Teacher Zone:
Overview of Science Content
Fossil Finders Research Project and Curriculum Overview
The Fossil Finders Curriculum Unit embraces an inquiry-based approach to teaching. As described by the National Research Council (NRC), inquiry refers to: the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence derived from their work. [It also refers to] the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world (NRC, 1996, p. 23).
An inquiry-based approach to science teaching engages students in authentic scientific investigations. Based on this premise, the Fossil Finders project aims to involve students in classrooms in the work of scientists. Students will investigate the authentic research question: How does sea life respond to changes in the environment?
Students will engage in the work of scientists as they enter their data into the Fossil Finders web-hosted data-base. This information will be made accessible to other classrooms involved in the project. Students will be able to compare results and make inferences related to this data. Students will be able to share their findings both with other classrooms and with the staff at the Paleontological Research Institution.
Beyond engaging students in the activities of scientists, the curriculum also considers instruction in Nature of Science (NOS), or the basis of scientific investigation. Explicit instruction in NOS integrated into inquiry-based instruction may help make the framework and assumptions of science more evident. For example, how does what we know change? And, does science have all the answers?
The Curriculum:
The curriculum for the Fossil Finders Project is divided into 3 parts: 1) Background, 2) Investigation, and 3) Extension. Lessons included in the Background prepare students for engaging in the Investigation. Classrooms involved in the project will devise the curriculum Extensions based on students’ interests in further research.
Background:
The Exploration of Fossils engages students in thinking about how fossils get trapped in rocks and using prior knowledge to infer the paleo-habitat of the fossil. As a background component of the Fossil Finders investigation, students will learn about fossils and how they are formed. In this lesson, students will be introduced to the work of paleontologists and engage in making inferences about the geologic past using fossils. The activity encourages students to work in pairs to observe, draw, and make inferences about fossils. Students will use their knowledge of the environment and observations of fossils to make inferences about the environments in which fossils are formed. Student pairs make predictions, compare results, and discuss their findings.
The Tricky Tracks lesson engages students in the nature of science. Students will learn about making observations and inferences based on evidence. In this lesson, students will be introduced to the work of paleontologists and engage in making inferences about the geologic past.
The activity encourages students to observe and make inferences about evidence related to a partially complete set of animal tracks. Students will use their observations to make inferences about what they see. Student may be paired to make predictions, compare results, and discuss their findings.
The What do Geologists do? Lesson engages students in an exploration of the work geologists do. As a background component of the Fossil Finders investigation, students will learn about the principles of superposition. The activity simulates superposition using a stack of paper and encourages students to work in pairs to make observations about layering and time. Students will use their everyday knowledge to make observations of stacked paper and relate this understanding to geology.
The Classroom Population lesson plan, engages students in an exploration of population data. Students will learn about making observations and inferences based on their own measurements. In this lesson, students will be introduced to graphing data and comparing histograms. The activity encourages students to gather and process data related to individual measurements and compiled classroom data. Students will graph classroom data to create histograms.
The Measuring Fossils lesson is designed to assist lower grade-level students learn how to gather data. As a background component of the Fossil Finders investigation, students will learn about identifying and measuring fossils and processing the data that they gather. Students will learn how this work relates to the work of scientists. Students will parallel the work of scientists and engage in identifying fossils, and gathering their measurement data. Students will use data recording sheets to record data related to the fossil samples.
Investigation:
The Fossil Finders Investigation engages students in scientific inquiry and the nature of science. The activity encourages students to engage in the work of paleontologists by collecting measurements of fossil samples. Students will learn about collecting and processing data related to a population of fossils, as well as analyzing the data through charts and graphs. Students will use concepts of mean, median, and mode to process this data. Data will then be charted and graphed. Students will use these graphs to make sense of evidence. Student may be paired to make predictions, compare results, and discuss their findings.
Extension:
Students engaging in the Fossil Finders Investigation are participating in a “guided-inquiry” project, where their research questions are set prior to their involvement in the research. The Extension component of this curriculum will provide students with opportunities for further research that is driven by students’ questions. Teachers are encouraged to experiment with different extensions in their own classrooms and share their experiences with Fossil Finders Staff and other teachers.
