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The Fossil RecordActivity for Kids

Fossils in Rock Layers DIY

Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $0 to $20

Learn how to make a model of rock layers with fossils!

Visit The Full Lesson Download Instructions as PDF

Material List

1Bowl
1Sheet of Aluminum Foil
1Cup of Water
3Food Coloring Tubes
1Cup of Plaster of Paris
1Cup of Sand
3Different types of items to fossilize
3Cups
1Spoon

Instructions

1Mix a quarter cup (1/4) of sand and a quarter cup (1/4) of Plaster of Paris into a cup. Then add 2 tablespoons of water and 4 drops of food coloring. Mix it up.
2Take one type of “fossil,” put it the cup and mix around.
3Put a sheet of aluminum foil in the bowl and pour the mixture into it.
4Repeat the same steps for the next 2 cups, with a different “fossil” and a different food coloring each time.
5Let it set overnight, then use some household tools to dig for fossils!

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How It Works

You’ll notice that the first fossils we added are in the bottom layer. The second fossils we added are in the middle layer. And the third fossils we added are in the top layer. Scientists digging for fossils can use this simple concept to understand which fossils are older and which are newer, based on which layer they are in. It takes thousands or millions of years for actual fossils to form, so this activity is just a simple model.