Fossil

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/fossil

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific significance?Fossils are critical for understanding evolution, paleoclimatology, paleobiogeography, and Earth's geological timeline
2. What is a fossil and why are they important?Fossils are ancient clues that show us life from millions of years ago. They help scientists learn about evolution, past climates, and Earth's history.
3. How do fossils form?Fossils usually form when an animal or plant is quickly buried in sediment, protecting it from decay. Minerals in groundwater can fill the empty spaces, turning the remains into stone.

Stratigraphy: The branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers and their sequence in time.
Biostratigraphy: A method of dating and correlating rocks using the fossils they contain.
Paleobiogeography: The study of the geographic distribution of extinct organisms and the historical factors that influenced it.