The Stone Leaf Worksheet
Fossil Finders
Reading Comprehension • Level I/J
Name:
Date:
Fiction Passage
The Stone Leaf
Maya loved to explore the creek behind her house. The water was cool and clear, tumbling over smooth brown stones. One sunny afternoon, she spotted a flat gray rock sticking out of the mud. It looked different from all the other stones. When she picked it up, Maya gasped. There, carved perfectly into the hard gray surface, was the shape of a delicate fern leaf.
Maya rubbed her thumb over the bumpy lines of the leaf. "How did a leaf get inside a rock?" she wondered. She carefully placed the heavy stone in her backpack and carried it home to show her grandfather. He was a retired science teacher who loved mysteries.
Grandfather smiled warmly and grabbed a magnifying glass. "You found a fossil, Maya!" he said. "This isn't a real leaf anymore. It is a stone imprint. Millions of years ago, this dry land was a warm, wet forest. A leaf fell from a tall fern tree right into the thick mud."
"But how did it turn to stone?" Maya asked, leaning in closer.
"First, sand and mud, called sediment, quickly covered the fallen leaf," Grandfather explained. "This protected the leaf from rotting away. Over a long time, more layers of heavy mud piled on top, squeezing down hard. Slowly, water carrying tiny minerals seeped into the leaf. The minerals took the place of the leaf, slowly turning it to solid rock. The original leaf is gone, but its beautiful shape is trapped in stone forever."
Maya stared at her ancient rock with wide eyes. She was holding a real piece of the deep past in her hands. "I'm going to keep searching," she whispered. "Who knows what other secrets are waiting in the mud?"
Word Explorer
- Fossil: The preserved remains or trace of a living thing from a very long time ago.
- Sediment: Sand, mud, or pebbles that settle at the bottom of water or land.
- Ancient: Belonging to a time that was thousands or millions of years in the past.
The Stone Leaf • Comprehension
Page 2 of 3
Directions: Read each question carefully. Fill in the bubble next to the best answer choice. You can look back at the story on Page 1 to find the answers!
1
What did Maya discover sticking out of the mud in the creekbed?
A A shiny silver coin
B A gray rock with a leaf shape
C A living green fern plant
D An old backpack buried in sand
2
Based on the story, what does the word sediment mean?
A Water that moves quickly down a river or creek
B A tool used by scientists to look closely at tiny things
C Sand and mud that covers up things and builds layers
D The cool temperature of the creek water
3
Which of these happened first in the process of making the fossil?
A Water filled with minerals seeped deep into the leaves
B A leaf fell down from a tall fern tree into the mud
C Heavy layers of mud squeezed the leaf down very hard
D Maya discovered the grey rock sticking out of the creek
Curriculum Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1, RI.2.4, RI.2.3 Go to next page...
The Stone Leaf • Comprehension
Page 3 of 3
4
Why was sediment important in helping the leaf become a fossil?
A It made the leaf turn green
B It washed the leaf into the sea
C It protected the leaf from rotting
D It dissolved the hard mineral rock
5
What is the main theme or big lesson of this reading passage?
A The natural world holds exciting clues about Earth's ancient history.
B You should always bring a science teacher with you when exploring creeks.
C Fern trees only grow in places that are cold and extremely windy.
D Ancient leaves were much heavier and larger than leaves today.
Fossil Field Notes • Bonus Challenge
Imagine you are a paleontologist. In the box below, draw a picture of the fossil leaf Maya found. Then, write one sentence explaining how nature made it turn to stone.
Curriculum Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1, RI.2.2 SCORE: _____ / 5
The Stone Leaf Answer Key
Teacher Answer Key
Fossil Finders Lesson Series
Grade 2/3 Guide
Reading: "The Stone Leaf"
Target Focus: Text Evidence, Sequence of Events, Vocabulary
Reading Level: Lexile 580L
Total Score: 5 MC + Bonus
Question 1 • Key Detail Correct Answer: B
What did Maya discover sticking out of the mud in the creekbed?
Text Evidence: Paragraph 1: "she spotted a flat gray rock sticking out of the mud... was the shape of a delicate fern leaf."
Question 2 • Context Clues Correct Answer: C
Based on the story, what does the word sediment mean?
Text Evidence: Paragraph 5 explicitly defines: "First, sand and mud, called sediment, quickly covered the fallen leaf..."
Question 3 • Sequence of Events Correct Answer: B
Which of these happened first in the process of making the fossil?
Text Evidence: Paragraph 3: "A leaf fell from a tall fern tree right into the thick mud." This is the beginning of fossil creation.
Question 4 • Cause & Effect Correct Answer: C
Why was sediment important in helping the leaf become a fossil?
Text Evidence: Paragraph 5: "This protected the leaf from rotting away." Sediment shields it from decomposing forces.
Question 5 • Main Idea Correct Answer: A
What is the main theme or big lesson of this reading passage?
Text Evidence: Overall Theme: Finding ancient secrets and clues to Earth's history in the natural world (specifically Maya's exploration).
Fossil Field Notes Rubric (Bonus Challenge)
Drawing Section (2 Points)
- 2 pts: Clear drawing of a gray stone containing a leaf imprint.
- 1 pt: Simple drawing of a basic leaf or plain rock.
Writing Section (2 Points)
- 2 pts: Complete sentence explaining how sediment and minerals turned the leaf into stone.
- 1 pt: Incomplete sentence or missing scientific logic.
Curriculum Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1, RI.2.4, RI.2.3, RI.2.2 Fossil Finders Guide • For Educator Evaluation Only
