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Please take a moment to complete our survey so that we can continue to improve our Education Kit program.

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Ohio Fossils Kit Activities List and Learning Standards

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Ohio Fossils Kit Activities List and Learning Standards

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Ohio Rock Talks Epoisode 3: Ohio's Terrestrial Fossils

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Ohio Rock Talks Epoisode 3: Ohio's Terrestrial Fossils

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Ohio Rock Talks  Episode 3: Ohio’s Terrestrial Fossils

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Ohio Rock Talks Episode 2: Fossils of Ohio's Ancient Seas

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Ohio Rock Talks Episode 2: Fossils of Ohio's Ancient Seas

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Ohio Rock Talks  Episode 2:  Fossils of Ohio’s Ancient Seas

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Ohio Rock Talks Episode 1: Fossil Basics

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Ohio Rock Talks Episode 1: Fossil Basics

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In this first episode of Ohio Rock Talks staff from the Ohio Division of Geological Survey discuss Ohio fossil basics. A number of key terms are used.

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Ohio Rock Talks  Episode 1: Ohio Fossil Basics

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Ohio Rock Talks: Episode 12, The Ice Age

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Ohio Rock Talks: Episode 12, The Ice Age

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Geologist Tyler Norris discusses what happened in Ohio during the Ice Age and how it shaped the landscape we see today. Topics covered include the glacial deposits that make up the land surface, how they influence the way we live, and how we use these natural resources. Norris also discusses what the Ohio Geological Survey is doing to map these materials and what information is useful to Ohio citizens, industry, and government agencies.

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Ohio Rock Talks Episode 12: The Ice Age in Ohio

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This video offers a look at the geologic origins of many scenic wonders that dot the Ohio landscape. From striking rock formations and dynamic lakes and rivers to world-famous fossil beds, our state features a complex geology that inspires a sense of awe and carries a legacy of science and lore.

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Did you know that Cincinnati is famous for our landslides? Did you know we were once the home of a warm shallow sea? Did you know that most of Ohio was once covered by a great wall of ice? Learn many fascinating facts from professional geologists as we visit many of Ohio's scenic natural wonders.

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Did you know we were once the home of a warm shallow sea? Did you know that most of Ohio was once covered by a great wall of ice? Learn many fascinating facts from professional geologists as we visit many of Ohio's scenic natural wonders.

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Ohio DNR: Dunkleosteus terrelli (aka the "Dunk")

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Ohio DNR: Dunkleosteus terrelli (aka the "Dunk")

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A top predator and bigger than any great white shark, the Dunkleosteus terrelli (aka the “Dunk”) is Ohio’s newest state symbol. Geologist Erika Danielsen explains what led scientists to the fish fossil 360 million years after its existence.

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Last seen hundreds of millions of years ago, the Isotelus is Ohio’s official invertebrate fossil. Geologist Mark Peter explains where you can find the fossil now, and how some of Ohio’s youngest residents were behind its state status.

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In 1989, a crew digging a new pond at the Burning Tree Golf Course in Heath, Ohio, uncovered a mastodon skeleton. The Ohio History Connection staff was part of the excavation and have since obtained a set of casts from the original skeleton. Dr. Brad Leper and Dave Dyer share more about this amazing discovery

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National Museum of Natural History: Elephant Evolution

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National Museum of Natural History: Elephant Evolution

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Students are presented with four elephant relatives — an Asian elephant, a woolly mammoth, a Stegomastodon, and an American mastodon. They are asked to hypothesize which are most closely related. Roles are then assigned. The team works together comparing key features and working out the evolutionary relationships.

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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

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In this activity, students will use shared characteristics to create an elephant evolutionary tree using teeth from 4 elephant relatives. Grades 3 to 8.

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Hands On Earth Science Activity No. 8: Understanding Geologic Time

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Hands On Earth Science Activity No. 8: Understanding Geologic Time

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Understanding Geologic Time

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No. 17: Fossil Collecting in Ohio

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No. 17: Fossil Collecting in Ohio

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No. 5: Ohio Trilobites

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No. 5: Ohio Trilobites

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Cincinnati Fossils : An Elementary Guide to the Ordivician Rocks and Fossils of the Cincinnati, Ohio

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Cincinnati Fossils : An Elementary Guide to the Ordivician Rocks and Fossils of the Cincinnati, Ohio

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Common Fossils from the Devonian of  Western New York

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Common Fossils from the Devonian of  Western New York

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Fossilworks Instruction Book & Student Handouts

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No.6: ISOTELUS: OHIO’S STATE FOSSIL

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Ohio Geology GeoFacts No.6: ISOTELUS: OHIO’S STATE FOSSIL

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This link shows the caves of the United States. Show this photo to your students during the fossils to soil activity. What sort of caves are in Ohio and the surrounding states? How does this compare to other states? Why do you think this is? What role does limestone play in this ?

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This can be used for the activity Volcanoes and Earthquakes

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This activity book produced by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources includes fun puzzles and coloring pages to bring the theme of fossils into the rest of your classroom.

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Thomas Jefferson and the Birthplace of North American Vertebrate Paleontology

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Thomas Jefferson and the Birthplace of North American Vertebrate Paleontology

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Nearby Big Bone Lick State Park in Kentucky played an important role in American Paleontology.

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Thomas Jefferson was fascinated by the bones at Big Bone Lick. Mastodon tooth from Jefferson's Big Bone Lick collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Part of Filson's (1785) map of the Ohio River, showing Big Bone Lick, from Lafon Allen Maps Collection, University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. Thomas Jefferson by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1805, oil on panel, National Portrait Gallery.

Not only have modern animals gather at Big Bone Lick, but during the last glacial epoch, ice age mammals also gathered there. Some died at the site, and their bones were buried in layers of mud and clay and then became fossilized. Native Americans were the first to discover and comment about the "big bones" near the spring. Then European and Colonial explorers began to bring back giant bones from the site. Hundreds and possibly thousands of bones were removed by collectors during the mid and late 1700s. The first vertebrate bone ever illustrated from a fossil site in North America was a large molar from Big Bone Lick in a paper on "prodigious teeth" by Urban Sylvanus in 1752. In 1765, George Croghan excavated hundreds of bones from the site and later wrote about his discoveries (Croghan, 1767). These bones were scattered among many collections in Britain and France, and scientists began to describe the large bones (Jillson, 1936, 1968; Cincinnati Museum Center, no date).

In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson thought the site was important enough that he commissioned Captain William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) to excavate bones from Big Bone Lick for scientific study. This made Big Bone Lick the first funded paleontological excavation in North America. Jefferson paid for the expedition and donated the bones to the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia (Jefferson, 1807). Clark collected hundreds of bones from the site. Bones from this expedition can be seen at Jefferson's home Monticello, in Virginia, and in the collections of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, which he helped found. Although many of the bones from Clark's expedition were lost, the bones from the 1807 expedition archived in the Academy's collections remain among the oldest confirmed discoveries from Big Bone Lick. Most of the bones from earlier expeditions have been lost (Schultz and others, 1963).

Bones from Thomas Jefferson's Big Bone Lick collection at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. Photographs by Stephen Greb.

The discovery of "elephant" bones at the lick may have been a supporting reason for Thomas Jefferson sending the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark westward beyond the wilds of Kentucky (Jefferson, 1787; Lewis and Clark Foundation, 1998). Jefferson was among many scholars who did not accept the concept of extinction (see next section). He thought that the bones from the lick were from American elephants and other species of animals that had not been sighted in the original 13 states, but might be discovered in the great western wilderness. In a letter to the American Philosophical Society, he described mammoths as: "unknown animals as either have been, or hereafter may be discovered in America" (Jefferson and others, 1799; Thomas Jefferson Foundation, no date).

Historic markers at Big Bone Lick State Park commemorate the site's importance to American paleontology and its place in American history.

Related Topics:

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Big Bone Lick and Benjamin Frankin and Thomas Jefferson

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Information about the geology of Kentucky and the Kentucky Geological Survey

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Paleo Science Journal for Kids and Teens: What can tusks tell us about the lives of mastodons?

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Paleo Science Journal for Kids and Teens: What can tusks tell us about the lives of mastodons?

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What can tusks tell us about the lives of mastodons? - Science Journal for Kids

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Curated links to hands-on paleontology activities + Background videos on tusk growth and isotope analysis + Audio version of article

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Fossil Teeth: A record of Changing Climates and Evolutionary Responses Preserved in the Fossil Record.

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Fossil Teeth: A record of Changing Climates and Evolutionary Responses Preserved in the Fossil Record.

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Students will look at changes in tooth size and shape (morphology) in the fossil record of herbivorous mammals in North America using data from a recent paleontological study. Students will infer factors which caused the observed evolutionary adaptations and link biological adaptation with global climate change and localized habitat change.

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Use this booklet to help your students write a story about a fossil they've found!

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High School Geologic Time Scale Activity

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High School Geologic Time Scale Activity

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This lesson from Coastal Carolina University uses the football field to create a geologic timeline of the history of the Earth

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Use these labels to create your students, or your own, collection of Ohio fossils! There are 3 of each type of fossil on this sheet.

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Here is a list of good books you can use while teaching about Ohio fossils

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This is a great time of the year to slow down, sit down, and contemplate answers to big questions. Like, what do honeylocusts (Why do Osage orange trees ( Gleditsia triacanthos) and pronghorns ( Antilocapra americana) have in common? Maclura pomifera), Kentucky coffeetrees ( Gymnocladus dioicus), and avocado trees ( Persea americana) produce such large seed packages that, with the exception of cultivated avocados, fall to the ground to rot? In all cases, what we see now was shaped by animals that no longer exist; they are extinct.

No living North American predator can catch pronghorns as they zip around western U.S. landscapes in excess of 55 mph. However, their apparent waste of energy makes sense if you consider that they are still being chased by the ghosts of American cheetahs (( Miracinonyx spp.). The trunks of honeylocusts are adorned with wickedly large pointed spines to defend against the phantom trunks of American mastodons Mammut americanum). Pronghorns and honeylocusts evolved effective defenses against formidable animals that no longer exist.

Big fruits were for enticing big animals; megafauna. Mastodons, mammoths, camels, rhinoceroses, gomphotheres, and giant sloths once trampled the ground from the Pacific coast of Washington to the Atlantic coast of Florida. These megafauna could take mega bites and large fruits rewarded both beasts and plants. Megafauna served as high capacity moving vans for spreading seed; a dispersal mechanism known as endozoochory.

These megafauna left the North American scene relatively recently; somewhere between 13,000 and 9,000 years ago depending on the species and the location. Woolly mammoths ( Mammuthus spp.) left their last fresh footprints on Earth on Wrangle Island located between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea somewhere around 4,000 years ago.

The mega-extinction of megafauna was witnessed by our Neolithic ancestors; perhaps they even had a hand in it. Regardless, the animal extinctions were very recent relative to the evolutionary time scale. Many plants and animals still live in the shadows of their extinct coevolutionary partners. Natural selection has not had time to reduce, modify, or erase characteristics that once bestowed great rewards.

Osage orange trees, Kentucky coffeetrees, and avocado trees continue to produce large seed packages in expectation that some large animal will reward their efforts by pooping out their off-spring in far off locations. You can thank giant sloths for having to deal with the huge avocado pits the next time you make guacamole.

The theory that many seemingly nonsensical plant adaptations are associated with extinct animals was first proposed by Daniel Hunt Janzen (University of Pennsylvania) and Paul Martin (University of Arizona). They published the fruits of their scientific labors in the journal Science in 1982; I've included a link to their paper [see Neotropical anachronisms: the fruits the gomphotheres ate, in "More Information" below].

Their work launched novel scientific inquiries and new perspectives. Many are nicely explained by Connie Barlow in her book, The Ghosts of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms (Basic Books, New York, 2000. 291 pp., illus., (ISBN-13: 978-0465005529; ISBN-10: 0465005527)).

You can get a good "taste" of the book's content by reading an article published by Barlow in Arnoldia in 2001 and a useful book review published in BioScience by John Bois, also in 2001 [see Anachronistic Fruits and the Ghosts Who Haunt Them, and Anachronistic Relationships, in "More Information" below.].

My earlier use of the word "ghost" is a not-so-subtle homage to Barlow. She also coined the term "ecological anachronisms" which nicely summarizes the out-of-time relationship between the current and the extinct.

So, what about the ecological anachronism represented by honeylocusts and mastodons? Back in early November, I visited the Cincinnati Museum Center, Geier Collection and Research Center (CMC, GCRC). The Research Center is located not far from the Museum Center.

My visit was graciously hosted by Dr. Glenn Storrs, Associate Vice President, Collections and Research. It was an eye-opening visit on many levels with Glenn sharing his considerable knowledge and allowing me to photograph some mastodon teeth in their collection; some were collected in Kentucky not far from Cincinnati.

The first thing Glenn pointed out were the points on mastodon teeth. Dentition speaks volumes to how an animal makes (or made) a living. Consider the effects of being bitten by a wolf compared to being bitten by a cow. The name "mastodon" is attributed to French naturalist Georges Cuvier in reference to the nipple-like projections on the extinct animal's molars; "mastodon" comes from the Greek for "breast" and "teeth."

Glenn noted that the mastodon's dentition clearly shows these animals were browsers; the points on their molars allowed them to "cut and grind" woody tissue. On the other hand, Glenn pulled a woolly mammoth molar from the Research Center's collection to demonstrate that these animals were grazers; their washboard-like molars indicate they were "mash and grind" feeders best suited for grasses. Of course, I could easily imagine woolly mammoths nudging against mastodons to harvest Osage orange fruit; wouldn't that have been something to see!

Honeylocust trees get their common name from their seed pods. The "honey" comes from the high sugar content of the sweet, sticky pulp in the seed pods. The "locust" comes from the overall appearance of their seed pods which look very similar to those produced by Black Locusts ( ), another member of the Pea Family, . Of course, the reason honeylocust is written as a contraction is because the trees are neither honey nor a locust (e.g. mayapple, pineapple, etc.)

There is no doubt that mastodons ate honeylocust seed pods; remnants have been found in their preserved gut contents and manure. Imagine the sweet tasting seed pods dangling just out of reach of the probing proboscis of a mastodon. These huge beasts were perfectly capable of simply pushing over even large trees for a sweet treat.

Enter natural selection: huge spikes on the tree trunk would be a great deterrent. In fact, the specific epithet, triacanthos, translates to "three-parted thorns." The connection between marauding mastodons and the rise of spikes on honeylocusts is a matter of conjecture; however, Glenn pointed something out to me that I had never noticed before. The spikes start a few feet from the ground and end at about the highest reach of a mastodon; the greatest concentration are located where they provide maximize protection against a mischievous mastodon.

Of course, honeylocust trees still needed mastodons to dine on their seed pods; that's probably why they're sweet. However, it would be best to wait until the seeds ripened, dropped to the ground, and ultimately into the mouths of mastodons. The honeylocust seeds would then be transported distances from parent trees and "prepped" for germination: the seeds are surrounded by a thick, tough seed coat broken down by the chemical brew in the mastodon's gut.

As I left the Geier Collection and Research Center, I noticed a large "thornless" honeylocust planted in the curb strip next to their parking lot. I wondered how the defenseless tree would have fared against the hungry ravages of massive mastodons. Indeed, the complete scientific name for thornless honeylocusts is G leditsia triacanthos var. inermis; the varietal name inermis is Latin for "defenseless," or "toothless."

The very first thornless honeylocust brought to market was Moraine Honeylocust (G leditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Moraine'). I love the story behind this tree for a number of reasons including the fact that I live about 23 miles from Moraine, OH.

Moraine honeylocust was developed by the Siebenthaler Company of Dayton, Ohio. They were issued Plant Patent 836 for this tree in 1949. It was the first shade tree to ever receive a plant patent. The origins of the tree tells an interesting story regarding the inherent genetics behind the thorns.

The first thornless tree was discovered by Clarence (father) and Bob (son) Siebenthaler as Clarence was driving his son back to college (Michigan State; this is only a partial Buckeye story). The two collected bud wood from the "wild" thornless (and fruitless) tree they had discovered and subsequently found that the propagated trees remained "true" to the parent tree's traits. The "Moraine" name was given to the new cultivar in deference to a nursery the company owned in that Ohio town.

Moraine launched the development by others of a wide range of patented thornless honeylocust cultivars such as 'Shademaster', 'Skyline', 'Sunburst," and 'Imperial', to name just a few. These and other cultivars were responsible for honeylocusts rising to the top of the list of urban trees used to replace American elms ( Ulmus americana) lost to Dutch elm disease. Of course, we eventually discovered that thorns weren't the only thing absent in the new cultivars; their unnatural selection produced many that had also lost the ability to fend off certain insect pests and diseases. But, that's another story.

Connie Barlow in her Ghosts of Evolution book spends a considerable amount of time on the natural selection behind the development of thorns as well as the past-to-present "devolution" story behind the absence of thorns. I'm providing this teaser because her book would be a great winter-read!

I owe a debt of gratitude for the time and knowledge Dr. Glenn Storrs shared with me during my museum visit. It reminded me of our need to support our museums and the professionals dedicated to expanding scientific knowledge as well as those who design the educational displays that explain the discoveries to expand all of our knowledge.

Laid out on several long tables were numerous specimens that were being prepared for display in the Cincinnati Museum Center. Glenn shared with me that a large percentage of their funding support comes directly from proceeds earned when we pay to visit; this is true of many museums in Ohio and elsewhere.

Winter is a great time of the year to visit museums to seek answers to big questions. I urge that you take time to do so; I guarantee that you will learn new things and that's definitely worth the price of admission!

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This is a great time of the year to slow down, sit down, and contemplate answers to big questions. Like, what do honeylocusts and pronghorns have in common? Why do Osage orange trees, Kentucky coffeetrees, and avocado trees have such large seed packages?

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It's been a good year for Osage oranges ( Maclura pomifera). Now, in mid-to late-autumn, the grapefruit-sized "monkey brains" (as Osage orange fruits are commonly called) litter the ground, turning from chartreuse to brown as they soften and decay. What are these weird trees?

Osage orange trees are not native to Ohio. Rather, they originated in the south-central US, around Texas and Oklahoma. European settlers who crossed the Mississippi into that territory discovered that the Native Americans living there-the Osage Nation-highly valued the wood of a particular tree for constructing hunting bows. Those Frenchmen coined the name "bois d'arc" (wood of the bow) for the tree, and the simplified version of that term, bodark, remains in use, alongside Osage orange, hedge apple, mock orange, yellowwood and others.

Settlers subsequently discovered additional values for this tree. The wood is strong and flexible-ideal not only for bows but also for wagon wheels and axles. Osage orange wood also is durable and resists rot; it makes excellent fence posts and tool handles. And in the wilderness, Osage orange wood could be split and the interior wood splintered to build a fire, even in wet conditions. The dense wood (30% denser than oak) burns hotter than any other native tree. Beyond that, the hard, yellow wood is appealing for carving into pens, musical instruments, and other items, and it yields an attractive yellow dye.

More relevant to how Osage orange came to Ohio, the trees themselves proved useful. With their tangled growth form and sharp thorns, a close-grown row of Osage orange trees forms a nearly impenetrable barrier. As such, hedges of Osage orange were perfect for creating natural fences to define property boundaries and enclose livestock. Trees were planted across the Midwest for that purpose. The practice diminished after the introduction of barbed wire in the late 1800s, but windbreak hedges of Osage orange remain common in the Plains states. The trees we see in Ohio today likely derive mostly from those planted many decades ago for their utilitarian purposes.

Although the Osage orange name recognizes the fruit's superficial resemblance to an unripe (large!) orange, the tree is not a citrus. Rather, it is in the Moraceae family, along with mulberries, figs and jackfruit. Like those other fruits, Osage orange fruits technically are "syncarps" or collective fruits, meaning they form from a cluster of fruiting flowers. Each of the individual fruits in that collective consists of an elongated green pulpy flesh, with a single seed buried in the fruit interior. The pulp produces a white latex that oozes out if the fruit is damaged.

Osage orange and related Maclura species have been used in folk medicine around the world, including by Native Americans. Chemicals isolated from Osage orange leaves, seeds and latex have potential value in treating conditions ranging from cancer and Alzheimer's disease to gastric ulcers and viral or fungal infections. Extracts have been incorporated into health care and beauty products, too, and the fruits have been touted (with weak evidence) as insect repellants.

According to Wikipedia, Osage orange fruits have "a cucumber-like flavor." However, they are generally considered inedible, for humans and even for wildlife. Squirrels do eat some of the seeds from rotting fruits, but hedge apples generally just lie in place where they fall.

Ordinarily, trees produce fruits as bribes to attract fruit-eating animals, which subsequently deposit undigested seeds in new habitat. In other words, fruits are a plant's way of sending their offspring out into the world. So, why would a tree invest so much energy in producing large fruits with such limited attraction to consumers, and such limited dispersal ability?

Biologists believe that the answer lies in history. Fruits evolve alongside other members of their ecological communities. Osage oranges may not attract consumers today-but it wasn't always that way. During the time of the most recent ice ages-known as the Pleistocene epoch-North America was home to a diverse array of large herbivores. Camels and llamas, giant (3 ton!) ground sloths, shrub oxen, woodland muskox, and mammoths and mastodons all roamed the countryside. These animals would have been fully capable of eating Osage orange fruits. Then, about 10-15,000 years ago, the continent's large mammals mostly went extinct. That demise probably reflected the combined effects of human hunting-humans had recently arrived to North America from Asia-and climate change as the last ice age ended. Whatever the cause, mammoths and ground sloths disappeared; but the trees survived. And so Osage orange now is thought of as an ecological anachronism: a plant that remains alive and well, but whose ecological counterparts-the animals that ate its fruits and dispersed its offspring-are missing.

Osage oranges may yet enter the market as ornamental trees. There are separate male and female trees, and so male trees, which don't produce fruit, are more desirable as plantings. Selective breeding also has made inroads at reducing or eliminating thorns, but with somewhat limited success. For now, Osage orange remains an interesting member of our forest communities, producing a notable THUD when it drops a fruit and serving as a reminder of our wild past. Next time you look at a fruit-laden Osage orange tree, just picture a mammoth strolling by for a snack!

Article and photo contributed by Dr. David L. Goldstein, Emeritus Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University.

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Of Monkey Brains and Mammoths - Centerville-Washington Park District

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It's been a good year for Osage oranges (Maclura pomifera). Now, in mid-to late-autumn, the grapefruit-sized "monkey brains" (as Osage orange fruits are commonly called) litter the ground, turning from chartreuse to brown as they soften and decay. What are...

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Ohio Fossils Kit- Volcanoes and Eartquakes (3-5)

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Ohio Fossil kit- start your own fossil collection -3-5

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Ohio Fossil Kit- Appreciate Ohio Fossils (grades 3-5) (1)

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Ohio Fossil Kit- Three Cheers for Trilobites (3-5) (1)

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Ohio Fossil Kit- Fossils to Soil (Grades 3-5)

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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Take a Wooly Mammoth & Mastodon Out to Dinner

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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Take a Wooly Mammoth & Mastodon Out to Dinner

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Age Levels Preschool (0 to 4 years old), Primary (5 to 8 years old)

This lesson is about the extinct relatives of the modern elephant - woolly mammoth and mastodons. By looking at the teeth of these animals, scientists can discover what the animals are capable of eating and figure out how species are the same and different. Children are encouraged to look closely at woolly mammoth and mastodon teeth and describe how they are similar and different. Children will explore how different teeth allow animals to eat different types of food. To finish the lesson, they will take puppet woolly mammoths and mastodons (which they make) out to eat.

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Take a Woolly Mammoth & Mastodon Out to Dinner

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This lesson is about the extinct relatives of the modern elephant - woolly mammoth and mastodons. By looking at the teeth of these animals, scientists ca…

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Ohio fossil kit- Appreciate Ohio Fossils (Grades K – 2)

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National Park Service: Prehistoric Life Coloring Pages

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National Park Service: Prehistoric Life Coloring Pages

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Ohio Fossil Kit- Make Your Own Fossil Casts (k-2)

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This Padlet includes many activities to help your class explore the geology and paleontology of our region. Many activities are titled the same but have been scaled up or down to meet the learning needs of different grade levels.

To reserve a kit or for questions about education kits and other school and teacher resources offered by Five Rivers MetroParks, email FRMP_Education@metroparks.org

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Continue to learn about fossils by booking a free field trip with Five Rivers MetroParks.

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Five Rivers MetroParks offers a wealth of on-site educational programs for area school groups.

These programs are adaptable to a multidisciplinary curriculum and encourage students to get outside and build a long-term connection with nature.

All school, commercial or nonprofit groups of 10 or more are required to schedule their park visit. Please call us a minimum of 3 to 4 weeks in advance at (937) 275-7275. Teachers and other educators of all subjects and grade levels who would like to learn how to integrate environmental topics into their curriculum can participate in the many programs offered throughout the MetroParks - ask us how.

Growing Gardeners

Students will learn about plant growth, the benefit of plant relationships in the garden and the important work of pollinators while exploring the vegetable garden. Classes will be divided into groups to participate in station-based activities. Printable activities are provided help students explore the Children's Discovery Garden.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

Understand what plants need to grow and plant their own seeds to observe in the classroom

Explore how certain plants can benefit other plants in the garden (companion planting)

Understand the importance of pollinators and how attract them to your garden

Virtual Field Trip Topics

The educational staff at Five Rivers MetroParks are excited to help your students safely experience the outdoors, whether at their homes or at your school. MetroParks offers pre-recorded virtual field trip content. Whether in your own classroom or Google Classroom, it's easy for you to fit these programs into your curriculum. You can also schedule live Q&A sessions with MetroParks representatives to enhance your adventures.

Geology and Fossils

Geology ROCKS! It is the foundation for all life on Earth! Join a naturalist and explore the fossils beneath your feet! We will discuss what fossils are, how they are made, the types we find around Dayton, Ohio, and where to find them. Students will want to get outside and start a fossil collection of their own after this field trip! Teachers are welcome to schedule a live question and answer session with a naturalist as a part of this program.

Fossil Quest (grades 1, 2, 4 & 8)
Virtually visit Cox Arboretum MetroPark to learn about the Ordovician fossils found in the Dayton area. We'll explore what fossils are, how they are created, which fossils you can find and where to look for them. Students will leave wanting to head outside and create a fossil collection of their own. This field trip includes a free field trip kit, while supplies last!
View Fossil Quest details

Habitat Exploration and Ecology

Nature surrounds us, is within us, and sustains us. It is clean air, water, soil, and biodiversity that makes human life possible. Here you will find programs that highlight engaging, biodiverse habitats throughout MetroParks, that also challenge students to get out exploring on their own. Students will engage with their local nature, whether it is their schoolyard, local park, backyard, or balcony! The assignments below can be used in an in-person classroom with your green schoolyard, or in a virtual classroom.
Animals Need a Home (Pre-K)

Join us for this immersive field trip where we learn about native animals in our area, and how we can help them have a home! Students will go through hands on activities, music and movement, and other interactive fun.
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Butterflies & Bees (grades K, 1 & 3)
This immersive field trip all about local pollinators provides relevant, real-world opportunities for students to learn about lifecycles, wildlife needs and our connections to wildlife. Students will go outside to observe and explore pollinators at school and at home, help professional scientists by contributing to a citizen science project, and improve pollinator habitats around them. This field trip includes a free field trip kit, while supplies last!
View Butterflies and Bees details
Hike in the Forest (grades K-3)
Join us for a hike in the forest with MetroParks' naturalists to explore common plants and animals, dissect an owl pellet, and start a nature journal. Students will be encouraged to explore forests close to home and report their observations. Afterward, students will be itching to begin their own adventure with family and friends.
View Hike in A Forest details
Stream Study (grades K-3, 5 & 7)
Head to the creek with MetroParks' naturalists and discover all the life under the water's surface. Our local creeks are fun places to play and home to many small fish, crawdads and countless macro-invertebrates that tell us if the creek is clean or dirty. Students will go outside to a local creek while interacting with Flipgrid responses.
View Stream Study details

Gardening, Homesteading, and Sustainability

We are healthy and happy thanks to farms and gardens! Not only do they meet our physical needs, they give us space to appreciate beauty, look closely at form and function, and understand our connection to plants and animals. Discover how working farms meet our needs for nutritious food, products for clothing and shelter, and how they have changed as our way of life has changed over time. Explore the life of a special Oak tree on the grounds of Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark: uncover how it benefits from its habitat, contributes to the health of the plants and animals around it (including humans), and be amazed by events the tree has "witnessed" during its long life. Younger students are invited to journey through the garden exploring colors, shapes and patterns in the garden and the larger natural world, including inspiration and ideas for their own nature art.

Life of Our Pedestal Oak (grades 3-5)
Students will "meet" our Pedestal Oak at Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark and make scientific and historical connections with this great old tree and the many lessons it can share. We'll explore the lifecycle, learn how it benefits the plants and animals surrounding it, and investigate the unique pedestal shape of our oak. Students will use a visual timeline highlighting important local and Ohio historical events that have happened during the life of the Pedestal Oak.
View Life of Our Pedestal Oak details
Art in the Garden (grade K)
Students will explore colors, shapes and patterns in the garden and the natural world. We'll uncover why green is so important in nature, how plants use color and shape to attract insects, look for patterns, and make other discoveries. Students will use the examples and ideas shared to create their own nature art.
View Art in Nature details
Butterflies & Bees (grades K, 1 & 3)
This immersive field trip all about local pollinators provides relevant, real-world opportunities for students to learn about lifecycles, wildlife needs and our connections to wildlife. Students will go outside to observe and explore pollinators at school and at home, help professional scientists by contributing to a citizen science project, and improve pollinator habitats around them. This field trip includes a free field trip kit, while supplies last!
View Butterflies and Bees details
Lola Plants A Garden Activity Series (Pre-K)
Join us for this immersive field trip where we learn about Lola and her journey in planting a garden. Students will go through hands on activities, learning through dialogic reading, music and movement, art and crafts, and other hands on activities. This field trip touches on gardening and how we can plant seeds and help them grow.
View Activity Series details

Mindfulness

Classroom Nature Breaks - SEL (grades K-5)
Take time to relax and feel our connections with the natural world. From meditating by a stream, watching animals, experiencing the wind and practicing yoga, your students will explore their connections with the natural world while learning more about themselves. Resources allow teachers to use nature to help students regulate emotional control, grow empathy for other living things and ultimately learn how to respect other human beings.
View Classroom Nature Breaks - SEL details

Carriage Hill Farm Living History

Life in the 1880s (grades K-6)
Virtually visit Carriage Hill MetroPark's historical farm to explore what life was like for the Arnold family in the 1880s in Dayton. Students will learn about life on a farm, the farm animals, and such skills as blacksmithing and woodworking. Students will see how modern life compares with life 140 years ago.
View Life in the 1880s details

Quick Reference Guide

Habitat Exploration and Ecology

Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Social Studies: Government Strand

Habitat Exploration and Ecology
Butterflies and Bees
Life Science

Social Studies: Government Strand

Hike in A Forest
Life Science

Social Studies: Geography Strand

Stream Study
Earth and Space Science

Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Social Studies: Government Strand

Habitat Exploration and Ecology
Hike in A Forest
Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Social Studies: Government Strand

Stream Study
Earth and Space Science

Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Social Studies: Government Strand

Life Science

Social Studies: Geography Strand

Gardening, Homesteading, and Sustainability
Life of Our Pedestal Oak
Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Gardening, Homesteading, and Sustainability
Life of Our Pedestal Oak
Life Science

Social Studies: History Strand

Social Studies: Geography Strand

Habitat Exploration and Ecology
Stream Study
Life Science

Social Studies: Geography Strand

Social Studies: Economic Strand

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Educational Field Trips - Five Rivers MetroParks

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Five Rivers MetroParks offers a wealth of on-site educational programs for area school groups. These programs are adaptable to a multidisciplinary curriculum and encourage students to get outside and build a long-term connection with nature. All school, commercial or nonprofit groups of 10 or more are required to schedule their park visit.

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See More Education Kits from Five Rivers MetroParks

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See More Education Kits from Five Rivers MetroParks

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Hands-on exploration of history, nature and conservation Families, local educators and youth group leaders can borrow a variety of hands-on education kits for use with children in grades K-12. These kits provide teaching tools to help kids explore history, nature and conservation subjects through hands-on experiments and activities.