Ammonite With Spiral Shell

An ammonite reaches its long tentacles out of a coiled shell. The round shell takes up most of the page and winds inward toward a tight spiral at its center.

What can you see?

Curved lines divide the shell into many chambers that wrap tighter and tighter toward the middle. On the right, a round eye peeks out of the opening, surrounded by wavy tentacles that spread outward. Two larger fin-like flaps frame the head. In the background, a few faint wavy lines suggest the ocean where this creature once lived.

Coloring ideas

• A different shade for each chamber of the shell
• A gradient running from the center outward
• Bold blue or purple for the tentacles
• A calm teal background to suggest the ancient sea

With its many small chambers and thin tentacle lines, this coloring page suits kids who already have some practice filling in smaller areas. A fine-tip pencil helps keep the narrow sections neat. It also works well as a first pass with light colors, followed by a darker outline pencil to make each chamber stand out more clearly.

How many chambers can you count in the spiral?

A few facts

Habitat

Ancient seas, long before the dinosaurs and still during their time

Growth

The shell grew along with the animal, adding new chambers over time

Where they're found

Fossilized shells still turn up at excavation sites today

Ammonites lived in ancient seas long ago, and their fossilized shells are still found at excavation sites today. This coloring page works well for a small classroom or homeschool unit about fossils and prehistoric life, and it can double as a cut-out piece for a poster about creatures from ancient oceans.