Activity: Excavation Dig, by Ellen Mackey and Erin Eissinger

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Overview

Field experience digging up mock fossils and working out ethical issues that arise.

Purpose and learning goals

To provide a field study opportunity and follow up with an ethical discussion related to digging up dinosaur bones.

Prerequisite knowledge

Fossils, tools, and dinosaurs

Intended grade level

1st grade, Boulder Valley School District (appropriate for K to 2)

Time involved

Teacher preparation: 1 hour; student time: 2 hours

Background information for the unit

The teacher should have prior knowledge of what a dinosaur dig requires (tools, language, fossils, and clothing).

Materials

Buckets, shovels, brushes, mock fossils to bury, clipboards, and paleontologist journals

Preparation

The teacher buries fossils and builds a miniature town site above the bones.

Student journals

Reflection drawing/writing back in classroom

Procedure for the day of the field study

• The teacher buries fossils and builds a town site in the sandbox.
• The students role play being residents in the sandbox town site. Have them play in the town site until someone discovers a fossil.
• Stop the group and presents the dilemma: To dig or not to dig?
• Discuss the ethics of destroying land/homes to search for fossils.
• Inroduce the tools of a paleontologist and how to use them.
• Allow children to excavate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Reflecting on the activity/ideas for assessment

Have students write and draw what they learned about excavation. Have the group reflect on group dynamics and challenges.

Key questions that may be asked with 'Look fors'

Do we dig and destroy or let it be? Who will pay to rebuild the town site? Science versus aesthetics.

Extensions and applications

Language arts, math, art

Adaptations for special needs

Parent helpers for support

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