What Materials Do We Need to Make Our Own Fossils?
- Fossils can tell us about the Earth, such as when an animal was alive and what diseases might have affected it. Fossils are also used to help date rocks and can help people learn about the evolutionary process of animals and changing environments.
- A trace fossil is an impression made by an organism, such as footprints. The fossilization of petrified remains is a gradual process and cannot be completed in a short period of time. When creating your own fossils, you should use an item that can create a trace fossil, such as twigs, leaves, ferns, shells or a bone. These items will be used to make your own trace fossil.
- Make a mixture of fossil dough by using 1 cup of used coffee grounds, ½ cup of cold coffee, 1 cup of flour and a ½ cup of salt. Stir the ingredients together in a mixing bowl and knead it. Flatten a portion of the dough so that it is laying on waxed paper. Press an object down into the dough so that it creates an impression and remove the object and then set it aside to allow it to dry.
- If you use a plaster set to make a fossil, you should use cardboard to help in the process. You can build a cardboard wall around the fossil so that it does not spill over. You should not dump leftover plaster into the sink. Instead dump it into a plastic bag or garbage bag after it dries.