Chesapeake Bay Fossils/Geology

• define and investigate paleontology
• research geological history of the Chesapeake Bay
• review geological time line
• identify fossils of the Chesapeake Bay

Grade Level: 5-10

Standards:

fossils: 5.7; LS.14; ES.10; BIO. 7; BIO. 10
ocean geology: 5.6
geological time: LS 14

Procedure:

1. What is paleontology?

Visit an online museum to find out.

http://dev.aol.com/~prem/othpal.html
Paleontology Without Walls
http://128.174.172.76/igsroot/dinos/paleo.html

2. What is the geological history of the Chesapeake Bay?

Use print and online references to investigate.

Chesapeake Bay Factsheet

Check an online geological timeline to see where the history of the Bay fits into the history of the Earth.

http://earth.ics.uci.edu/orgins/geo_timeline.html

Visit an online museum to study them.
Royal Tyrell Museum
Chicago Vield Museum
Go to 'exhibits' - take the 'tour' and check the fossil lab.

Ectophora is the Maryland state fossil. Visit this site to learn more about the fossil.
(NOTE: The name of the Virginia state fossil is also mentioned at this site! See if you can find it!)

Research further about the geology of Virginia.

http://www.bev.net/education/museum/vnhmvl/vmnh.html