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A C T I V I T Y G U I D EThe next few pages are activities associated with the Rockin’ Alberta Resources program at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Below is an activities-by-grade chart to help you decide which are the best activities for your class.

Page Activities by grade 3 4

2 Geosearch!

6 Fossil Hot-Spots!

9 The Ecozone Beat

Rockin’ Alberta ResourcesDistance Learning

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A C T I V I T Y 1Geosearch!

Recommended for grades 3 – 4 On the next two pages keep your eyes open for words in bold, then try to locate them in the Word Search on page 5.

Sedimentary

Sedimentary rocks form from the accumulation of smaller fragments of rocks, minerals, and/or the remains of animals or plants being cemented together. These sediments are often brought together through erosion.

Sandstone

Sandstone forms from the deposition of sand in high energy environments (fast-moving water). It is rough to the touch and is often light brown or grey in colour.

Mudstone

Mudstone forms from the deposition of fine particles of mud in low-energy environments (slow-moving water). It usually feels soft and can be a darker brown colour.

Ironstone

Ironstone forms when iron-rich minerals in groundwater seep through layers of rock, converting it into consolidated rock. It is usually a purple-black colour, until it is exposed to water and air. Then it rusts!

Coal

Coal forms from compressed plant material and is considered to be a fossil fuel. It is black in colour and sometimes shiny.

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Granite

Granite forms from magma that has cooled slowly, usually deep within the Earth. Colours range from white to pink to grey and black, often with crystal speckles scattered throughout.

Igneous

Igneous rocks form from the cooling and solidification of lava or magma. The speed of the cooling results in different types of igneous rocks.

Obsidian

Obsidian is a naturally occurring glass, formed from lava that has cooled quickly on the surface of the Earth. It is often dark brown in colour, shiny, and can be very sharp.

Pumice

Pumice, a lightweight rock, forms when lava is ejected into the air. The lava cools quickly, trapping the gas inside and forming bubbles.

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Gneiss

Gneiss can form from either igneous or sedimentary rock, and is often coarse with lighter and darker layers or “banding.” It often forms from granite.

Metamorphic

Metamorphic rocks form when sedimentary or igneous rocks go through a physical and/or chemical change when exposed to heat and pressure.

Schist

Schist is a medium or coarse-grained rock with fine layers that are often made up of flat crystal minerals like mica. Occasionally, garnets and other metamorphic minerals, are found embedded within them.

Slate

Slate is a rock formed from fine-grained sedimentary rock, like shale. Often dark grey or black in colour, and splits into flat sheets very easily.

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Geosearch!

You’re on a search for the geological terms below. Words may appear in any direction – forward, backward, and diagonally! Good Luck!

Word Bank

CEMENTED COAL COOLING EROSIONFRAGMENTS GNEISS GRANITE HEATIGNEOUS IRONSTONE LAVA MAGMAMETAMORPHIC MUDSTONE OBSIDIAN PRESSUREPUMICE SANDSTONE SCHIST SEDIMENTARYSLATE

E N O T S N O R I Q U Q P I W E M V X R

A T T T U W L A V A G Q Y U T N Y V V F

P G S I G X V O V M G N L B H O E G B C

X G X T T P Z C J B H K K Z K T P N X S

G F E S H S M I X M O F C J L S E E L R

N K T A P D D H N J F N N Q M D Q I R Y

I M H B M A E P P W C B V T Q U T S N R

L D D N H G J R R E N F M Z R M Q S X A

O N E C B Q A O E K H A R K X N S W O T

O O S G N U E M S X H D I A C X S A R N

C I I S H B G A S O Y R P D G Y H X H E

M S Y V C K C T U Q U E J Z I M B T C M

C O Y J S G E E R R S L N D D S E E A I

F R Z G S C E M E N T E D O E Z B N F D

X E T I N A R G T S C H I S T D Y O T E

W M E G L I G P Q V H P X L J S T T Y S

B H Q Y C D O I G N E O U S H I D G H L

Z K U I R A M Z O M O C O A L W I N E P

P U M I C E T A L S I M A X Z L N B A S

C E S I E B E Z H P H S L D B I G V T S

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A C T I V I T Y 2Fossil Hot-Spots!

Recommended for grades 3 – 4 Read the following descriptions.

Grande Prairie: The mammoth was among the largest of the mammalian herbivores that lived during the Pleistocene ice age. These creatures may have gone extinct due to the climate warming and overhunting by humans.

Fort McMurray: Many types of ichthyosaurs, or “fish lizards”, have been discovered in the oilsands of Northern Alberta. This type of marine reptile is known for resembling a dolphin.

Edmonton: Metasequoia is a type of fossil tree related to living Redwoods. This conifer is one of the most common fossils found in Alberta, which may be why petrified wood is Alberta’s provincial stone.

Banff: Coral comprises tiny marine invertebrates that form colonies containing thousands of individuals. These fossils indicate that Alberta was once a shallow sea flooded by warm marine waters.

Red Deer: The K/Pg Boundary is a section of rock that shows the accumulation of sediments that were ejected when a large asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago. This “boundary claystone” marks the end of the Age of Dinosaurs and the beginning of the Age of Mammals.

Drumheller: Meaning “bird-mimic,” Ornithomimus was the first theropod dinosaur found in North America to have feathers. Nicknamed “Tweety,” this juvenile was discovered by Royal Tyrrell Museum staff in 1995 in the Drumheller area.

Brooks: One of the fearsome dinosaurs found in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Gorgosaurus is a close relative of its younger cousins, Albertosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Along with other carnivorous dinosaurs, it was found in the “death pose”, where the neck and tail are curled backwards.

Calgary: Found in 2013, the preparation of a large sandstone boulder revealed 24 gar fish. The specimens are three-dimensionally preserved and oriented upside down indicating they likely died in a shrinking pool of water.

Lethbridge: Ammonites were squid-like creatures that lived in coiled shells. Over millions of years of heat and pressure, the surface of the shells change to vivid colours that are often used in jewelry.

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Fossil Hot-Spots!

Match the images of the fossils below to their corresponding descriptions on the previous page and fill in the blank with the name of the location.

Fossil: Ammonite

Location:

Fossil: Gorgosaurus

Location:

Fossil: Mammoth Tooth

Location:

Fossil: Coral

Location:

Fossil: K/Pg Boundary

Location:

Fossil: Ornithomimus

Location:

Fossil: Gar

Location:

Fossil: Metasequoia

Location:

Fossil: Ichthyosaur

Location:

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Fossil Hot-Spots!

Fossils are found all over the province of Alberta. Label the map with the fossil sites listed below.

Fossil Sites: Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Banff, Red Deer, Drumheller, Brooks, Calgary, Lethbridge.

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A C T I V I T Y 3The Ecozone Beat

Recommended for grades 3 – 4

Chorus

Ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; Count ‘em up, you’ll be a whiz, animals, plants and resources! The ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; A-one, a-two, a-three, four, five, six, GO!

Boreal forest with coniferous trees, the biggest of the six of ‘em; tap your knees! Canadian Shield, mostly a field of really old rock; give your head a knock! Foothills rolling to the southwest, Boreal to Rockies; pound your chest!

Chorus

Ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; Count ‘em up, you’ll be a whiz, animals, plants and resources! The ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; A-one, a-two, a-three, four, five, six, GO!

Rocky Mountains, a great place to camp, tallest things around; give your feet a stamp! Parklands the place where farming’s a snap, lotsa people there, give your hands a clap! Grasslands lookin’ grassy and flat, some hills and rivers; give your back a pat!

Chorus

Ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; Count ‘em up, you’ll be a whiz, animals, plants and resources! The ecozones, Alberta’s ecozones; A-one, a-two, a-three, four, five, six, STOP!

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