This worksheet includes several FutureFit Extension Activities that highlight 21st Century skills like critical thinking, service mentality, and creativity. These FutureFit Extension Activities are designed to reinforce the concepts included in the worksheet activity while integrating real-world skills. They can be used as in-class independent practice or group activities, or assigned for take-home or independent work.
FutureFit Extension Activities
Investigate
10-15 Minutes
Materials Needed:
In groups of 2-3, give groups a copy of the “Whale Fossil Skeleton.” Students should cut apart the bones and attempt to reconstruct the organism’s skeleton. Pass out the “Articulated Whale Skeleton” and have the students compare their reconstruction to the articulated version. Ask students to make an educated guess as to what animal the skeleton belongs to, and why. Finally, give students copies of the “Whale Body Reconstruction.” Explain to students that they are looking at an ancient whale skeleton from a whale that lived almost 50 million years ago and was about the size of a wolf. Highlight that fossils can give paleontologists unexpected information about what life on earth as like millions of years ago.
