving each one a fossil). Paleo putz if i did the thing of letting them go through material i dont know if each one would find something, because they have to move to the next booth. So do you think that is ok that there is a chance that not all would find something, or maybe give those that dont find anything a fossil clam shell? Once again thanks to all for your input.

Lloyd