Exploring Fossils and Extinction

What are fossils?

• Fossils are the remains of living plants only.

• Fossils are rocks formed from volcanic activity.

• Fossils are modern animal bones.

• Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.

Name one type of fossil.

• Dinosaur fossil

• Amber fossil

• Bone fossil

• Leaf fossil

What is a mold fossil?

• A mold fossil is a type of fossil that shows the color patterns of an organism.

• A mold fossil is a fossil formed from the hardened remains of an organism.

• A mold fossil is a type of fossil that represents the impression or cavity left by an organism in sediment.

• A mold fossil is a type of fossil that preserves the actual remains of an organism.

What is a cast fossil?

• A cast fossil is a type of fossil that forms when an organism is buried in sediment and decays completely.

• A cast fossil is a fossil that is created by the freezing of an organism in ice.

• A cast fossil is a type of fossil that forms from the remains of an organism without any mineralization.

• A cast fossil is a type of fossil that forms when minerals fill a mold left by an organism, creating a replica of its shape.

How do fossils form?

• Fossils develop when organisms are exposed to sunlight.

• Fossils form when organic material is buried and mineralized over time.

• Fossils are created by freezing organic material.

• Fossils form from volcanic eruptions.

What can fossils tell us about the past?

• Fossils can only tell us about the climate of the present.

• Fossils provide information about modern species only.

• Fossils can tell us about the types of organisms that existed, their behaviors, and the environmental conditions of the past.

• Fossils are used to predict future environmental changes.

What is extinction?

• The process of adapting to a new environment.

• The gradual increase in a species population.

• The end of existence of a species or group.

• The preservation of endangered species.

Can you name an animal that is extinct?

• Passenger Pigeon

• Woolly Mammoth

• Saber-toothed Cat

• Dodo

How do scientists learn about extinct animals?

• By analyzing historical texts about animals

• By observing modern animals only

• Scientists learn about extinct animals through the study of fossils, ancient DNA, and comparative anatomy.

• Through studying meteorological patterns

What is a trace fossil?

• A trace fossil is a type of rock formation.

• A trace fossil is a preserved body of an organism.

• A trace fossil is a fossilized plant material.

• A trace fossil is a fossilized record of the activity of organisms.