School Improvement in Maryland

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Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science

Topic B. Earth History

Indicator 2. Recognize and explain that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and about the nature of the environment at that time.

Objective c. Identify what an animal or plant fossil is able to tell about the environment in which it lived.

Selected Response Item

Fossils of clam shells were found in the Appalachian Mountains.

Which of these statements best explains why the clam shells were found in the Appalachian Mountains?

  1. The mountain range was once under water.
  2. Birds flying overhead dropped the clam shells.
  3. Animals released the clam shells in their waste.
  4. The clams lived on land before moving to water.
/share/assessment_items/xml/items/msa_science_4_008.xml

Correct Answer:
A