Pokémon Fossils
This is my favorite of all the Pokémon courses I offer - and a great introduction to learning about fossils! Learn about the basics of fossil science and the geologic timescale, while also exploring Pokémon from your favorite anime series.
Lauren James
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(3,161)
What's included
3 pre-recorded lessons
3 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentMastery Evaluation
1-2 hours per week. Students can post their answers to any "Expand Your Knowledge" challenge to receive feedback from the teacher.Class Experience
US Grade 2 - 12
This class goes over the basics of fossils - how to find them, how to identify them, and the geologic time scale - all using Pokémon for examples. Please note that dinosaur fossils and dinosaur Pokémon are only briefly discussed in this class; for a more in-depth exploration of dinosaurs, I recommend that you take my Pokémon Dinosaurs class next! I'll be showing clips from some Pokemon episodes. If you want to tie your learning into some TV time, here is one episode that is particularly fossil-heavy. It can give your child some background Pokemon knowledge for the class, but isn't required. "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon" (Pokemon Indigo League, season 1, episode 43, can be found on Netflix or on Pokemon.com) This is a self-paced course, which means there is no live component. The course contains 3 lessons which each include a video recording, plus extension activities to expand your learning beyond the recording. Need a discount? Sure thing! All of my self-paced courses are "pay what you can afford." To get the discount you need, sign up for the course first, then message me with the discount you would like, and I will apply a partial refund.
Learning Goals
By the end of the class, students should be able to:
♦ List the tools and gear that geologists use to find fossils.
♦ Explain the Law of Superposition.
♦ Discuss Fossil Ethics (and why you can't take fossils from a National Park)
♦ Identify the different types of fossils and describe how they are formed.
♦ Describe some fossil varieties that have inspired Pokemon.
♦ Name the four main eras in the geologic time scale, and some fossils from each era.
♦ Explain how fossils evolved and changed over 500+ million years of history.
♦ Define the terms "living fossil" and "trace fossil."
♦ Explain why we can't use fossil DNA to bring fossils back to life.
♦ Describe how scientists use fossil clues to figure out how an ancient animal may have behaved.
Syllabus
3 Lessons
over 3 WeeksLesson 1:
Finding Fossils
This 18-minute video covers fossil hunting, including the tools and clothes you might use, the locations where you might find fossils, and an exploration of "fossil ethics." We'll use clips from an episode of Pokemon entitled "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon." Lesson 2:
Types of Fossils
This 23-minute video explored the different types of fossils, including petrified, cast and mold, carbon, and preserved fossils. How are these types of fossils related to Pokemon? We'll cover that in the video, too! Lesson 3:
Fossil Eras
This 41-minute video includes more than 50 Pokémon! We'll explore these fossil-inspired Pokémon alongside their real-life counterparts. This lesson is organized into a timeline, starting with the oldest fossils, and ending with the newest. As a result, along the way you'll become familiar with the four Eras of the geologic timescale: PreCambrian, Paleozoic, Cenozoic, and Mesozoic. Other Details
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined September, 2017
4.9
3161reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Brigham Young University
I am a certified science teacher in the state of Arizona, with more than a decade of experience teaching children. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Earth and Space Sciences, and as a college student I worked in a dinosaur museum, giving tours and prepping fossils. Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$8
weekly or $22 for all content3 pre-recorded lessons
3 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 210 learners
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Ages: 7-18
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