Learn and play from home—museum style! Preschoolers and their adults can now join us online for our popular Little Wonders program, featuring stories, hands-on activities, and more. This month, we're celebrating National Fossil Day by investigating fascinating fossils. Who studies fossils? Where do you find them? What kinds of fossils are at the museum? Join us to find answers to all of these questions and create your own fossil craft!

DIG INTO FOSSILS

	VIDEO Welcome! In this 6-minute video, museum educator Robyn teaches us about fossils and gives an overview the fun crafts and activities we're featuring. There’s also a special guest appearance by our very own museum paleontologist, Edward Davis.
	VIDEO Story time Listen to a reading of this month's story, Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist, by Linda Skeers, read with permission from Sourcebooks.
	CRAFT  Fossil Prints Make your own mold fossils with clay or salt dough using this step-by-step guide.
	ACTIVITY Finding Trace Fossils Look around the place where you live or a nearby park and find evidence of a living thing that could someday become a trace fossil. Use this guide to identify the different signs.
	CRAFT/ACTIVITY Prehistoric Animal Movement Cube Can you stomp like a mammoth or flap like a Pteranodon? With these easy instructions and a fun movement cube template, you can pretend to be different kinds of prehistoric animals!
	ACTIVITY Fossil Puzzles Put together the puzzle to reveal the skeleton of the Harlan’s ground sloth or Smilodon (sabertoothed cat) from the museum’s Explore Oregon exhibit. Download and print the puzzle templates here.
	CRAFT Skeleton Fossil Craft Make your own fossil skeleton of any animal with this easy step-by-step guide.

 

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