Name___________________________________________________ #___________
Science Study Guide
Endangered and Extinct Animals / Fossils
A. Students need to know the following vocabulary words, be able to identify an example of
each, and be able to sort pictures of animals for each category:
1. Extinct: Term used to describe animals that have died out completely, such as dinosaurs,
dodo birds, and passenger pigeons.
2. Endangered Animals: Animals that are in immediate danger of becoming extinct. The
American crocodile, the black-footed ferret, and the mountain lion are all endangered
animals.
3. Threatened Animals: Animals whose numbers are low or declining. These animals are not in
immediate danger of extinction, but will likely become endangered if they are not protected.
Loggerhead sea turtles and African elephants are both threatened animals.
4. Fossil: The remains of an animal or plant of a past age preserved in the rocks of the earth’s
surface.
5. Trait: A feature such as a body part or a behavior.
6. Relative: A species that shares a common ancestor with another species.
7. Paleontologist: A scientist who studies fossils and forms of life that no longer exists.
8. Era: A major division of time.
9. Teeth: Helps paleontologists determine what animals ate.
10. Decay: To rot or decompose.
11. Minerals: Solid matter found in nature that is not made by plants or animals.
12. Ancient: Belonging to a time long, long, ago.
B. Know the major causes of extinction and the acronym (HIPPO) as a way of remembering the
causes of extinction.
H – Habitat loss: destruction of habitat.
I – Introduced species: competition with domestic and nonnative animals.
P – Pollution
P – Population growth: competition with domestic and nonnative animals.
O – Over consumption/over hunting.
Part III Directions: Fill in the blank using the vocabulary words in the word bank.
endangered
people
extinct
threatened
laws
environment
fossils
Endangered Species Act
15. One way to prevent extinction of endangered animals is to make laws.
16. Much of what is known about early life on earth has been learned by studying fossils.
17. In 1973 the US Congress passed the Endangered Species Act.
18. American crocodiles, black-footed ferrets, and the mountain lion are all examples of
endangered animals.
19. Dodo birds and passenger pigeons of examples of extinct animals.
20. People also play a role in extinction by destroying the habitats of many organisms.
21. Loggerhead sea turtles and African elephants are examples of threatened animals.
22. Living things become extinct when their environment changes too much.
Part IV Directions: Circle the answer for each question.
23. Which part of an animal is most likely to become a fossil?
a. the skin
b. the heart
c. a bone
d. an eye
24. Which species is at risk of dying out soon?
a. threatened
b. extinct
c. modern
d. endangered
25. Which has caused the most species to become extinct?
a. earthquakes
b. volcanic eruptions
c. human activities
d. fires
26. Which is a trait of both the modern elephant and the ancient woolly mammoth?
a. a trunk
b. fur
c. small ears
d. claws