Book title: Dinosaur Deals
Author: Stuart J. Murphy
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN #: 978-0-06-446251-8
Grade levels for recommended use: third and fourth grades
TEKS:
4.8 (B): convert measurements within the same measurement system, customary or metric, from
a smaller unit into a larger unit or a larger unit into a smaller unit when given other equivalent
measures represented in a table
3.9 (B): describe the relationship between the availability or scarcity of resources and how that
impacts cost
Summary: After reading Dinosaur Deals, students will work in pairs to act out the situations of
comparative value using colored cards and the diagrams in the book. Students will discuss how
values can be assigned to each type of card to represent comparative values. Finally, students
will identify other systems that use comparative value (such as money and measurement) and
how they are used.
Materials needed: Dinosaur Deals by Stuart J. Murphy, groups of colored index cards or
construction paper (5 colors to match the diagram on page 25 of the book) one set per pair,
accompanying teacher-created activity page (1 per student).
Suggested activity:
1. Distribute one bag of colored cards to each pair of students. Have students sort the cards and
discuss their observations. Ask, “If we could give each of these cards a value, which color card
would have the highest value? The lowest?” The goal of this discussion is for students to
determine that the higher the value, there are usually fewer of them. Connect the idea to real life
by asking, “Have you ever seen a penny lying on the ground and left it? Would you pick up a
quarter? Why or why not?” A quarter is worth more than a penny. A quarter is worth 25
pennies. Explain that we assign values to objects so that they can be compared to each other. In
a monetary or bartering system, an object does not have value until it is assigned to it. Value is
usually based on how little of something there is (scarcity).
2. Read the book Dinosaur Deals by Stuart J. Murphy to the class using the document camera.
Be sure to discuss the diagrams on each page to reinforce the “trades”.
3. Reread the book and have students use the colored cards to act out the trades with a partner.
After each trade, have students describe the trade. For example, “I want to trade three
Allosaurus cards for one Tyrannosaurus Rex card. So one T. Rex equal one Allosaurus.”
4. After completing the activity, have students use the activity page to describe situations that
might occur in a trade when a concrete number value is assigned to each color of card.
5. Lead a class discussion about other systems where a value is assigned. For example, quantity
(eight ounces are in one cup, etc.) Discuss how comparative values are helpful in making
associations between values.
References:
Murphy, S. J. (2001). Dinosaur deals. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
Adapted by Leah Bryars, 2012