What Makes a Fossil

This NGSS-aligned word sort activity focuses on different types of fossil preservation. Students sort 12 different examples into three categories: Original Remains, Replaced Materials, and Preserved Traces. The activity helps students understand the various ways organisms can become fossilized and preserved over time. Through this classification exercise, students learn about different preservation methods, from actual preserved specimens in amber to mineralized remains and trace fossils, providing a comprehensive understanding of how we find evidence of ancient life.