#NatlFossilDay

Go hunting for fossils next Wednesday, Oct. 14 and Play In the Dirt! #NatlParkService #Paleontology

Hosted by he National Park Service and American Geosciences Institute, the 6th annual National Fossil Day will take place October 14, 2015 during Earth Science Week and is a celebration organized to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value.

The 2015 National Fossil Day artwork features an enigmatic prehistoric mammal known as a chalicothere (derived from Greek words meaning "gravel beast"), a large herbivore, depicted in a Miocene prairie grassland. The scene is an idealized representation of Cenozoic Era life and landscapes, which is the theme for the 2015 National Fossil Day monthly features. Each month, a different Cenozoic ecosystem and the associated animals and plants will be featured on the National Fossil Day website. To learn more about the chalicothere, along with some of the contemporary animals and plants, please revisit the National Fossil Day website in February, when we will feature Agate Fossil Beds National Monument.

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• National Fossil Day for Kids
  
• Extinction Over Time - Q?rius
  
• FossiLab
  
• How Fossil Fuels Were Formed
  
• Life of a Vertebrate Fossil
  

• What is a Fossil? (PDF)
  
• Activity: School Yard Geology
  
• Lesson Plan: Mud Fossils
  
• Lesson Plans: Learning About Fossil Fuels