Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits

Fossils & Earth History Adventure Pack

Beneath the bubbling asphalt of the La Brea Tar Pits, the fossil record is out of order.

Sediment layers are misaligned. Relative dating clues are scrambled. Trace fossils are appearing in the wrong time periods, and extinction events are overlapping in impossible ways. Ari Raider has detected a disruption in Earth’s timeline and needs explorers to restore the fossil sequence before history itself becomes unstable.

In Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits, students are dropped into a high-stakes Earth science mission at one of the world’s most famous fossil sites. By learning how fossils form, how sediment layers reveal relative age, and how scientists use index fossils and paleo evidence to reconstruct geologic time, explorers must rebuild the timeline and stabilize Earth’s history.

This adventure blends foundational paleontology and Earth history concepts with story, exploration, and optional hands-on discovery.

About This Adventure Pack

Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits is designed for elementary explorers and connects directly to an interactive online adventure.

Students can complete the Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits adventure online for free, including access to free printable trading cards that match this experience. The online adventure delivers the full learning and story-driven mission without requiring a physical kit.

👉 Explore the free Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits adventure here:
Coming Soon

For families or classrooms that want to extend the experience, this Adventure Pack adds a hands-on excavation and collectible cards that bring the paleontology mission into the physical world.

The learning experience is the same whether students use the physical pack or not. The pack simply adds a tactile, collectible layer to the adventure.

What This Adventure Covers

Each Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits Adventure Pack explores core fossil and Earth history concepts, including:

• Fossil – Preserved remains or traces of ancient life
• Fossilization – The process that preserves organisms in rock
• Sediment Layers – Stacked layers of deposited material
• Relative Dating – Determining age based on position in layers
• Geologic Time – The vast timeline of Earth’s history
• Extinction – The disappearance of a species
• Paleo Evidence – Clues from fossils about past life and environments
• Trace Fossil – Evidence of activity, like footprints or burrows
• Index Fossil – A fossil used to identify specific time periods

Each topic appears naturally within the adventure and is required to move the story forward, reinforcing learning through exploration rather than memorization.

What’s Inside the Pack

• Adventure-Filled Field Pack (6×9 Adventure Pouch)
• Adventure Mission Card
• Interactive Online Adventure
• Knowledge Card Pack
• Mystery Dig Kit
• Dig Stick Tool
• Cleaning Wipe
• Mystery Collectible Specimen (Gemlet)
• Gemlet Storage Container
• Excavating Adventures Sticker

Why Kids Love It

Excavating fossils, rebuilding timelines, uncovering extinction clues, and discovering a real mystery specimen makes learning feel like leading a true paleontology dig.

Why Teachers and Parents Love It

Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits supports elementary Earth science standards through clear explanations of fossil formation, relative dating, and geologic time. The adventure works for whole-class instruction, science centers, small groups, or independent learning — with or without the physical pack.

Free Adventure Option

Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits is also available online for free, including free printable trading cards that align directly with this adventure. No purchase is required to participate.

This reflects our mission at Excavating Adventures: to make engaging, story-driven adventures accessible to everyone.

👉 Explore the free Tar Pit Trail at La Brea Tar Pits adventure here:
Coming Soon