G3_U6L1_What is fossil?

What is a fossil?

• a kind of thing that is no longer found on Earth

• the remains or traces of an organism that lived long ago

• something that exists in or on land

• something that exists in or on water

Fossils can be made of an organism's hard parts or its soft parts. Hard parts include ___Choose all that apply

• teeth

• bones

• shells

• skin

Where are fossils preserved? Choose all that apply

• in rock

• trunk

• in the mud

These shells belonged to animals that

died on the beach not long ago. They

are pressed into the sand. Are they fossils?

• Yes

• No

This shell was pressed into the soft mud

on the sea floor. Over time, pressure

changed the mud to rock. The shell

dissolved and left a hollow space in the

rock. Over time, more mud filled the

space to form an imprint of the shell. Is this a fossil?

• Yes

• No

A strong storm knocked this tree over.

The wood is starting to decay. Is this a fossil?

• Yes

• No

These footprints were made long ago in

soft mud. Over time, the mud changed

to rock, preserving the footprints. Are they fossils?

• Yes

• No

These footprints were left behind as the

organism walked in the sand. Are they fossils?

• Yes

• No

Fossils are often the hard parts of once-living things. But

an organism’s soft parts can also be preserved. Which

materials can preserve soft parts? Select all that apply.

• sand

• ice

• amber

• sand

Fill the blank. Insects are often found in___

• amber

• ice

• sand

• rock