DINOSAUR TRACKSDrawing conclusions from clues

Scenario…

You are a college student attending a fossil dig with your paleontology professor (a paleontologist is someone who studies fossils). The dig requires several days of careful work. As you uncover more of the fossils, you must try and conclude what happened when the fossils were created.

Trace fossils

During the dig, you uncover some footprints of an early animal you presume to be a dinosaur.

Footprints are considered to be a trace fossil – fossils that provide evidence of the activities of ancient organisms.

For each slide, infer what you think happened when the footprints were made.

Directions

Dinosaur Tracks (page 61)

Day Inferences

1

2

3

4

5

6

What do you think happened?

Day #1

What do you think happened?

Day #2

What do you think happened?

Day #3

What do you think happened?

Day #4

What do you think happened?

Day #5

What do you think happened?

Day #6

La Junta, CO – Dinosaur Tracks @ Comanche National Grasslands!

If you’re interested…

Draw or describe 2 other likely scenarios that may have happened

Write a reflection stating why it is difficult for paleontologists to make inferences based on fossil clues

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