Lake Clifton Thrombolites Worksheet for 8-Year-Olds — Printable Science Activity

Instructions

Read the fun facts about the amazing Lake Clifton Thrombolites, then try the fun activities below!

Meet the Living Rocks!

Imagine a rock that's alive! At Lake Clifton in Western Australia, you can find special lumpy, bumpy rocks called thrombolites. They look like they belong on another planet, but they are right here on Earth!

These aren't just regular rocks. They are built by billions of tiny living germs called microbes. These microbes are some of the oldest forms of life on Earth, making thrombolites like living fossils! Over thousands of years, the microbes trap little bits of sand and minerals from the water, slowly building their rocky homes layer by layer. They grow very, very slowly. Some people think they look like bumpy cauliflowers growing in the water. Thrombolites are super important because they show us what life was like on Earth billions of years ago and they even help make the oxygen we breathe, just like plants.

Activity 1: Thrombolite Questions

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. What are thrombolites often called?

   a) Silly stones      b) Living fossils      c) Magic marbles

2. What tiny things build the thrombolites?

   a) Fish      b) Snails      c) Microbes

3. Thrombolites grow very...

   a) Quickly      b) Slowly      c) Brightly

Activity 2: Living Rock Word Search

Can you find all the hidden words? Words can go across, down, or diagonally.

Activity 3: Draw a Thrombolite!

Thrombolites are described as lumpy, bumpy, and looking like cauliflower in the water. Use the box below to draw your own picture of the thrombolites at Lake Clifton!