Fossil Experiments inspired by Mary Anning

This is one in a series of posts honoring Women’s History Month. Each post celebrates a woman of note & encourages readers to explore their own creativity…

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Inspiration

Mary Anning was an English fossil collector, dealer and palaeontologist who became famous for finds she made in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel.

Materials

  • White, wheat & cinnamon swirl bread

  • Gummy candies

  • Some heavy books

Directions

  1. Layer the bread and gummy candies. Use three types of bread to demonstrate how sedimentary rocks are different layers of colors and materials.

  2. Wrap the bread in plastic wrap.

  3. Pile some heavy books on top. Let the books weigh down the gummies for 6-8 hours.

  4. Peel the layers apart carefully.

  5. The bread is left with deep impressions of the gummy animals. Explain how fossils are made from animals who have died and then the rocks and sand cover them up over time.

adapted from Teach Beside Me

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Coding Apps inspired by Ada Lovelace

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DNA Extraction inspired by Jennifer Doudna