Fossils and Tracks

The Museum of the Rockies classes this month were on dinosaur fossils and Yellowstone animal tracks.

For the first class, we toured the dinosaur exhibit and made a fossil.  The fossil was made by pressing an oiled model dinosaur skull into play-dough, removing the skull, and then pouring plater into the impression.

For the second class, we discussed and looked at model animal tracks.  We also made a track to bring home.  The track was made by pressing a model animal foot into wet sand, removing the foot, and then pouring plaster into the impression.

Both methods of making plater models worked well, but Ian preferred the play-dough method because it was easier to clean than sand.  Ian meticulously cleaned his plaster raptor fossil and porcupine track with a toothbrush and toothpicks.

Books:  How Do Dinosaurs Go to School? by Yolen;  Who Pooped in the Park? Yellowstone National Park: Scat and Tracks for Kids by Robson