Planet Earth and Beyond: Types of Fossils NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

PLANET EARTH AND BEYOND

NATURAL SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGYGRADE 5Planet Earth and Beyond: Types of FossilsNATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5Types of FossilsThere are two main types of fossils:Body fossilsFormed from the hard parts of plant and animals e.g. teeth, bones, shells, stems, leaves and seeds.

Trace fossilsFossils formed from traces (or clues) left by animals e.g. footprints, nests, eggs and droppings.

NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

There are two main types of fossils:A)Body fossilsFormed from the hard parts of plant and animals e.g. teeth, bones, shells, stems, leaves and seeds.B) Trace fossilsFossils formed from traces (or clues) left by animals e.g. footprints, nests, eggs and droppings.

2Body Fossils1. Teeth and bonesA bit of broken tooth can be found within another animals bonesTeeth help us to see whether the extinct animal was a carnivore or a herbivoreBones help us to determine the size and the shape of the animalScientists use the bones to reconstruct (put back together) extinct animals


3Body FossilsLets watch this video to find out how scientists use fossils to recreate dinosaurs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awUiKgjtlCs&feature=player_embedded


4Body Fossils2. ShellsMost commonly found fossilsBecause they are naturally hard, they fossilise easilyAlmost always found in sedimentary rock


Shells are the most commonly found fossils. Because they are naturally hard to begin with, they fossilise easily. Shells are almost always found in sedimentary rock.5Body Fossils3. Stems, leaves and seedsStems and seeds can be petrified. Petrified means turned to stone


Stems and seeds can be petrified. Petrified is the process of how organic matter is turned into stone.

6Body FossilsThe softer parts, like the leaves, are trapped between sedimentary layers or in resin

Resin is a sticky substance that plants produce


The softer parts, like the leaves, are trapped between sedimentary layers, or in resin.Resin is a sticky substance that plants produce.This becomes hard and forms amber.

7Body Fossils

Resin becomes hard and forms amberThe same can happen to animals. Whole animals are captured for us to study


The resin becomes hard and forms amber. The same can happen to animals. Whole animals are captures for us to study.Unpolished amber stones

8Trace Fossils1. FootprintsFossil footprints are signs that organisms once lived on our planetDifficult to identify the type of animal


FootprintsFossil footprints are signs that organisms were once alive and lived on our planet.It is very difficult to identify the type of animal that made the footprint.9Trace FossilsFossil footprints give us information about:

The speed of the animalLength of strideWhether the animal walked on two or four legsThe bone structure of the footNATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5

This 1.5-million-year-old fossil footprint, showing an upright stride, was discovered at a site in Kenya

10Trace Fossils2. EggsMany fossilised eggs have been foundThey often contain parts of an embryoAn embryo is an organism in its very early stages of development, before you can recognise it


The picture shows a fossilised nest of dinosaur eggs.

11Trace FossilsWe can then match an egg with an animal species


The inside is not preserved during fossilization (apart from some rare dinosaur babies). However, there are some clues to what the inside of the eggs looked like.

12Trace Fossils3. NestsNests can be made from clay, sticks, grass and leaves

The nests and the eggs found can tell us a lot about animals like dinosaurs


NestsNests can be made from clay, sticks, grass and leaves.The nests and the eggs found can tell us a lot about animals like dinosaurs

13Trace Fossils4. DroppingsFossilised droppings can be studiedIt can be taken apart to study the different parts that it is made up of It can tell us what type of food the animal ate


4. DroppingsFossilised droppings can be studiedIt can be taken apart to study the different parts that it is made up of. It can tell us what type of food the animal ate.

Hyena droppings14

AcknowledgementsImage: http://pterodata.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.htmlImage: http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Strangest-Cambrian-Creatures-Ever-Discovered#slide7738093Image: www.statesymbolsusa.orgImage: www.rockrollers.comImage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AmberImage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trace_fossilImage: www.gemologyonline.comImage: www.en.citizendium.orgImage: http://www.mylearning.org/cave-hunter/images/1-4218/www.thunderboltkids.comhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awUiKgjtlCs&feature=player_embeddedCAPS Natural Sciences and Technology Grade 5Barnard T, Bevan W, Collett H, McKay R, Turley C. 2013. Oxford Successful Natural Science Grade 5 Leaners Book. Cape Town: Oxford University Press


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Planet Earth and Beyond: Types of Fossils NATURAL SCIENCES GRADE 5