Elephant Trunk

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Teacher's Guides

Summary of Contents

ACTIVITY ONE - DISCOVERY!

Learning Objective:
Introduce the science of paleontology, the scientist, and the process of collecting fossils.

Contents:
Occlusal (chewing surface) tooth casts:
      Four tusker, Mastodon, Stegomastodon and Mammoth
Small fossils (in 4 containers - 1 for each dig box)
Medium fossils (in 4 containers - 1 for each dig box)
Fossil Identification Guides: Boxes 1-4
4 'Dig boxes'
1 Discovery! Story
12 Strainers
12 Glasses
12 Spoons
12 Magnifiers
Dig Site Report Sheet
4 Nebraska Fossil Elephant Teeth posters
4 Modern Animal Guides
Four tooth casts:
      Four tusker, Mastodon, Stegomastodon and Mammoth
Fossil Check-In Guide
Museum Notes Preserving Vertebrate Fossils: Notes from the Laboratory
Museum Notes Fossil Elephant Teeth in Nebraska

ACTIVITY TWO - ZAP TO THE PAST

Learning Objective:
Identify rock formations in Nebraska where fossil elephants have been found. Discover clues to past environments and geologic history in these rocks. Identify adaptations that allowed elephants to survive in different habitats. Explore the time periods when ancient elephants lived.

Contents:
1 Zap to the Past! Story
Geologic Bed Rock Map of Nebraska
Key to Four of Nebraska's Sedimentary Deposits
Activity 2 Data Sheet
Part 1: What Rocks Beneath You:
     2 Cenozoic Posters
     What Rocks Beneath You Direction Card
     Rock Formation Templates (4 rock layers and 1 map)
     1 Set of Fossil Elephant Site Maps (6-8th grade only)
Part 2: Survival:
     4 Elephant skeleton drawings
     1 Set of Artist's Renditions
Part 3: It's Time to Get in Line:
     12 Nebraska Elephant Timelines
     2 Elephant Mugshots Posters (6-8th grade only)

ACTIVITY THREE - WHAT BIG TEETH YOU HAVE 

Learning Objective:
Compare and contrast the chewing surfaces of different types of elephant teeth and identify possible food sources. Discover how teeth and tusks grow throughout an elephant's life.

Contents:
1 What Big Teeth You Have! Story
Activity 3 Data Sheet
Station 1: Tooth Job Description:
     Stegomastodon elephant tooth cast
     Nebraska Fossil Elephant Teeth poster
     3 Tooth Job Description Direction Cards (4-5th grade only)
     3 Teeth: Function and Anatomy Direction Cards (6-8th grade only)
     1 Mirror
Station 2: Conveyor Belt:
     Big Tooth (mammoth molar 6) and Big Tooth Label
     1 Set of paper teeth (six teeth per set)
     Paper jaw (template)
     The Living Conveyor Belt graphic
     Years of Teeth graphic
     ELEPHANT Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books
     2 Conveyor Belt Direction Cards
     Baby mammoth tooth (6-8th grade only)
Station 3: What's for Lunch? (Teeth and Diet):
     Casts of three elephant teeth: Four tusker, Mastodon, Mammoth
     Food: grass, fruits (2 pieces), and pine branch
     3 Images of environments: warm jungles, north woods, and grassland
     3 Styrofoam teeth sets: Four tusker, Mastodon, Mammoth
     3 What's for Lunch? Direction Cards: Four tusker, Mastodon, Mammoth
     Nebraska Fossil Elephant Teeth Poster
Station 4: Tusks:
     7-year-old male tusk (cross-section)
     40-year-old male tusk (cross-section)
     40-year-old female tusk (cross-section)
     24 Labeled pointers
     2 Tusk Direction Cards
Activity Summary: Stegomastodon Mystery (6-8th grade only):
     Nebraska Elephant Tooth poster
     Nebraska Elephant Timeline
     Tooth casts: Four tusker, Stegomastodon, Mammoth

ACTIVITY FOUR - CLASH OF THE MAMMOTHS 

Learning Objective:
Investigate modern elephant behavior to interpret prehistoric elephants found in the fossil record.

Contents:
1 Clash of the Mammoths! Story
Activity 4 Data Sheet
Behaviors page
Clash of the Mammoths DVD
Elephant Behavior Reference sheet
Scientist's Interpretation of Elephant Behavior
Nature: Echo of the Elephants DVD

ACTIVITY FIVE - COUSINS OF TODAY

Learning Objective:
Introduce modern elephants and investigate their adaptations and habitats. Discover the factors that threaten elephant survival today.

Contents:
1 Cousins of Today Story
Zoobooks: Elephants
Part 1: Meet the Modern Elephants:
     5 Meet the Elephants Playing Card sheets
     Activity 5 Data Sheet
Part 2: Plight of the Elephants (4-5th grade only):
     Plight of the Elephants Story Cards (46 cards)
     1 Elephant Distribution Maps
Part 2: Doom & Gloom (6-8th grade only):
     2 Doom & Gloom Card templates
     1 Elephant Herds template
     12 Dice
     1 Elephant Distribution Map