Figure Previewing: Fossilization
Directions: to gain some background knowledge for this reading selection, look at each
figure/picture/ chart listed below. In the space provided, describe what you see in each
of the elements and write at least one “I Wonder” question about each figure.
Figure
What I Observed
What I Wondered
Fig 1-1
The paleontologist is chipping away at the
side of a stone hill looking for fossils in the
rock.
Where does the term
paleontologist come from?
Fig 1-2
There is a series of pictures:
o a dead fish in shallow water
o sediment covering the fish
o the sediment becoming rock; part of
the fish is preserved
Is the presence of shallow
water necessary in forming
fossils?
Fig 1-3
A mountain with petrified tree stumps at the
base. The tree stumps have been turned to
stone.
I wonder how the tree
stumps became
petrified…and where you
could find them.
Fig 1-4
Pictures of fossils showing an ancient animal.
I noticed that the fossil mold is raised and the
fossil cast is indented.
I don’t understand the use
of the terms mold and cast.
Fig 1-5
A very old bug fossil is shown.
I don’t understand the term
carbon film.
Fig 1-6
Footprints of a dinosaur in desert stone. The
dinosaur appears to have had three toes.
I wonder what is the name
of the dinosaur.
Fig 1-7
Ancient bugs preserved in amber.
What’s amber?