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The Fossil Record Background Information Burgess Shale is an area in the western Canadian Rocky Mountains discovered in 1909

by Charles D. Walcott. It was named after a nearby mountain, Mount Burgess. It is one of the best sources of fossils. During the Cambrian geologic period, more than half a billion years ago, this area was under an ocean. As a result, the fossils of many sea animals have been found in Burgess Shale. Because the animals now fossilized in Burgess Shale were buried in an underwater avalanche of fine mud, they have been preserved in amazing detail. Many of them appear to be early ancestors of higher forms of life, while others appear unrelated to any forms on record since. Procedure 1. Using the internet, research Burgess Shale. Useful resources include http://www.geo.ucalgary.ca/~macrae/Burgess_Shale/ and http://www.paleobiology.si.edu/burgess/index.html . List ten ideas or facts you feel are significant about Burgess Shale that are not in the Background Information section of this activity. Then, on your own paper using complete sentences, write a five sentence summary about Burgess Shale. 2. When you have completed your notes and conclusion, see the instructor to be assigned an animal. Answer the following questions related to your animal. a. How has the animal been classified? b. What is the meaning of its name? c. What ecological niche did it fill (what role did it play in its community)? d. How was its anatomical form related to its function? e. To which life-form would it be most closely related to today? 3. Once you have completed the research questions, build a model of your animal. 4. You will show your model to the class and use it to summarize your responses to the questions you have answered related to your animal. 5. Answer these conclusion questions using complete sentences. a. Discuss why some organisms may have existed but left no fossil evidence. b. Without a fossil record, how might scientists know these organisms existed?

Animals Anomalocaris canadensis, Opabinia regalis, Pikaia gracilens, Nectocaris pteryx, Aysheaia peduncilata, Habelia optata, Paterina zenobia, Diaphora bellicostata, Leanchoilia superlata, Canadaspis perfecta, Micromitra pannula, Naraoia compacta, Yohoia tenuis, Burgessia bella, Acrothyra gregaria, Sidneyia inexpectens, Hallucigenia sparasa, Waptia fieldensis, Olenoides serratus, Wiwaxia corrugata, Llingulella waptaensis, Amiskwia sagittiformis, Nisusia burgessensis, Fieldia lanceolata

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