Exploring Earth Science with Bricks Earth science is the branch of science that focuses on the Earth and its atmosphere It includes the areas of geology the weather the oceans biomes and environmental issues We will explore Earth science using bricks for the following activities and projects Building a Dinosaur Dig to learn about fossils and paleontology Creating a model of the layers of the atmosphere Learning about water and the environment by making a Brick Water Cycle model Using items from nature to create data graphs and tables Exploring how ancient people tracked time using the sun with a Brick Sundial Measuring the weather by constructing a rain gauge Investigating the night sky by building constellations 5
DIY BRICK DINOSAUR DIG Wouldn’t it be cool to discover a dinosaur bone or fossil Or even a whole dinosaur skeleton Scientists who dig up and study the fossils of plants and prehistoric animals are called paleontologists While it is hard to go out and find real dinosaur bones or fossils you can learn how to be a paleontologist at home by building your own Brick Dinosaur Dig If you are an adult reading this book this is also a cool activity for a birthday party or summer camp BUILDING A DINOSAUR SKELETON For this science activity you’ll need the following supplies A large baseplate White or light gray bricks in the following sizes 1x2 1x3 1x4 and 1x6 Some sand which will be used to cover your fossil A medium sized paint brush A shallow plastic tub or sandbox large enough to hold the baseplate Safety goggles SCIENCE VOCABULARY PALEONTOLOGY the study of plant fossils and animal fossils FOSSIL any remains or impression of a prehistoric animal or plant that once lived on Earth SEDIMENTARY ROCK rocks formed in layers and made of sand mud pebbles and other materials that are pushed together and harden over time 7
