Swimming Through Ancient Seas: Fossils from the Burgess Shale - Virtual

Explore by the Seat of Your Pants with Jean-Bernard Caron

Category

Virtual Lessons with ROM Educators

Duration

45 minutes

Audience

Educators, French Presentation, Schools

Age

8-12

Grades

4-6

Subjects

Canada, Science

About

Hear stories of travel, study, and the discovery of some of the strangest fossils in Earth’s history in this exclusive theatre Lesson.

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Palaeontologists at ROM have been discovering amazing fossils in the Rocky Mountains for over 50 years. These incredibly detailed fossils give us a view of what life looked like during the Cambrian Explosion 500 million years ago. These strange creatures with interesting features may seem alien, but they actually represent all major animal groups found on Earth today. 

Join Jean-Bernard Caron, ROM Richard M. Ivey Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology, for stories of travel, study, and discovery in this special session in the Eaton Theatre at ROM. Students will hear about Jean-Bernard’s experiences working in Yoho National Park, see images of the rugged landscape, camp life, and fossils, and learn about the exciting results of ROM research. 

 

Delivery LanguageThis lesson is offered in English and French
Activities
  • Virtual gallery exploration
  • Polls, quizzes, and Q&A
FormatVirtual Lesson
Duration1 hour
PricingFree
Minimum Group10
Maximum Group600

Available Dates

English

  • May 28, 2026 - 9:30 AM

French

  • May 28, 2026 - 11:15 AM

Guest Presenter

Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron
Jean-Bernard Caron

Jean-Bernard Caron became fascinated with fossils as a child in his native France. He spent the summers of his teenaged years volunteering at archaeological and palaeontological digs in France and Spain. He joined ROM Burgess Shale field crews as a volunteer in 1998,1999, and 2000 at the invitation of late Senior Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology Dr. Desmond Collins. Dr. Caron joined ROM in early 2006 and was appointed the Richard M. Ivey Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology in 2018.

Dr. Caron’s research focuses on fossils from the famous Burgess Shale deposit in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia. The Burgess Shale is of global significance for understanding Cambrian life. It was designated a World Heritage Site in 1980 and became part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site in 1984. ROM has been conducting research at the Burgess Shale since 1975, and its collections, which are held in trust for Parks Canada, are the largest in the world. 

Jean-Bernard Caron

Learning Goals

Learn how fossils are uncovered, excavated, transported, catalogued, and prepared for display at a museum.

Understand the incredible diversity of living things represented within fossils from the Burgess Shale.

Understand the connections between the ancient life represented by the Burgess Shale fossils and living things on Earth today

Curriculum Connections

Highlights

Jean-Bernard Caron standing on a hill with mountains in the background
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Crates being lifted by helicopter.
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Mosura fentoni, an ancient marine predator that lived during a time of rapid evolutionary change known as the Cambrian Period
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Photography of the fossil beside illustration of specimen.
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Palaeontologists working onsite in Canada's Rocky mountains.
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Photograph of fossils before and after preparation in the lab.
06
View of the ROM’s Dr. Jean-Bernard Caron and Dr. Maydianne Andrade at the quarry site discussing these newly revealed fossils.
07
Complete fossil (Holotype ROMIP 65078) of Cambroraster falcatus, showing the eyes and the body with paired swimming flaps below the large head carapace. The shale in which the fossil was entombed was split open, leaving parts of the body on both sides (right and left).
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