What Are Fossils?

1
What Are Fossils?

• Fossils are the remains or traces of a plant or
  animal from an earlier time period.
• They can consist of footprints, bones, shells,
  leaf imprints, and more.
• Fossils can also be found in many materials such
  as ice, amber, tar, and rocks.

2
Fossil Formation

• Fossils can be formed when an impression left in
  the dirt by a plant or animal.
• This imprint is filled in with new layers of
  sediment over time.
• These layers then harden into rock.
• If the upper layers of rock erode, the fossil is
  exposed so we can find it.

3
Make Your Own Fossil

• Press a plastic dinosaur into damp sand or dirt
  to create an impression.
• Pour the Plaster of Paris in the imprint to
  simulate hard minerals filling it in over time.
• Let your fossil dry before uncovering it.