Fossils

The Discovery of Dinosaurs

Facts about Fossils

• A type of scientist named a palaeontologist studies fossils to learn about prehistoric plants and animals.

• Fossils can be mineralized bones, teeth, shells, wood, or actual unaltered material from an organism, like frozen flesh or bones!

• The best place to go and see real fossils found by palaeontologist is the Museum.

• Fossils are identified, catalogued, and stored safely for research at the museum.

• The oldest known fossils are 3.5 Billion years old!

Where are fossils found?

• Sediments are deposited in layers, sometimes burying traces of life. These sedimentary rocks are stratified.

• Most fossils are found in sedimentary rock.

• Sedimentary rocks are made of sand, silt, mud, or cobbles. Sediments are often carried in water, and deposited in layers or strata.

How are fossils extracted?

• Fossils are extracted from rock using special tools.

Fun Facts about Dinosaurs

• There are over 300 different species of Dinosaurs that have been found so far.

• The longest dinosaur ever found was Seismosaurus. This dinosaur was more than 140 feet long and may have weighed 80 to 100 tons!

• The smallest dinosaur ever found was known as Compsognathus, it was the size of a chicken.

• Dinosaurs roams the earth over 180 Million years ago!

A Few Extinct Animals

A Few Special Features

The Plant Eater: Sauropod

The Life of Dinosaurs

• Dinosaurs were land-dwelling reptiles that walked with an erect stance. Their unique hip structure caused their legs to stick out under their bodies, and not sprawl out from the side.

• There were many different types of dinosaurs, differing in size and weight, locomotion, and diet.

Web Research Activity

• Learn about different kinds of dinosaurs and activities from the web.

• Visit “enchanted learning” to go on a discovery of dinosaurs and take quizzes about them also.

• After longing onto the internet, type in http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/index.html

• Click on the highlighted categories to view information about dinosaurs.

• Select a dinosaur of your choice and research it. You could use other web-sites to find dinosaur information.

• Type a research paper and bring it to the class.

• You will present the information, it must include an illustration of the dinosaur.

Making Fossil Replicas. Lab.

• Today, we are going to make our own fossils using plaster and molds.

• We are going to leave our own prints in history, just as the dinosaurs did 180 Million years ago.

• Have Fun!!!!!