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This Mystery is out of date! Please proceed to Animals Through Time to see the updated version.
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Where can you find whales in a desert?
Animals Through Time Unit | Lesson 1 of 3
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Where can you find whales in a desert?

Animals Through Time Unit | Lesson 1 of 3
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Discuss: Why do you think there were fossils of ocean animals in the middle of Illinois?

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Plesiosaur

Plesiosaur

Plesiosaur

Its long neck is a clue that this dinosaur ate leaves from the tops of trees. So this dinosaur probably lived in a forest habitat. Here is what scientists think therizonosaur might have looked like:

Plesiosaur

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# Extensions
Below are ideas for extending this topic beyond the activity & exploration which you just completed.
  • End of Mystery Assessment and Answer Key
  • Reading: A Whale of a Find tells of the discovery of many whale skeletons in a South American desert.
  • Video: Watch children examine a "fishapod" fossil and reason from the evidence that they see. You'll find even more info on the "fishapod" here.
  • Resource: Students can explore how ancient plants and animals interact with the environment and with one another in an interactive website from the University of California’s Museum of Paleontology.

Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
Arizona today by Tonda
Nebraska today by Ken Lund , used under CC BY-SA
meadow by Daniel Case , used under CC BY-SA
camel fossil by Dave Christy
map by Celestia
monkey skeleton by Franzen JL, Gingerich PD, Habersetzer J, Hurum JH, von Koenigswald W, Smith BH , used under CC BY
frozen wasteland by Michael Studinger , used under CC BY
grass by Moyan Brenn , used under CC BY
kids wating by car by Tom Brandt , used under CC BY
penguins by Liam Quinn , used under CC BY-SA
seal by Liam Quinn , used under CC BY-SA
cars driving at night by Editor , used under CC BY
fern fossil by Howard Dickins
waves crashing by Terri and Doyle Johnson
flotsam by Erich Ferdinand , used under CC BY
rain forest by Tadd and Debbie Ottman , used under CC BY
skate egg sacks by Beth Roberts , used under CC BY
shark egg by Jac Stofberg
fishermen by Harvey Barrison , used under CC BY-SA
fish fossil by Michael Popp
under water forest by John Keahey
forest by Elias Gayles , used under CC BY
quarry by Jake Slagle
grasslands by Ruben Holthuijsen , used under CC BY
jungle by Karen Blaha , used under CC BY-SA
ocean by Tiago Fioreze , used under CC BY-SA
walking in quarry by Mike Everhart , used under CC BY
fossils in rock by Rich Tatum , used under CC BY
hand by tooth fossil by Eden Trenor , used under CC BY-SA
shark by Echo Romeo
fossil crab by Rene Sylvestersen , used under CC BY-SA
fossil starfish by Herman Pijpers
beach by Joey Gannon , used under CC BY-SA
house on quarry by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources , used under CC BY-ND
digging in quarry by morebyless , used under CC BY
Credits

Featured Reviews

“Elementary Students were able to discover that the earth and it's climate have always been changing. They taught the concept through a high interest topic-fossils!”
· Helene · Teacher
“The discussion we had trying to determine each habitat was amazing. The students were backing up their answers with evidence. We just finished studying habitats and are now studying Earth through time so this was the perfect lesson to start off our unit.”
· Aileen · Teacher
“Love Mystery Science and this lesson really challenges the thinking of students because they must use their understanding of habitats and adaptations to understand why animals may have lived in unusual (to us) locations.”
· Shelley · Teacher
“Students were continuously surprised and vocalized their reactions. The way that the videos were broken up with pauses was helpful as they felt natural and gave students time to think and discuss or share ideas. I also really liked that the handout was on display in the presentation, as it gave a more concrete path for the students to follow.”
· Veronica · Teacher
“The examples of how places can change over time was well-presented and understandable for third graders. The variety of places that were included helped paint a broader picture for the students.”
· Julia · Teacher
“Kids were engaged and LOVED being able to see things in "real life" (students said that - they're happy they're not looking in books) ”
· Bryan · Teacher
“It was amazing! The kids were engaged, and I was able to focus on their needs, rather than focusing all of my time on planning (finding appropriate materials). Thank you so much.”
· Mary · Teacher
“My students love seeing the photos and videos of real animals and habitats. It really makes the science come to life. They also enjoyed the Guess the Habitat activity.”
· Julie · Teacher
“My students loved that this was about animals. They liked looking at different features of an animal to talk about what their habitat would be like. They also were interested in learning that habitats change over time!”
· Melissa · Teacher
“Students were enthusiastic and attentive. They enjoyed sharing their ideas about how fossils could show up in unexpected places. This lesson really gets them to think critically about what they know and how they know it. It also requires that they extrapolate their knowledge and apply it to what they may not know yet.”
· · Teacher
“I liked having the students make prediction with the worksheet throughout the lesson and then explaining the correct response.”
· Amy · Teacher
“They were so enthralled by the information. They loved guessing the habitat of the animals at the end and were disappointed there were only two!”
· Sarah · Teacher
“Students LOVED this mystery. They thought it was so neat to see that habitats today are not what they once were. We even looked at Google Earth to view a nearby quarry and talk about what we think might be found there. Students have been on the hunt when we go outside to try to find fossils [😊]”
· Molly · Teacher
“We liked the structure; the relating of a personal story of childhood as an entry point to learning; the extension activities; and the dialogue that the lesson sparked. Thank you Mystery Science! ”
· · Homeschooler
“The progression was clear. The kids really liked how the worksheet matched what they saw on the screen.”
· Pam · Teacher
“I loved that video paused so we could have class discussions.”
· Crista · Teacher
“I love how it is step by step and flows. Perfect for a sub to step in and make it happen. thanks cc”
· Christi · Teacher
“Your narrative was excellent. I loved how you wove in childhood stories relating to the topic. And you gave additional bits of information indirectly related to the topic. Extra learning! The videos were short (3-4 minutes) and stayed on topic. The Activity (Guess the Habit) was easy, fun, and interesting. My 11 year old son loved it (and it was really interesting to me as well). I finally had to tell him... okay, enough for today. Well done! Oh, the photos were great as well.”
· Vicky · Homeschooler
“connecting to the understanding of habitat change to our state, Michigan. I even had actual fossils from a quarry in Rogers City, MI that the kids were able to investigate and find out about how the land there used to look!”
· Jean · Teacher
“Watching the videos was great! We liked the worksheet. It was cool to figure out which fossil was right because of the facts.”
· Marybeth · Teacher
“We loved this lesson! Our favorite part was when we saw the fossils in the quarry. Especially the shark tooth. ”
· Nisha · Teacher
“The kids LOVED the information - Thank you!”
· · Teacher
“me and my friends learned how things were first land and then got changed into water land and how water land changed into land”
· Yuen · Homeschooler
“The kids were amazed with how there were oceans and now they are deserts.”
· · Teacher
“That the teacher learned as much as the kids! ”
· Ulrike · Teacher
“The students really enjoyed looking at the different types of animals and figuring out what type of habitat they might have lived in.”
· Ursula · Teacher
“The kids loved the idea of how Earth has changed over time.”
· Paula · Teacher
“The idea that you can find a whale in the desert blew their minds!”
· Jiovanna · Teacher
“Outstanding! The information was very comprehensive. Bonus question on assessment: What state is Doug from?!”
· Amy · Teacher
“My students LOVED it! They were completely engaged and filled with questions the whole time! ”
· · Teacher
“The discussions that came about because of the changes in ecosystems.”
· Natalie · Teacher
“Wonderful. This lesson really got the kids thinking about how the world was before what it is now. We also got to touch on social studies with this lesson. So for me it was a dual lesson :)”
· Jenn · Teacher
“Loved the story, and the interactive elements and the pacing!”
· Daniel · Teacher
“The set up was very engaging for my students. They were so puzzled about how a whale could be in the desert.”
· Amy · Teacher
“The student engagement was very high since there were so many great pictures, examples, stories, and activities!”
· Melanie · Teacher
“The children were wildly excited about seeing/discovering that animals of different types were found all over the world. How could these changes occur? Fossils? Wow! Large animals and small animals all over the world. Geography was woven in as well. I supplemented with my globe. We loved it.”
· Melissa · Teacher
“I loved the commentary during the video to help guide questions!”
· Heidi · Teacher
“The students discovering that Illinois used to be an ocean.”
· Stacy · Teacher
“Terrific visuals of how land today was so different long ago. The questions and the worksheet led the students into a deeper understanding. The worksheet helped the kids to get close to the fossils and consider how the earth has changed over time. Great 1st lesson!!! Thank you!”
· Carole · Teacher
“Used as an introduction to a unit for 7th grade. Peaked lots of interest. ”
· Angie · Teacher
“The students really liked it. They were engaged and completely paid attention.”
· Jennifer · Teacher
“This lesson was great! The kids were fascinated that ocean animals once lived in the desert and Chicago. ”
· Jill · Teacher
“It was a great review of habitats and the students were shocked about the fact that oceans were in the middle of the United States!”
· Terry · Teacher
“It was wonderful. I don't think my class has ever been this engrossed in a lesson. I had students that never participate in class discussions, coming up with some great thoughts. Thank Mystery Science ”
· Ginger · Teacher
“Loved our first lesson! Had all 5 children ages 12-5 engaged and learning. Thank you mystery science! ”
· Sarah · Homeschooler
“The visuals that kept the kids engaged. I loved the wait time and how the videos paused to give the students time to process and discuss what they had learned!”
· Karen · Teacher
“I have taught this lesson twice and both classes loved the fossils. They were amazed that grasslands use to be oceans.”
· Amanda · Teacher
“The lesson was captivating for the students and they LOVED the discussion we had about it.”
· Karen · Teacher
“The discussion my class had was fantastic!!! ”
· Julie · Teacher
“The students really enjoyed the lesson and the video that went with it. I liked how the entire lesson looped back to the evaluation that required students to use evidence from the lesson to support their answers.”
· Jill · Teacher
“Being able to see things in "real time", like the scuba diver going to the bottom of the ocean and discovering the cypress trees. My students loved everything about this lesson!!!”
· Michelle · Teacher
“I love the tone of the narrator's voice-it's just like he's talking to the kids, telling them a cool story that happened to him; instead of it feeling like a "lesson"-he wasn't patronizing or "lecture-y"; it was great.”
· Colleen · Homeschooler
“One of the best parts of this lesson included the enthusiasm the students had because of the narrator. ”
· Dyan · Teacher
“The brief, informative, and interesting videos with pictures and info that TRULY ENGAGED my students. They were SO excited and can't wait to do another Mystery Science Unit!!!”
· Ashby · Teacher
“The students were really engaged and interested in the videos. They were totally on the students' level and had a personal touch that helped the kids connect. ”
· Courtney · Teacher
“My students loved discovering what used to live in the different habitats. This mystery lead them to think about what our existing habitats will be like in the future and what fossils future humans will find in various parts of the world. ”
· Diana · Teacher
“love that the lessons are short,concise, entertaining, and informative! Activities are easy to do with little planning. My kids also love the narrator. I think because he always seems so enthusiastic about the subject.”
· Corey · Homeschooler
“We liked how the narrator shared his personal story of finding fossils in a quarry. Also a great way to integrate geography into a science lesson!”
· Jennifer · Homeschooler
“We used this lesson as an introduction to our Animal unit and it was perfect! My students were amazed to realize that the world's habitats as we know them today may have been completely different in the past.”
· Heather · Teacher
“Was really fun - loved the personal story behind it. My kids cannot wait to see the next lesson...as in they insist on doing them way more often that recommended.”
· Monica · Homeschooler
“I love how this lesson fit with the standards I need to teach. The students loved it, especially the pictures of the fossils.”
· Celeste · Teacher
“Awesome information with a lot of extra references! Thank you very much for such an amazing trip to the past, present and future in clear and understandable way!”
· Aida · Homeschooler
“The videos were wonderful -- short and interesting, and the automatic pause made them very user-friendly. The worksheets went well with the material as well.”
· Catherine · Homeschooler
“Students loved hearing the original video and the mystery of the shark tooth in the Midwest. Students were engaged with developing theories and checking them in later videos. ”
· Lisa · Other

Grade 3

Fossils & Changing Environments

Habitats & Environmental Change

3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-4

Activity Prep

Print Prep
To view a revised version of this lesson, please click here.
In this Mystery, students will explore the idea that the rock under our feet sometimes contains fossils. These fossils reveal how habitats have changed through time.
Preview activity

Each student will need:

The teacher needs a printout of the Answer Key (optional, as the answers are also provided in the video).

Activity Summary

In this visual activity, students are shown a landscape and a fossil found in that landscape. Students will examine the fossil and figure out the habitat that used to be in that place.

Exploration

7 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

Wrap-Up

8 mins

Grade 3

Fossils & Changing Environments

Habitats & Environmental Change

3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-4

Extend this lesson

Assessments

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Animals Lesson 1: Where can you find whales in a desert?

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