Making Fossils

Materials:

• Play Doh or similar clay

• Plaster of Paris

• Objects to imprint in the play dough (shells, rocks, leaves, plastic animals, etc.

• Tray

Procedures:

• Divide students into groups of two or three.

• Pass out the play dough and the objects to imprint.

• Students should flatten out the play dough until it is about one half inch thick (depending on the size of the imprints students will be making.

• Then the figure should be pressed into the play dough and remove the object.

• Set the play dough aside on a tray...untouched until it hardens.

• Pour the Plaster of Paris into the play dough mold and let it dry.

• Gently peel out the Plaster of Paris, and the result is the fossil.

• (Tip:  To make the "fossil" come out more easily, lightly spray the play dough imprint with a non-stick spray before pouring in the Plaster of Paris.)