Dinosaurs
MST Inquiry Unit
Erika Gil
Patrick Attio
Education7204T Advanced Study of
Pedagogy and Curriculum in Childhood
Fall 2012
Table of Contents
Lesson 1 Slides 3&4
Lesson 3 (Scavenger Hunt) Slides 5-9
Lesson 6 Slides 10-11
Filamentality website slide 12
Lesson #1: What is a dinosaur?
Bloom's Taxonomy:
Knowledge, Comprehension
Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligence(s):
Linguistic, Visual/ Spatial
Children's Literature:
Dinosaurs by Gail Gibbons
Additives:
Graphic Organizer KWL
CHART on Dinosaurs to be constructed
with the students,
Graphic Organizer Pictograph chart with
animal cut outs, Chart paper
Behavioral Objective:
1) Students will be able to construct a
pictograph about eating habits of
animals that they are familiar with.
2) Students will be able to contribute
to the “K” and “W” sections of a KWL
Chart (to be completed at the end of
the unit) and, be exposed to
vocabulary that is pertinent to this
unit.
3) Students will be able to create a
Venn diagram about what dinosaurs
eat and categorize them into
Carnivore, Herbivore, and Omnivore.
Motivational/
Constructivist
Activity:
As a Do Now activity
the instructor will give
out a handout with
pictures of animals that
they are familiar with
such as cats, dogs, cows,
pigs, horses, birds,
tigers, lions, elephants,
giraffes, bears etc, and
be asked to group them
in 3 columns according
to what they eat “Meat”
“Plants” “Both”.
Student Performance Based Product (Target rating)
for Behavioral Objective #1
Pictograph
Lesson #3: Researching Dinosaurs,
Scavenger Hunt
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Knowledge, Comprehension,
Analysis
Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligence(s):
Linguistic, Visual/ Spatial
Additives:
Laptops, whiteboard, YouTube
video, large post-it paper,
markers, glue sticks and scissors
Behavioral Objective:
1. To collaboratively compile answers
through the internet about dinosaurs’
diet, weight, height, and habitat included
in the scavenger hunt.
2. To create a poster that is neat and clear
for the reader. Furthermore, the
information contained there-in is correct.
3. To convey the information that they
have gathered clearly & accurately
Assessment: Quantifiable rubric (1-3)
Lesson 3, Motivational/ Constructivist Question
What is it like to be a paleontologist for a day?
Instructor will review the definition of paleontology and
watch a YouTube video Tell Me How- Paleontologist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezIe3VzXv_I
Paleontology is the study of what fossils tell us about the
ecologies of the past, about evolution, and about our place, as
humans, in the world.
As paleontologist for a day, students will teach each other about
the dinosaurs that they researched.
Lesson #3
Scavenger
Hunt
What is the definition of the dinosaurs name?
What time period did the dinosaur exist?
What part of the world was the dinosaur found?
What are the dinosaur’s height dimensions and weight?
Describe the anatomy of the dinosaur using the fact sheets.
Diet – Was this dinosaur an omnivore, carnivore, or herbivore?
Did this dinosaur have any predators/enemies?
How did this dinosaur defend him/herself from other dinosaurs?
If this answer cannot be found make your best hypothesis. 
Share two important facts about the dinosaur that stand out the most.
Include two pictures of the dinosaur (1) realistic (2) graph of body parts
Student Performance
Based Product (Target
rating) for Behavioral
Objective #1-3
Include two pictures of the dinosaur (1) realistic (2) graph of body parts
Figure Realistic Triceratops
Student Performance Based Product (Target rating) for Behavioral Objective #1-3
Dinosaur #1
Triceratops
What is the definition of the dinosaurs name? Triceratops means "three-horned face"
What time period did the dinosaur exist? Late Cretaceous period, about 72-65 million years
ago
What part of the world was the dinosaur found? Fossils have been found in western Canada
and the western United States, North America.
What are the dinosaurs height dimensions and weight? Length - 30 feet (9 m) long
Height - 7 ft (2 m) tall at the hips
Weight - up to 6-12 tons
Figure Triceratops, body parts labeled
Describe the anatomy of the dinosaur using the fact sheets.
Triceratops was a rhinoceros-like dinosaur. It walked on four sturdy legs and had three horns on
its face along with a large bony plate projecting from the back of its skull (a frill). One short horn
above its parrot-like beak and two longer horns (over 3 feet or 1 m long) above its eyes probably
provided protection from predators. The horns were possibly used in mating rivalry and rituals. It
had a large skull, up to 10 feet (3 m) long, one of the largest skulls of any lan d animal ever
discovered. Its head was nearly one -third as long as its body. Triceratops hatched from eggs.
Diet – Was this dinosaur an omnivore, carnivore, or herbivore? Herbivore (plant-eater)
Did this dinosaur have any predators/enemies? Triceratops was hunted and eaten by T. rex.
How did this dinosaur defend him/herself from other dinosaurs? Triceratops defended
themselves by using their long horns and they traveled in herds to protect their young.
Share two important facts about the dinosaur that stand out the most. When threatened by
predators, Triceratops probably charged into its enemy like the modern-day rhinoceros does.
Triceratops was probably a herding animal, like the other ceratopsians. This hypothesis is
supported by the finding of bone beds, large deposits of bones of the same species in an area.
Student Performance
Based Product (Target
rating) for Behavioral
Objective #1-3 (con.)
Dinosaur #2
What is the definition of the dinosaurs name? Carnotaurus means "flesh(-eating) bull"
What time period did the dinosaur exist? Middle Cretaceous period, about 113 to 91 million
years ago
What part of the world was the dinosaur found? A single fossil was found in Patagonia,
Chubut Province, Argentina, South America.
What are the dinosaurs height dimensions and weight? Length - 25 feet (7.5 m) long
Include two pictures of the dinosaur (1) realistic (2) graph of body parts
Figure Realistic Carnotaurus
Height - 6.5 ft (2.2 m) tall at the hips
Weight - 1 ton (1000 kg)
Figure Carnotaurus body parts labeled
Describe the anatomy of the dinosaur using the fact sheets.
Carnotaurus was about 25 feet (7.5 m) long and weighed about 1 ton (1000 kg). This theropod
had 2 brow-horns (hence its name), extremely tiny arms (even smaller than those of
Tyrannosaurids), and a long, thin tail. It may have had partial binocular vision (unlike most other
dinosaurs) since its eyes were set facing slightly forwards.
Diet – Was this dinosaur an omnivore, carnivore, or herbivore? Carnivore (meat-eater)
Did this dinosaur have any predators/enemies? While Abelisaurus once dominated the
continent, they might not have been without enemies.
How did this dinosaur defend him/herself from other dinosaurs?
Hypothesis : Judging from the Carnotaurus small body it would be able to run away or use its
teeth to defend itself.
Share two important facts about the dinosaur that stand out the most.
Carnotaurus was a large, bipedal, meat-eating dinosaur that looked a bit like a bull. It had two,
knobby eyebrow-horns (hence its name), a small skull, extremely tiny arms (even smaller than
those of T. rex), and a long, thin tail. It may have had partial binocular vision (unlike most other
dinosaurs) since the eyes were set facing slightly forwards.
Lesson #6: Making a Scale Drawing
of Dinosaurs
Bloom's Taxonomy:
Comprehension, Application,
Knowledge
Gardner’s Multiple
Intelligence (s):
Logical Math, Visual/Spatial,
Bodily Kinesthetic
Additives:
Chart Paper
Rulers
Markers
Projector
Photocopies with the dinosaur's body part
and original measurements
Behavioral Objectives
1. To collaboratively measure and
convert numbers with group
members
2. To accurately measure and
convert numbers with group
members
3. To create a small scale size
drawing of a dinosaur's body part
Student Performance Based Product (Target Rating) For Behavioral
objective #1-3
Dinosaurs name: Allosaurus
Skull Actual size: 33.3 in (length)
18 in (height)
3:1 ratio = 36”:12” ratio
Length 33.3/3= reduced Length 11.1
Height 21/3= reduced Height
12 inches
3 inches
9 inches
Filamentality Website
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listdinosaurdi.html -