What do fossils tell us about the past? 1

Which of the following describes a group of living things that is no longer living.

• fossil
• extinct
• mold
• cast

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

How are an elephant and mammoth alike?

• both are extinct
• both have tusks
• both have thick, shaggy fur
• both live in warm climate

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

What can we learn when we compare fossils to other animals that live today?

• we can learn more about the environment it lived in
• we can learn more about the current environment
• we can learn about the animal's family

If a tree fossil is found in the middle of a desert, what can you infer about the past environment of the area?

• It used to be a forest
• It was always a desert
• It used to be at the bottom of the ocean
• It used to be covered in ice and snow

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Why is it important to examine fossils from different places and ages?

• so we can gain a better understanding of the ancient environments that they lived in
• so that we can put them in museums 

I found a fossil of a fish in what is now a cow pasture. How is that possible?

• Somebody put the fossil there.
• The wind moved the fossil there over time.
• The cow pasture used to be underwater.
• It would not be possible to find a fossil of a fish in a cow pasture.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What has to happen before a fossil can be formed?

• wind and water wash away animal remains

• an organism dies and is covered with mud or sediment

• an animal dies and is eaten by predators

Why do bones and teeth remain as part of some fossils?

• they are white
• bones are large
• the parts are hard 
• bones decay easily

True or False....Only dinosaurs have been fossilized.

• True
• False

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

The Wooly Mammoth was an organism that lived 1.65 million to 10,000 years ago. It had a thick, hairy coat of wool. It had up to 4 inches of fat beneath the skin along with small ears and a short tail. What can its fossil remains tell scientists?

• The environment of the wooly mammoth was hot and dry.

• The environment of the wooly mammoth was hot and humid.

• The environment of the wooly mammoth was warm and sunny.

• The environment of the wooly mammoth was cold and snowy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1