Earth science

Earth science based activities

making your own 'fossil' is fun (get an object - twig etc, press into plasticine, remove leaving imprint - then pour plaster of paris over, you need a cardboard collar around the plastcine - leave to set - hey presto fossil) The only problem is that it can give pupils some bad ideas about how fast fossils can form
You can buy sometimes buy 'fossil fairies' very pricey but a good prop - and leads you onto the whole area of faking fossils (ideas and evidence?). For a good overview read the 'Lying Stones Of Marrakesh (Stephen J Gould)
For getting pupils to think about age of rocks I normally get them to think about (and sometimes do) 'bin mining' - ie where do you find the oldest stuff, at the bottom

(PS don't forget to mention coproliths - fossilised poo always seem to amuse my lot)