Past Life

PRESENT DAY ORGANISMS - WHAT WILL BE FOSSILIZED?

MATERIALS: Past Life - Present Day , hand lens, Swift-GH microscope

PROBLEM: Can you predict what portion of a living organism will be fossilized?

HYPOTHESIS:

PROCEDURE: Look at the specimens, each of which are the remains of a living organism. Try to determine what parts of each specimen are likely to become fossils. One good way to see details is by drawing. First draw the organism on another sheet of paper. When you have finished your drawing, describe what portions of the organism are likely to be preserved as fossils.

ORGANISM	DESCRIPTION
1. Babylonia formosae (Mollusca - Gastropod)
2. Sun dial (Mollusca - Gastropod)
3. white clam (Mollusca -Bivalve)
4. Spondylus smensis (Mollusca -Bivalve)
5. Elkhorn coral (Cnidaria)
6. mushroom coral (Cnidaria)
7. crab (Arthropod)
8. barnacle (Arthropod)
9. sea urchin spines (Echinoderm)
10. sea star (Echinoderm)
11. Sand dollar (Echinoderm)