A paleontologist is a scientist that studies fossils. There are many ways and methods for these scientists to do their work. One common and important rst step is excavating the fossils. This means removing the fossils from where they are buried. Even when the fossils are huge, this is very delicate work. ere is a lot of information in the fossils and the soil around the fossils. The most important part of excavating any fossil is to collect and save as much information as possible. It can be a lot of fun to practice these skills by making your own fossil dig.
You will need Plaster of Paris, dirt, rocks, sand, a shoebox-sized plastic bin, water,
a bucket and a stick to stir it with. You will also need magnifying glasses, a spoon and paint brushes. e last important thing to have is something fun to excavate like plastic dinosaurs or shells.
• The first step is to make the “dirt.”
• For loose dirt, mix half plaster and half water.
• For tougher dirt, mix 8 cups of sand, 1 cup of plaster and 1 cup of water.
• Mix the dirt in the bucket by adding the water a little bit at a time.
• After everything is evenly mixed, fill the plastic container half way.
• Then place the plastic dinosaurs or other things you will be excavating in the mixture.
• Fill the shoe box the rest of the way with the sand mixture.
• You can make as many layers of sand and “fossils” as you want until the bin is full.
• Press down firmly on top of the mixture once the bin is full.
• Let the plastic container full of the sandy mixture dry in the sun without a lid.
After the sandy mixture is completely dry, it can be taken out of the bin, and the exploration can start. Practice paleontologists can use tools like spoons, hammers and paintbrushes to uncover all the treasures hidden in the sand, dirt and rocks. It is important to be very careful like a real paleontologist.
