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Dinosaurs

Hunting for Dinosaur Fossils

Hunting for Dinosaur Fossils
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 8 to 9
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   8.9

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    badlands, kneepads, matrix, plant-eater, meat-eater, better, paleontologists, carnivorous, sunscreen, countryside, fierce, delicate, previous, writing, fossil, preserve

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Hunting for Dinosaur Fossils
By Sharon Fabian 		  
1     As they pack up to go out on a dig, it looks like they are getting ready for a camping vacation. Fossil hunters pack camping supplies, since their work takes them far out into the countryside. Their gear might include a tent and maybe even a raft. They pack hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, gloves, kneepads, lots of water, and food.
 
2     Fossil hunters pack a few tools including a pick and dental tools for delicate work around tiny fossils, and they may carry a bucket and some plaster of Paris. They take paper, pencils, and a camera to record their field notes.
 
3     Before they began packing, the fossil hunters would have already made a lot of important decisions about their trip. The main ones might have included where to go, when to go, and what to look for. One favorite location is the area known as the badlands that stretches from Alberta, Canada to Wyoming, USA. This whole area is a good one for fossil hunting, because, back in the time of the dinosaurs, it was a wetland area that was home to many types of dinosaurs and other animals, and now it is dry land that preserves fossils well. When to hunt fossils depends mainly on the weather; fossil hunters pack gear for all types of weather, but usually finish up their outdoor work before winter really sets in.

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