MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

Where are prehistoric animals preserved as whole animals?

a. in sedimentary rock

b. in amber

c. in limestone

d. in oceans

Correct Answer: b

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

Top of Ground

Volcanic Ash

Dinosaur Fossils

Plant Fossils

Sea Shells

This is a sample of different fossils I found (in order) as I dug through the earth. Why were plant fossils found deeper than dinosaur fossils?

a. dinosaurs lived on Earth before plants

b. dinosaurs ate plants

c. plants came to Earth before dinosaurs

d. dinosaur fossils floated to the surface

Correct Answer: c

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What type of plant fossils would you expect to find with dinosaur fossils?

a. cactus fossils

b. Utah Juniper fossils

c. fern fossils

d. sage brush fossils

e. conifer tree fossils

Correct Answer: c

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

How do we know that different kinds of plants and animals lived in Utah a long time ago?

a. Pictures were taken of them and put in books.

b. People told stories about them.

c. The plants and animals still live in Colorado.

d. We find fossils of them.

Correct Answer: d

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

Which of the following animals used to live in Utah but does not now?

a. buffalo

b. mountain lion

c. mammoth

d. dog

Correct Answer: c

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What do dinosaur tracks in coal beds tell us about biomes in Utah's past?

a. Coal is made from dinosaurs.

b. Utah once had large swamps.

c. It was once much colder in Utah.

d. Dinosaurs lived in coal beds.

Correct Answer: b

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What evidence shows that parts of Utah were once the sea floor of an ancient ocean?

a. mammoth fossils found in Huntington Cave

b. saber tooth tiger claws found in igneous rocks

c. trilobites found in limestone in Millard County

d. copper and gold found at Kennecott mine

Correct Answer: c

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What might a scientist tell from seashell fossils found on top of a mountain?

a. Sea creatures were eaten by animals there.

b. The ocean was once very deep.

c. The mountain was once part of an ocean bottom.

d. Shelled animals once lived on mountaintops.

Correct Answer: c

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What have scientists learned about oceans from fossils?

a. Oceans have changed very little over time.

b. There is much more ocean life now than in the past.

c. The Earth has not always had water.

d. Oceans have changed in size and location.

Correct Answer: d

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

You want to read about what dinosaurs ate. Which of the following books would you look at first?

a. Geographic Maps of Dinosaur Quarries in Utah

b. Hunting for Dinosaur Fossils in Southern Utah

c. Comets and the Extinction of Dinosaurs

d. Carnivores and Herbivores of Prehistoric Times

Correct Answer: d

MC	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What is a common cause of plant and animal extinction?

a. The climate changes.

b. They die out from over-eating.

c. They run out of homes to live in.

d. They are over hunted.

Correct Answer: a

E	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

What are two questions you have about the extinction of dinosaurs?

Possible Answers:

Why did they become extinct? How did they become extinct? How long did it take to become extinct? Did asteroids (disease, climate change) cause the extinction?

E	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

Your friend takes you to the site of an ancient ocean for your fossil hunt. Write the name of two kinds of fossils you might find there.

Correct Answer:

Fish, shells, trilobite, shark teeth, coral

P	4^th Grade	Standard: 04
Objective: 02. Explain how fossils can be used to make inferences about past life, climate, geology, and environments.
ILO:

Pictures Tell a Story

Activity Description:

Students will research and then draw a picture of an environment from Utah's past. 

Materials Needed:

Reference books, construction paper, crayons, paints, colored pencils

Prior to Assessment:

Students should understand that Utah has had a variety of environments in the past.  They should have a good Òmental pictureÓ of at least one of them.

Time Needed for Assessment:

One hour

Procedure:

1.  Describe the assessment as a chance to take a picture of Utah in the past. 

2.  Students should draw animals, plants and the non-living environment (sea water, mountains, plains etc.)

3.  Students should answer questions about their picture such as:

         a.  What might the climate have been during this time?

         b.  Which animals were there more of?

         c.  Why did these plants and animals leave Utah?

Scoring Guide:

1.  students draw and color a picture from the past.............................5 pts

2.  picture contains animals, plants and non-living environment..........5 pts

3.  students answer questions correctly................................................. 5 pts