I Dig Fossils

Looking for something new to do with the kids on weekends? How about fossil hunting? As this short introduction, produced by father and son team Jay and Scott Donziger, proves, the notion is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Granted, you might not find a deinonychus claw, but leaves and even some small animals may be lurking in rocks within hours of your home. Filmed at the Chicago Field Museum and on location in the nearby Mazon Creek area, the video follows Scott (played as a young boy here by Sam Saletta) and his father as they sift through the rocks on a dig, looking for likely specimens, and then hauling them home, washing their finds, and breaking them open to see whether or not they've hit prehistoric pay dirt. It would have been nice if the program had gone into more detail about the various fossils shown (there is a general overview of how fossils are created), but the filmmakers do advise would-be paleontologists to visit their local museums of natural history, and check out some books. Too, they emphasize safety and adult supervision, and remind viewers to get permission with the landowners before they do any digging. How practical this really is, we're not sure--but there's no question that children 6-12 will want to see it. Recommended. (R. Pitman)