Fossil Finders:
For Teachers:
Facilitation of Webquest and how to provide for differentiated instruction.
Set Up: Supplies: several different types of fossils to bury in park, GPS units, batteries, trowell, camera or cell phone with camera, blue tooth, laptop, web resources, in class text resources, microphone, Jump Drive or portable hard drive, science notebook for outdoor observations and note taking during research. Possible software: photostory, notebook, powerpoint, inspiration, paint.
Ample time is needed to choose, organize and place fossils in Oakland Park; set waypoints on 12 GPS units, and to determine how many groups can be sent to each location based on the number of fossils and students.
**Rationale for outdoor portion of project: students use a GPS in a new way, students simulate what an acutal archeologist or paleontologist might do in the field, Students use cell phone cameras to collect fossil data and then use bluetooth to transfer data to laptop. Students have opportunity to work in outdoor classroom and incorporate technology.
Alternative Time Saver: Have fossils in classroom already organized in groups, in this instance, no outdoor planning or resources are needed.
Student Groupings and Content Facilitation:
Part 1, Day 1: In this classroom we chose new learning partners at the beginning of the webquest. Then the learning partners form larger groups of 4, (3 when you have an odd number) Each student returns with a fossil.
Part 2, Days 2-4: Students form new groups based on the fossil that they are studying. This group of students creates media about fossil types and their park fossil. Teacher introduces section with short 20 minute video from United Streaming about fossils. Video concentrated on the different types of fossils and how they are formed and excavated. Teacher has 6 specific fossils to show with the class that compliment the fossils discussed in the video. Video discusses making molds and casts, (teacher has cast of T-Rex Claw to show to class) video discusses Amber fossils, (teacher has real amber fossil to share and pass around class.) Video discusses actual body fossils, mammoth example, (Teacher has actual mesosaur teeth to pass around to class) Video discusses fossils found in Mammoth cave (Teacher has footprints cast of Felix Atrox footprints found in Missouri cave in 1989 to pass around to class) Teacher discusses the specific goals for part 2 and helps the students begin their research. Homework discussion board assigned in Angel containing the following prompt: Describe 5 different types of fossils and how they are formed.
At completion of part 2 the teacher took all of the products about fossil types and park fossils and created a RSS feed. Students then subscribed to the feed for easy access, reviewing and sharing work for the creation of the final exhibit.
Part 3, Day 5: Students move back to original groups and share their product from part 2. Students work to combine the different pieces into one larger presentation. Teacher conducts mini lesson or to ensure student understanding of geologic time. Geologic time mini lesson includes the following: Using a desktop sharing function on Angel (similar to blackboard) teacher shares desktop with class and shows a short 3 minute video about rock layers in the grand canyon and what type of fossils are found there. During video students log questions about fossils in the grand canyon in the chat room. Next the teacher has students use their fossil research from part 2, to place their fossils on a geologic time scale in a smart notebook file. (the desktop is still being shared for all of the students to see. Notes are made on the geologic time scale to determine index fossils and how life change through time. (Link to jpeg of notebook file is here),
Next, using a Foss Module on earth's history called the time machine. The students together with the teacher go through geologic time using the time machine, and make observations about the continent location, and types of organisms that existed as time elasped. Mass extinctions and extreme volcanic activity are noted along with the acknowledgement of events such as the first invertebrates, first fish, first amphibians, first insects, age of the dinosaurs, first mammals, and the age of man. The teacher models for the students how she wants them to procede through part 4 of the webquest, giving the students examples of how they can discuss the changing of life through the paleozoic, mesozoic and cenezoic eras. Students are given time to work on webquest. A homework discssion board is assigned about geologic time. Prompt: How can we use fossils to help explain earth's history?
Part 4, Days 6-8, In same group students begin to research how fossils are dated and placed in the geologic time scale. Teacher will do short hands on activity and lesson on relative dating(link to teacher presentation is here.) A homework discussion board is assigned how fossils are dated by scientists.The prompt reads: How do scientists determine the age of the earth? Day 7, students have opportunity to work on project, Day 8-mini-lesson group discussion about mass extinctions, meteor impacts. For Mass extinctions, teacher compiled 6 different websites and posted links in Angel. Students were to research at least 2 different websites and make one powerpoint slide about a mass extinction. (Mrs. Newton assigned each pair of students a specific mass extinction to study.) Students were required to find out when and why the mass extinction occured, they also were required to report what type of species became extinct. Each group presented their powerpoint slide to the class in chronological order. At the completion of the presentation the students saved the powerpoint slides as .jpeg files to be inserted into their media exhibit as part of their project. Mrs. Newton then ran a short discussion which compared and contrasted the extinctions specifically pointed out how life changed on earth after each extinction occured.
Part 5, Days 9 & 10.: Day 9, Students have time finish projects and brainstorm the pros and cons of the park with and without the gated retirement community. Day 10, Students share projects with learning community. Possible scenarios: 1. Each group of students present their project ot the entire class. 2. Students have their exhibit loaded on a laptop and students participate in a mall walk or stations to review other student work. Or students present to classroom via Angel chat room through desktop sharing.
For students who cannot work in groups: they can be given an individual fossil and they can work on the project using only one fossil.
A text assignment is also available for students who find it difficult to research and produce work online.
For students who need extended time: reduce the number of fossils, types of fossils or number of resources to use.
Assessment:
Pretest given prior to the beginning of webquest. During webquest; students will be assigned 3 homework discussion boards to be done individually about essential questions (15 points each = 45 points) 1. What are the types of fossils and how are they formed? 2. What can fossils tell us about changes in Earth's history? 3. How do scientists determine the age of the Earth?
Students will be required to complete 2 mini investigations: 1/2 life lab and meteor impact lab (20 poins each= 40 points). 1 accountability quiz will be taken at the end of the webquest (30-40 points). The exhibit will be evaulated according to the scoring guide on the evaluation page (84 points). Students will also be required to complete entrance and exit polls to check for understanding during the webquest. Post test given at completion of unit, after plate tectonics is taught.
State and District Standards
Fossils & Plate Tectonics Learning Goals
Strand 5: Processes and Interactions of the Earth's Systems (Geosphere, Atmosphere, and Hydrosphere)
2. Earth's Systems (geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) interact with one another as they undergo change by common processes
Concept D: Changes in the Earth over time can be inferred through rock and fossil evidence
a. Explain the types of fossils and the processes by which they are formed (i.e., replacement, mold and cast, preservation, trace)
b. Use fossil evidence to make inferences about changes on Earth and in its environment (i.e., superposition of rock layers, similarities between fossils in different geographical locations, fossils of seashells indicate the area was once underwater)
a. Describe the methods used to estimate geologic time and the age of the Earth (e.g., techniques used to date rocks and rock layers, presence of fossils)
b. Use rock and fossil evidence to make inferences about the age, history, and changing life forms and environment of the Earth (i.e., changes in successive layers of sedimentary rock and the fossils contained within them, similarities between fossils in different geographic locations, similarities between fossils and organisms present today, fossils of organisms indicating changes in climate, fossils of extinct organisms)
The ISTE
National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•S)
and Performance Indicators for Students
1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology.
Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance,to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.Student Work Samples: