Science in a Bag – Teacher Page
Diggin’ Up Bones!
Grade Level: 5
Standards: GLE
0507.5.2 Analyze fossils to demonstrate the connection between
organisms and environments that existed in the past and those that currently exist.
Task Objective : Students can excavate the fossils out of the gelatin, and determine what
type of fossil it is.
Explanation: Students become Archaeologist for the day when they begin to excavate
fossils from the dirt. Students will create their own ways of retrieving the fossils, and
cleaning them off. Students will learn how to identify the different types of fossils that
they discover just like Archaeologist do!
Academic Vocabulary:
Archaeology- is the study of prehistoric peoples and their cultures by analysis of their
artifacts inscriptions, monuments.
Excavate- remove earth carefully and systematically from an area in order to find buried
remains
Fossils- the remains or impression of prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or
as a mold or cast in rock
Mold- an impression of an organism formed when sediment hardens around the
organism
Mass extinction- a period during which a large number of species become extinct
Archeologist’s Tools- Pick, Shovel, and Trowels
Common Misconceptions
Archeologist only dig in other countries not America- Archeologist dig all over the earth!
Each archeologist picks a geographic area to dig in.
Archeologist dig up things that they shouldn’t be- Archeologist main goal is to find items
that can tell a little bit about the past. Archeologist does this through collecting data that
can tell us human patterns and ways from the past. In today’s time, laws have been put
into place to protect important artifacts from being disturbed.
Archeologist will run out of things to dig up- Archeologist will always have things to dig
up. There are things that die and get buried everyday. This has been happening as long as
mankind has been on earth, so archeologist will never run out of things to dig up.
Real World Connection
It is so important in today’s time for us to understand the past. It is vital for students to
understand that fossils are so important and can tell us many things about the creatures
that lived in the past. The things they ate, hunted, and even the tools that helped them
survive. Our world today is so easy to live in, and our students need to understand that it
wasn’t always this way.
Connections Across the Curriculum
Social Studies: 5.57 Write an informative text about the Holocaust and it’s impact. ( If
Archeologist went to the concentration camps and began digging; they would probably
find many fossils of people who died there.)
Math: CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.B.2: Make a line plot to display a data set of
measurements in fractions of a unit (1/2, 1/4, 1/8). Use operations on fractions for this
grade to solve problems involving information presented in line plots. (Students could
measure their fossils they found and create a line plot)
Science- 0507.5.5 Use fossils to match a previously existing organism with one that
exists today. ( Student can determine what fossils that they dig up still live today and
what they are)
References
https://www.pinterest.com/- Activity
https://quizlet.com/9316902/fossil-terms-flash-cards/- More definitions
https://images.google.com/- pictures
Science in a Bag – Student Page
Diggin’ up Bones!
Grade Level:
5th Grade
Standards :GLE 0507.5.2 Analyze fossils to demonstrate the connection between
organisms and environments that existed in the past and those that currently exist.
Task Objective: Students can excavate the fossils out of the gelatin, and determine what
type of fossil it is.
Materials Needed:
Pumpkin Pick- Excavation Tool
Pumpkin Scraper- Excavation Tool
Paint Brushes
Skelton
Dirt
Sand
Water
Procedures
1. Read Directions Carefully Before Beginning
2. Do vocabulary sorting in baggies first
3. Pick out excavating tool and begin digging
4. Dig until you find 1 fossil
5. Once you have retrieved your fossil, wash off all the excess dirt
6. Wash your fossil off in the bowl of water and dry off with a paper towel
7. Get your Skelton worksheet, and identify the body part on the fossil you found
8. Color the body part you found on you Skelton worksheet
9. Put worksheet in your interactive notebook
10. Clean up by washing off your tools and placing where the next group may use
them
Academic Vocabulary
Students will need to match the word to the correct definitions.
Assessment
Fact 32: Matching Cards
Students need to match the vocabulary words with the pictures and then match the
pictures with the definitions.
Clean-up
Wipe off the desk from any spilt water, and wash off your excavation tools from any left
over dirt. Place your excavation tools where the next group can find them