Exploring Fossils and Ancient Environments

What is a fossil?

• A type of rock

• The preserved remains of a once-living organism

• A type of plant

• A type of animal

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

Where are fossils typically found?

• In igneous rock

• In sedimentary rock

• In metamorphic rock

• In volcanic rock

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

What can fossils tell us about the past?

• The color of the sky

• The types of organisms and environmental changes

• The taste of ancient food

• The sound of ancient animals

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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What is coal made from?

• Rocks and minerals

• Dead, decaying plant matter

• Animal bones

• Sand and water

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NGSS.MS-LS2-3

What does the presence of coal in Antarctica suggest about its past environment?

• It was always a frozen desert

• It was once a swampy area

• It was always a dry desert

• It was once a mountain range

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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What is the significance of finding tropical plant fossils in Antarctica?

• It shows Antarctica was always cold

• It suggests Antarctica once had a warmer climate

• It means tropical plants can grow in cold climates

• It has no significance

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-3

Why was finding coal in Antarctica surprising?

• Because Antarctica is a hot desert

• Because Antarctica is a frozen desert

• Because coal is only found in the ocean

• Because coal is made from animal bones

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

What does the presence of fish fossils in the Sahara Desert suggest?

• The desert was always dry

• The desert was once home to bodies of water

• Fish can live without water

• The desert was once a forest

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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What percentage of fossils found in the Sahara Desert from 4,700-10,000 years ago were fish?

• 50%

• 70%

• 90%

• 100%

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

What does the presence of mammal fossils in the Sahara Desert indicate?

• Mammals lived there before fish

• Mammals replaced fish as the environment changed

• Mammals and fish lived there at the same time

• Mammals never lived in the Sahara Desert

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1