Tar Pit Teacher Guide Tar Pit Teacher Guide
Lesson: Stuck in Time (La Brea Tar Pits)
Grade Level: 2nd - 4th Grade
Learning Objective
Students will explore the La Brea Tar Pits and the concept of preservation, identifying how ancient animals became trapped and fossilized in asphalt.
Materials Needed
Painter's tape or duct tape (for warm-up)
Chocolate pudding or dark corn syrup
Clear plastic cups (1 per group/student)
Small plastic animals (Mammoths, wolves, cats)
Postcard templates and Observation sheets
Instructional Sequence
5m
Warm-up: Sticky Situation
Preparation: Lay long strips of tape (sticky side up) on the classroom floor.
Invite students to walk across the "sticky pit." Ask them to describe the sensation. Discussion: "If you were a 5,000lb Mammoth, would it be harder or easier to get unstuck? Why?"
10m
Viewing: Saber-toothed Smilodon
Watch the SciShow Kids video. Focus on the section starting at 3:30 regarding fossils and the La Brea Tar Pits. Teaching Moment (4:30): Pause and ask: "What can a pile of old bones tell us about how an animal acted, not just what it looked like?"
20m
Activity: Tar Pit Model
Step-by-Step:
Fill clear cups 1/3 full with pudding or syrup (representing liquid asphalt).
Have students "walk" their plastic animals into the pit.
Challenge them to pull an animal out after it has sat for 30 seconds.
Push some animals all the way to the bottom to simulate burial.
Key Concept: Preservation happens because oxygen is blocked out by the tar, preventing decay.
5m
Reflection: Postcard Home
Students write a postcard from the "Ice Age La Brea." They must mention one animal they "saw" trapped and describe what the tar feels like.
Teacher Tips
• Use painter's tape for the warm-up to avoid damaging floors.
Sticky Secrets Slides Sticky Secrets
Exploring the La Brea Tar Pits
Warm-Up: Sticky Situation
"Try to walk across our classroom 'Sticky Pit'."
How did it feel?
Could a giant animal get stuck?
Meet Smilodon
"Knife Tooth"
That's what its name means!
18 Centimeters
The length of its top teeth (7 inches).
Ambush Predator
It hides and surprises its prey.
[Imagine a Saber-toothed Cat Skull here]
Say Hello to Smilodon!
SciShow Kids
Embedded media
The La Brea Tar Pits
It's Not Tar!
It's actually sticky asphalt bubbling up from underground.
Natural Trap
Water pooled on top, tricking animals into a sticky trap.
Bone Library
Over 3.5 million fossils have been found here!
Lab Time: Tar Pit Model
1
Fill your clear cup with "Liquid Asphalt" (pudding or syrup).
2
Carefully "walk" your plastic animal across the surface.
3
Try to pull it out. What happens? Is it easy or hard?
Look Closely
Observe how the sticky substance coats the animal. Does it sink slowly or quickly?
Record your findings on your Observation Sheet.
The Science of Preservation
No Oxygen = No Decay
The asphalt forms a seal around the bones. This blocks out Oxygen and tiny bugs that usually break down bodies.
Bones Stay Strong!
No Rotting!
Postcard from the Past
Imagine you are a time-traveler visiting the Ice Age Tar Pits.
Your mission:
Draw one animal you saw trapped.
Describe the sticky "pit" to your friends back home.
Mention how hard it is for animals to escape!
La Brea Postcard Template Postcard Front: Illustration Area
Draw a scene from the La Brea Tar Pits!
Draw Your Scene Here
Postcard Back: Message Area
Greetings from the Ice Age
Dear ___________________________,
Your Friend,
___________________________
La Brea
Time-Traveler's Writing Tips:
• What animals did you see?
• Is the ground sticky?
• What does the air smell like?
• Can you hear any loud bellows?
Pit Trap Observation Sheet Pit Trap Expedition Log
Paleontologist Field Journal
Name:
Date:
Phase 1: Hypothesis
I am using __________________________ as my "tar" today.
When I walk my plastic animal into the pit, I predict:
Phase 2: Expedition Notes
1 The Sticky Test
Try to pull your animal out after 30 seconds. How does it feel?
2 The Deep Dive
Push your animal all the way to the bottom. What do you see?
Fossil Sketch
Draw your animal trapped in the pit here
Phase 3: Scientific Discovery
1. Why are tar pits a great place to find skeletons today?
2. How does the "tar" (asphalt) protect the bones from rotting?
Research Challenge: What OTHER animals besides cats were found in the pits? (Hint: Dire Wolves!)
