Fossils Event Preparation: Strategies & Resources

1. Fossils Presented by Linder O. Winter Former E-S Science Committee Chair National Science Olympiad Event Supervisor: Rocks & Minerals / Fossils / Solar System / Road Scholar / Reach for the Stars / Road Scholar

2. SESSION OBJECTIVES • Introduce the 2016 Fossils Event rules • Suggest options and strategies to guide participants in preparing for the Event • Address major topics and themes included in the event • Coaching Resources: Exams and Activities

3. 2016 EVENT RULES • DESCRIPTION: Teams will demonstrate their knowledge of ancient life by completing selected tasks at a series of stations.

4. DESCRIPTION: Continued • Emphasis will be on fossil identification and ability to answer questions about: • Classification • Habitat • Ecologic relationships • Behaviors • Environmental adaptations • Use of fossils to date and correlate rock units

5. A TEAM OF UP TO: 2 • Roles of each team member should be defined long before the competition: • Lead participant: most knowledgeable and/or most experienced. • Ideally, choose members from different grade levels to provide continuity from one year to the next. • Avoid limiting original participation to only two members due to potential of drop-outs, illness, conflicting schedules, etc. • Don’t discount younger students, i.e. sixth graders. • Avoid identifying final team members too quickly

6. EVENT PARAMETERS • Each team may bring only one magnifying glass. • Emphasis is on the word team • Controls the number of items to transport from station to station

7. EVENT PARAMETERS:Field Guides • One published field guide that they may tab and write in • The complexity of standard Field Guides rules them out as effective tools for use in the actual competitions. • Suggest that participants not bring field guides to the competition as Student Developed Notebooks are far superior (for Science Olympiad competitions) in almost every way.

8. EVENT PARAMETERS:Field Guides • Why not bring a field guide? • Too little time to permit information to be located. • Includes far too much information, most of which is irrelevant to the actual event. • Tends to serve as a crutch.

9. EVENTPARAMETERS:3-Ring Binders • And one 3-ring binder (any size) containing information in any form from any source. The materials must be 3-hole punched and inserted into the rings (sheet protectors are allowed, but not necessary or recommended). • Teammates work together to create the binder. Binder may be continually modified.

10. EVENTPARAMETERS: • Participant-Designed Resource Notebooks: • Provide a means for coaches to monitor participant progress • Address only those items identified in the event rules • Are uniquely designed by the competitors • Can be easily and quickly modified • Provides direction for preparation

11. 3 – RING BINDERCreating the Ideal Resource • Have each team of individuals create its own binder. • Team knowledge and expertise grows with their binder. • Binders may grow from competition-to- competition and from year-to-year fortheir original creators. • It’s the creation and continual upgrading of one’s own binder that renders it such an effective tool. • Do not pass binders on to future teams as it’s the process of creating them that make them such an effective tool!

12. 3 - RING BINDER:Table of Contents • Suggest participants obtain a notebook with clear plastic “pockets” on its front and rear covers. • Insert the official “2016 Fossil List” into the front plastic pocket. Use the numbers appearing on the Fossil List as page numbers throughout the notebook. • For those Classes with more than one specimen on the list (example: Phylum Arthropoda) use alpha-numeric designations, i.e. 14a Shrimp; 14b Lobster; 14c Crabs; and 14d Barnacles.

13. 3 - RING BINDER:2016 Fossil List If participants are able to identify the specimens, the list itself provides the phylum, subphylum, class, genus, etc.

14. 3 - RING BINDER:Table of Contents • Speed is a major concern!” Design the binders for rapid specimen ID to provide maximum time for locating information. • Devote one page to each specimen. Standardize the format of all reference pages for quick and easy access. • A sample Resource Page will be posted on the Ohio Coaches Clinic website.

15. 3 - RING BINDER:Table of Contents • Optional! Participants may wish to devote the first few pages of their notebooks to labeled images of the specimens … actually an expansion of the Fossil List on the front cover. Use the same numbering system as on the 2016 NSO Fossils list. This is a back-up for “fading memories” or when suffering under “intense pressure.”

16. 3-Ring Binder: Items to include on pages devoted to each specimen • Thumbnail images of the specimens • Mode of life, i.e. predator, scavenger … • Range of habitats • Special adaptations for survival – food gathering, defense mechanisms, etc. • Range of existence on Geologic Time Scale • Taxonomic classification • Labeled sketches identifying various body features • Significance of the creature to paleontology, i.e. index fossil, etc. • Names, and possibly images, of related organisms.

17. 3 - RING BINDERAdditional Materials – Appendix • Glossary of key terms: Student-derived definitions. • Geologic Time Scale • Listing of major events – mass extinctions, ice ages, Ediacaran fossils, etc. and their significance to paleontology • Images and descriptions of common fossil-bearing sedimentary rocks

18. 3 - RING BINDERContinual Maintenance • Schedule team briefings following each level of competition • Identify difficulties or surprises participants may have encountered or failed to anticipate. • Modify binder to include facts and concepts found to be lacking during the competition. • Additional information obtained through continued study and research

19. Early Stages in Preparation • During the early stages of preparation, discuss the importance of developing an outstanding notebook. • Provide ‘age-appropriate’ books on paleontology for participants to read and enjoy. An overall view of paleontology provides a framework for future experiences with actual fossils. • Many coaches are under the impression that exposing participants to previously administered exams is an excellent coaching strategy. It’s best to save these exams for use much later in the course of preparation.

20. Previously Administered Exams • Previously administered exams are highly over-rated as coaching tools. • Save past exams for the future after participants have had an opportunity to read age-appropriate texts and books. • When you finally do introduce past exams, break them up into small sections. Permit participants to use any resources at hand to respond to the questions on the exams. • When finished, evaluate the exams and assist with any problems students may have encountered.

21. INTERNET RESOURCES Limit visits to professional sites only! • USGS • College Sites – Geology and Paleontology Departments • National Parks and National Monuments • Many commercial sites include really good information about the fossils they sell. They’re also a fantastic source for images! Avoid websites posted by individuals or organizations with an agenda • Creation Science websites. It’s inevitable that participants will stumble onto these sites. Caution participants about conflicting information, i.e. information deviating from the norm.

22. THE COMPETITION • Emphasis will be placed upon task-oriented activities. (Generally does not happen.) • Participants will move from station-to-station, with the length of time at each station predetermined and announced by the event supervisor. • Participants may not return to stations, but may change or add information to their original responses while at other stations. • Identification will be limited to species on the Official List, but other species may be used to illustrate key concepts.

23. Supervisor Philosophies Prepare participants for different types of exams: • Many supervisors tend to design knowledge-based exams. • Others prefer a mixture of conceptially-based activities with knowledge content.

24. SPECIMEN COLLECTIONS • Don’t be disappointed when you discover that kits including all the specimens on the SO list are not available • Before purchasing specimens, inventory those your school may already have or consult with the previous coach from your school. • Start small and add to your collection as budget and availability permit • Think twice before purchasing inexpensive kits offering a large number of specimens for a very low cost. Most include small, low quality, and/or broken specimens having little value other than for simple identification.

25. SPECIMEN COLLECTIONS • Larger specimens showing greater detail are ideal • Images of specimens, although less ideal, are also valuable. • Many websites designed to generate sales provide quality images which are easily copied and placed into Resource Notebooks. • Design a check-out system of your specimens to maintain your collection.

26. SPECIMEN COLLECTIONS Try to include replicas of ancient creatures in your collections. Supervisors may include questions about special adaptations, such as a mammoth’s tusks used to shove aside snow, carnivores vs. herbivores, means of hunting such as running in pursuit lying in wait, etc.

27. SPECIMEN COLLECTIONS • The Fossils Event is on a three-year rotational scheme, with Rocks and Minerals as its counterpart. If you cannot purchase all fossils during the first year, plan your purchases to span over a period of several years. • Emphasize the importance of treating specimens with care, returning them to designated storage areas, etc. “Trust, but verify!” • Visit www.otherworlds-edu.netfor quality specimens at very “reasonable” prices.

28. VOLUNTEERS • As with all events of the Science Olympiad, necessity often dictates identifying a volunteer to coach this event. • If you are unable to obtain a professional or amateur volunteer, attempt to seek out an interested parent or community member. Many parents are willing to devote numerous hours to help their own child, as well as their friends and classmates, achieve their greatest potential. • A background in paleontology is not an absolute essential. • Professionals often enjoy sharing their passion for fossils with children.

29. VOLUNTEERS • Provide a copy of this PowerPoint presentation to your volunteer(s) as very few are familiar with the coaching regimen. Provide an opportunity to follow-up on any questions your volunteer may have. • Touch base with your volunteer(s) frequently to assure that they are following through on their commitment and are comfortable with their role. • A few of these volunteers become so involved that they may volunteer to assist with other events, provide assistance at competitions, or even continue their role after their own children have moved on.

30. COACHING STRATEGIES • Monitor development of participant binders. This is especially beneficial if a large number of individuals have shown an interest in this event. • Competitive rivalry increases the chances of developing the best overall team possible.

31. COACHING STRATEGIES • Set up weekly practice sessions with three to five stations each. Stations included in previously administered exams make this task a bit easier. • The initial sessions can be untimed. After several weeks, set time limits of three to five minutes per station to simulate actual competitive conditions. It’s much better for participants to experience “pressure” under simulated conditions than it is during actual competitions. • Practice drills are also valuable. Compile a list of questions; dictate them orally; clock the time required for participants to locate the answers in their notebooks; and note their speed and accuracy.

32. FOSSIL EVENT: TOPICS OF STUDY A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO EACH INCLUDED TOPIC

33. Suggested Reference • The following reference was invaluable as a resource for developing many of the following slides. It is a HIGHLY recommended resource for both B- and C-Division Science Olympiad participants. Its explanations are concise and thorough. It addresses many crucial concepts often ignored by other books. Its illustrations are both beautiful and functional. • Coenraads, Robert R., Rocks and Fossils – A Visual Guide. Firefly Books, Ltd., 2005 • ISBN-13: 978-1-55407-068-8 • ISBN-10: 1-55407-068-6

34. TOPIC A: IDENTIFICATION OF ALL FOSSIL SPECIMENS ON THE OFFICIAL LIST • The Official Fossil List is posted at – http://www.soinc.org

35. TOPIC B: CONDITIONS FOR FOSSILIZATION TO OCCUR • Rapid burial to (a) avoid scavenging and (b) eliminate or reduce oxygen to prevent decay • Possession of hard parts - bones, teeth, nails, shell or woody tissue

36. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION - PERMINERALIZATION • Skeletal material can be quite porous. If the pores are filled in by foreign minerals that precipitate out of solution, the fossil is said to be permineralized. • Petrified wood is an example of wood that has been permineralized by silica.

37. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION: PETRIFACTION / PETRIFICATION • Fossils in which the entire cellular structure of the organism has been replaced by mineral matter

38. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION – MINERAL REPLACEMENT • This occurs when skeletal material is replaced, molecule by molecule, with some alien material. This process occurs gradually over a long period of time as the original mineralogy dissolves away and a new mineral precipitates in its place. Examples include: • (1) Silicification - when calcium carbonate is replaced by silica, and • (2) Pyritization - when pyrite replaces calcium carbonate (pyritized brachiopods are common)

39. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION: CASTS & MOLDS • Sometimes the original material is dissolved away, leaving a cavity in the rock which is later filled with another material, such as a mineral. • The cavity is known as a mold • The internal filling is known as a cast

40. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION: IMPRINT • Carbonization occurs when all organic volatiles are distilled away due to the effects of heat and/or pressure, leaving a carbon film remnant of the organism. • This usually occurs with organisms rich in carbon that possess thin or no skeletal material.

41. TOPIC C: MODES OF PRESERVATION: ACTUAL REMAINS • Unaltered: Occasionally an organism's skeleton is preserved intact without any chemical alteration of the original mineralogy • This mode of preservation becomes increasingly rare for fossils of older ages.

42. TOPIC C : UNCOMMON MODES OF PRESERVATION • Uncommon modes of preservation: • Encased in amber or copal – smaller animals, mainly insects, but sometimes lizards, frogs and birds • Mummification – rare process peculiar to desert areas • Freezing – animals, including humans and mammoths • Entrapment in tar/asphalt

43. TOPIC D: RELATIVE DATING • The most basic concept used in relative dating is the law of superposition. • Simply stated, each bed in a sequence of sedimentary rocks (or layered volcanic rocks) is younger than the bed beneath it and older than the one above it. • This law follows two basic assumptions: (1) the beds were originally deposited horizontally, and (2) the beds have not been overturned after their deposition.

44. TOPIC D: RELATIVE DATING • The law of faunal succession states that groups of fossil animals and plants occur throughout the geologic record in a distinct and identifiable order. • Following this law, sedimentary rocks can be "dated" by their characteristic fossil content. • Particularly useful are index (zonal) fossils, geographically widespread fossils that evolved rapidly through time. • Reference for this and preceding slide: Utah Geological Survey

45. TOPIC E: ABSOLUTE DATING • Carbon dating uses the half-life of Carbon-14 to find the approximate age of certain objects that are 40,000 ± years old or younger. • The ratio of normal carbon (carbon-12) to Carbon-14 in the air and in all living things at any given time is nearly constant. • One in possibly a trillion carbon atoms is Carbon-14. Both Carbon-12 and Carbon-13 are stable, but Carbon-14 decays by very weak beta decay to Nitrogen-14 with a half-life of approximately 5,730 years. After the organism dies it stops taking in new carbon. http://www.ndt-ed.org/EducationResources/HighSchool/Radiography/carbon14dating.htm

46. TOPIC E: ABSOLUTE DATING • Radioactive decay is the process by which a "parent" isotope changes into a "daughter" isotope. • Rates of radioactive decay are constant and measured in terms of half-life, the time it takes half of a parent isotope to decay into a stable daughter isotope.

47. TOPIC E: ABSOLUTE DATING • Some rock-forming minerals contain naturally occurring radioactive isotopes with very long half-lives unaffected by chemical or physical conditions that exist after the rock is formed. • Half-lives of these isotopes and the parent-to-daughter ratio in a given rock sample can be measured • Then a relatively simple calculation yields the absolute (radiometric) date at which the parent began to decay, i.e., the age of the rock.

48. TOPIC E: ABSOLUTE DATING Volcanic Ash • Volcanic ash is one of the best materials for absolute dating because it can be used for both radiometric dating and absolute dating. • Geologically, volcanic events are relatively instantaneous events. • Any fossils found above, below, or between can be dated “relative” in time to the volcanic ash layers.

49. TOPIC F: GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE