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Primary School Grade 3: I'm a Paleontologist!

March 30, 2018

Primary School Grade 3: I'm a Paleontologist!

Part 1: Meeting a Paleontologist

Grade 3’s students have been studying rocks, minerals, and fossils in Science class. After learning about different types of rocks, minerals, the rock cycle, and about fossils, they got to meet a paleontologist!

Dr. Robins is a paleontologist who works at the University of California, Berkley and specializes in Cambrian era invertebrates. Using technology, students were able to meet her face-to-digital-face! The students each prepared a question relating to rocks, minerals, or fossils for Dr. Robins. During the interview, the students asked questions and took notes. After the interview was finished, they were able to reflect on their learning.

Technology allows for great connections, more learning, and makes the world a lot smaller!

Part 2: Digging for Cookies

“Grab your gear, we’ve got a dig to get to!”

The Grade 3 students geared up like paleontologists to dig fossils out of a very special material. From reading non-fiction texts about fossil hunts and interviewing a paleontologist, they knew very well that fossil hunting is hard work! Would this adventure be a challenging one?

Using their special paleontologist’s tools- toothpicks- the students were given the challenge to carefully remove all of the fossils from their special material. The fossils were small brown fragile chunks. The students worked very hard to remove these ‘fossils’ from the special material. It was tedious work! However, after they found out what the special material was, they were elated. The special material was a Chips Ahoy Cookie!

After the dig, the students ate their newly discovered fossils. So we can safely say: it was very fun to spend a day as a paleontologist!

(Written by Melanie Cherry Pictures by Melanie Cherry)