The best way to understand someone else is to step into their shoes right?
That’s why you’ll love this Cookie Paleontologist activity so much! This lesson goes beyond worksheets for second grade science. Your class will get hands-on experience excavating “fossils”. It’s so much fun while still covering second grade science common core standards.
So, why is this lesson different than other second grade science activities?
1. It incorporates even more than just second grade science common core standards.
This activity is so much more than your basic worksheet for second grade science. Instead, it includes science vocabulary cards focused on fossil terms. You can use these cards to frontload some information before even beginning the activity.
I like to introduce these terms while reading the books Fossils Tell of Long Ago, by Aliki.
Your class will also get the chance for a little math, reading and writing practice throughout the activity.
B. Your class will have a chance to literally try out being a paleontologist.
They learn so much about what a paleontologist does, how fragile fossils can be, and the tools that paleontologists use. You can see their personalities coming out as they “dig”. Plus, there are great problem solving strategies being used. Some students focus on not making crumbs of their cookie, while others decide to crumble it from the start! Trial and error is what makes second grade science activities so fun. The end goal is not just to teach the standards, but to develop a LOVE FOR LEARNING and exploration!
C. They REMEMBER this activity!
At the end of every year I talk with my class about our favorite memories from that school year. This Cookie Paleontologist day is brought up every single year. That means they’ll forever remember what they learned that day. And isn’t that the end goal of this whole teaching gig?
If you think your Littles would enjoy stepping into the shoes of a Paleontologist, you can find it HERE!
