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About the school workshops
We offer a range of free interactive fossil workshops for primary and secondary school students delivered in person by scientists from the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences based at University College Cork.
Our workshops are suitable for primary classes from third class through to sixth class, and for secondary school Junior and Senior Cycle students. The workshop content is adapted to suit each age group.
The fossil workshops are directly linked to a variety of STEM subjects such as science and mathematics and link to important topics on the STEM curriculum such as climate change, biodiversity, animal behaviour, evolution, pollution, and even human physiology.
Students can interact with
- real fossils
- 3D printed materials
- 2D and 3D puzzles
- real laboratory equipment using UV light and X-rays
We currently offer five lessons which are delivered across three separate workshops. Each workshop is approximately 3 hours in duration and comprises multiple interactive activities. Workshops can be delivered individually or as part of a complete series.
The workshops include interaction with a collection of real Irish fossils on loan from the Education & Outreach Department, National Museum of Ireland.
Lesson 1 - Fossil ID
This lesson comprises two activities that cover what fossils are, how they form and how to identify them.
Learning outcomes
- Learn what fossils are and how they form
- Match cross-sections of fossils with handout images of fossils
- Observe and handle real fossils and 3D printed fossils
- Discover how different fossils lived
- Learn where in Ireland we find fossils
- Learn about Ireland’s ancient environments
Links to curriculum
Science
- Living things – Plants and animal life
- Materials - Properties and characteristics of materials
- Environmental awareness - Science and the environment
Mathematics
- Shape and space – 2D and 3D shapes and symmetry
Geography
- Natural environments – Rocks and soil
Summary of activities
Students examine 3D blocks with fossil cross-sections and match them with images of fossils. Students also explore the mode of life of ancient creatures to figure out if the fossils swam, stuck or slithered in their environments.
Click here for Lesson Plan 1_Fossil ID
Lesson 2 - Fossil Crime Scene
This lesson comprises two activities. Taking on the role of fossil detectives the students discover how to use rocks to learn about ancient environments and how to use clues in the rocks to learn how fossil animals lived and died.
Learning outcomes
- Learn about Ireland’s ancient environments
- Learn about some of Ireland’s fossils
- Discover how these fossils lived
- Discover how these fossils died and were preserved in the rock
Links to curriculum
Science
- Living things – Plants and animal life
- Materials – Properties and characteristics of materials, materials and change
- Environmental awareness – Science and the environment, environmental awareness and care
Mathematics
- Shape and space – 2D and 3D shapes
Geography
- Natural environments – Rocks and soil
Summary of activities
Students identify the victim of the Fossil Crime Scene by completing a jigsaw and matching this to the silhouette of a fossil. Students also investigate how the fossil died by examining rock samples and comparing them with various 'clues', e.g. volcanic ash, broken shells, and fossil poo!
Click here for
Lesson 3 - Ping Pong Chemistry
This lesson comprises two activities. Students learn how to group objects by their material properties such as fluorescence and magnetism and will explore how scientists study the (unseen) chemical properties of fossils using different tools and methods.
Learning outcomes
- Learn about the various material properties of objects
- Explore how scientists can measure these “unseen” properties
- Discover what these properties can tell us about fossils
Links to curriculum
Science
- Living things – Plants and animal life
- Materials – Properties and characteristics of materials, materials and change
- Energy and forces – Light, magnetism and electricity
- Environmental awareness – Science and the environment
Mathematics
- Shape and space – 2D and 3D shapes and symmetry
- Data – Representing and interpreting data
Summary of activities
Students sort balls of different materials based on their various visible and 'hidden' properties, e.g. magnetic, fluorescent, sink or float. Students will simulate how X-rays are analysed by scientists. Using a box of ping pong balls each painted with a different chemical symbol students have to search the box of balls for the heavy ones and count as many as they can in ten seconds!
Click here for Lesson Plan 3_Ping Pong chemistry
Lesson 4 - Fossils in Motion
This lesson comprises three activities. Students are be introduced to the concept of trace fossils, the footprints, tracks and burrows of fossil animals. They experiment with different materials to explore which sediment (sand or mud) best preserves these imprints and explore how these can tell us how ancient animals lived and interacted with their environment.
Learning outcomes
- Learn what trace fossil are and how they form
- Match modern and ancient creatures to their imprints
- Discover how sand and mud preserves imprints of animals
- Discover what preserved footprints can tell us about ancient creatures
Links to curriculum
Science
- Living things – Plant and animal life
- Materials – Properties and characteristics of materials
- Environmental awareness – Science and the environment
Mathematics
- Shape and space – 2D and 3D shapes and symmetry
- Measures – Length
- Data – Representing and interpreting data
Geography
- Natural environments – Rocks and soil
Summary of activities
Students investigate which sediment preserves the best trace of a fossil by pushing a fossil foot into boxes of sand and mud and recording the results. Students discover what dinosaurs they walk like by measuring their stride and comparing this to the stride of various dinosaurs.
Click here for Lesson Plan 4_ Fossils in Motion
Lesson 5 - Environmental Change
This lesson comprises five activities. Students learn how rocks record environmental changes long ago. They also explore the effects these changes have on biodiversity through time by taking part in our exciting fossil gameshow, Wheel of Misfortune!
Learning outcomes
- Learn how rocks record environmental change through time
- Learn that fossils record biodiversity changes through time
- Explore the effects of both local and global environmental changes
- Discover how species adapt to environmental changes
Links to curriculum
Science
- Living things – Plant and animal life
- Environmental awareness – Science and the environment
Mathematics
- Measures – Length
- Data – Representing and interpreting data
Geography
- Natural environments – Rocks and soil
Summary of activities
Students record the numbers and types of fossils in 10 boxes and investigate why the numbers of fossils change in each box. Students estimate the distance that the effects of a meteorite impact would travel across the globe. Students discuss the impacts of various environmental changes on biodiversity by playing our game 'Wheel of Misfortune'.
Click here for Lesson Plan 5_Environmental Change
How can I book a workshop?
Get in touch with us via email
Dr Jess Franklin
Science Engagement Officer
Professor Maria McNamara
Professor of Palaeontology
