1. What is a fossil? 2. Are fossils rare? 3. Why are fossils important? Objective 1. Identify fossils and how they are formed. 2. Distinguish between trace fossils and mere impressions. 3. Recognize that because some plants’ and animals’ parts fossilize better than others this creates missing information in the fossil record. Background Definition of a Fossil A fossil can be defined as any naturally occurring evidence of past life. Fossils need not be mineralized (turned to rock) or even enclosed in rock. Many relatively young (10,000+ years old) Ice Age sedimentary deposits are un-cemented sa Duration: 60 Minutes Additional Standards: 3rd Grade: 3-LS4-1, 3-LS4-2, and 3-LS4-3.