How Do You Demonstrate A Mold Fossil?
A mold fossil (or fossil mold) is simply this: A living organism such as a plant, seed, fish or mammal, dies and is buried in a sediment of sand, silt or clay. The organism decomposes, but leaves a mold (a negative) of itself. Thus a mold is a faithful representation of the living organism. Present the mold fossil as is. Instruct your students that a mold fossil is superior to a fossilized bone, because a mold fossil represents the organism in its living form. A fossilized bone represents a dead organism. A mold fossil also captures plants like ferns, which were delicate and rotted away before they could petrify. Create an alginate cast from the mold fossil. Mix dental alginate per the manufacturer’s instructions, and spread it in a thick layer within the mold. Allow to harden per manufacturer’s instructions. In minutes, you should have a perfect (albeit purple) representation of the living organism. Create a wax model from the mold fossil. Simple beeswax melted in a pot will serve. Sp
