How do we know that they were on Earth? Dinosaurs Monday, March 28, 2011 How do we know that they were on Earth?

How do we know that dinosaurs were on earth? Do we see dinosaurs walking around in the present? So, how do we know that they were alive in the past? What are some of your ideas?

Fossils What are fossils? Fossils are anything left over after an animal dies.

Different kinds of fossils Can you name any? bones teeth eggs prints shells

Where do fossils come from? 1. The animal dies. 2. Rock and dirt begin to cover the animal as its skin and organs decay. 3. The animal’s fossils are protected in the rock and dirt. 4. The fossils are found and dug up.

How are fossils found? 1. They rise up to the surface of the ground. 2. Rock and dirt wear away. 3. They can also be found by digging.

Fossils are found and studied by scientists called Who finds fossils? Fossils are found and studied by scientists called paleontologists.

What can fossils tell us? 1. Fossils can tell us how long ago dinosaurs and other animals lived on Earth. 2. Fossils can tell us how the environment was long ago. 3. Fossils can tell us when earthquakes happened. 4. Fossils can tell us when certain types of animals died forever and when new types of animals were born.

What have we learned today? 1. How do we know that dinosaurs were alive in the past? 2. What are fossils? 3. What are some different kinds of fossils? 4. Where do fossils come from? 5. How are fossils found? 6. What do we call scientists who study fossils and what Earth was like long ago? 7. What can fossils tell us?

quiz Because we learned new information today, this quiz will only be graded if everyone gets a P. 1. Name two kinds of fossils. ___________ and ___________ 2. Scientists who study fossils are called ___. principals scuba divers paleontologists doctors