FOSSILS REVIEW

What can scientists learn by studying fossils?

• how every organism died a long time ago

• what types of organisms lived a long time ago

• how minerals are formed

• what rocks are made of

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

A group of third graders share the task of creating a model to represent how fossils are formed. One of the students is in charge of representing the step that organisms are buried under sediment. They are using a clay dinosaur to show the steps. Which of the following would BEST demonstrate this step?

• Use a book to push down dirt over the clay dinosaur.

• Use a pencil to pick at the dirt around the clay dinosaur.

• Use a piece of paper to squeeze the clay dinosaur from all directions.

• Use glue to fill in empty spaces on the clay dinosaur.

Tags

NGSS.3-5-ETS1-1

Where are most fossils formed?

• In glaciers, because fossils are created when an organism is frozen quickly.

• Near volcanoes, because the high heat of the lava helps to form fossils.

• Near earthquakes, because the shaking ground traps organisms to create fossils.

• In sedimentary rock, because being buried in sediment helps to form fossils.

Matt created a model of a plant becoming a fossil. First, he pressed a branch into clay, as shown in the picture. What does the glue represent in this model?

• minerals

• water

• bone

• soil

Why might not all organisms become fossils?

• They were the wrong plants and animals.

• They may break apart because they don’t want to become fossils.

• They have weak structures that break apart.

• They create poor fossils because they have the wrong shapes.

Which part of an animal is most likely to turn into a fossil?

• hair

• skin

• bones

• organs

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Alex is studying fossil formation. Which of the following steps comes first and why?

• The first step is that an animal dies because once a living thing dies, it has the possibility of becoming a fossil.

• The first step is that an animal dies because once any living thing dies, it will always start the fossilization process.

• The first step is that the animal is buried by sediment because if it is buried by sediment, it will then die to become a fossil.

• The first step is that bone is slowly replaced with minerals because if they are replaced by minerals, then once it dies, it starts to fossilize.

From the fossil, which of the following observations is NOT an observation that a scientist could make about the dinosaur?

• The color the dinosaur was.

• That the dinosaur moved on four feet.

• What the dinosaur ate.

• The size the dinosaur was.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What clues does this fossil give you about how the animal moved and what type of habitat it lived in?

• This animal lived at the bottom of the mountain since it was discovered at the mountain, but the mountain rose in height over time.

• 1. This animal lived in a water environment since it has dorsal fins.

• This animal lived at the top of a mountain since that is the location it was discovered.

• This animal lived in a water environment such as a lake or ocean since it has bones.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Two fossils are found in a cold mountain region. One is a fish fossil and the other is a palm tree fossil. What can you infer about the environment in which these organisms lived?

• A cold mountain region because an environment cannot change its type of environment over time.

• A warm mountain region because since there are palm trees, the area needs to be warm.

• A warm ocean environment because fish are found in areas with water and palm trees are found in warm ocean environments.

• A hot desert because palm trees are found in hot areas.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1