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Paleontologist

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

Reading the Words

Dinosaur Names

  • Allosaurus → AL-oh-SOR-us
    A large meat-eating dinosaur from the Jurassic Period.

  • Ankylosaurus → ang-KYE-loh-SOR-us
    A heavily armored plant-eater with thick bony plates.

  • Archaeopteryx → ar-kee-OP-ter-iks
    An early animal with both dinosaur and bird features, showing the link between them.

  • Brachiosaurus → BRACK-ee-oh-SOR-us
    A giant long-necked plant-eater from the Jurassic.

  • Centrosaurus → sen-TROH-SOR-us
    A horned plant-eating dinosaur found in Alberta, Canada.

  • Diplodocus → dih-PLOD-oh-kus
    A very long-necked plant-eater from the Jurassic Period.

  • Edmontonia → ed-mon-TOE-nee-uh
    An armored dinosaur discovered in Dinosaur Provincial Park.

  • Edmontosaurus → ed-MON-toh-SOR-us
    A large duck-billed plant-eater from the Hell Creek Formation.

  • Gorgosaurus → GOR-go-SOR-us
    A large meat-eating dinosaur found in Dinosaur Provincial Park.

  • Leaellynasaura → LEE-el-in-uh-SOR-uh
    A small plant-eater that lived in cold polar regions of Australia.

  • Maiasaura → MY-uh-SOR-uh
    A plant-eater whose fossils showed that some dinosaurs cared for their young.

  • Microraptor → MY-kroh-RAP-tor
    A small feathered dinosaur that could glide between trees.

  • Parasaurolophus → par-uh-SOR-OL-oh-fus
    A duck-billed dinosaur with a long curved crest on its head.

  • Protoceratops → PRO-toh-SER-uh-tops
    A plant-eater shown fighting a Velociraptor in Mongolia.

  • Qantassaurus → KWAN-tas-SOR-us
    A small plant-eating dinosaur from polar Australia.

  • Sinosauropteryx → SY-no-SOR-op-ter-iks
    A small feathered dinosaur discovered in China.

  • Stegosaurus → STEG-oh-SOR-us
    A plated plant-eater from the Jurassic Period.

  • Timimus hermani → TIM-ih-mus her-MAH-nee
    A small dinosaur that lived in cold conditions near the South Pole.

  • Triceratops → try-SER-uh-tops
    A horned plant-eater from the Hell Creek Formation.

  • Tyrannosaurus rex → tih-RAN-oh-SOR-us reks
    A large meat-eating dinosaur; Sue is the most famous fossil.

  • Velociraptor → veh-LOSS-ih-RAP-tor
    A small predator known from the Fighting Dinosaurs fossil.

Places & Times

  • Australia → aw-STRAYL-yuh
    The country where Dinosaur Cove was discovered.

  • Cretaceous → krih-TAY-shus
    The time period when T. rex and Triceratops lived.

  • Jurassic → jur-ASS-ik
    The time period of dinosaurs like Allosaurus and Stegosaurus.

  • Liaoning Fossil Beds → lee-OW-ning FOSS-il beds
    A fossil site in China where feathered dinosaurs were found.

  • Morrison Formation → MOR-uh-sun for-MAY-shun
    A Jurassic rock formation in the United States rich in dinosaur fossils.

  • Paleogene → PAY-lee-oh-jeen
    The time period that began after the dinosaurs’ extinction.​

  • Solnhofen Limestone → ZOLE-en-ho-fen LIME-stone
    A fossil site in Germany known for Archaeopteryx.

Science & Paleontology Terms

  • ecosystem → EE-koh-sis-tem
    A community of living things and their environment.

  • erosion → ih-ROH-zhun
    The slow wearing away of rock by wind or water.

  • evolutionary → ev-uh-LOO-shun-air-ee
    Related to how living things change over time.

  • extinction → ik-STINGK-shun
    When a species disappears completely.

  • geological → jee-uh-LOJ-ih-kulRelated to rocks and Earth’s structure.

  • geology → jee-OL-uh-jeeThe study of rocks and Earth’s layers.

  • igneous → IG-nee-usRock formed from cooled lava or magma.

  • insulation → in-suh-LAY-shunKeeping warmth inside the body.

  • integral → IN-tuh-grulAn important or necessary part.

  • laboratories → LAB-ruh-tor-eez
    Places where scientists study fossils carefully.

  • limestone → LIME-stone
    A type of sedimentary rock that preserves fossils.

  • magnifying → MAG-nih-fy-ing
    Making something look larger to see details.

  • microscope → MY-kruh-skope
    Tools that let scientists see very tiny details.

  • paleontology → PAY-lee-on-TOL-uh-jee
    The science of studying fossils and ancient life.

  • paleontologist → PAY-lee-on-TOL-uh-jist
    A scientist who studies fossils.

  • preserved → pruh-ZERVD
    Protected so it does not decay or break apart.

  • recovered → ree-KUH-vurd
    Found and carefully removed.

  • sedimentary → sed-uh-MEN-tuh-ree
    Rock formed from layers of sand, mud, or sediment.

  • specimen → SPESS-uh-men
    A sample or individual fossil studied by scientists.

  • ​​theropod → THAIR-uh-pod
    A group of mostly meat-eating dinosaurs that walked on two legs.

  • variation → vair-ee-AY-shun
    Differences within a species.​

  • 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.

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True or False

Choose True or False for each sentence below.

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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.​

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Tools of a Fossil Hunter

Use the words below to complete the sentences.

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Word Bank:

 CT scan – plaster - GPS – chisel - minerals - brush

  1. A soft __________ is used to gently remove dust from fossils.
     

  2. A fine __________ helps carefully free fossils from surrounding rock.
     

  3. Fossils are sometimes wrapped in __________ to protect them during transport.
     

  4. A __________ allows scientists to see inside fossils without breaking them.
     

  5. __________ devices help record the exact location of fossils in the field.
     

  6. Tiny bits called __________ slowly replace remains during fossilization.
     

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Incredible Fossil Stories

Match each fossil discovery to what it showed scientists.

1. Showed direct evidence of predator and prey locked in combat.

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2. Provided a nearly complete skeleton that changed how T. rex is understood.

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3. Revealed feathered dinosaurs preserved in volcanic ash.

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4. Preserved nests and baby dinosaurs that showed parental care.

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5. Preserved many species together in one rich ecosystem.

 

 

 

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Places That Changed Dinosaur Science

Choose the correct answer.

  • The Morrison Formation preserves dinosaurs from the:


     

  • The Hell Creek Formation is important because it records life:


     

  • Dinosaur Cove showed that some dinosaurs:


     

  • Solnhofen Limestone is famous for preserving:


     

  • Dinosaur Provincial Park formed in an environment of:
     

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Dinosaur Series

Did you have fun?
Then, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Dinosaur Series!

© Copyright Derya Dinç 2019
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