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> Teachers >
Nature >
Fossils > Unit Outline
Activity 10
Fossil Futures
Students research recent
paleontology discoveries in the news.
Activity available in PDF format
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Unit:
Fossils in Time
Guiding Questions:
How does
paleontology change over time? What new technologies are
used? What new things are being discovered?
Critical Content:
Science and
technology are constantly changing. New technologies lead
to new understandings. Scientific knowledge expands as
we study.
Grades: 4-8
Duration:
120
minutes
(homework)
Group size:
individuals or in
groups of 2 or 3
Setting: classroom
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Materials:
Internet access
Vocabulary:
-
Technology
Science
Procedures:
1. Students
split into groups of one or more.
2. Each
student is to use the Internet to find a new paleontology discovery. The discovery could be a recent fossil find, a new
understanding about ancient organisms or ecosystems, a new
technology that scientists can use to learn more about fossils or
ancient ecosystems, etc.
3. Students write a
short description of the discovery and why it is interesting.
Explain any new techniques used in the discovery. Include
pictures or diagrams to illustrate the discovery or the techniques.
Discussion
Questions:
1.
As a class review the the discoveries and the new things that
scientists are still learning about the ancient past, and the
techniques that they are using.
Some Suggested Websites:
Discover Magazine (http://www.discover.com)
MSNBC News site (http://www.msnbc.msn.com)
New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com)
Reuters News Service (http://www.reuters.com)
Scientific American (http://www.sciam.com)
Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com)
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