4th Grade
Thinking Like a 21st Century Scientist / Engineer:
Team Building
SAFETY
ADVANCED
PREPARATION
Students should have adequate space to move freely.
Copies of Dino Discovery handout
Pencils
Objective: Scientists often have to collect data and communicate the results to
other scientists. Developing communication skills within a team and
leading a team to present information is an important scientific skill.
The objective of the following activity is to give students the opportunity to work
with a random group on a team challenge. Students will need to rehearse and
divide tasks for the dinosaur to function as a whole. Teams will need to work
together to communicate three ideas to their classmates. The class will then
discuss the challenges involved with teamwork and group presentations.
What is the teacher doing?
What are the students doing?
Dino Discovery
Dino Discovery
Explain to students that this is a
random grouping and they will need
to listen to each other as well as
communicate their thoughts.
Part I
Each participant gets a card
that has one dinosaur picture
and the sound the dinosaur
makes.
-Tyrannosaurs -Raptor
-Pterodactyl -Triceratops
-Brachiosaurus -Plesiosaur
Part II
Once a group is organized the
second challenge begins. The
challenge is to represent the
movement of the dinosaur
using each member of the
group. One person could be
the body, another the arms
and a third could be the legs.
Two and three headed
dinosaurs are okay, but only
ONE will be permitted to speak
when called upon.
Handout the Dino Discovery
Team Build Handout and
explain that they are acting
out three characteristics of
their dinosaur.
Where the dinosaur lives…
What the dinosaur eats…
Speed of the dinosaur…
Grouping Strategy: It is recommended
that students are grouped at random.
(Day 1)
ACTIVITIES
(1 day)
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
(Day 1)
Part I
1. Individuals will make the sound of
that dinosaur as they walk around
until each member is found and the
team is formed.
2. The team reveals their cards to make
sure they have the correct group.
Part II
3. Students will be asked to work as a
team and act out “like charades”
their team dinosaur. One member
of the team may make the dinosaur
call, but each member must be a
part of the animal and move like the
animal moves. For example,
Pterodactyl’s have very long wings
and may require two students for
each arm!
4. Each group will have a few minutes
to rehearse and then will perform for
the class.
5. The rest of the class will silently make
guesses about the dinosaur on their
Dino Discovery Team Build Handout.
1
Name_______________________________________Date____________________________
Group #1
Dino Discovery Team Build
Where it lives…
What it eats…
Speed…
Dinosaur Name
Group #3
Group #2
Where it lives…
Where it lives…
Group #4
Group #5
Meat
Plants
Fast
Slow
Water
Air
Meat
Plants
Fast
Slow
Water
Air
Meat
Plants
Fast
Slow
Land
Speed…
Water
Air
Meat
Plants
Fast
Slow
best guess:
Land
What it eats…
Speed…
Dinosaur Name
Air
best guess:
What it eats…
Where it lives…
Water
Land
Speed…
Dinosaur Name
Slow
best guess:
What it eats…
Where it lives…
Fast
Land
Speed…
Dinosaur Name
Plants
best guess:
What it eats…
Dinosaur Name
Air
Meat
Land
Speed…
Dinosaur Name
Water
best guess:
What it eats…
Where it lives…
Group #6
Land
Water
Air
Meat
Plants
Fast
Slow
best guess:
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
2
Watch each group “act out” their dinosaurthen GUESS the name of the dinosaur.
“Grrrr…Roar”
“grunt…bubble bubble”
“hiss…snap”
“Caw, caw”
“Hmmm…crunch”
Thud, thud, moan…”
Columbus City Schools
Curriculum Leadership and Development
Science Department June 2013
3