Fossils - Free Printable

Thank you for sharing the image. It appears to be a reading comprehension worksheet titled “Mia and Dan and Antrim’s Fossils,” designed for elementary or middle school students. The text tells a story about two children, Mia and Dan, who go fossil hunting in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and learn about dinosaur fossils — particularly those of *Scelidosaurus* and *Iguanodon* — found in the area.

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## ✔ SOLUTION TO THE ACTIVITIES

Let’s solve each activity step by step:

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1. Colour the pictures.

*(This is a coloring task — no written answer needed. Students should color the illustrations of the dinosaurs and fossils as instructed.)*

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2. Are these statements true or false? Explain.

> a) The dinosaur fossils have not been found in Northern Ireland.
> → False.
> *Explanation:* The text says: “The only two dinosaur bones ever found in Northern Ireland were both discovered by a man named Roger Spiller on an Antrim beach.” So fossils *have* been found there.

> b) The Lias was the longest time when dinosaurs lived.
> → False.
> *Explanation:* The text says: “The Lias was the earliest period of the Jurassic, lasting from 200 million years ago to 175 million years ago.” But dinosaurs lived from about 230 million to 66 million years ago — so the Lias was just a small part of that time.

> c) Green Hilling discovered a mammoth foot.
> → False.
> *Explanation:* The text says: “Green Hilling discovered a mammoth jaw.” Not a foot — it was a jawbone.

> d) The study of fossils is called palaeontology.
> → True.
> *Explanation:* This is a general fact — palaeontology is the scientific study of fossils and ancient life. The text doesn’t explicitly say this, but it’s common knowledge and fits the context.

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3. Fill in the Missing Words — Check the passage to help you.

> Antrim is one of the few places in the world where dinosaur fossils can be found. The only two dinosaur bones ever found in Northern Ireland were both discovered by a man named Roger Spiller on an Antrim beach. The black pieces of bone are about 200 million years old. Both have Pterosaur prints on them. The Megalosaurus was a carnivorous (meat-eating) dinosaur...

*(Note: The actual missing words would depend on the blanks provided in the original worksheet. Since they’re not visible here, I’ll reconstruct based on context.)*

Assuming the blanks are:

> “Antrim is one of the few places in the world where ________ fossils can be found.”
→ dinosaur

> “The only two dinosaur bones ever found in Northern Ireland were both discovered by a man named ________ on an Antrim beach.”
→ Roger Spiller

> “The black pieces of bone are about 200 million years old. Both have ________ prints on them.”
→ Pterosaur

> “The Megalosaurus was a ________ (meat-eating) dinosaur...”
→ carnivorous

*(If your worksheet has different blanks, please share them — but these are the most likely based on the text.)*

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4. Why is Antrim a good place to go fossil hunting?

> Answer:
> Antrim is a good place to go fossil hunting because it has exposed rock layers from the Jurassic period (specifically the Lias), which contain fossils of dinosaurs like *Scelidosaurus* and *Iguanodon*. Also, the coastline erodes naturally, exposing new fossils over time — making it easier to find them. Plus, people like Roger Spiller and George Barber have already made important discoveries there, proving its value for fossil hunters.

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5. What was special about Ellen Hickey’s find?

> Answer:
> Ellen Hickey found a fossilized dinosaur tooth embedded in a piece of rock. What made it special was that it was the first dinosaur tooth ever found in Northern Ireland, and it belonged to a *Scelidosaurus*, which is a rare find. Her discovery helped scientists understand more about the types of dinosaurs that lived in the area millions of years ago.

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Extra Task: Imagine you have found a fossil of an unknown type of animal. Write a paragraph about your find.

> Sample Answer:
> I was walking along the rocky shore near Antrim when I spotted something shiny half-buried in the sand. When I brushed off the dirt, I saw a strange, curved shape with ridges — it looked like a claw or maybe a tooth! I carefully dug it out and took it to a museum. Scientists examined it and said it might belong to a completely new species of marine reptile that lived during the Jurassic period. They named it *Antrimisaurus* after me and the place where I found it. I felt so proud — my discovery could help rewrite what we know about prehistoric life in Northern Ireland!

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## 📝 SUMMARY OF KEY LEARNING POINTS

- Fossil hunting is popular in Antrim due to exposed Jurassic rocks.
- Only two dinosaur bones have ever been found in Northern Ireland — both from Antrim.
- Famous finds include:
- Roger Spiller’s *Scelidosaurus* bones
- Ellen Hickey’s *Scelidosaurus* tooth
- George Barber’s *Iguanodon* footprint
- The Lias is the earliest part of the Jurassic period.
- Palaeontology is the study of fossils.
- Fossils help us understand ancient animals and environments.

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✔ Final Tip for Students: Always read the passage carefully before answering questions — many answers are directly stated or can be inferred from the text!

Let me know if you’d like this turned into a printable worksheet or need help with a specific question! 🦖📚