A fossil is a term used to geologists to describe any direct evidence of an organism more than 10,000 years old. This could be part of the original organism such as a bone or imprints such as footprints that are preserved in frozen soil or asphalt lakes. Paleontology is the study of the fossils of animal and plant life. Paleontologists are scientists who study these fossils. One type of paleontologist studies the fossil remains of dinosaurs to determine what types of dinosaurs might have existed, what they ate, and how they lived. This is a large puzzle they are solving using not much more than bones!

When a dinosaur fossil is found, a professional paleontologist will carefully and systematically excavate the area for more bones and chart the position of each bone found. They will use their knowledge of geology and dinosaur anatomy to determine where the rest of the bones may be buried. The bones of a single dinosaur skeleton generally lie at the same level of rock. If more of the skeleton is found, heavy equipment may be necessary to remove the top layers of soil, rock, and dirt. However, when the scientists are in the vicinity of the dinosaur skeleton, only small hand tools are used to prevent damage to the skeleton. It is very tiring, painstaking work. Each bone that is uncovered is carefully charted and its location is recorded on a map. All this information will help solve the mystery of the dinosaur’s life and death.

Once the bones are uncovered, they are carefully encased in plaster for transport back to a laboratory. There the plaster as well as any remaining rock is removed from the bone. It may take days to do a single bone. (Think of how many bones are in a skeleton!). Finally it is the paleontologists’ job to identify the dinosaur and perhaps to fit the bones back together.

In this lab you get to be a paleontologist. Instead of real fossil bones you will take rubbings of plaster casts of bones. After the rubbings are taken, the challenge is to reconstruct the complete skeleton and identify the dinosaur to which it belonged.

1. 2 Tyrannosaurs Rex fossil kits (6 plaster 'remains')
2. 2 Triceratops fossil kits (6 plaster 'remains' each)
3. 2 Velacirapotor fossil kits (6 plaster 'remains' each)
4. 15 pairs of scissors
5. 4 copies of Discussion Questions (laminated)
6. 1 copy of each dinosaur skeleton with bond identification sheet (laminated)
7. Dinosaur fact sheets with timeline -- laminated, 10 copies of each dinosaur
8. Lesson Plans provided by Skullduggery, Inc. (check red notebook)

1. black or red lumber crayons (6 inside each kit box)
2. 6 rolls scotch tape
3. 15 glue sticks
4. Large blank newsprint for tracings (approximately 1 sheets per student per dinosaur)
5. Light colored (9 x 12) construction paper (2 sheets per student per dinosaur)
6. 30 Tyrannosaurs Rex outlines (optional -- use in place of construction paper)
7. 30 Veloceraptor outlines (optional -- use in place of construction paper)
8. 30 Triceratops outlines (optional -- use in place of construction paper)

Dinosaur fossil kit (share with 4-5 others)
black or red lumber crayon
1 sheet newsprint

1. Gather with your group of 3 or 4 at the same table.
2. Each member of the group should take 1 or 2 plaster casts to start with.
3. Place a piece of paper over the casts and firmly and evenly rub over it with the crayon. (Your teacher will demonstrate this.) The outline of the bones should appear. Remember to do all the bones on the cast.
4. Repeat the rubbings for your second plaster cast.
5. When everyone in the group has done their casts, exchange casts.
6. Continue to take rubbings until you have done all six casts

• 2 pieces construction paper
• Scotch tape
• Glue stick
• Laminated dinosaur fact sheet
• Laminated Time Line

1. Tape 2 pieces of construction paper pieces together by overlapping them in back approximately 1 inch and taping
   Assemble your cut out skeleton pieces so that they a complete skeleton. If you have trouble with this your teacher can give you a hint.
   Once your skeleton is correct, glue it onto the construction paper.
   Identify what dinosaur you constructed.
   Label your picture with the name of your dinosaur and your name.
   If time permits, repeat for another type of dinosaur

• Check the crayons in the Dinosaur Traces kits. Replace if necessary. Check the supply of construction paper. Each student will need 2 pieces of 9 x 12 inch paper for each dinosaur made. Add more if needed. Check the glue sticks. Replace if needed Check the scotch tape. Replace if needed Check the supply of the student handout. Duplicate more if necessary. There are two ways this lab can be done. The most straightforward is to have a student work on a single dinosaur. If they finish early, they can try reconstructing one of the other dinosaurs. If you are working with younger students, then you can give them an outline of the dinosaur as a guide. econstruction is then simply using the fossil tracings as puzzle pieces and fitting them inside the dinosaur. If the outlines are used, then you will not need the construction paper. Demonstrate to your students how to take a rubbing of the fossils Before beginning the lab, read to your students Finding a Dinosaur Bone and Dinosaurs on Display given on pages 4 and 5 of the Lesson Plan. (The Lesson Plan is located in the red notebook) The procedure given in the student handout closely follows the Lesson Plan Level 1 instructions except that they will be using 3 different dinosaurs.
• When doing the activity, divide the students into 6 groups. Give each group one dinosaur to work on. You can keep the identity of the dinosaur a secret if you wish.

• Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils New Discoveries
• Body Fossils

• Slideshow: From Find to Finish
• Dinosaur Family Tree

• Dinorama
• Dinosaur Eggs

• The Life of a Vertebrate Fossil
• Natural History Highlights: Building a Dinosaur
• Dinosaurs