The Jurassic Coast Fossil Loan Box is a new KS1, 2 and 3 resource designed and produced by the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre. Available to schools in East Devon, Dorset and South Somerset, teacher can help pupils to gain a valuable insight into their coastal, geological, and historical heritage from their own classrooms. Each Fossil Loan box contains REAL fossils from the Jurassic Coast for pupils to handle as well as a resource pack of inspirational materials and activities based around the key areas of fossils, history, geology and conservation. All the activities are linked to QCA units of work.

Fossils

• Handle a selection of REAL high quality fossils from the Jurassic Coast.
• Explore what prehistoric creatures inhabited Dorset in the Jurassic
• Find out how we can learn what extinct creatures were like by carefully examining their remains.
• Make some plaster casts from moulds of real fossils.

History

• Learn about the famous fossil hunters and scientists that worked on the Jurassic Coast
• Find out how the fossils they found changed the way people thought about the world
• Discover the strange stories that were used to explain fossils in the past.

Geology

• How did the Jurassic Coast form?
• Construct an Earth History timeline to illustrate the age of the earth and where dinosaurs and human beings fit in the history of our planet.

Conservation

• Pupils will be encouraged to think about how they can look after the Jurassic Coast
• Use role play to explain the different sorts of people that live and work at the coast and their different relationships and responsibilities to the landscape.

The Fossil Loan Boxes are available from a variety of locations for hire at a cost of £30 for two weeks. To make a booking, please contact the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre on 01297 560772 or email info@charmouth.org

The Fossil Loan Boxes have been funded by the Jurassic Coast Trust, Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (CHCC) and the O'Connor Family, Friends of the CHCC