What We Know About Dinosaurs? 
(Or, Were There Purple Dinosaurs before Barney?)

Designed by: Tamra Paschal      School: Satchel Ford Elementary School

Grade Level: Third     Subject: Science

Core Curriculum Objective: Explain how fossils provide evidence about prehistoric life and environments.

Overview: Students will use observation and inference to determine what can and cannot be learned from fossils after reading and discussing Fossils Tell of Long Ago and Dinosaur Bones by Aliki, and observing and interpreting teacher made fossils. Students will then create their own fossils, make observations and inferences, and use this information to determine what can or cannot be learned from them.

Focus/ Essential Question(s): What can we learn from fossils? What can we not learn from fossils?

Time Frame: Three 1 hour class periods

Resources/Materials: 

Fossils Tell of Long Ago and Dinosaur Bones by Aliki, HarperCollins Publishers 

Plaster of Paris (from craft store) 

Plastic bowls (1 for each student and about 6-8 for teacher made fossils) 

6 to 8 teacher made fossils (these should be made prior to the lesson -they take about 24 hours to dry) 

Assorted stuff to make fossils such as straw, pinecones, leaves, shells, and bones. (Your pet's paws are good if teacher fossils are made at home.) 

Large tub filled with sand (a 10-15 gallon Rubbermaid) 

Access to water, a measuring cup, a long spoon or stick for stirring 

Large bucket 

Computer 

AverKey 

Television 

Dinosaur video (such as First Discovery Dinosaurs. The video features information on fossils and paleontologists as well as showing some excellent fossils.) 

VCR 

Student Science journals 

Pencils and paper 

Permanent marker

Culminating Assessment: Students will create their own fossils. They will exchange fossils with each other and record their observations to try to conclude: 1.What made the fossil? 2. What can we learn from the fossil? 3. What are two things we cannot learn from the fossil? The teacher will use the following rubric to score the activity.

0 to 1 point-F 
2 points-D 
3 points-C 
4 points-B 
5 points-A

* Circulate during assessment, as some students may need strategic questioning to guide them to necessary observations.

Instructional Activities:

Activity 1: (Students should have had prior knowledge about dinosaurs from 2nd grade and the Science process of observation.) Ask students to raise their hands if they like dinosaurs. Ask how we know dinosaurs existed. Guide the discussion to the topic of fossils, i.e., dinosaur bones are examples of fossils. Define a fossil as a plant or animal that has turned to stone or whose presence is preserved in rocks. Tell students they will be learning more about fossils and they will make fossils, also.

Introduce Aliki's Fossils Tell of Long Ago and Dinosaur Bones. Go over unfamiliar words like paleontologist, prehistoric (opportunity for mini-lesson on prefixes), and imprint. Read Fossils first, emphasizing the information they can tell us.

Types of fossils: * Petrified bones * Imprints of animals, leaves, plants, footprints, etc. * Insects preserved in amber

Things we can learn: * Where landforms have changed- seas became mountains, forests became deserts * The size of an organism * How a prehistoric animals moved * What prehistoric animals ate * How prehistoric animals lived * How old the fossil is

Read Dinosaur Bones. Discuss what fossils cannot tell us such as: * Colors of prehistoric plants and animals * Sounds they made * How plants and animals smelled * If animals are warm-blooded or cold blooded

*Optional*

There are many excellent Internet sites about fossils. An AverKey and television would help students to see the computer screen.

Using your Internet access, go to the search engine Yahoo. Scroll down to Yahooligans. Click on it. Click on Science and Nature Do a search for fossils You will get a large listing of sites. 

Try: 
The Ultimate Guide to Fossils and Dinosaurs  - library.thinkquest.org/J002507/ 
This site has great information, pictures, etc. By ThinkQuest, Jr. 

Fossils Cyber-Display - www.rom.on.ca/quiz/fossil/ This site tells how fossils are formed, who studies them, etc. By the Royal Ontario Museum

When closing the first activity, ask students to define fossil and to tell some of the things we can learn from them. Ask what are some things we cannot learn from them. Show an example of a teacher made fossil. Tell students they will have an opportunity to make a fossil tomorrow.

Homework: Students need to bring in an item from nature to use in making fossils.

Activity 2: Prior to beginning this activity, make these preparations: 

1. Bury teacher made fossils in tub of sand. Fossils are made just as student fossils are made. Six to eight fossils are plenty. Put the tub in an accessible place. 

2. Have a plastic bowl for each student. 

3. Have Plaster of Paris and water measured and ready to combine. Don't forget the bucket and a long stick or wooden spoon. (A possible Math activity earlier in the day) 

4. If you choose to, have a VCR hooked up and a tape such as First Discovery's Dinosaurs ready to play. 

5. Write these questions on the board: What made your fossil? What can we learn from it? What are things we cannot learn from it?

Review the lesson from the previous day. Put the students in 6 groups - one group for each fossil buried in tub. Have students pretend they are paleontologists in the distant future and the have discovered an area rich in fossils. Each student will need his/her Science Journal. Have groups gather around the tub of sand and fossils. Choose a student from each group to dig for a fossil. Explain that each group will make observations about their fossil. They will use these observations to answer the questions on the board in their Journals. Allow the groups about 5 to 10 minutes for discussion. Monitor closely and offer suggestions and clarifying questions when needed. When students have completed the questions, have each group present their findings to the class.

To prepare students to make their own fossils, have them get out the previous night's homework. It is wise to have a few extra items available in case some students forget or an item breaks. While the teacher mixes the plaster according to directions, have student pass out a plastic bowl to each student. Pass around a permanent marker to put names on the bottom of the bowls. If you choose to, you can play the Dinosaur video while calling students to make fossils. This would also be an opportunity to allow students to explore other fossil web sites. When called, a student should bring his/her item and bowl to the work area. Pour about an inch and a half of plaster in each bowl. The student will press the item into the plaster and remove it. Carefully place it in warm dry place to dry overnight.

Activity 3: Students will remove their fossils from the bowls and write their names on the bottom of their fossil. Randomly redistribute a fossil to each student along with a sheet of notebook paper. Questions from the culminating assessment should be written on the board. Depending on the class, it may be more efficient to run off an appropriate form. Clarify instructions. Students will be assessed using the culminating assessment and rubric.

Display student made fossils and information about them (not assessments) in the media center or hall display case.