Lab 1: Fossilization Processes

Joel Thompson

Eckerd College

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- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
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This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process. This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

Initial Publication Date: June 4, 2009 | Reviewed: June 24, 2014 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

Working with fossils preserved by various modes of fossilization and learning about the various forms of microbialites.

Paleoecology | College Lower (13-14), College Upper (15-16)

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Context

Audience

Undergraduate invertebrate paleontology class for majors it is required, but also biology elective class

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students need to have already read or been lectured to on fossilization processes and microbialites in order to complete this exercise

How the activity is situated in the course

First lab exercise in the course.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Goal of this lab exercise is to introduce the students to the various modes of fossilization and to see and have hands-on of various fossil examples. It also includes examples of stromatolites, thrombolites, oncolite as various forms of microbialites.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Synthesis of fossilization processes and microbialites

Other skills goals for this activity

Require illustration skills by sketching some of the examples

Description of the activity/assignment

outcomes are that the students learn about silicification, pyritization, carbonization, calicification, internal, external, and composite molds. They also learn the difference between stromatolites and thrombolites.