Driving Question: "What can fossils teach us about how life was like long ago, and the changes that have happened to Earth?"
Project Description
The cliffs along San Diego's coast are a hot-bed for fossil activity. Students launched this project by carrying out fieldwork at Moonlight Beach to explore the cliffs and the effects of erosion. This fieldwork set the stage for inquiry as student's came up with their own questions about the cliff's features, human development, and the effects of water. Student's developed their literacy and science skills as they engaged in a deep dive of fossils and what they can tell us about earth's changes. We first explored the question, "What do paleontologists do?" Through a close read aloud of the text "Stone Girl, Bone Girl" students learned about the key role Mary Anning played as a famous fossil hunter and the actions paleontologists take to study fossils. Students then practiced their independent research skills by close-reading non-fiction texts about paleontology and fossils.
Products
In science labs, we learned how erosion is a key process in the uncovering of fossils by simulating wave-action and landslides in tray tables. After learning about different kinds of fossils, and the process of fossilization, we discovered how fossils can teach us a lot about how the earth has changed and the plants and animals that lived long ago. With all this knowledge, we began to pursue how we might create our own fossil museum for our community to visit. Students created realistic dinosaur sculptures, trading cards for a specific type of dinosaur, and their own story about a time they discovered a fossil. We learned how to write stories by answering the question, "How do authors write compelling narratives?" Student's artistic work and narrative writing went through an extensive critique process by using teacher and peer feedback.
Exhibition
Students designed and created a fossil museum for our school community to visit. Featured at the museum were student's sculptures, trading cards, and fossil stories. Students practiced their storytelling skills in preparation for their reading at the museum.
Project Description
The cliffs along San Diego's coast are a hot-bed for fossil activity. Students launched this project by carrying out fieldwork at Moonlight Beach to explore the cliffs and the effects of erosion. This fieldwork set the stage for inquiry as student's came up with their own questions about the cliff's features, human development, and the effects of water. Student's developed their literacy and science skills as they engaged in a deep dive of fossils and what they can tell us about earth's changes. We first explored the question, "What do paleontologists do?" Through a close read aloud of the text "Stone Girl, Bone Girl" students learned about the key role Mary Anning played as a famous fossil hunter and the actions paleontologists take to study fossils. Students then practiced their independent research skills by close-reading non-fiction texts about paleontology and fossils.
Products
In science labs, we learned how erosion is a key process in the uncovering of fossils by simulating wave-action and landslides in tray tables. After learning about different kinds of fossils, and the process of fossilization, we discovered how fossils can teach us a lot about how the earth has changed and the plants and animals that lived long ago. With all this knowledge, we began to pursue how we might create our own fossil museum for our community to visit. Students created realistic dinosaur sculptures, trading cards for a specific type of dinosaur, and their own story about a time they discovered a fossil. We learned how to write stories by answering the question, "How do authors write compelling narratives?" Student's artistic work and narrative writing went through an extensive critique process by using teacher and peer feedback.
Exhibition
Students designed and created a fossil museum for our school community to visit. Featured at the museum were student's sculptures, trading cards, and fossil stories. Students practiced their storytelling skills in preparation for their reading at the museum.