Discovery Box: Remains of Living Things—Investigating Fossils and Animal Tracks

 

I created this science discovery box for my science methods class. Below, you will find photos of materials to include in your box and a brief explanation of how to use them in activities. All the materials can be compiled together to create a discovery box for students. The activities that I included in my discovery box are:

1. "Make Your Own Fossil!" Students will use plaster of Paris and shells or other items.
2. "Archaeologist Exploration!" Students will use a sandbox to uncover hidden items with a hand brush like archaeologists do and make recordings about their findings.
3. "Which Animal Made That Print?" Students will go outside and explore using a clipboard to record their observations. Can you find an animal track outside? What kind of animal made the track?
4. "Sandbox Footprints!" Students will use a sandbox to make footprints. They will compare their footprints, or "track", to animals and to their classmates. How are they the same? How are they different?

By incorporating hands on activities, students will be more motivated and engaged while they learn.
I chose three books for my discovery box books to enhance students' experiences and engage background knowledge. A literature connection provides a foundation for children to begin their investigations, activities, and learning.  

What Kind of Living Thing Is It? By: Bobbie Kalman introduces the concept of living versus nonliving things. Students will benefit from a review of the difference between living and nonliving things.

 

Fossils Tell of Long Ago By: Aliki is a great introduction to fossils and how they occur naturally in the environment.

Big Tracks, Little Tracks: Following Animal Prints By: Millicent E. Selsam introduces the theme of the entire discovery box. Students will enjoy learning about animal prints and why they differ in size and shape.

 

Additional Discovery Box Materials:

 

A makeshift sandbox and water: Students will be able to make a copy of their own “track” footprint and compare their own footprint to their classmates. Water will dampen the sand to make a better footprint. Students can explore how their own footprint is different from an animal’s track.  

 

A hand brush: On a different day with a dry sandbox and a hand brush, students can pretend to be archaeologists. Items like shells or rocks could be hidden in the sand and students would explore what they find in the sandbox, make a drawing and make notations and recordings like real archaeologists on a recording sheet.

 

A clipboard: Students can explore outside to see if they can find their own animal tracks. When they find an animal track, they can take notes on a clipboard and make a book about their observations and findings Just like Charles Darwin, children could make a nature journal to share with the class. Animal tracks are all over and with careful observations, children will be able to decipher the different tracks and learn a lot about the environment and different animals’ habits.

 

Fossil Specimens: Students will really enjoy learning about how living things create fossils and leave them for later generation’s discovery. Students can touch, smell, and look at the fossils to engage their sensory learning.

 

Plaster of Paris and Shells: Students can create their own fossils using plaster of Paris! Using shells or other items, students can experiment with creating their own fossil and reviewing the process of how fossils are created naturally in our environment.

An animal tracks sheet: This sheet displays different types of animal tracks. Children can refer to this chart as they begin their exploration outside to find animal tracks.