Elephant Odyssey Teacher Resources and Activities

By looking into the past and listening to the stories that fossils and living species can tell, we hope you will learn more about the special animals that we share our planet with today.

What Is Paleontology?
Paleontology is the scientific study of ancient life forms, especially through the study of fossils. It incorporates multiple branches of science to help us learn about the origin and extinction of different types of organisms since life first appeared on Earth. Archaeology, anthropology, ecology, geology, and biology all play a role in the paleontologist’s understanding of the way the world was thousands of years ago.
 
What Is the Pleistocene Epoch?
The Pleistocene epoch, which occurred from 1.8 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago, was a time when large animals, or megafauna, roamed Southern California. This area was home to remarkable creatures, including saber-toothed cats, mammoths, giant sloths, and teratorns. There were also animals that existed during that time that didn’t look much different from their living cousins today—animals like snakes, pronghorn, and insects.