Richard, hi. My husband is a high school science teacher and he has a few
suggestions. The "digging away"-type activity is very time-consuming, messy,
and because it takes so long, the kids often lose interest before there's
anything to show. There can also be safety issues with younger kids and
sharp tools. Though perhaps someone has a way to do it that doesn't have
these problems!

What he uses with his students (but I've also done it with 2nd-3rd graders)
is a "cast and mold" fossil activity. There are lots of descriptions of
activities if you google this. But if you want one version, here's a brief
outline of what he does:

--mix plaster slurry (consistency of a thick milkshake) (he bought a 25-lb
bag at Home Depot, pretty cheap)
--pour into Dixie cup, 2/3 full
--take small seashell (best with ridges) and lightly coat surface with
Vaseline
--push ridge side into plaster (but not submerged) and don't let plaster run
over edge
--ideally, let set overnight (that's what he does, so it's dry), but if
pressed, you could just let it set for 30 minutes while the kids move on to
something else (check out an exhibit, for instance)
--next day or in half an hour, pull out shell (what's left becomes your
fossil mold)
-- lightly coat exposed surface of mold with Vaseline, then pour in more
plaster slurry
--let set, peel cup, and pull cast and mold apart (this is where you'd have
to see if there was enough time for the mold to set). 
--send kids home with cast and mold in plastic bags

Of course, you'd want to try the whole process first and work out the
logistics, details, especially the timing on the plaster setting....

More detail than you probably want.

Good luck!

--Kathie



Kathie Gow

Oral History Producer
http://www.wordspicturesstories.com

Curator, Hatfield Historical Museum
http://hatfieldhistory.weebly.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Richard Fields
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 7:55 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Fossil projects

Does anyone have a source for how to make fossil kits for a kids project. We
need to create an activity for kids per-K to 6th grade. I am thinking of
being able to have kids scrape away the surface to uncover pretend fossils.
Thanks in advance.
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