Storyworks May June 2024 The Bone Hunter Author's Purpose

The Bone Hunter

Author's Purpose

Storyworks
May June 2024

Match

Match the following

• fossil

• ancient

• extinction

• paleontology

• excavate

remains of a long ago plant or animal

very old

died out completely

studies fossils

uncover by digging out

• remains of a long ago plant or animal

• very old

• died out completely

• studies fossils

• uncover by digging out

First, read (or reread) the story

Labeling

1. Tarshis wants to inform readers that a girl named Mary Anning made an important discovery.

Directions: List four details from the article about the discovery Mary made and how she made

it. Use the sentence starters below to help you.

A. As a kid, Mary loved to...

B. One day, Mary's brother...

C. For months, Mary...

D. Mary sold the fossil to...

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

walk along the beach to look for shells.

discovered a huge skull in the sand.

worked to uncover the whole fossil.

a museum in London.

​walk on the beach and collect shells.

discovered a huge skull in the sand.

worked to uncover the whole fossil.

a museum in London.

Labeling

Tarshis wants to inform readers about how Mary Anning’s discovery changed the world.

Directions: List four details from the article about Mary’s discovery and how it changed

science.

A. Mary's fossil...

B. It helped prove....

C. This made scientists wonder...

D. Mary's discoveries helped create...

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

about other mysterious creatures.

didn’t look like another plant or animal

paleontology.

creatures could become extinct.

​didn't look like another plant or animal.

creatures could become extinct.

about other mysterious creatures.

paleontology.

Reorder

Tarshis wants to inform readers about how fossils form.

Directions: Put the four details from the article about how fossils form. Be sure to use the sidebar

“How a Fossil Forms” on pages 8-9!

• Fossils form after a living thing, like a plant or animal, dies.

• Its skeleton is buried by water, rocks, and mud.

• The bones turn into a fossil.

• The fossil can be found once water dries up or land wears away.

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

The fossil can be found once water dries up or land wears away.

Fossils form after a living thing, like a plant or animal, dies.

Its skeleton is buried by water, rocks, and mud.

The bones turn into a fossil.

Hotspot

The author includes several text features to help inform the reader.

Directions: Look at the images from the article and then click the circle next to the correct statement.

First Choice: Tarshis includes these images to show readers how Mary found the Ichthyosaurus fossil

and how she helped inspire people to continue searching for fossils.

Second Choice: Tarshis includes these images to inform readers that the Ichthyosaurus fossil was quick and easy for Mary Anning to uncover

Drag and Drop

Now think about all of your answers in this activity and respond to the prompt about the

author’s purpose.

Directions: Summarize why you think Lauren Tarshis wrote this article and what she wants you

to learn.



Tarshis wanted ​

Placeholder

to learn about the other important ​

Placeholder

that ​

Placeholder

discovered and the ​

Placeholder

made by ​

Placeholder

today.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

fossils

Mary

scientists

discoveries

students

​Tarshis wanted students to learn about the other important fossils that Mary

discovered and the discoveries made by scientists today.

Match

Match the following

• fossil

• ancient

• extinction

• paleontology

• excavate

remains of a long ago plant or animal

very old

died out completely

studies fossils

uncover by digging out

• remains of a long ago plant or animal

• very old

• died out completely

• studies fossils

• uncover by digging out