Image of a Gorgosaurus fossil sold for $6.1 million
Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via AP Images (Gorgosaurus); © Gabriele Galimberti (Skull); Shutterstock.com (All Other Images)
Debate,

Should This Skeleton Be for Sale?

Who should be allowed to own fossils like rare dinosaur bones? 

By Talia Cowen
From the September 2024 Issue
Complexity Factors
  • Purpose
    The debate presents arguments for and against selling fossils to private individuals.
  • Structure
    The debate is structured as an article with two main sections, each providing reasons and evidence to support each side of the debate.
  • Language
    The language is conversational and mostly straightforward. Some challenging vocabulary words related to the topic include remains, wealthy, and auction.
  • Knowledge Demands
    No prior knowledge is required.
Lexile: 700L-800L, 800L-900L
Featured Skill: Main Idea and Supporting Details,
Standards
  • Common Core
    Anchor Standards: R.1, R.2, R.3, R.5, R.8, W.1, SL.1, Grade 4: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.5, RI.4.8, W.4.1, SL.4.1 Grade 5: RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, RI.5.5, RI.5.8, W.5.1, SL.5.1 Grade 6: RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI6.3, RI.6.5, RI.6.8, W.6.1, SL.6.1
  • TEKS
    Grade 4: 4.1a, c, d; 4.4, 4.6; 4.7b, c, d, g; 4.9e, f; 4.11; 4.12c Grade 5: 5.1a, c, d; 5.4, 5.6; 5.7b, c, d, g; 5.9e, f; 5.11; 5.12c Grade 6: 6.1a, c, d; 6.3; 6.5; 6.6b, c, d, i; 6.8e, f; 6.10; 6.11c
  • NCSS
    6. Power, authority, and governance 7. Production, distribution, and consumption 10. Civil Ideals and practices

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  • Reading Level (800L-900L)
  • Reading Level (700L-800L)
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What would you buy with $6 million? Lifetime passes to Disney World for you and your friends? Tickets to space? 

How about a dinosaur fossil?

That’s what someone did two years ago: A mystery buyer paid about $6 million for the skeleton of a dinosaur called Gorgosaurus (gor-​guh-SOR-uhss). Afterward, the 77-million-year-old fossil didn’t end up in a museum where you could see it. It didn’t end up in a lab where scientists could study it either. It likely went on display in the buyer’s home.

In America, that’s not uncommon. Landowners can allow fossil hunters to search for fossils on their property. If any fossils are found, they belong to the landowners, according to U.S. law. Those fossils can then be sold at auction, where whoever offers to pay the most money wins. And buyers can do whatever they want with their purchases. Is that fair?

What would you buy with $6 million? Lifetime passes to Disney World? Tickets to space? How about a dinosaur fossil?

That’s what someone did two years ago. 

A mystery buyer paid about $6 million for the skeleton of a dinosaur called Gorgosaurus (gorguh-SOR-uhss). But the 77-million- year-old fossil didn’t go to a museum where you could see it. It didn’t go to a lab where scientists could study it either. It likely went to the buyer’s home.

In America, landowners can let fossil hunters search for fossils on their property. According to U.S. law, any fossils that are found belong to the landowners. Then those fossils can be sold at an auction. That’s a sale where whoever offers to pay the most money wins. And the buyers can do whatever they want with the fossils. Is that fair?

Key Puzzle Pieces

Key Puzzle Pieces 

Many scientists would say no. Fossils help reveal what ancient animals and plants on Earth were like. Some fossils—like a complete dinosaur skeleton—are very rare. (Only about 20 full Gorgosaurus skeletons have ever been found.)

Each fossil can hold clues to what an animal ate or how it behaved. But when fossils are sold to private buyers, scientists may not get the opportunity to study them. “It’s like hiding away a key puzzle piece that could provide valuable information about our planet’s past,” says Lara Sciscio, a scientist who studies dinosaur tracks.

Also, for most people, visiting a museum is their only chance to see dinosaur remains in person. But museums often can’t afford to compete with wealthy buyers when fossils are sold at auction. And fossils displayed in private homes can’t be seen by the public. 

“Fossils belong to everyone—they’re part of our Earth’s history,” says Sciscio. Shouldn’t we all have access to these valuable pieces of history?

Many scientists would say no. Fossils can show us what animals and plants on Earth were like long ago. Some fossils, like a complete dinosaur skeleton, are rare. (Only about 20 full Gorgosaurus skeletons have ever been found.) 

Fossils can also show us what an animal ate or how it acted. But scientists may not get to study fossils sold to private buyers. “It’s like hiding away a key puzzle piece that could provide valuable information about our planet’s past,” says Lara Sciscio. She’s a scientist who studies dinosaur tracks.

Also, a museum is the only place where most people can see dinosaur remains in person. But museums often can’t afford to compete with rich buyers when fossils are sold at auction. And fossils in private homes can’t be seen by the public.

“Fossils belong to everyone—they’re part of our Earth’s history,” says Sciscio. Shouldn’t we all be able to see them?

The skull of a giant sea lizard from the time of the dinosaurs sits on display at a home in Italy.

Expensive Work

Expensive Work

But not everyone agrees with Sciscio. Fossil hunting is hard work. The precious remains are often buried in layers of rock, requiring special tools to carefully remove them. After that, fossils must be cleaned and prepared for display. For big finds, this whole process can take thousands of hours—and a lot of cash. Why shouldn’t fossil hunters and landowners be allowed to sell their finds to make money?

Plus, without fossil hunters, some argue, many amazing fossils would end up staying underground. Or worse, they could disappear forever. “There are more fossils that wash away in rainstorms every year than there are people out there to find them and properly collect them,” says Jacob Jett, a fossil hunter in Colorado.

According to Jett, if people see they can make a living from finding and selling fossils, that will encourage more of them to go out and search for the next big fossil find. And that’s great for science. “The more eyes you have on rocks, the more fossils are going to be found,” Jett explains.

Besides, many fossils aren’t rare or valuable to scientists. Isn’t it better for these fossils to be sold to someone who’s excited to display them in their own home? Jett definitely thinks so. 

And you? What do you think?

Not everyone agrees with Sciscio. Fossil hunting is hard work. Valuable dinosaur parts are often buried in layers of rock. Special tools are required to remove them. After that, fossils must be cleaned and prepared for display. This whole process can take thousands of hours—and a lot of cash. Why shouldn’t fossil hunters and landowners be allowed to sell what they find?

Some argue that many amazing fossils would stay underground without fossil hunters. They could even disappear forever. “There are more fossils that wash away in rainstorms every year than there are people out there to find them and properly collect them,” says Jacob Jett, a fossil hunter in Colorado.

According to Jett, if people see they can make a living from finding and selling fossils, more people will want to search for the next big fossil find. And that’s great for science. “The more eyes you have on rocks, the more fossils are going to be found,” Jett explains.

Besides, many fossils aren’t rare or valuable to scientists. Isn’t it better for these fossils to be sold to someone who’s excited to have them? Jett thinks so.

And you? What do you think?

What Do You Think?

Should fossils be for sale? Go back to the article and write down reasons to support each side of the debate. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.

What Do You Think?

Should fossils be for sale? Go back to the article and write down reasons to support each side of the debate. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.

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This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue.

This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue.

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Activities (7)
Skills Activities
Skills Activities in Spanish
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Answer Key (1)

Are there Spanish-speaking students in your classroom? Explore our Debates En Español collection to find 10 debates in both English and Spanish, plus teaching tips and writing support in both languages.

Explore the Collection

Are there Spanish-speaking students in your classroom? Explore our Debates En Español collection to find 10 debates in both English and Spanish, plus teaching tips and writing support in both languages.

Explore the Collection

video (1)
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Activities (7) Download All Activities
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Skills Activities in Spanish
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Answer Key (1)
Table of Contents
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

1. Preparing to Read

  • Have students preview the text features, including the headline, subhead, section headers, images, and the “What Do You Think?” box or the student letters, depending on the style of debate.
  • Invite students to do a short turn-and-talk with a partner to determine the topic of the debate and what the two (or more) sides might be.
  • If a video is included with the debate, show it to the class.
  • Take a quick pulse check by a show of hands to see where students think they will stand on the issue. Let them know that they may change their minds as they read evidence on each side and hear arguments from their classmates.
  • Have students preview the text features, including the headline, subhead, section headers, images, and the “What Do You Think?” box or the student letters, depending on the style of debate.
  • Invite students to do a short turn-and-talk with a partner to determine the topic of the debate and what the two (or more) sides might be.
  • If a video is included with the debate, show it to the class.
  • Take a quick pulse check by a show of hands to see where students think they will stand on the issue. Let them know that they may change their minds as they read evidence on each side and hear arguments from their classmates.

2. Reading the Debate

  • Read the debate as a class or in small groups. For striving readers or multilingual learners, assign the lower-Lexile version. You can also play the author read-aloud, on either level, for the class as they follow along.
  • Have a brief check-in as a class to confirm what the sides of the debate are and explain any words or ideas students don’t understand.
  • Direct students to read the debate again, annotating the text to show the types of support the author uses to back up each side. For example:
    • F/S: Facts and statistics
    • Q: Quotes from experts
    • EX: Examples or stories
  • Read the debate as a class or in small groups. For striving readers or multilingual learners, assign the lower-Lexile version. You can also play the author read-aloud, on either level, for the class as they follow along.
  • Have a brief check-in as a class to confirm what the sides of the debate are and explain any words or ideas students don’t understand.
  • Direct students to read the debate again, annotating the text to show the types of support the author uses to back up each side. For example:
    • F/S: Facts and statistics
    • Q: Quotes from experts
    • EX: Examples or stories

3. Discussing the Debate

  • Project or distribute the Debate Anchor Chart, which provides guidelines for holding a civil debate and offers sentence starters for sharing opinions.
  • In small groups, have students discuss the debate, thinking about these questions:
    • Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
    • Is one side stronger than the other? If so, why?
    • What is your opinion on the issue? What evidence from the debate leads you to hold this opinion?
    • Does your support for one side or the other depend on the circumstances? (Is there an “It depends” option?) If so, in what circumstances would you take each side?
  • Come back together as a class and invite students to share what they discussed in their groups and what their opinions are. Ask if anyone changed their mind based on what they read or discussed. Let them explain why they changed their mind.
  • Project or distribute the Debate Anchor Chart, which provides guidelines for holding a civil debate and offers sentence starters for sharing opinions.
  • In small groups, have students discuss the debate, thinking about these questions:
    • Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
    • Is one side stronger than the other? If so, why?
    • What is your opinion on the issue? What evidence from the debate leads you to hold this opinion?
    • Does your support for one side or the other depend on the circumstances? (Is there an “It depends” option?) If so, in what circumstances would you take each side?
  • Come back together as a class and invite students to share what they discussed in their groups and what their opinions are. Ask if anyone changed their mind based on what they read or discussed. Let them explain why they changed their mind.

4. Skill Building and Writing

Distribute or digitally assign the Write an Opinion Essay skill builder, available on two levels and in Spanish. It will guide students through collecting supporting evidence and crafting an opinion essay. The higher-level version invites students to bring in their own additional evidence and write a rebuttal of the other side. The Opinion Essay Tool Kit offers writing tips including sentence starters and transition words. (If the debate asks students to write a letter giving advice on a question, distribute the Give Your Advice letter-writing template.)

Distribute or digitally assign the Write an Opinion Essay skill builder, available on two levels and in Spanish. It will guide students through collecting supporting evidence and crafting an opinion essay. The higher-level version invites students to bring in their own additional evidence and write a rebuttal of the other side. The Opinion Essay Tool Kit offers writing tips including sentence starters and transition words. (If the debate asks students to write a letter giving advice on a question, distribute the Give Your Advice letter-writing template.)

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