Materials
Small objects, such as acorns, rocks, paper clips, buttons, twigs
Plaster of Paris
Water
Styrofoam cup
Small cups from drink mixes, such as Crystal Light
Instructions
1. Have each child find a small object to make a fossil out of. They can look for objects in the class-
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room or outside.
2. Prepare the plaster of Paris in a Styrofoam cup, according to the directions on the box.
3. Pour the plaster of Paris into each Crystal Light cup, and give one to each child.
4. Have the children place their objects into their cups. The children should press the objects
about a 1/4" (6 mm) deep.
5. After the plaster of Paris starts to firm up, carefully remove the objects and set the cups aside to
dry completely.
6. Have the children remove their "fossils" from the Crystal Light cups.
More to do
Guest: Invite an archaeologist to speak to the class.
Science: Lay out all the fossils and small objects from which they were made, and encourage the
children to match the fossil with the object that made it. Bring in real fossils, or pictures of real
fossils, for the children to look at.
