Past Exhibitions

Gold

Gold, an enduring icon of wealth, beauty and power. Since the beginning of recorded history, the rise of influential societies has coincided with their ownership of the precious substance.

November 18, 2006 - August 19, 2007

Horse

Horses have been racing across the landscape for more than 50 million years--much longer than our own species has existed. But once horses and humans encountered each other, our two species became powerfully linked.

May 17, 2008 - January 4, 2009

Traveling Information

Mythic Creatures

Track the origins of legendary creatures including dragons, unicorns, mermaids, and sea serpents.

January 1, 2008 - January 6, 2008

Traveling Information

Pearls

The most comprehensive presentation ever mounted on pearls weaves science, art, literature, history, and fabulous jewelry into the story of pearl-forming mollusks.

January 1, 2002 - April 14, 2002

Petra

Once a flourishing city in the heart of the ancient Near East...then forgotten by the outside world for centuries. Now Petra reveals some of its long-lost secrets.

October 18, 2003 - July 6, 2004

Totems to Turquoise

For thousands of years, the Native peoples of North America have made extraordinary jewelry and other adornments. Today throughout the continent that tradition is still alive–and vibrant.

October 30, 2004 - July 10, 2005

Body and Trace Fossils

What kind of fossil is a tooth—body or trace? How about a nest of eggs? Or a skin impression? Examine the differences between body and trace fossils with these eight high-quality photographs.

Body Fossils

More About This Resource...
- This two-page printable PDF contains black-and-white photographs of the following fossils:
  - Body Fossils
    - Foot
    - Skull
    - Teeth
    - Bones
  - Trace Fossils
    - T. rex footprint
    - Tracks
    - Skin impression
    - Nest of eggs
- Teacher Tip
  
  Supplement a study of paleontology with an activity drawn from these fossil photographs.
  1. Distribute a copy of the handout to all students.
  2. As a class, review what students know about the differences between body and trace fossils.
  3. Instruct students to pretend that they are paleontologists who have just discovered any one of the eight fossils shown. Have them write a journal entry that describes their fossil and briefly explains what they hope to learn from it. Students can get as creative as they'd like, but they must scientifically assess the fossil's usefulness.
- Topic
  Paleontology
- Subtopic
  Fossil Dinosaurs and Birds

Body and Trace Fossils

More About This Resource...

Teacher Tip

Topic

Subtopic