Fossilization Experiment

["Jerry D. Harris" <102354.2222@compuserve.com>]

Hi All -

        Sorry for the cross-posting...

        A friend of mine and volunteer at our museum posed an interesting
question to me today:  her daughter wants to do a science fair experiment
on the fossilization process, and she was asking me for references. 
However, I only have "advanced" references -- those intended for
consumption by scientists, not kids (even bright ones).  Sadly, I don't
have the time or resources to keep up much with the non-scientific
literature, particularly that aimed at children.  Can anyone point me to
something in a kid's book that is along these lines -- I'm thinking here of
something that would allow her to precipitate some crystals inside a hollow
tube to mimic the permineralization process, and something non-toxic (maybe
involving salt crystals?)  (I'll also give her the references that have
been released lately which seem to implicate bacteria in the fossilization
process, but the experiment needn't involve those.  8-D  ).  Any help would
be greatly appreciated!  Many thanks in advance...

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                     Jerry D. Harris
                 Fossil Preparation Lab
          New Mexico Museum of Natural History
                   1801 Mountain Rd NW
               Albuquerque  NM  87104-1375
                 Phone:  (505) 899-2809
                  Fax: ; (505) 841-2866
               102354.2222@compuserve.com