Mary Anning: Pioneering Paleontologist

Mary Anning: Pioneering Paleontologist

Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson you will be able to identify the major contributions of Mary Anning to paleontology. At the end of the lesson you will understand the challenges faced by women in science during the 19th century. At the end of the lesson you will recognize the importance of Anning's discoveries for the scientific community. At the end of the lesson you will be able to describe the types of fossils discovered by Anning and their significance. At the end of the lesson you will appreciate the historical context of Anning's work and its impact on the field of geology.

What do you already know about Mary Anning and her contributions to paleontology?

Mary Anning's biography and background

Mary Anning was an English fossil collector and paleontologist known for her discoveries in the cliffs at Lyme Regis.

Anning's major fossil discoveries and their impact on paleontology

She found the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton, two complete plesiosaur skeletons, the first pterosaur skeleton outside Germany, and numerous fish fossils.

The societal challenges Anning faced as a female scientist

Anning faced financial struggles and societal challenges due to her gender, which barred her from joining the Geological Society of London.

The recognition of Anning's work and her contributions to science

Her findings gained her recognition and she consulted on anatomy and fossil collection.

The scientific understanding of coprolites and belemnites based on Anning's findings

Anning's work demonstrated that coprolites were fossilized faeces and belemnites contained fossilized ink sacs, contributing to the understanding of prehistoric life and Earth's history.

Definition List

Paleontology: the branch of science concerned with fossil animals and plants. Ichthyosaur: an extinct marine reptile from the Mesozoic era, resembling a dolphin. Plesiosaur: a large extinct marine reptile with a small head, long neck, and flippers. Pterosaur: a prehistoric flying reptile from the Mesozoic era. Coprolites: fossilized dung that provides information about the diet and environment of extinct organisms. Belemnites: an extinct group of marine cephalopods known for their bullet-shaped internal skeleton, which sometimes contained fossilized ink sacs similar to those of modern cephalopods.

3. What is Mary Anning famous for?

1. for discovering important fossils.
2. for being a scientist.
3. for selling fossils.
4. for being an explorer.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.