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Purpose
To demonstrate how rock can be removed from around a fossil.

Procedure
1.	Lay the paper towel on a table.
2.	Place the cookie in the center of the paper towel.
3.	Follow these steps to remove a chocolate chip from the cookie without scratching the chips or breaking the cookie. a. Use the pointed end of the toothpick to scratch away the cookie around the chocolate chip. Scratch away from the chip and never toward it. b. With the brush, gently brush away the loose pieces of cookie.

Results
The chocolate chip is removed from the cookie.

Why?
Fossils found in relatively soft rock can often be removed in a manner
similar to the way in which you removed the chocolate chip from the cookie. Instead of a toothpick, an instrument with a metal point is used to flake away rock surrounding the fossil. The rule is always to work away from the fossil. That way, if you slip, only the unwanted rock is scratched and not the fossil. The loosened rock particles are then removed with a stiff-bristled brush.