Sedimentary rocks are created from particles of sediment that accumulate in layers over a long period of time and harden into rock. They are often found near water and may contain fossils. I made a sedimentary rock by acting out a story about rain picking up sediments, soil, pebbles, shells, sand, and a small turtle as the water traveled across land. We pretended thousands of years passed and the sediments hardened into a rock. These resemble the conglomerate rocks we have in our rock boxes.

I found the following sedimentary rocks with these fossils when I was a child.

Before the holiday break, third grade scientists pressed shells or dinosaurs into clay at the bottom of a pond (bowl). Then we poured sediments on top of the impression and allowed it to harden. Today, we were paleontologists and excavated our fossils.