Animals Through Time Unit 1 Mystery Science

Imagine this! Our brave explorer, Kayla, is on an underwater adventure. She's there to observe the majestic sharks and graceful sea turtles. But wait, what's this? She spots numerous tree trunks resting on the ocean bed. Now, based on this intriguing observation, can you guess what this area might have been a long, long time ago?

• A barren desert

• A lush forest

• A sprawling grassland

• Always an ocean

Answer explanation

The question mentions that Kayla saw many tree trunks on the ocean floor while swimming. This indicates that a forest habitat was present in this location a long time ago. The presence of tree trunks suggests that the area was once populated by trees, which are characteristic of a forest environment. Hence, 'Forest' is the correct answer.

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

The tree trunks are evidence that the habitat in this location has changed. What other evidence could you look for to support this claim?

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NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Your friend Martha just found a crab shell on the ground. She’s really excited because she thinks it might be a fossil. She thinks this is evidence that your town used to be an ocean a very long time ago. The picture above shows you the location where she found the crab shell. Do you think your friend Martha found a fossil? Why or why not?

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Picture this! You're an intrepid archaeologist, embarking on a thrilling expedition to a mysterious deep-sea trench. You bravely dive to the very bottom of this underwater abyss. Lo and behold, you stumble upon the fossils shown in this image. Based on your exciting discovery, can you guess what kind of environment might have existed here when these ancient creatures roamed the earth?

• A lush forest

• A sprawling grassland

• The vast ocean

• A scorching desert

Answer explanation

The question is asking about the type of habitat that was present at the bottom of the quarry when the found fossils were alive. Given the answer 'Ocean', it is likely that the location was once underwater and part of an ocean habitat. Fossils are typically found in areas where the organisms once lived, thus the ocean ecosystem is the correct choice.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Why did you choose this answer? What evidence do the fossils give you to support your claim?

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

How do scientists know that the footprints they found came from dinosaurs?

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

How can you tell if someone was walking or running just by looking at their footprints?

What can you do to figure out if you can run faster than a dinosaur?

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NGSS.MS-PS3-1