Introduction
Have you ever wondered about what the Earth was like 1 million years ago? What is a paleontologist? How can you organize fossils from oldest to youngest? Today, you will be able to find the answers to these questions. You will become an expert in fossils today, similar to a paleontologist!
Task
For this webquest, you will complete three different activities. In the first one, you will watch a video about paleontology answering questions as you watch the video. This video will help you learn some key terms including: fossils, extinct, and paleontologist. You will hear these words many times as we learn about fossils.
In the second activity, you will read an article about paleontologists and answer questions about it. In this article, you will learn more about what paleontologists do, examples of fossils, the root word paleo and so much more.
The third activity is an online game where you compare fossil layers. From these layers, you will place them in order based on age. Start on the level 1 difficulty and increase difficulty as you complete each level.
Process
Activity 1: Watch the video from the link below and answer the questions on the graphic organizer labeled "Dig Into Paleontology".
Questions:
1. What is a paleontologist?
a. a person that studies fossils
b. another name for a fossil
c. a person who studies rocks
2. What does extinct mean?
a. Still alive today
b. No longer exists today
c. paleontologist
3. The remains of plants and animals from long ago that slowly became preserved in rocks is called ______________________.
4. Name two examples of fossils.
______________________________
______________________________
5. If paleontologists find an animals' _____________________, they can determine if they ate plants or other animals.
6. Where are two good places to look for fossils?
_______________________________
_______________________________
7. Name two tools that paleontologists use back at the lab.
________________________________
________________________________
Activity 2: Click the link below and it will take you to an article. As you are reading the article, answer the questions below.
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology/what-s-the-big-idea-about-paleontology2
Questions:
1. What does the root word "paleo" mean? _________________________________________________________________
2. How does the root word "paleo" help describe what a paleontologist does?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
True or False
3. Fossils tell us everything about a plant or animal's past. ________________________
4. Fossils show us how species changed over time. ___________________________
Multiple Choice
5. Which of the following is not an example of a fossil?
a. some bones from underground dating back 1 million years
b. a shark tooth found on top of the sand dating back to 1 year ago
c. a leaf impression left in mud 100,000 years ago
6. What does ancient mean?
a. really really old
b. extinct
c. scavenger
7. What does preserved mean?
a. extinct
b. kept for us to see today
c. decayed
8. Write at least 3 sentences about why you would or would not want to become a paleontologist. Use facts about them that you have learned today to help support your claim.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 3: Click the link below and it will take you to a game. This game is called "Layers of Time". You will arrange the fossil layers from oldest to youngest.
https://www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology/layers-of-time2
Evaluation
Answer key
From the video:
1. a
2. b
3. a fossil
4. animal bones, animal teeth, shells, imprint of leaves, animal footprint, fossilized poop are all possible answers
5. teeth
6. riverbeds, hillsides
7. x-ray machine, CT scanner
From the article:
1. really old
2. a paleontologist studies fossils and things that are really old
3. false
4. true
5. b
6. a
7. b
8. child should include 3 separate things that a paleontologist does and why they do or don't like doing these things
Credits
WebQuest created using:
“Create a WebQuest: Simple. Quick. Free.” Create WebQuest, www.createwebquest.com/.
Activity 1 video:
scishowkids. “SciShow Kids.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/channel/UCRFIPG2u1DxKLNuE3y2SjHA.
Activity 2 Article:
“What's the Big Idea About Paleontology?: AMNH.” American Museum of Natural History, www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology/what-s-the-big-idea-about-paleo….
Activity 3 Game:
“Layers of Time: AMNH.” American Museum of Natural History, www.amnh.org/explore/ology/paleontology/layers-of-time2.