Year 3 Science: What a fossil is
Part of the Year 3 Science rocks, fossils and soils chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
What a fossil is
A fossil is the remains, or a trace, of something that lived a very long time ago. Fossils are kept in rock.
- A body fossil is a part of the living thing itself, such as a bone, a tooth, a shell or a leaf.
- A trace fossil is a sign that a living thing was there, such as a footprint.
Most fossils are found in rock. A stone that only looks like a shell is not a fossil, because a fossil must have come from something that once lived.
Key ideas
- A fossil is the remains, or a trace, of something that lived a very long time ago.
- A body fossil is a part of the living thing, such as a bone, a tooth, a shell or a leaf.
- A trace fossil is a sign that a living thing was there, such as a footprint.
- Fossils are kept in rock. A stone that only looks like a shell is not a fossil.
Method. Think about what a fossil is.
- Read the definition. A fossil is the remains, or a trace, of something that lived long ago, kept in rock.remains in rock
- Check the shell. The shell lived long ago, and it is kept in rock.yes
- Write the answer. yes
Check. The shell is a fossil remains. ✓
Method. Think about what a footprint is.
- Read the definitions. A body fossil is part of the living thing. A trace fossil is a sign that it was there.trace fossil
- Choose the words. A footprint is a sign that an animal was there, so it is a trace fossil.trace fossil
- Write the answer. trace fossil
Check. A footprint is a trace fossil, not a part of the animal. ✓
Method. Think about where the bone came from.
- Think about each one. A bone kept in rock came from a living thing. A stone that looks like a bone did not.living thing
- Write the answer. So a fossil is a bone kept in rock.a bone kept in rock
- Write the answer. a bone kept in rock
Check. A fossil must have come from something that once lived. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: a stone shaped like a shell is not a fossil. A fossil must come from something that once lived.
Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, press a shell or a leaf into a lump of modelling clay. Lift it away carefully, and look at the print it leaves. The print is a bit like a trace. Wash your hands afterwards. Do not dig into cliffs, and do not break rocks to look for fossils.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Is the print a part of the shell, or a sign that the shell was there?” Let your child choose the words body fossil or trace fossil.
Exercise 7E What a fossil is
Method. Read the definition in this section.
- Read the definition. A fossil is the remains or a trace of something that lived long ago, kept in rock.remains or traces
- Write the answer. Accept any phrase that says the remains or traces of something that lived long ago, kept in rock.
Check. A fossil is kept in rock. ✓
Method. Think about what a tooth is.
- Think about the tooth. A tooth is a part of the living thing itself.part of it
- Write the answer. body fossil
Check. A tooth is a body fossil. ✓
Method. Think about what a footprint is.
- Think about the footprint. A footprint is a sign that an animal was there.sign
- Write the answer. trace fossil
Check. A footprint is a trace fossil. ✓
Method. Read the text about fossils.
- Read the text. Most fossils are found in rock.rock
- Write the answer. rock
Check. Fossils are kept in rock. ✓
Method. Read the definition in this section.
- Read the definition. A fossil is the remains or a trace of something that lived.lived
- Write the answer. true
Check. That is why a stone that only looks like a shell is not a fossil. ✓
Method. Think about what a fossil must come from.
- Think about the stone. A fossil must come from something that once lived.once lived
- Decide. A stone that only has a shape like a shell is not a fossil.not a fossil
- Write the answer. false
Check. A fossil must come from something that lived. ✓
Method. Look at the left picture.
- Read the picture. The shell is kept in rock, and it came from a living thing.shell in rock
- Decide. So the shell is a fossil.yes
- Write the answer. yes
Check. The shell is a body fossil. ✓
Method. Look at the right picture.
- Read the picture. The footprint is a sign that an animal walked there, kept in rock.sign
- Name it. So the footprint is a trace fossil.trace fossil
- Write the answer. trace fossil
Check. A footprint is not a part of the animal. ✓
Method. Think about what the print is, and where it is.
- Think about the print. A print of a leaf is a trace of a living thing.trace of a leaf
- Decide. It is kept in rock, so it is a fossil.yes
- Write the answer. Yes. Accept any reason that says it is a trace of a leaf that lived long ago, kept in rock.
Check. A trace fossil is a fossil, as well as a body fossil. ✓
Method. Read the definition of a fossil.
- Read the definition. A fossil is the remains or a trace of something that lived long ago, kept in rock.remains or traces
- Decide. A living animal is not a fossil, so Mo is not right.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Museums can show fossils, but a living animal is not one. ✓
Method. Think about a safe way to learn.
- Think about the places. A museum is a safe place to see fossils.museum
- Think about safety. Do not dig into cliffs or break rocks, because they can fall.safe
- Write the answer. Accept any safe way, such as: visit a museum, or read a book with a grown-up. Do not dig into cliffs or break rocks.
Check. Always go with a grown-up, and never dig into cliffs. ✓
Method. Think about what the rock does.
- Think about the rock. Rock is hard and it stays in place for a very long time.hard
- Give the reason. So the remains or traces are kept safe for a very long time.kept safe
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says the rock keeps the remains or traces safe for a very long time.
Check. Rock keeps the fossil safe over a very long time. ✓