How Palaeontologists Work
Describe how palaeontologists work in the field and lab: prospecting for exposed fossils, careful excavation with hand tools, plaster jacketing for transport, preparation in the lab, and scientific description and publication
Typical age: 9–11 years
“Can your child describe the steps a palaeontologist goes through from first spotting a fossil in a cliff to it ending up on display in a museum?”
0 / 3 mastered
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Needs first
- Fossilised Dinosaur Dung
Describing palaeontological field and lab work includes coprolite analysis as an example of trace fossil interpretation — students who know what coprolites are and what they reveal will understand the breadth of palaeontological methods
- Types of Fossils
Understanding different fossil types helps contextualise what palaeontologists look for
- How Fossils FormREQUIRED
Must understand fossil formation before learning field excavation methods
- Reading Dinosaur Trackways
Understanding how palaeontologists work in the field and lab includes the use of trace fossils like trackways as evidence — having previously studied trackway inference prepares students to understand fieldwork procedures more concretely