Junior Rockhounds: Fossils

Date: 1/23/2024 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Location: Howell Library 318 Old Tavern Rd, Howell, NJ

This will be the first class working towards earning the Fossil badge!

Post Event Write-Up:

Will welcomed the group and reviewed the previous section, "Rocks & Minerals".

 

Julia asked the kids to show fossils that they have in their collection.  A few of the fossils (from what I could see from my vantage point):

1. Lily - Spiral Shell
2. Lily T - Shark vertebrae and tooth
3. Kayla - Ammonite
4. Callie - Manatee Tooth
5. Joey - Had a bunch of fossils

Julia passed around numerous samples to see if the kids could identify what is a fossil and what is not (including pseudo fossils).  Pointed out that a horseshoe crab is a "living fossil".  This ultimately led into a discussion about "what is a fossil?

 

Dave walked the kids through the trilobite diorama.

 

Ryan walked the kids through the crinoid diorama and showed examples of the major pieces.

 

The kids then took part in several activities:

 

Four different types of fossils:

1. Cast: When a mold fills with sediment and minerals.
2. Mold: The imprint of where a plant or animal was.
3. Trace: Evidence of an animal, but not part of the animal itself.
4. True Form: A whole animal that has been preserved.

Cookie Dough Imprint - The kids made a mold of a fossil in the cookie dough.

 

Fossil ID - The kids matched eight different fossils based on their characteristics.