They were one-celled organisms that lived in the shallow seas that covered much of Minnesota. Trilobites and cephalopods are examples of these multi-celled animals. F ossils of all ages can be found throughout Minnesota's gravel pits, beaches and other glacial features. As glaciers slowly crawled south from Canada to cover almost the entire state, they picked up rock containing fossils. As the glaciers retreated north, the rock and debris were left behind in Minnesota as glacial drift.
C ollecting fossils is something anyone can do.
All you need are a few simple tools and permission to collect. Make sure you ask the person who owns the land you are on before you start collecting specimens. Minnesota's state parks do not allow people to collect rocks, flowers and fossils. The Minnesota Geological Survey publishes an educational series called Minnesota at a Glance . Brick-layer's hammer or geologic hammer.