"DINOSAUR TREK"

Project Goal:

Objectives:

1. List evidence that dinosaurs lived
2. Describe and identify at least 6 dinosaurs
3. Compare and contrast dinosaur differences using graphs and charts
4. Obtain information about dinosaur life cycle and behavior
5. Construct various types of graphs using information gathered from other classes via e-mail

• Science and Math
  How do we know dinosaurs lived?
  Observe and discuss actual fossils
  Observe models of dinosaur bones and teeth
  Make fossils from bone models using cups and plaster
  Visit internet museum sites such as:
  Russian Paleontological Institute

  How do we know what they looked like?
  Observe pictures of bones and skeletons
  Use computer software and videotapes such as:

  1. Dinosaur Adventure by Knowledge Adventure
  2. Apple II E Tyrranosaurus Rex
  3. Microsoft Dinosaur
  4. Explore-a-Science: Dinosaurs by William K. Bradford Publishing
  5. Dinosaur Discovery by Applied Optical Media/EISI

  Construct cut and paste model dinosaur skeleton

  How do dinosaurs differ from each other?
  Construct a graph to maintain through the unit charting the differences between dinosaurs, fill in chart as information is located. Categories may include:

  1. diet (meat eater, plant eater. both)
  2. way it moved
  3. size

  Predict and observe dinosaur lengths using measuring devices.
  Whole or small group activity of measuring lengths of yarn to match various dinosaur lengths.
  Mount and label lengths in prominent spot such as hallway.

  Classifying Dinosaurs game using dinosaur picture cards and category containers.

  1. Set up various category buckets such as Meat Eater, Plant Eater, Walks on Two Legs, etc..
  2. Each student receives a dinosaur picture card and is called to place it in the appropriate bucket.

  How did dinosaurs start their lives?
  Read "Maia: A Dinosaur Grows Up" by John Horner and James Gorman to the class.
  Obtain information about dinosaur eggs and nests via books, computer programs,and videos. Compare other life cycles and instinctive behavior (i.e.reptiles, birds).

  What happened to the dinosaurs?
  Explore and discuss current theories such as the possibility of a meteorite striking the earth and the climate changing.

  Additional Curriculum Areas:

  Language Arts:

  1. Display a variety of fiction and non-fiction books on dinosaurs
  2. Write class books as literature responses
  3. Construct sequential picture books on a dinosaur's life cycle
  4. After discussing theories concerning the extinction of dinosaurs, have students write about what they think happened to the dinosaurs.

  Social Studies:

  1. Identify and label locations on wall map as various sites are visited in books or on "electronic field trips" to museums throughout the internet.
  2. Identify locations of other schools responding to e-mail activites.
  3. Exploration of family life and parenting roles as they relate to new theories about dinosaurs

  Internet Activies:

  • E-Mail
    Search for schools willing to establish a correspondence to discuss dinosaurs, exchange information, collect data for graphs (i.e.a poll of favorite dinosaurs)
    Submit questions to a paleontologist throughPaleoPals.

    THE WORLD WIDE WEB

    Take electronic field trips to various museums

    http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/VT/tyrrell/

    http://ucmp1.berkeley.edu/welcome.html

    http://www.bvis.uic.edu:80/museum/exhibits/Exhibits.html

    http://www.bvis.uic.edu:80/museum/education/LOTguide1.html

    http://www.gla.ac.uk/Museum/HuntMus/edu/

    http://cope.ummz.lsa.unich.edu/paleo.htm

    http://ucmp1.berkeley.edu/exhibittext/pinentrance.htnl

    http://www.bvis.uic.edu/museum/exhibits/dino/Triassic.html

    http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/dinos/dinos.1.html

    Print an assortment of pictures available at above museum sites.Post on bulletin board in classroom- Our Electronic Field Trips. Have students work in small groups to label the pictures.

    Respond to musuems that list an e-mail address with any comments.

    AUTHORS:

    • Goolgasian, Linda ride1171@ride.ri.net Hoxsie School - Warwick, Rhode Island grade 2
    • Moretti, Kathleen L. ride1170@ride.ri.net H. F. Scott School - Warwick, Rhode Island elementary science grades 1 - 6

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