Types of Fossils
This type of fossil can be described as hardened tree sap that preserves an entire organism. This usually includes an insect, snail, or small crab.
What is amber?
This is the main type of plant fossil in the fossil record.
What is a fern?
Two-Part Answer
You are on the beach and are making a sandcastle. The plastic piece you use to shape the sand is called a ___________________. When you put the sand onto the ground and pull off the plastic part, you are left with a ____________.
Part 1: What is a mold?
Part 2: What is a cast?
A mountain lion is extinct. True or False.
What is false?
When animals die and are covered with sediments like sand, silt, or mud, they are more likely to form a ________________.
What is a fossil?
This type of fossil is made inside a mold when minerals seep in and harden into rock.
What is a cast?
This is something people can do to protect endangered species from becoming extinct.
Accept all reasonable answers.
Examples:
Volunteer at an animal sanctuary.
Research the animal and make posters to spread awareness.
Pick up trash and plant trees.
Organize a clean up event.
Write your local government to talk about how you can help endangered animals in your area.
Keep yourself informed about animals that are endangered.
This is any living thing.
What is an organism?
The saber-toothed cat is extinct. True or False.
What is true?
Fossils form from animals that have died recently. True or false.
What is false?
This type of fossil is a shallow print or mark in solid rock. It usually begins in soft mud and hardens into rock.
What is an imprint?
Will also accept trace fossil.
What are paleontologists?
A paleontologist found bones to a large animal and put it together like a puzzle. After some studying, the team of scientists discovered that this animal had thick fur covering its body before it went extinct. This can tell us that the animal probably lived in an area with a _____________ climate.
What is cold?
The bald eagle is extinct. True or False
What is False
This type of fossil is formed by an organism leaving its tracks in soft mud. The mud dries and hardens into rock.
What are imprint fossils?
This type of fossil shows empty space in a rock where an animal or animal part once was.
What is a mold?
Paleontologists use these tools to help them CAREFULLY excavate fossils.
Will accept....
What are toothbrushes?
What are soft brushes?
What are chisels and hammers?
What are dental picks?
The saber-toothed cat had long, sharp teeth. This means the animals ate ______________.
What is meat?
This is the word for animals or organisms that are threatened and have declining populations. Scientists and other citizens are working on ways to save these animals before they are extinct.
What is endangered?
This animal part is more likely to form a fossil because they take a longer time to break down and decay.
What is a bone/shell/tooth?
NOT a feather, muscle, fur, or skin
This is the preserved remains of a plant or animal that lived long ago.
What is a fossil?
This is a scientist who studies fossils and living things from long ago.
What is a peleontologist?
The wooly mammoth had large, flat teeth. This tells scientists this animal ate __________.
What are plants?
What are herbs?
What are grains?
This is the word for animals or organisms that have died out and no longer exist.
What is extinct?
Paleontologists fund a trilobite fossil in the Blue Ridge mountains. They can infer or guess that the entire area was once _____________________.
What is under water or an ocean?