Fossils & Palaeontologists · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Fossils and Palaeontologists

Science · Dinosaurs & Paleontology · ages 5-7
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. What is a palaeontologist's job?

    • Building rockets for space trips
    • Studying fossils to learn about the past
    • Painting pictures of dinosaurs only

  2. What is a fossil?

    • The remains of a living thing turned to rock
    • Any rock you find outside
    • A living animal that just died

  3. Which of these is an example of a fossil?

    • A plastic toy bone
    • A live turtle at the zoo
    • A dinosaur tooth in rock

  4. Mia finds an old bone shaped like rock at a museum. Who would study it?

    • A palaeontologist
    • A dentist
    • A chef

  5. A fossil can be the footprint of an animal, not just its bones.

    Circle one:   True   False

  6. Sam sees marks in a rock that look like footprints. What could these be?

    • Fresh mud prints
    • Fossil footprints
    • Paint splatters

  7. Which of these is NOT a fossil?

    • A live spider walking on a leaf
    • Footprints pressed in old rock
    • A dinosaur tooth in rock

  8. Leo says a fossil is any rock with a fun shape. Is Leo right?

    • Yes, any rock shape counts
    • No, only dinosaur bones are fossils
    • No, a fossil must be from a living thing
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Fossils and Palaeontologists W1-mt_bKlnc7dyVK-s1

  1. Studying fossils to learn about the past · Palaeontologists study fossils to learn how ancient life looked and lived.
  2. The remains of a living thing turned to rock · A fossil is old remains that turned into rock, not any rock or a living animal.
  3. A dinosaur tooth in rock · Fossils are things like bones, teeth, or footprints preserved in rock.
  4. A palaeontologist · A palaeontologist is the scientist who studies fossils like old bones.
  5. True · Footprints pressed into mud can turn to rock too, so they can be fossils.
  6. Fossil footprints · Footprints pressed into mud long ago can turn to rock and become fossils.
  7. A live spider walking on a leaf · A live spider is alive now, not remains preserved in rock, so it is not a fossil.
  8. No, a fossil must be from a living thing · A fossil is not just any shape. It must come from something that once lived.
Worksheet · LightMySky