Excavating Your Recycling Bin as a Fossil
Record
Submitted by:Mark A. Williams, Kennedy Middle School, Albuquerque, NM
Endorsed by: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have
attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher
from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural,
western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC
uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the
participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met
at the Workshops.
Date: May 1994
Grade Level: Grades 6-12
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
trash can, students, and work sheet
Your recycling bin and two views of it for labeling
OVERVIEW: We are going to simulate how scientists study the
past. Scientists use layers of rock with fossils to
understand the past. (These layers of rock are called
'STRATA')
OBJECTIVE(s):
1 Relative of Rock layers (Oldest deposited on
bottom)
2 Describe objects in trash as events occurring through
time
3 Fossil record is in 3-D
4 Collection of accurate data is critical
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1 Students divided into groups
2 Each group will be allowed to excavate ___cm of paper
from the recycling bin. Each group assigned a
different layer of paper. Try to learn as much as they
can about their layer.
3 Record data on the outlines given. There is a top view
and side view of the recycling bin. Facts that may be
useful: subject, dates, teachers names, position of
paper, type of paper, Xerox or ditto.
Example of where to record data
________________________________________________________
Mr. Smith's Quiz
Xerox Math etc. 1cm
Vocabulary sheet
_________________________________________________________
(Students write data collected here as a side view.
However, another view from the top of the bin can also be
labeled.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: Students can see that papers in bin
are similar to the fossil record in that deposition of
papers in the recycling bin are events through time like the
changing fossil record.
Fossil record is in 3-D.
Accurate data is necessary before destroying sequence.
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