University of Wyoming Geological Museum

 because dinosaurs as well as flying and swimming reptiles dominated the environment!

, the Earth looked very different than today! The 

 and seasons weren't as harsh. The ocean was a bit higher because there wasn't any ice at the North or South Poles. Even the shape of the continents looked funny because they were all crammed together, but it wouldn't take long for them to start breaking apart! 

. luckily for us, because it allowed mammals to diversity into the variety of sizes and shapes that we see today. 

 Mesozoic critters that spent all their time in water or in the air are called 

Continue on to the next challenge to test your knowledge on which animals are dinosaurs and which are a flying or swimming reptile. 

The Mysterious Mesozoic

The Stunning Cenozoic

The Petrifying Paleozoic

The Radical Rock Cycle

Official Swearing In

View of the UW Geological Museum from the inside

How can you become a Wyoming Junior Paleontologist?

We're getting ready to go on a dig! Help us pick out and circle 5 things we will need. 

Challenge #4: Excavation Tools

Connect the dots by counting up to reveal an ammonite, a relative of a modern day squid or octopus that was common in the Paleozoic!

Challenge #5: Who lived in the Paleozoic?

These are shapes of dinosaurs or reptiles that lived in the Mesozoic Era. Based on their shape, circle in white animals that you think are dinosaurs, draw a blue square around swimming reptiles, and draw a green triangle around those you think are flying reptiles. Use the shape of the body to give you clues. Does it have wings? Swimming paddles? Walk on two feet?

Challenge #6: Dinosaur vs. Reptile

Help Nip the Columbian Mammoth, one of our fossils at the UW Geological Museum from the Cenozoic, by 1. drawing in his missing tusks, and 2. by helping him find his way through the maze?

Challenge #7: Help the Columbian Mammoth

Sketch a red circle around the body fossils and a blue square around the trace fossils, including those that might be traces of human life (even though that’s part of archeology)! 

Challenge #2: Body vs. Trace Fossil

Use the Paint Tool and match the different fossils with their fossilization type, answers are based on those given in the previous slide show. 

Challenge #3: Fossilization Types

Now that you're a rock expert, can you draw a line to where you think each rock in the rock cycle would be made?

Challenge #8: The Rock Cycle

Slideshow on what is a fossil and the six ways in which they can form

What are fossils and how do they form?

Fill in your name on the top line with the text tool, and use the draw tool to add your signature to the bottom left. Congratulations!

Wyoming Junior Paleontologist Certificate

UW Geological Museum Paleontologists and Students Excavating an Eocene Crocodile

Paleontologists & Geologists

Join us on a fun journey to explore what a paleontologist does and follow along with a series of activities to learn about Wyoming’s Paleontology and Geology. 

This Resource kit is aimed at grades K-5, and offers very basic explanations and 8 challenges that are fast paced, visually interesting,  and not too challenging.

Resource Kits

Object Library

Museums

Become a Wyoming Junior Paleontologist

The Mysterious Mesozoic

Background Knowledge