1­3 Intro To Fossils.notebook
January 05, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Welcome Back!
Hope everyone had an amazing holiday! Have a seat and get ready to start the day!
Baby Sophia in 3D!
Fossils
• Fossils are clues that we use to explore the mysterious past. • Fossils are the remains or traces of living organisms preserved in Earth’s crust. • Fossils can provide us with valuable answers to questions such as: How did these organisms live and why are they not around today?
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1­3 Intro To Fossils.notebook
January 05, 2012
• Most fossils are formed from the remains of an animal’s shell or bones, or a plant’s woody stem or seeds. • Almost instantly after an animal or plant dies, the process of decomposition, or rotting, begins. • Soft tissue, like leaves, skin, muscles, and organs, begins to decompose first. • This is followed by harder tissue, like bones, shells, woody stems, or seeds. • If conditions exist where decomposition is slow to set in, over time, an organism may eventually become fossilized instead of fully decomposing.
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1­3 Intro To Fossils.notebook
January 05, 2012
What type of rocks do fossils form in?
sedimentary
Fossils form in sedimentary rocks. Why can't they form in igneous or metamorphic?
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1­3 Intro To Fossils.notebook
January 05, 2012
Types of Fossils
• Add "Trace Fossils" to the bottom of the boxes. • Use the Glossary or pages 80­81 to fill in the back portion of the handout. • In the description column, simply give a definition of that type of fossil. 4