In the educational program ‘’Young Paleontologists’’, the children play the role of a Paleontologist and begin an excavation to find and identify parts of fossil plants.

The program begins with the game ‘’The hidden treasure’’ where children gradually discover information about the Petrified Forest, while unknown images of plants and animals, which lived in it 20 million years ago, and the large volcanoes of Lesvos are gradually discovered by the children.

Afterwards, takes place the experiential activity in the educational space GEORAMA, a model excavation sandpit with a grid, which simulates the educational excavation activity with the scientific paleontological excavation research. Children discover parts of fossil plants that lived 20 million years ago, observe their characteristics, identify their species, compare them with  present-day plants of Lesvos and record their similarities and differences.

The program includes:

• Discussion on the job of Paleontologist.

• Discussion on basic concepts such as fossil, excavation, volcanoes, petrified forest, creation of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos, etc.

• Collection of information from the fossils and models of the permanent exhibitions of the Museum about the creation of Petrified Forest, the plants and animals that lived in it during the educational game ‘’The hidden treasure’’.

• Discussion on the process of excavation and acquaintance with the excavation tools.

• Excavation of fossil plants in the educational space of GEORAMA.

• Identification of fossilized plants.

• Composition of observations and drawing conclusions.

• Educational activities with educational cards and templates.

• Educational activities with the help of the activity booklet ‘’Georama: Discovering the plants of the Petrified Forest’’.