Raymond M. Alf
Museum of Paleontology
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
Dear Educator: This guide is recommended for educators of grades 5-8 and is designed to help
you prepare students for their Alf Museum visit, as well as to provide resources to enhance your
classroom curriculum. This packet includes background information about the Alf Museum and
the science of paleontology, a summary of our museum guidelines and what to expect, a pre-visit
checklist, a series of content standard-aligned activities/exercises for classroom use before and/or
after your visit, and a list of relevant terms and additional resources. Please complete and return
the enclosed evaluation form to help us improve this guide to better serve your needs. Thanks!
Paleontology: The Study of Ancient Life
Paleontology is the study of ancient life. The history of past life on
Earth is interpreted by scientists through the examination of fossils,
the preserved remains of organisms which lived in the geologic past
(more than 10,000 years ago). There are two main types of fossils:
body fossils, the preserved remains of actual organisms (e.g. shells/
hard parts, teeth, bones, leaves, etc.) and trace fossils, the preserved
evidence of activity by organisms (e.g. footprints, burrows, fossil
dung).
Chances for fossil preservation are enhanced by (1) the presence of hard parts (since soft parts
generally rot or are eaten, preventing preservation) and (2) rapid burial (preventing disturbance by
biological or physical actions). Many body fossils are skeletal remains (e.g. bones, teeth, shells, exoskeletons). Most form when an animal or plant dies and then is buried by sediment (e.g. mud or sand).
Over a period of thousands to millions of years, minerals from underground water (which is moving
through the buried sediment) slowly precipitate into the pore spaces within the organism’s remains,
thereby hardening it. Eventually, the organism’s remains are mostly replaced by minerals through this
process. Body fossils also commonly form as impressions of the original material. For example, when
mud covers a leaf or dead organism, it may eventually dry and harden around it. The outline or imprint
of the organism’s shape and often its surface details are preserved in the hardened mud. Trace fossils,
such as footprints, tracks, trails, and burrows, are typically preserved when mud/sand infills a depression
or mark left by the organism in the underlying mud/sand. These mud layers harden and later separate as
rock layers to reveal the trace fossils.
Paleontologists study fossils to learn about the past history of life. Current knowledge of the
life’s ancient history comes from the piecing together of findings of a multitude of studies on fossils
and rocks found around the world. When these many findings are examined together, large-scale trends
emerge (“the fossil record”) which provide an understanding of patterns in the history of life. The fossil
record tells us how past plants and animals (many of which have long been extinct) interacted with each
other and their environments, and how groups of organisms have changed through time (including patterns of evolution and extinction). Information from the fossil record also provides a better understanding of ancient climate, geography, oceanography and much more.
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Scientists divide the Earth’s history, or Geologic Time, into chunks of time (e.g. Eons, Eras, Periods and Epochs) based on prominent changes in fossil and rock record (on a global scale). Geologic
time is subdivided into 2 main time blocks: Precambrian Time and the Phanerozoic Eon. The Phanerozoic is subdivided into three eras: the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic. Below are brief
descriptions of these major time divisions in the Earth’s history:
Precambrian Time (4600-543 million years ago): The Precambrian represents an
enormous portion (nearly 7/8ths) of the Earth’s history. This vast amount of time is
represented in the rocks formed 100s to 1000s of millions of years ago. Life began
during this early time in the earth’s history. The earliest life forms include impressions of bacteria/algae and carbon films and impressions of soft-bodied multicellular
life. The first mineralized (or hard) skeletons appear in the late Precambrian but most
Precambrian fossils were soft-bodied forms.
Trilobite
Paleozoic Era (543 – 245 m.y.a.): Most major fossil groups (phyla) appear
within the first 10 million years of the Paleozoic. Invertebrate life continued
to diversify and proliferate in the seas, including common trilobites, crinoids,
eurypterids, and many more. Primitive fishes (the first vertebrates) and amphibians first appear. This time also marks the transition of organisms onto land,
with the appearance of land plants, insects, and fossil reptiles.
Mesozoic Era (245 – 65 m.y.a.): During this “Age of Reptiles,” terrestrial organisms include conifers, cycads, primitive mammals, reptiles, flying reptiles (pterosaurs), and the ever-popular dinosaurs. Birds and flowering plants first appear. In
the oceanic (or marine) realm, diversity and abundance continue to grow, including
the appearance of swimming reptiles (mosasaurs, plesiosaurs & ichthyosaurs) and
many strange forms of ammonites.
Amphicyon
Bacteria
Ankylosaurus
Cenozoic Era (65 m.y.a. – present): Small mammals lived during the Age of
Reptiles (Mesozoic), but it was not until the extinction of the dinosaurs and the
beginning of the Cenozoic that mammals diversified and dominated. This era
is called the “Age of Mammals.” It also marks a time of unprecedented marine diversity. Modern man appeared about 120,000 years ago, very late in the
Cenozoic. We are presently in the Cenozoic.
The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology is located on the campus of The Webb Schools. The
museum was founded by Dr. Raymond M. Alf, a math and science teacher who first took Webb students
in search of fossils in the early 1930s. In 1937, Alf and student Bill Webb (son of the school’s founder)
discovered the skull of a new species of fossil pig, or peccary. The discovery of the peccary sparked in
Alf a life-long commitment to the study of paleontology and led to the founding of the museum that
bears his name. After the discovery of the peccary, student fossil collecting trips were known as Peccary
Trips. Over 95% of the 70,000 fossils in the museum’s collection were unearthed by students and staff
on peccary trips. In 1998, the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology gained national accreditation
from the American Association of Museums, the highest honor a museum can achieve. Thus, the Alf
Museum is now the only accredited museum located on a high school campus in the United States.
The Alf Museum has two large circular exhibition floors: The Hall of Life and The Hall of Footprints. The Hall of Life traces the history of life from the first cells through human civilization.
On display are the remains of some of the oldest multicellular organisms, fossil invertebrates (including trilobites, crinoids and others), dinosaurs and extinct reptiles (including skeletal casts of Allosaurus,
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Tyrannosaurus, and the great pterodactyl Quetzalcoatlus, and real dinosaur eggs), a wide range of fossil
mammals from Western North America and archaeological artifacts from around the world.
The Hall of Footprints is the largest, most diverse collection of animal footprints on display in
the United States. The dozens of trackways on exhibit were left by ancient birds, dinosaurs, spiders,
amphibians, reptiles, and other animals. The museum hall displays a complete camel skeleton mounted
above the fossil trackway of an ancient camel. Also on display is a cast of the giant bear-dog, Amphicyon, mounted directly above the only known trackway of this large carnivorous mammal. This and other
unique fossil footprints make the museum’s collection of tracks its most significant scientific asset. The
Hall of Footprints has recently been completely renovated and now includes many new exciting, informative and interactive exhibits.
The Optimal Alf Museum Experience
In the Alf Museum, careful observation and hands-on discoveries of the fossils can provide your students with a very fulfilling learning experience. The museum’s guided tour is designed to educate your
group about the museum’s major exhibits while also allowing your students opportunity for hands-on,
self-paced learning. The group will also learn about paleontological field and lab work through a short
film which highlights the museum’s recent hadrosaur skull discovery. Students tend to gain more from
their museum experience if they arrive with prior knowledge of the major concepts to be covered, as
well as what to expect from their visit. It is useful, in advance, to inform them of basic information
about where they are going and what they will see, as well as specific details such as what is expected of
them and whether they will visit the gift shop.
Before your visit, we ask that you be aware of a few important rules: (1) We ask that all adults
accompanying your class stay with your group at all times. Please remind parent chaperones that, while
their interest in the exhibits is appreciated, they are volunteering their time to help manage your class.
The docent leader has been trained to teach your students about the exhibits but is not responsible for
monitoring the group’s behavior. He or she will begin your tour by stating what is expected of the group.
Typically, students are asked to behave as they would in class, i.e. no talking, listen to the leader, raise
hands to ask or answer questions, etc. It would be helpful if you would review rules of proper conduct
with your group and make them aware before the visit that (2) students are not allowed to touch any displays unless they are told that they may do so. (3) They are also not to climb, sit or lean on the displays
unless instructed by signs in the museum. It is very tempting to touch the exhibits but the fossils are
irreplaceable and need to be treated with care.
We strongly suggest that you prepare your students by introducing major concepts (such as fossilization and others included in this guide) and by having them complete one or some of the suggested
activities before your visit. The activity sheets in this curriculum guide are designed to strengthen (& reinforce) your class’ museum experience and to exercise your students’ critical thinking skills. Completion of some of these worksheets before your visit should stimulate your students’ interest in the exhibits. Information about how each activity is aligned with California Science Content Standards is listed
on the Activity Guide table on page four.
By visiting the Alf Museum and completing the suggested activities, your students will:
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Observe fossils of species that inhabited the Earth at different times in its history.
Watch a short film which focuses on paleontological field and lab work conducted by the museum.
Compare the two types of fossils, how they form and what information they provide about ancient life.
Describe modern and fossilized animals according to their characteristics.
Discuss how adaptations affect how organisms can exist within environments.
Determine the relative timing of events based on data from fossils and sedimentary rock
sequences.
Describe & compare the animals and environments of prehistoric and present-day California.
Discuss how paleontologic research (collecting, preparing and curating fossils) is conducted.
Read and construct simple tables to organize, examine and evaluate information.
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The “Jurassic High” Film As Part of Your Museum Experience
During their visit, your group will not only receive a museum tour but will also be shown a short film
in the museum’s lecture hall. The 14-minute film “Jurassic High” features Webb students on a recent
museum research trip discovering and excavating a hadrosaur dinosaur skull in Utah. The film focuses
on the field and lab work conducted by the museum; it shows paleontologists and Webb students in all
aspects of their paleontological work both in the field and back at the museum- from prospecting to curation of fossils. This presentation is an exciting component of your museum experience by showing your
group the more dynamic, scientifically active side of the museum. Below is an outline of the material
highlighted in the film. We encourage you to introduce this material to your students before their visit
and/or to reinforce the concepts in your class afterwards.
Also, please note that if your tour group arrives late for your visit that time constraints may prevent the
opportunity for them to view the film. Although we wish for every group to see “Jurassic High”, if time
is very limited then touring the exhibits will take priority.
Paleontology: The study of prehistoric times using fossils.
Fossil: The remains of an animal or plant from the past preserved in rock. Fossils are our only evidence
of past life.
A Paleontologist’s Tasks:
1. Prospecting for fossils
2. Fossils discovered and collected & proper field data recorded
3. Fossils safely brought back to the museum
4. Fossils prepared
5. Fossils curated
6. Fossils either placed on exhibit or put safely in collection for later research
Prospecting (paleontologically speaking): Finding fossils exposed on the ground
How to Quarry (Collect) a Fossil
1. Remove most of the surrounding rock
2. Apply Hardener to preserve bone
3. Cover with burlap soaked in plaster
4. When dry, take it back to the museum
Tools used to collect fossils: Rock hammer, pickaxe, bone hardener, shovel, basin for mixing plaster,
awl, brush, plaster/burlap, toilet paper, water
Field data: Information about the fossils and where they were found
Fossil preparation: Cleaning the fossils by removing surrounding rock and piecing them together if necessary; making them ready to be studied or put on display
Curation: Creating good written records and organizing the museum collection.
Paleontology research: Using fossils to learn something new about past life that no one ever knew
before.
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Alf Museum Pre-Visit Concept Review
Grades 5-8
Some suggested review questions
What is a fossil? What are the two types of fossils?
Fossils are the preserved remains of organisms which lived in the geologic past (over 10,000 years ago).
They can be divided into body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils are the preserved remains of actual
organisms (like bones, teeth, shells and impressions) and trace fossils are the preserved evidence of activity
by organisms (like footprints and fossilized dung).
What are the two ways which make it more likely for an organism to become a fossil?
Chances for fossil preservation are enhanced by (1) the presence of hard parts (bones, shells, exoskeleton)
since soft parts like tissues generally rot or are eaten and (2) rapid burial (preventing disturbance by biological and/or physical actions).
What is adaptation?
An adaptation is a special characteristic that an organism has (that its species has developed over many
generations) which results in an improved relationship with its surroundings. In other words, the organism
is better suited to survive in its environment. Adaptations are the results of a long process, natural selection,
which weeds out less successful variations of body plans thereby resulting in the success of organisms that
have characteristics more in-tune with their environmental conditions.
What is biological evolution?
Evolution, simply put, is descent with modification. This definition includes small-scale evolution (changes
in gene frequency in a population from one generation to the next) and large-scale evolution (the descent of
different species from a common ancestor over many generations). Paleontologists usually discuss largescale evolution since evidence of large-scale evolutionary changes can be seen within the long time frame of
the history of life (as seen as changes between fossil species in the fossil record).
Name the major divisions of the Geologic Time Scale.
From oldest to youngest, geologic time is divided into Precambrian Time and the Phanerozoic, which is
subdivided into the Paleozoic (“Ancient Life”), the Mesozoic (“Age of Reptiles”), and the Cenozoic (“Age
of Mammals”).
Suggested Vocabulary
paleontology
fossil
body fossil
trace fossil
invertebrate
vertebrate
extinct
adaptation
evolution
organism
predator
prey
biostratigraphy
cast or replica
Geologic Time Scale
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Glossary
Adaptation: a special characteristic, or the way an animal or plant species has developed over time
resulting in an improved relationship to its environment (It is important when teaching this concept to
stress that adaptations are not ways that organisms/species have decidedly adjusted to their environments
but instead that adaptations are the results of a long process, natural selection, which weeds out less successful variations of body plans thereby resulting in the success of organisms that have characteristics
more in-tune with their environmental conditions.)
Cenozoic: The latest of the Phanerozoic eras of geologic time, extends from the end of the Mesozoic
Era (65 million years ago) to the present; the Age of Mammals
Collection: An accumulation of objects gathered for study, comparison or exhibition
Carnivore: An organism that eats meat
Curator: A person who organizes and exhibits objects of art, science, or historical interest for a museum department
Environment: The air, water, and land in and on which organisms live
Extinction: The disappearance of a plant or animal species; no longer in existence or living
Fossil: Preserved remains of organisms which lived in the geologic past (>10,000 years ago)
Geologic time: The vast amount of time (4.6 billion years) interpreted to represent the Earth’s history
Herbivore: An organism that eats plants
Invertebrate: An organism (e.g. insects, jellyfish, etc.) which lacks a backbone or spinal column
Mesozoic: The second and middle era of the Phanerozoic, after the Paleozoic and before the Cenozoic;
the Age of the Reptiles
Museum: An institution where objects are exhibited that is devoted to the collection, care, study, and
display of objects of historical, scientific, or artistic interest
Omnivore: An organism that eats a mixed diet of plants and meat
Paleontology: The study of ancient life through the examination and interpretation of fossils
Paleozoic: The first era of the Phanerozoic, after Precambrian Time and before the Mesozoic Era
Permineralization: The process of fossilization wherein the original hard parts of an organism have additional mineral material deposited in their pore spaces
Phanerozoic: The part of geologic time represented by rocks in which evidence of ancient life is abundant
Plate tectonics: The theory that the earth’s crust is divided into a number of plates that slowly move
over the mantle; most earthquake and volcano activity occurs along plate boundaries
Precambrian Time: The part of geologic time preceding the Phanerozoic, representing 7/8th of the
Earth’s history
Predator: An organism that feeds by preying on other organisms, killing them for food
Prehistoric: Relating to the times before recorded/written history began
Specimen: A single item of fossil, rock, animal, plant, or other natural object that is part of a museum or
research collection
Vertebrate: An organism (e.g. mammals, reptiles, etc.) which has a backbone/spinal column
Amphicyon: am-fi-SY-on
Eurypterid: yoo-RIP-ter-id
Coelophysis: SEE-loh-FY-sis
Quetzalcoatlus: KET-zal-koh-AHT-lus
Crinoid: CRY-noid
Trilobite: TRY-loh-bite
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Useful Resources
Books for Young Readers (preK-4th grade)
Aliki. Digging Up Dinosaurs. New York: T.Y. Cromwell, 1988.
Aliki. Fossils Tell of Long Ago. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1990.
Barton, Byron. Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1990.
Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs. Scholastic, 1994.
Dodson, Peter. An Alphabet of Dinosaurs. Scholastic Hardcover, 1995.
Rhodes, Frank H. T. Fossils: A Guide to Prehistoric Life. Golden Books, 1962.
Books for Older Readers (4th grade & older)
Dixon, Dougal. Dougal Dixon’s Dinosaurs. Honesdale. PA: Boyds Mills Press, 1993.
Horner, John R. Digging Up Tyrannosaurus Rex. New York: Crown, 1992.
Lockley, M. and A.P. Hunt. Dinosaur tracks and other fossil footprints of the western United States.
Columbia University Press, 1995.
Norman, D. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs. New York: Crescent Books, 1985.
Pope, Joyce. Fossil Detective. Troll Associative Press, 1993
Press, Frank, Raymond Siever and E.K. Peters. Understanding Earth (2nd Edition): No Stone Unturned:
Reasoning About Rocks and Fossils. W.H. Freeman & Co, 2000.
Taylor, Paul. Fossil. Eyewitness Book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990.
Online Resources – Five of our favorite educational websites
· University of California Museum of Paleontology website (UC Berkeley) – detailed information &
activities on fossils, evolution, geologic time & more – www.ucmp.berkeley.edu
· Evolution and the Nature of Science Institutes website – information & lesson plans on evolution &
the nature of science; geared for high school biology classes but can be adapted to middle school levels
- www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/
· The Kentucky Geological Survey’s Earth Science Classroom Activities website – includes numerous
activities and demonstration suggestions/handouts as well as a “Geologic and Paleontologic Cookbook”
- www.uky.edu/KGS/education/activities.html
· Society of Sedimentary Geology (SEPM) Earth Science On-line Activities website – includes the online version of their popular educational publication that has 42 earth science lesson plans arranged by
topic & grade level - http://www.beloit.edu/~SEPM/activity-age.html
· PBS’s Evolution Teacher’s Guide website – includes the online version of their 40-page guide filled
with engaging, curriculum-based activities and multimedia resources on science and evolution http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/educators/teachstuds/tguide.html
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Activity Guide
Grade-appropriate materials are included in this packet for your use. All other exercises can be obtained
from the museum upon request.
California Science Content Standards:
A=
B=
C=
D=
Physical Sciences
Life Sciences
Earth Sciences
Investigation & Experimentation
KINDERGARTEN - FOURTH GRADE
Activities
Steps to Fossilization
Great Impressions: Make a Fossil Imprint
Who Makes It Into the Fossil Record?
Who Made These Footprints?
Limbs & Lifestyles
Wings & Things
Prehistoric Neighbors?
Paleo Puzzle
It’s All in the Smile
How Big Was I?
California Science Content Standards
A B C D
x x x
x
x
x x x
x x
x
x
x
x
x
x x x
x x x x
x x x
x
x
Other
Art
Art
Math
FIFTH - EIGHTH GRADE
Lifestyles & Body Plans: Who You Are Is How
You Live
Dino Knowledge
Solving the Mystery Tracks
Creature Calculations
(more complex version of “How Big Was I?”)
Life in Prehistoric California
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Art/English
Math
x
x
x
Math
x
x
Art
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Answer Key to Alf Museum Worksheets
Grades 5-8
Lifestyles & Body Plans:
Coelophysis- vertebrate; endoskeleton (bones, teeth) likely to preserve; main body plan includes head, torso, legs, arms & tail;
known from Arizona & New Mexico from dry, desert-like savannah-type environments; mobile, bipedal, agile/streamline for
running; carnivore/scavanger/cannibal, ate fish, small reptiles, other Coelophysis as evident from preserved stomach contents (&
sharp teeth)
Ancient Jellyfish- invertebrate; no hard parts, only impressions have been preserved; body plan of bell and tentacles; pelagic
(lived in seawater), probably global (best known from Australia, Canada & U.S.); mobile lifestyle - planktonic (floater); based on
living jellyfish diet, may have eaten suspended material or plankton from seawater (fish did not yet exist)
Eurypterid- invertebrate; hard carapace or exoskeleton, hard parts preserve; body plan with head, abdomen, tail (telson), paddles,
legs (& pinchers on some); aquatic to semiaquatic, mostly brackish water but some oceanic and some freshwater; mobile, bottom
dwellers but swam with paddles; carnivore/predator eating trilobites, fish and other eurypterids (as seen with fossilized stomach
contents)
Amphicyon- vertebrate; endoskeleton (bones, teeth) likely to preserve; body plan of head, torso, tail & 4 legs; known from U.S.
(incl. California), Asia & Europe, lived in savannah-like environments; mobile, probably moved similar to large bear (footprints
suggest it paced like bears); omnivore with teeth similar to other omnivores
Quetzalcoatlus- vertebrate; endoskeleton (bones, teeth) likely to preserve; main body plan includes head, torso, 2 legs & 2 wings;
terrestrial, best known from Texas; mobile, flew (most likely glided due to enormous wingspan, which would make flapping difficult); carnivore, diet of fish & clams, suggested by beak shape and other fossils found in the same rocks
Crinoid- invertebrate; hard parts or “test” surrounded by soft tissues; body plan consists of calyx (bulb with main organs inside),
feathery arms, stalk & holdfast (attachment); oceanic, found globally; sessile, attached by holdfast (some types were mobile/
planktonic but pictured example is sessile with visible holdfast); suspension/filter feeders, ingesting particles from the seawater,
based on lifestyles of living crinoids
Dino Knowledge:
1. Saurischian; examples include theropods (like T. rex & Allosaurus) & sauropods (like Camarasaurus)
Ornithischian; examples such as duck-billed, horned, & plated dinosaurs (like Monoclonius, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus)
2. They were all herbivores
3. All ornithischians have a predentary bone (a bony plate with no teeth at the front of their jaws - good for plucking vegetation)
& back/side teeth which are blunt/platforms for grinding (i.e. not sharp/serrated)
4. The trackmaker had three toes with sharp tips (suggestive of claws), may infer it is a theropod footprint (which were bipedal
carnivores)
5. Sauropods: herbivores; barrel-chested with pillar-like legs, small head, long neck & long tail; quadrapedal; examples include
Apatosaurus (old Brontosaurus), Diplodocus, Camarasaurus
Theropods: carnivores; powerful legs (bipedal), reduced forelimbs, sharp teeth/claws, hollow thin-walled; examples include
T.rex, Allosaurus, Coelophysis
6. Evidence for dinosaur group behavior includes: (1) display structures possibly for recognizing mates/opponents; (2) sexual
dimorphism (differences between male & female forms); (3) changes in shape during growth (suggesting a need to tell juveniles
from adults within the social group); (4) fossil bone beds (mass-death assemblages suggesting they may have lived and died together); (5) evidence of nesting behavior & parental care; (6) multiple trackways moving in the same direction
Solving the Mystery Tracks:
Steps 1, 2, 4 & 5: answers will vary depending on how students measure in the first two steps; Step 3: coelurosaur, bipedal;
Step 6: walking (the answer in Step 5 should be less than 2.0)
Creature Calculations: Answers will vary depending on how students measure; Modern alligator’s skull is about 1 foot long
and the body length is 12 feet; fossil alligator’s skull is about 3 feet long (3 times the modern alligator’s size) so its body length is
estimated at 36 feet. This is almost as long as a school bus!
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Raymond M. Alf
Museum of Paleontology
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
EVALUATION FORM
Date of Field Trip:
School:
Grade Level:
Number of Students:
Teacher’s name & email (optional):
On a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent), please rate the following:
Overall quality of content
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Background information
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Activity Guide with CA standards information
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Activity worksheets
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Pre-visit concept review sheet
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Usefulness of pre-visit checklist
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Activity worksheets answer key
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DVD summary and concepts sheet
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How useful was the Educator’s Guide & its activities in helping you prepare your students for their visit?
How useful were the activities in helping you reinforce your students’ field trip experience and knowledge
of paleontology?
Did you use any of the Educator’s Guide’s activities provided in the Educator’s Guide? If so, how many?
Were any of them particularly useful (& if so, which ones)? Or not useful?
How could the Educator’s Guide be improved to better serve your needs?
Any final comments or suggestions? Please continue on the back of this sheet, if necessary.
Thank you for completing this evaluation! Your opinion matters greatly to us. Please return this form to: Alf
Museum, 1175 W. Baseline Road, Claremont, CA 91711. Or fax it to Kathy Sanders at 909-624-2798.
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The Geologic Time Scale
Phanerozoic Eon
(544 mya to
present)
Cenozoic Era
(65 mya to
today)
Quaternary (1.8 mya to today)
Holocene (11,000 years to today)
Pleistocene (1.8 mya to 11,000 yrs)
Tertiary (65 to 1.8 mya)
Pliocene (5 to 1.8 mya)
Miocene (23 to 5 mya)
Oligocene (38 to 23 mya)
Eocene (54 to 38 mya)
Paleocene (65 to 54 mya)
Mesozoic Era
(245 to 65 mya)
Cretaceous (146 to 65 mya)
Jurassic (208 to 146 mya)
Triassic (245 to 208 mya)
Paleozoic Era
(544 to 245 mya)
Permian (286 to 245 mya)
Carboniferous (360 to 286 mya)
Pennsylvanian (325 to 286 mya)
Mississippian (360 to 325 mya)
Devonian (410 to 360 mya)
Silurian (440 to 410 mya)
Ordovician (505 to 440 mya)
Cambrian (544 to 505 mya)
Tommotian (530 to 527 mya)
Precambrian
Time
(4,600 to 544 mya)
Proterozoic Era
(2500 to 544
mya)
Neoproterozoic (900 to 544
mya)
Vendian (650 to 544 mya)
Mesoproterozoic (1600 to 900
mya)
Paleoproterozoic (2500 to 1600
mya)
Archaean
(3800 to 2500 mya)
Hadean
(4600 to 3800 mya)
(mya = million years ago)
Please note the hierarchy: Eons
Eras
Periods
Epochs
EX: Phanerozoic Eon
Cenozoic Era
Tertiary Period
Miocene Epoch
Lifestyles & Body Plans: Who You Are Is How You Live
Name/Class: ____________________________________
Date: ___________________________
Although most of the fossils listed on the following pages are from animals that never co-existed with
humans, these ancient remains can tell a lot about the once-living creatures they represent. Fossils tell us how
ancient (often extinct) animals’ bodies were composed and shaped. By comparing the fossils to related
modern animals, we can interpret how they most likely lived (for example, an ancient starfish probably lived
very similarly to a modern one). And by examining the rock layers in which the fossils were found, we can
reconstruct the ancient environments that once surrounded them.
An animal’s body plan (= its shape and parts) greatly affects how & where it lives. Many animals are
adapted to live in their surroundings. For example, a jellyfish would not survive for long in a desert (it could
not survive out of the water). Likewise, a rattlesnake is not well-adapted for life in the sea. How an animal is
“put together” determines how it lives- like how it moves, what it eats and where it can survive. An
adaptation is a special characteristic or set of characteristics which an animal species or group has developed
over time resulting in an improved relationship to its environment. This is not something that the animals
decide to change to make themselves better but instead it is something that happens over many generations.
As each little change occurs within a population, those animals that have the trait that is better suited to their
environment are more successful (live healthily longer lives and have more babies) and pass along their
characteristics to the next generations. Over a long period of time, these small changes add up to larger
changes in body shapes and adaptations.
Each of the fossils listed in this exercise is found at the Alf Museum. Using what you’ve learned at the
museum and any additional reference materials, fill in the table for a more complete picture of how the
various ancient animals each lived. For each fossil, research and record the following information:
1. Type of Animal: Was the animal a vertebrate or an invertebrate? Marine or terrestrial?
2. Hard Parts/Type of Skeleton: Was its body made of soft parts only or did it have hard parts that were
fossilized? If it had hard parts, what were they - shells? Bones? If it had a skeleton of hard parts, did it have
an exoskeleton (or outer skeleton) or an endoskeleton (inner skeleton)? How do you think its skeletal parts
affected its chance of becoming a fossil?
3. Main Body Parts: What are the main parts of the animal’s body? For example, did it have a head, arms
& legs or a very different body plan?
4. Where It Lived: What kind of environment did it live in (e.g. the ocean, the desert)? If it lived in the
ocean, did it live in the water or on the seafloor? If it lived on land, do scientists know what kind of
environment it lived in? In what parts of the world have fossils of this animal been found?
5. How It Moved: Was it sessile (immobile/attached to one spot) or mobile? If it was mobile, how did
move? Did it walk around on two/four legs? Did it spend its life swimming or flying or neither?
6. What it Ate: What made up its main diet - was it a carnivore, an herbivore or something else? How do
you think scientists know what it ate?
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003
1
(LIFESTYLES & BODY PLANS continued)
Type of Animal:
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Coelophysis
Main Body Parts:
(SEE-low-FIE-sis)
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Ancient Jellyfish
(Ediacara flindersi from the
Ediacaran Fossils, the oldest
animal fossils)
Type of Animal:
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Main Body Parts:
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
2003
K. Sanders
2
(LIFESTYLES & BODY PLANS continued)
Type of Animal:
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Main Body Parts:
Eurypterid
(yoo-RIP-ter-id)
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Type of Animal:
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Amphicyon
Main Body Parts:
(AM-fi-SY-on)
the Bear-dog
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
2003
K. Sanders
3
(LIFESTYLES & BODY PLANS continued)
Type of Animal:
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Quetzalcoatlus
Main Body Parts:
(KET-sal-koh-AHT-lus)
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Crinoid
Type of Animal:
(KRY-noid)
Hard Parts/ Type of Skeleton:
Main Body Parts:
Where it lived:
How it moved:
What it ate:
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
2003
K. Sanders
4
DINO KNOWLEDGE
Name/Class: _____________________________________
Date: ________________________
The Alf Museum has several dinosaur fossils on display, including bones of T. rex, Allosaurus, Monoclonius,
Coelophysis, Ankylosaurus,and Camarasaurus. Using what you learned on your tour as well as any references
your teacher allows (paleontology books, museum websites, etc.), answer the following questions about these
unique extinct reptiles.
1. Paleontologists divide dinosaurs into two groups, Ornithischians and Saurischians, based on their hip structures. Below are illustrations of the two types of dinosaur hips. On the line beneath each picture, write the correct name of the dinosaur group that each hip type represents. Then give three examples of dinosaurs that have
that hip structure.
ilium
List three examples of dinosaurs with this hip structure:
(hip crest)
ischium
(back hip bone)
pubis
1.
(front hip bone)
2.
3.
ilium
ischium
List three examples of dinosaurs with this hip structure:
pubis
1.
2.
3.
2. Think about the three ornithischian dinosaurs that you named. What lifestyle do they all have in common?
(Clue: all ornithischians share this same lifestyle.)
3. Sketch the skull of one of the ornithischians you
named. What were its teeth like? How about the front
of its mouth?
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003
1
(DINO KNOWLEDGE continued)
4. This is a dinosaur footprint. Although there are no bones with it, this
fossil track tells us important information about the ancient animal who
left it behind. Using what you’ve learned about fossil footprints (& any
additional resources), examine the footprint and describe what we can
tell about the dinosaur who made it.
5. Sauropod and theropod dinosaurs are two types of saurischian dinosaurs. Compare the two groups in terms
of body structure/shape and lifestyle. Also, name three examples of each type.
6. List three lines of evidence for group behavior among dinosaurs (think about fossil clues which might tell us
that groups of dinosaurs lived together).
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003
2
Solving the Mystery Tracks
Adapted from “Interpreting the Tracks”
by Brent Breithuapt & Judy Scotchmoor
The purpose of this activity is to gain understanding of the important information found in fossil
trackways. Through the “Solving the Mystery Tracks” exercise, students will examine the
relationships of foot length, hip height (as a clue to relative size), stride length and speed in
bipedal animals.
Materials: Copies of the “Solving the Mystery Tracks” worksheet, the table worksheet, and
the footprint & trackway illustrations sheet
Background:
Fossil footprints and trackways (a series of footprints) represent the preserved activity/behavior
of ancient animals. Tracks can provide a lot of information about the animal that made them:
how many feet it walked on, the lengths of its limbs and its relative size, gait and speed.
Trackways may also give us information about the animal’s behavior, e.g. if it traveled alone or
in groups and if it interacted with other animals.
Through examination of modern trackways, scientists have found a correlation between the size
and distributions of footprints within a trackway and the size and speed of the trackmaker. These
correlations can be extended to ancient trackways. Different groups of animals produce different
correlations. In this activity, students will be examining the fossil trackway of a bipedal
dinosaur. In general, the footprint length of a bipedal animal is one-quarter the length of the
animal’s hip height (i.e. hip height is four times foot length). [This can be examined in the
classroom by having the students determine this relationship with their own feet.] The speed of
the trackmaker can then be calculated as relative speed, which is stride length (the distance
between two footprints of the same leg) divided by hip height. The included “Table of Speed
and Motion” shows that, in general, if the ratio of stride length to hip height is less than 2.0, then
the animal was walking; more than 2.9, it was running; and between 2.0 and 2.9, the trackmaker
was trotting.
This exercise is adapted from an excellent lesson plan (“Interpreting the Tracks”) based on
dinosaur trackways in the Lower Sundance formation (Middle Jurassic) of Wyoming. Please
visit www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/ dynamic/session3/sess3_act2.htm for the more
involved lesson plan.
Procedures:
1. Discuss what tracks and trackways are and what they suggest about ancient life.
2. Have the students remove their shoes and measure their foot lengths. Then have them
compare this length with their hip height (overall, the group’s proportions should show the 1:4
ratio - this can be extended to all bipedal animals).
3. Have the students complete the worksheet, guiding them as needed. Students should
recognize that the tracks were probably made by a three-toed bipedal dinosaur (a coelurosaur, a
type of theropod dinosaur) which was probably walking.
SOLVING THE MYSTERY TRACKS
Name: _________________________________
Date: ____________________
Fossil trackways can tell you a lot about the ancient animal that left them. By studying the
footprints, you can figure out how big the animal was, how fast it was moving and maybe even
what it might have been! Follow the steps below to solve the mystery of the ancient tracks.
Step 1: Measure the track (or footprint) length using the scale bar and the picture in the black
box in the upper right of Page 3.
Track length: ___________ centimeters
Step 2: Measure the distance between two left (or two right) footprints using the scale bar and
the picture on the left side of Page 3. This is called the stride length.
Stride length: ___________ centimeters
Step 3: Look at the shape of the large footprint in the box and compare it to the footprints on
the “Dinosaurs & Their Tracks” chart. Who most likely was the trackmaker? Was it bipedal
(walking on two legs) or quadrapedal (walking on four legs)?
Trackmaker: ________________________
Bipedal or quadrapedal? _________________
Step 4: Multiply the track length (Step 1’s answer) by four to get the hip height of the animal.
This is how tall the animal’s hip was (generally, four times the foot length of a bipedal animal
is its hip height. Try it with your own foot length!).
Hip Height of the Trackmaker = 4 x Track Length = 4 x _____ = ______ centimeters
Step 5: Figure out how fast the dinosaur was moving when it made the tracks. Using your
answers from Steps 2 and 4 (the stride length and the hip height), divide the stride length by
the hip height.
Relative Speed: Stride Length/Hip Height = _________________
Step 6: Last, find where this number best fits on the “Speed and Motion” table to figure out
how fast the dinosaur was moving. Was the dinosaur walking, jogging or running?
1
(SOLVING THE MYSTERY TRACKS continued)
Table of Speed and Motion
Relative Speed Index
Type of Motion
0–2
2 – 2.9
Greater than 2.9
Walking
Jogging/Trotting
Running
Dinosaurs & Their Tracks
2
Date: _____________________
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003
skull length
Fossil Alligator Purussaurus
___________________
What is the overall length of Purussaurus in feet?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
1 block = 12 inches
Scale bar for both pictures
What is the skull length of Purussaurus in feet? How does it compare to the skull
length of the modern alligator?
Scientists have found that the modern alligator’s overall body length (from the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail) is approximately 12
times the length of the reptile’s head. What is the overall body length of the pictured modern alligator in feet?
skull length
Modern American Alligator
The giant alligator skull at the Alf Museum is one of the largest of its kind ever found! It was discovered without the rest of the skeleton
but paleontologists can determine how big the ancient reptile was by comparing the fossil skull to the size of modern alligators. Ancient
alligators like Purussaurus have similar body proportions to their modern relatives. By using the information and scale bar provided
below, measure the size of the skulls of the modern alligator and Purussaurus and determine the overall body lengths of the modern and
ancient alligators.
Name/Class: _____________________________________________________
Creature Calculations
Life in Prehistoric California
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology
In this activity, students will create their own dioramas of a paleoecologic scene from Prehistoric
California (during the Miocene, 23-10 million years ago). This activity can be used with a
variety of grade ranges- with the degree of exploration dependent upon the group involved.
Students will gain understanding of the changing earth as they see how different the ancient
animals and environment were in Southern California during the Miocene.
Materials:
“Prehistoric California Wildlife” sheet, sheet of Miocene animals, landscape sheet, scissors,
crayons/markers, glue/tape, references
Background:
About 23 to 10 million years ago, Southern California was lush and tropical, more closely
resembling the modern savannah of Africa than the arid desert of today. There were lakes,
streams and active volcanoes in the area. A wide range of animals and plants lived here
including giraffe-like camels (up to 10 feet tall), small horses (only 3 ½ feet tall) and relatives of
modern elephants. The largest predator at the time was the bear-dog Amphicyon, which was
about the size of a grizzly bear.
Procedures:
1. Describe the environment of Miocene California and introduce some of the animals. It is
important to note that, while there was a saber-toothed cat living in the area during the
Miocene, this was a period in California’s history that came far before the Ice Age time
that many students are familiar with. For example, the fossils of the La Brea Tar Pits
record life in California about 40,000 years ago during the Pleistocene whereas the
snapshot in time that they will be constructing took place over 10 million years ago.
2. Instruct the students that they will be creating a scene from Miocene California by
constructing a diorama of an ancient ecosystem. Pass out the landscape and wildlife
sheets and have them describe what they see. What kinds of lifestyles did the different
animals have? Are there more carnivores or herbivores? How does that compare to
similar modern environments (like the modern African savannah)?
3. For the older students, you may wish to assign them (individually or in small groups) a
specific animal to research from the list. Also, you can omit the handouts and have each
researcher/group create their own animal to add to a class diorama (providing a uniform
size scale so that the animals are in scale relative to each other).
Extensional Activities:
1. Have the students write a story or poem about their prehistoric scene.
2. Have the students write and present reports on one of the animals and how it lived
(what/how it ate, how it moved) in the Miocene.
3. Create a large class mural of Miocene California with the animals drawn to scale to
illustrate their actual sizes. Compare and contrast the size and shape of some of the
animals to their living relatives.
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003
Amphicyon, a bear-dog
Megantereon, a saber-toothed cat
Aepycamelus, a camel
Merychippus, a small horse
Peccary, a pig-like animal
Osteodontornis orri, a sea bird
Turtle
Rabbit
Prehistoric California Wildlife (Miocene, 23-10 million years ago)
Gomphotherium, a proboscidian
Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology 2003 K. Sanders
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