Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dino 02 Fossils
Dino 02 Fossils
Introduction
The American Museum of Natural History houses
the largest and most spectacular collection of
vertebrate fossils in the world. A fossil is any
evidence of prehistoric life that is at least 10,000
years old. The most common fossils are bones and
teeth, but footprints and skin impressions fossils as
well. Fossils are excavated from ancient riverbeds
and lakes, caves, volcanic ash falls, and tar pits. an impression of
dinosaur skin
Fossils are classified as either body fossils or trace
fossils. Body fossils were parts of the organism,
such as bones or teeth. Trace fossils include foot
impressions, eggs, burrows, and dung.
Procedure
1. Write the word fossil on the chalkboard and have
Objective
students describe what a fossil is in their own
In this activity, students will learn to distinguish
words. Guide students to understand that a fossil
between body fossils and trace fossils.
is any evidence of life that is at least 10,000 years
old. Further explain that dinosaur fossils are much
Materials older. Some are 65 million years old, others are
• Body Fossils and Trace Fossils duplicated for more than 225 million years old. Tell students that
each student paleontologists can learn a lot about life long ago
• Crayons by studying the fossils they find. Tell students
• Pictures of fossils (you can download images at they will explore different kinds of fossils.
www.amnh.org/resources/exhibitions/dinosaurs/)
2. Write the words body and trace in two columns
on the chalkboard. Tell students that fossils are
classified as body fossils and trace fossils. Body
fossils were once part of an animal. Display pic-
tures of the body fossils. Have students identify
the skull, tooth, and foot. Write their answers in
the column marked “body.” Further explain that
trace fossils are evidence of something the
dinosaur left behind. Display pictures of the trace
fossils. Have students identify the footprints,
eggs, and skin impression. Write their responses
in the column marked trace. Allow students time
to share other information they have about fossils.
foot of
Tyrannosaurus rex 3. Distribute crayons and copies of Body Fossil
and Trace Fossils. Instruct students to look at the
fossils pictured and decide whether they are body
fossils or trace fossils. Have them circle the body
fossils blue and the trace fossils red. (Answers:
tooth, skull, and foot are body fossils. Skin imprint,
eggs, and footprints are trace fossils.)
Look at the fossils below. Circle the bone fossils blue. Circle the trace fossils red.