Uncover and identify four actual fossils up to 500 million years old. Use all the same scientific processes as skilled geologists to find the fossils. The lab is designed to encourage investigation and discovery by guiding students through a fossil dig. The lab is designed to be used by a class size of 30 students, working in pairs. Set Up - In order for the students to easily dig for fossils, the rocks need to be soaked in warm water for several hours before the lab session. If the centers of the rocks do not get soaked and softened, have the students use the wash bottles (provided) to moisten the remaining clay as they are digging. To Begin - Distribute a rock and a set of tools (chisel, brush, wash bottle and a hand lens, all included) to each two-student work station. You may want to ask the students to guess what is in the rocks or to speculate on the types of fossils they may find. Instruct the students to begin digging into the rocks using the broad end of the chisel. As they bump into a fossil, they should switch to the pointed end of the chisel to clear clay from around the fossil. Once excavated, the wash bottle and brush can be used to clean the remaining clay from the fossil. When the fossil has been completely exposed, they can observe surface features and small details with the hand lenses provided in the kit. Then they can search through the identification cards in the Fossil Deck (included) for a match to their fossil. The reverse side of each card contains the fossil"s name and general characteristics. Lab includes 15 Fossil Bearing Rocks with 4 fossils each, 15 Wash bottles, with tips and caps, 15 Brushes, 15 Plastic Magnifying Glasses, 15 Wooden Digging Tools, Fossil Card Deck, Student Fossil Guide, Teacher Fossil Guide.