FOSSIL hunters
Welcome to the Fossil Hunters worksheet!
Here you’ll practice new dinosaur words, test what you’ve learned, and discover even more amazing facts. Let’s get started!
How to Read Some of the Words in the Book
Dinosaur Names
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Allosaurus → AL-oh-SOR-us
A large meat-eating dinosaur from the Jurassic Period.
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Ankylosaurus → ang-KYE-loh-SOR-us
A heavily armored plant-eater with thick bony plates.
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Archaeopteryx → ar-kee-OP-ter-iks
An early animal with both dinosaur and bird features, showing the link between them.
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Brachiosaurus → BRACK-ee-oh-SOR-us
A giant long-necked plant-eater from the Jurassic.
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Centrosaurus → sen-TROH-SOR-us
A horned plant-eating dinosaur found in Alberta, Canada.
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Diplodocus → dih-PLOD-oh-kus
A very long-necked plant-eater from the Jurassic Period.
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Edmontonia → ed-mon-TOE-nee-uh
An armored dinosaur discovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park.
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Edmontosaurus → ed-MON-toh-SOR-us
A large duck-billed plant-eater from the Hell Creek Formation.
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Gorgosaurus → GOR-go-SOR-us
A large meat-eating dinosaur found in Dinosaur Provincial Park.
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Leaellynasaura → LEE-el-in-uh-SOR-uh
A small plant-eater that lived in cold polar regions of Australia.
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Maiasaura → MY-uh-SOR-uh
A plant-eater whose fossils showed that some dinosaurs cared for their young.
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Microraptor → MY-kroh-RAP-tor
A small feathered dinosaur that could glide between trees.
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Parasaurolophus → par-uh-SOR-OL-oh-fus
A duck-billed dinosaur with a long curved crest on its head.
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Protoceratops → PRO-toh-SER-uh-tops
A plant-eater shown fighting a Velociraptor in Mongolia.
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Qantassaurus → KWAN-tas-SOR-us
A small plant-eating dinosaur from polar Australia.
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Sinosauropteryx → SY-no-SOR-op-ter-iks
A small feathered dinosaur discovered in China.
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Stegosaurus → STEG-oh-SOR-us
A plated plant-eater from the Jurassic Period.
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Timimus hermani → TIM-ih-mus her-MAH-nee
A small dinosaur that lived in cold conditions near the South Pole.
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Triceratops → try-SER-uh-tops
A horned plant-eater from the Hell Creek Formation.
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Tyrannosaurus rex → tih-RAN-oh-SOR-us reks
A large meat-eating dinosaur; Sue is the most famous fossil.
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Velociraptor → veh-LOSS-ih-RAP-tor
A small predator known from the Fighting Dinosaurs fossil.
Places & Times
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Australia → aw-STRAYL-yuh
The country where Dinosaur Cove was discovered.
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Cretaceous → krih-TAY-shus
The time period when T. rex and Triceratops lived.
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Jurassic → jur-ASS-ik
The time period of dinosaurs like Allosaurus and Stegosaurus.
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Liaoning Fossil Beds → lee-OW-ning FOSS-il beds
A fossil site in China where feathered dinosaurs were found.
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Morrison Formation → MOR-uh-sun for-MAY-shun
A Jurassic rock formation in the United States rich in dinosaur fossils.
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Paleogene → PAY-lee-oh-jeen
The time period that began after the dinosaurs’ extinction.
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Solnhofen Limestone → ZOLE-en-ho-fen LIME-stone
A fossil site in Germany known for Archaeopteryx.
Science & Paleontology Terms
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ecosystem → EE-koh-sis-tem
A community of living things and their environment.
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erosion → ih-ROH-zhun
The slow wearing away of rock by wind or water.
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evolutionary → ev-uh-LOO-shun-air-ee
Related to how living things change over time.
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extinction → ik-STINGK-shun
When a species disappears completely.
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geological → jee-uh-LOJ-ih-kulRelated to rocks and Earth’s structure.
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geology → jee-OL-uh-jeeThe study of rocks and Earth’s layers.
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igneous → IG-nee-usRock formed from cooled lava or magma.
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insulation → in-suh-LAY-shunKeeping warmth inside the body.
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integral → IN-tuh-grulAn important or necessary part.
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laboratories → LAB-ruh-tor-eez
Places where scientists study fossils carefully.
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limestone → LIME-stone
A type of sedimentary rock that preserves fossils.
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magnifying → MAG-nih-fy-ing
Making something look larger to see details.
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microscope → MY-kruh-skope
Tools that let scientists see very tiny details.
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paleontology → PAY-lee-on-TOL-uh-jee
The science of studying fossils and ancient life.
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paleontologist → PAY-lee-on-TOL-uh-jist
A scientist who studies fossils.
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preserved → pruh-ZERVD
Protected so it does not decay or break apart.
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recovered → ree-KUH-vurd
Found and carefully removed.
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sedimentary → sed-uh-MEN-tuh-ree
Rock formed from layers of sand, mud, or sediment.
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specimen → SPESS-uh-men
A sample or individual fossil studied by scientists.
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theropod → THAIR-uh-pod
A group of mostly meat-eating dinosaurs that walked on two legs.
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variation → vair-ee-AY-shun
Differences within a species.
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volcanic → vol-KAN-ik
Related to volcanoes or lava.
How Fossils Form
Put the steps of fossil formation in the correct order.
Write 1, 2, 3, 4 in the boxes.
A. Minerals slowly replace the plant or animal’s remains.
B. An animal or plant dies.
C. The shape turns into stone over thousands or millions of years.
D. The remains are quickly covered by mud, sand, or ash.
True or False
Choose True or False for each sentence below.
1. Fossils are only bones.
2. Lower rock layers formed earlier than higher layers.
3. Paleontologists use large machines to dig for fossils once they appear.
4. Every fossil must be recorded exactly where it was found.
5. Fossils are often found in volcanic or igneous rock.
6. Fossils can help scientists understand how animals moved and behaved.
Tools of a Fossil Hunter
Use the words below to complete the sentences.
Word Bank:
CT scan – plaster - GPS – chisel - minerals - brush
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A soft __________ is used to gently remove dust from fossils.
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A fine __________ helps carefully free fossils from surrounding rock.
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Fossils are sometimes wrapped in __________ to protect them during transport.
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A __________ allows scientists to see inside fossils without breaking them.
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__________ devices help record the exact location of fossils in the field.
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Tiny bits called __________ slowly replace remains during fossilization.
Incredible Fossil Stories
Match each fossil discovery to what it showed scientists.
1. Showed direct evidence of predator and prey locked in combat.
2. Provided a nearly complete skeleton that changed how T. rex is understood.
3. Revealed feathered dinosaurs preserved in volcanic ash.
4. Preserved nests and baby dinosaurs that showed parental care.
5. Preserved many species together in one rich ecosystem.
Places That Changed Dinosaur Science
Choose the correct answer.
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The Morrison Formation preserves dinosaurs from the:
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The Hell Creek Formation is important because it records life:
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Dinosaur Cove showed that some dinosaurs:
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Solnhofen Limestone is famous for preserving:
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Dinosaur Provincial Park formed in an environment of:
Did you have fun?
Then, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Dinosaur Series!