Introduction: Grade 2 Dinosaur Science Unit
Rationale:
It is important for students to know about what happened in the past. It is
important for students to look at the past and learn from it. It is important for students to
know that there were animals on the earth long before there were human beings. This is
an important topic because dinosaurs create an important link to the present when talking
about extinction. There are a lot of animals that are becoming endangered and extinct
and it is important for students to know that. It is important for students to realize that at
one point dinosaurs were abundant on earth and that something happened to make them
extinct and the same thing can happen to animals on earth now if we do not protect them.
Students will begin to develop an appreciation for animals and realize that it is up to us to
protect them.
I also think that is important for students to learn about dinosaurs because it is a
topic that most children are interested in. Many children like to watch shows with
dinosaurs such as Jurassic Park, Barney, The Dinosaurs, and various others. This is also
the age when students begin to look at dinosaur books and think more about dinosaurs.
However when students are watching shows about dinosaurs they are not learning the
facts or the history about dinosaurs and it is something that the students should learn
about. When children just watch the shows or movies they get misconceptions and may
think that what they see is real, when in fact it is not. By teaching students the facts
about dinosaurs we are helping our students learn about something they are already
interested in and build their knowledge so that each students can feel like a dinosaur
expert.
Scope:
This is a grade two optional unit that studies animals that lived a long time ago.
This unit give students an understanding of what dinosaurs were, where they lived and
how we know they existed. It also connects to the present by getting the students to think
about endangered and extinct animals today and what they can do to help.
The students will start out by looking at how the Earth might have looked when
the dinosaurs were alive. It will then go on to look at the skeletal structure,
reproductions, and comparing and contrasting meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs.
Next the students learn about fossils and make a model of an imprint fossil to share with
the class. In this unit the students will also get to create their own dinosaur, visit dinosaur
centers, and go on a big dig. The students will also be able to help decide what they are
going to learn about in two of their lessons. I am going to be looking at the students
KWL charts to find out what the students want to know during this unit and tie it into my
lessons. It is important to show the students that you care about what they want to know
as well as what you want them to know.
During this unit I am going to be using many different teaching strategies to keep
the class exciting and help all the students learn. I am going to use brain storming, KWL
charts, Journals, model building, centers, a simulation, and much more. I am going to
keep my lessons interactive and engaging and lots of fun.
Sequence:
Lesson 1:
- Students will think about what the Earth looked like a long time ago through
books and discussion.
- Students will think critically about how the earth has changed since the time of
the dinosaurs.
Lesson 2:
- Students will learn about two different dinosaurs a meat-eater and a plant-eater
- Students will look at the skeletons then compare and contrast them.
Lesson 3:
- Students will then compare the skeletons they looked at last class with
representations of the dinosaur.
- Students will be able to list the similarities and differences
Lesson 4:
- The students will learn about fossils.
- The students will learn what a Palaeontologist is.
- Students will learn that you can find fossils of bones, foot prints, plants, teeth, and
various other things
Lesson 5 and 6:
- Students will review what the learned in lesson 5
- Students will create an imprint fossil using various objects
- The next day after the impressions have dried the students will get to guess what
object made each impression.
- The students will learn that scientists know that texture the dinosaurs skin was
because of the imprint fossil the skin made. Students will also know that we do
not know what color dinosaur skin was.
Lesson 7:
- The students will get to create their own dinosaur using the information they have
gained in the past lessons
- Students will give their dinosaur a scientific name, what the name means, decide
if it is a carnivore or a herbivore, what type of hips it has, how many legs it walks
on, and what their favourite thing about it is. The students will then draw a
picture of their dinosaur.
Lesson 8 and 9:
- Students will get to participate in centers.
- The centers will be finding information on the computer, digging for fossils,
matching the dinosaur to its armour, writing a “what it…” story using the story
seeds provided, reading non-fiction books, and solving various dinosaur puzzles
and games. Groups will be able to make it to three centers each day.
- After each day of centers the students will have time to reflect in their learning
journals.
Grade 2 Dinosaur Objectives
Common Essential Learnings foundational objectives which should be
emphasized:
- To use a wide range of possibilities for developing students' knowledge of the major
concepts within science.
- To promote both intuitive, imaginative thought and the ability to evaluate ideas,
processes, experiences, and objects in meaningful contexts.
- To develop compassionate, empathetic and fair-minded students who can make
positive contributions to society, as individuals and as group members.
Science Foundational and Learning Objectives:
1. Describe some animals that lived on earth a long time ago
1. Describe how the earth might have been different a long time ago.
2. Compare the skeletal structures of two or more different dinosaurs.
3. Compare the skeletal structure of a dinosaur to a representation of that
dinosaur as it might have appeared when it was alive.
4. Compare the characteristics of meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs.
2. Recognize how information about dinosaurs is obtained.
1. Explain how information regarding the bones, teeth, eggs, or footprints of
dinosaurs have been left behind.
2. Build a model to show how one type of fossil is formed.
3. Appreciate that animals and plants are endangered today.
1. Explain what is meant by an endangered animal.
2. Give an example of an animal that has become extinct recently.
3. Identify several different types of living things that are endangered today.
4. Give some reasons why certain plants or animals have become
endangered.
5. Suggest some ways in which people can help animals or plants that are
endangered.
Knowledge :
Students will know:
- that the Earth was different a long time ago
- how fossils are formed
- what types of fossils can be found
- that a palaeontologist is the scientist that finds dinosaurs
Skills/Process:
Students will be able to:
- make a model of a fossil
- create their own dinosaur using information learned in class
- list the characteristics attributed to their dinosaur
Dinosaur Information Sheet
Dinosaur: Any type of reptile that lived millions of years ago. All dinosaurs are extinct
now.
Carnivore: meat eater
Herbivore: Plant eater
Extinction: The disappearance of a species of animals or plants
Bipedal: Walked on two legs
Quadrupedal: Walked on All four legs
Paleontologist: A scientist who studies ancient forms of life including dinosaurs
Saurischian: Dinosaurs with hip bones of present day lizards. This entire group had
clawed feet. They were both carnivores and herbivores. Some were bipedal and some
were quadruped. Ex: Tyrannosaurus Rex and Diplodocus.
Ornithischain: Dinosaurs with hip bones that resembled present day birds. All of these
dinosaurs were herbivores. All had hoofed toes and all but one had a beak-like mouth.
Some examples are: stegosaurus, triceratops
Mesozoic Era: “Age of the Reptiles” The Mesozoic Era came between the Paleozoic and
Cenozoic Era and means “middle time”. It began 225 million years ago and ended 65
million years ago. It separates into three different time periods: the Triassic, the Jurassic,
and the Cretaceous. When the Mesozoic Era ended, all the dinosaurs had disappeared
from earth.
Sauropod: A type of dinosaur that had a long neck and tail. Included the largest
dinosaurs ex: Diplodocus
Fossils: Any part of an animal that has been preserved in rock. Also traces of plants and
animals. Ex: bones, teeth, footprints, coprolites, gastroliths, eggs, or skin impressions.
Gastrolith is the stones found in some plant eating dinosaurs stomachs that helped them
break down and digest vegetation. Coprolites are the dinosaur droppings.
How Fossils are formed: Fossils of dinosaurs were formed when the dinosaur died the
mud covered the dinosaur layer upon layer. Slowly both the dinosaur and the mud turned
to stone. In time more rock layers built up. Each layer contains different fossils and that
is how scientist can tell what time period each layer is from. Pg. 22-23 Dinosaur Bones
by Aliki
Tyrannosaurus Rex:
Geological Time: Mesozoic Era/ Late Cretaceous Period
Hip type: Saurischain ( lizard Hip)
Features: Carnivore, Bipedal
Found in: N. America, Mongolia, India, Japan
Facts: Largest and Last of the meat eating dinosaurs. Razor sharp teeth, huge hind legs,
large feet, short arms. Three fingers and three toes on each arm and foot each equipped
with long, razor sharp claws. “Tyrant Lizard” Because of its razor sharp claws and teeth.
Length: 50 feet
Stegosaurus:
Geological Time: Mesozoic Era/ Late Jurassic Period
Hip Type: Ornithischian ( Bird Hipped)
Features: Herbivore, Quadruped
Found In: N. America, Europe
Facts: Known as “Plated Lizard” because of its two rows of leaf-shaped, bony plates
extending from behind its head to the middle of its tail. Plates may have been used to
keep the dinosaur cool. Its long heavy tail had four sharp spikes. Hind legs were longer
than its front making its head low to the ground.
Length: 25 feet
Triceratops
Geological Time: Mesozoic Era/ Late Cretaceous Period
Hip Type: Ornithischian (Bird Hipped)
Features: Herbivore, Quadruped
Found In: N. America, Mongolia
Facts: “Three Horned Face”- because of its two short sharp horns over its eyes and one
long horn over its nose. Thick legs, front were shorter than the back, and its tail was
short and heavy. Its head had a smooth round frill that extended back over its shoulders.
Length: 25 feet
Iguanodon
Geological Time: Mesozoic Era/ Early Cretaceous Period
Hip Type: Bird Hipped
Features: Herbivore, Bipedal
Found in: N. America, S. America, Asia, Australia
Facts: First dinosaur fossil ever found. It walked upright on two legs, each foot had three
toes. Each hand had four fingers and one sharp pointy thumb. Its name means “iguana
tooth” because it has teeth like the iguana lizard.
Length: 25 feet
Diplodocus:
Geological Time: Mesozoic Era/ Late Jurassic Period
Hip Type: Lizard hipped
Features: Herbivore, quadrapedal
Found In: N. America, Asia, Europe, Africa
Facts: It was the longest dinosaur. It had longer back legs than front legs. It used its
long tail as a weapon. Its name means “ double-beamed” because of its
unusually shaped vertebrae (shaped like a Y)
Length: 90 feet
Triassic Period:
- No ice at the North and South poles
- 230 millions years ago
- Much warmer and less rain then now. This meant large areas of desert and dry
scrubland
- Fewer trees could grow in the Triassic heat
- One big land mass names Pangaea
- Plants were conifers, ginkgoes, palm like cycads, ferns, mosses, and horsetails.
Jurassic Period:
- 200 million years ago
- Climate was cooler than the Triassic
- Plants began to grow in the desert areas
- Main trees were conifers, club mosses, ferns, and horsetails
- Long rainy seasons and short dry seasons.
- It was warmer than it is today
- Pangaea split into two large areas of land
Cretaceous period:
- World became more like it is today
- It started to get colder at the poles and warmer at the equator
- Flowering plants began to grow and trees such as maple, walnut, and oak began to
grow. Seasons became more varied ( poles had winter and summer, equator had
wet and dry seasons)
- Pangaea broke into the continents we know today.
Paleontologist- A scientist who studies ancient forms of life, including dinosaurs.
Conifer- a tree or shrub that produces seed cones, such as a fir and pine trees
Fern- a non-floweing plant with finely divided leaves called fronds
Ginkgo- a tree that looks like a conifer but sheds leaves in the fall.
Resources:
For the teacher:
Books:
Aliki. (1988) Digging Up Dinosaurs. New York, NY. HarperCollins Publisher.
Birch, Robin. (2002) Meat-Eating Dinosaurs. South Yarra, Australia. Chelsea House
Publishers
Children’s Dinosaur Encyclopaedia. (2008). Bath, UK. Parragon Books Ltd.
Culver, Diann. (1993) Dinosaurs. Westminster. CA: Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
Foreman, Michael.(2002) A Trip to Dinosaur Time. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Mathews, Rupert. (2007) Dinosaurs Through Time. McRae Books
Matthews, Rupert. (2008) The Great Big Book of Dinosaurs. Laguna Hills, CA: QEB
Publishing.
Websites:
Dinosaurs:
http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/dinopage.html
Dinosaur Theme Page:
http://www.cln.org/themes/dinosaur.html
Enchanted Learning:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/Home.html
Kinder Art
http://www.kinderart.com/crafts/dinoeggs.shtml
Making your own Fossils:
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/archaeology/dinosaurs/
Teacher Vision:
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/dinosaurs/teacher-resources/6611.html?detoured=1
Teach-nology:
http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/science/archaeology/dinosaurs/
Students:
Websites:
Name that Dinosaur:
http://www.sdnhm.org/kids/dinosaur/namegame/more.html
Dinosaur Floor:
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/msese/dinosaur.html
BBC:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/games/
National Geographic Kids
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Lessons
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Topic: Dinosaurs
What do we know? #1
Objectives:
- Students will know that the earth was
different a long time ago.
- Students will imagine what the Earth
looked like a long time ago.
Strategies:
-group
discussions
Name:
Date:
Evaluation:
- I will walk around
and make anecdotal
records of the
students working
- KWL chart and
journal.
Materials And Aids:




KWL chart
Children’s Dinosaur Encyclopaedia
A Trip to Dinosaur Time By Michael Foreman
Journals
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
Critical and Creative Thinking:
Personal and Social Values:
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will have to think critically
about how they think the Earth has
changed
- Students will use their background
knowledge when thinking about how
the Earth has changed.
Procedure
Classroom Management
Set:
- Read the students the book A Trip to
- I will have the students sitting on
Dinosaur Time by Michael
the mats while I am reading the
Foreman.
story.
- I will use “eyes on me” to get their
attention.
Development:
- Have a grand discussion with the
students on what they think that the
- I will tell students that they must put
world looked like when Dinosaurs
up their hands if they want to share
were living. Do they think that
and idea or question.
there were people, buildings, was it
warmer or colder? The teacher will
ask the students if there were plants
when the dinosaurs were alive.
How do you know?
- After we have talked about what we
think the teacher will show the
students pages 192-199 in the
Children’s Dinosaur
Encyclopaedia.
- The teacher will explain that there
was one era and three periods that
the dinosaurs lived in. The teacher
will explain what the climate was in
each period and what plants grew.
Closure:
- Explain to the students that during this
- I will have the students to back to their
unit they will be writing in a journal and
desks to fill out their KWL charts and write
filling out a KWL chart. After I have
in their journals.
explained the journal and KWL chart I will
give students time to fill in the KWL chart
and write about what they think that the
Earth looked like when there were
dinosaurs.
Adaptive Dimension: If the students are having troubles with the KWL chart we could do
one as a class instead of individually to start with.
By:_____________
Dinosaur KWL Chart
What do I know?
What do I want to know?
What did I Learn?
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Name:
Topic: Dinosaurs
Meat-eaters Vs Plant-Eaters#2 Date:
Objectives:
- Students will compare and
contrast two different skeletal
structures
- Students will be able to list
similarities and differences
between the two different
dinosaurs
Strategy:
Evaluation:
- Brain Storming
- I will evaluate that
- Discussions
each student filled
- Venn
out their Venn
Diagrams
Diagram
Materials And Aids:




Markers and white board or chart paper
Venn diagram hand out
Overhead copies of a t-rex and a triceratops
Overhead Projector
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
- Communication:
-
Critical and Creative thinking:
Prior Knowledge:
- Students will know what Dinosaurs are.
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will have to communicate
their ideas with the class and the
teacher.
- Students will have to think critically
when comparing the meat-eaters and
plant-eaters
Procedure
Classroom Management
Set:
- Put up overhead pictures of a t-rex
- I will have the students sitting in
and a triceratops. Ask the students what
their desks while looking at the over
they see.
heads.
Development:
- Explain to the students that
dinosaurs had different bone
structures.
- Brainstorm a web on the board with
the students listing the
characteristics of the meat eating
dinosaurs. Ex: sharp teeth, sharp
claws, smaller than plant-eaters,
strong jaws, saurischian.
- Brainstorm a web on the board with
the students listing the
characteristics of plant-eating
dinosaurs. Ex: ornithischain, flat
(leaf shaped) teeth at the back of
jaw, the largest dinosaurs, had
beaks.
Closure:
- After we have brain stormed
characteristics for each group we will as a
class put our information into a Venn
Diagram. The students will put the Venn
Diagrams into their journals.
-
-
-
-
-
I will have the students move back
to their desks so that we can
brainstorm on the white board
together.
I will remind the students to put up
their hand if they would like to
contribute to the brain storming.
I will also remind the students that it
is rude to interrupt while other
students are taking.
I will ask the students to work
quietly and by themselves as they
copy the Venn diagram onto their
hand out and put it into their books.
When they are finished they may
read dinosaur books.
Adaptive Dimension: This activity could be adapted into small groups instead of a class
activity for more advanced learners.
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Name: Kaitlin Babiuk
Topic: Dinosaurs
Skeleton and Representation 3 Date:
Objectives:
-
Strategy:
- Jigsaw
Evaluation:
- Journals
Students will know the similarities and
the differences between the skeleton
and representation.
Materials And Aids:




Overhead of T-Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Diplodocus
Models of the T-Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Diplodocus
Pre-chosen groups
Journals
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
-
Critical and Creative Thinking:
Procedure
Set:
- Show the students the overheads of
the T-Rex and triceratops again.
- I will ask the students to tell me
what they remember from the last
lesson.
Students will have to think critically
when looking at the skeleton and
representations of the dinosaur.
Classroom Management
-
Students will be sitting at their desks
during the set.
Development:
- I am going to split the students into
base groups of 4. Each member of
the base group will be sent to a
different station to become experts
on one type of dinosaur.
- Station one is going to look at the
Triceratops skeleton and
representations of the model.
- The second station is going to be
looking at the T-Rex skeleton and
representations of the T-Rex.
- The third station will be looking at
the stegosaurus
- The fourth station will be looking at
the diplodocus
- After 10 minutes of comparing and
contrasting the skeleton and the
representation the students at each
station will become the experts on
the dinosaur they were looking at.
- The students will then go back to
their base groups of four students
and share the information they
learned.
Closure:
- Each student will be asked to reflect in
their science journal on what they learned
that day.
-
The teacher will select the groups
for the students.
To ensure smooth transitions I will
ask the students to be where they are
supposed to be by the time I count
down from five to one.
- Students will be allowed to write in their
science journal anywhere they feel
comfortable in the room.
Adaptive Dimension: If students are not able to see the over head the students may have
their own copies to look at during the discussion.
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Topic: Dinosaurs
Fossils 4
Objectives:
- Students will know how fossils
are formed
- Students will know what types
of fossils can be found
- Students will know that
Paleontologist is the scientist
that finds dinosaurs.
Strategies:
Questioning
Listening and viewing.
Discussion
Name:
Date:
Evaluation:
- KWL chart and
Hand out
Materials And Aids:
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



Dinosaur Bones by Bob Barner
KWL charts
Scissors, glue, construction paper.
Fossil hand out.
Dinosaur Bones By Aliki
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
- Communication
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will be asked various questions and
they will have to communicate their answers
to the teacher and the rest of the class.
Procedure
Set:
- Read the book Dinosaur Bones by
Bob Barner
- While reading the book ask
questions from Question sheet
attached.
Development:
- Ask students to list what we find
fossils of Ex: bones, teeth, foot
prints, skin prints, etc.
- Explain to the students what
imprints and moulds are.
Explanations on page with
questions.
- Ask students if they know how
fossils are found or who finds them.
- Explain how fossils are formed
( also on questions sheet)
- Show the students selected pages
from the book Dinosaur Bones by
Aliki
- Have the students complete the
fossil hand out. (attached)
Closure:
- Have the students write what they
learned in the KWL chart
Classroom Management
-
-
-
-
-
I will have the students sit on the
mats while I read them the book and
ask Questions
If the students have an answer they
will be told to raise their hand and
wait to be asked.
I will have the students raise their
hand to ask questions or contribute
to the conversation
I will get the students to move back
to their desks to complete their
handout and the closure.
Students will be asked to go back to
their desks and work by themselves
when working on their hand outs
and KWL charts.
Adaptive Dimension: If the students are having troubles with the KWL chart we could do
one as a class instead of individually.
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Topic: Dinosaurs
Imprint Fossils # 5&6
Name:
Date:
Strategies:
Objectives:
- Students will be able to make a model - Model Building
of a fossil
- Students will understand how fossils
are made and how we know what
texture dinosaur skin is.
Evaluation:
- journal reflection
Materials And Aids:
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

Objects to make fossils (leaves, twigs, marbles, dinosaur models, shells, markers, etc)
Molding Clay or dough
Newspaper to put on desks
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
Communication
Creative and Critical Thinking:
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will have to communicate
what object they think made the
impression fossil
- Students will have to think critically
about the questions they are asked.
Prerequisite Learning:
Students will know what a Palaeontologists
Students will also know what fossils are and how they are found.
Presentation
Set:
Day 1
Discuss with the students what they
remember about Fossils and how they are
found. I will ask the students if they
remember what an Imprint fossil is.
Development:
- Tell the students that today they are
going to make their own fossils
- I will explain to the students that
they will each be getting a ball of
dough that they will be making
imprint fossils out of.
- I will provide the students with
objects to make imprints with.
- After the students have finished
making their imprints we will set the
imprints in the hallway to dry
overnight.
Day 2
- After the fossils are dried we will
look at them as a class
- We will put the fossils in the middle
of the mats while the students sit
around them.
- I will ask the students to look at the
fossils and guess what made the
imprint
- After we have guessed what made
the fossils I will ask the students
some questions.
Classroom Management
-
I will have the students sitting at
their desk while I ask them
questions.
-
I will explain to the students that
this is an individual activity so you
should not touch anyone else’s
fossil with out permission
I will remind the students that if
they need help to put up their hand
and wait patiently for someone to
come and help them.
I will use eyes on me to get their
attention
-
-
-
I will sit on the floor with the
students and guide the guessing.
I will remind students to keep their
feet and hands to themselves while
they are sitting on the mats.
Closure:
- I will have the students reflect on
the activity in their journals
- On day 2 the students will draw a
picture and write about the fossil
they created in their journal.
Adaptive Dimension: If students do not like the feel of the dough/ clay they can put it in
a plastic bag and imprint the object through that.
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Topic: Dinosaurs
Build a Dinosaur #7
Objectives:
- Students will use the knowledge
they have gained from the previous
lessons to create a dinosaur.
- Students will be able to list the
characteristics attributed to their
dinosaur.
Name:
Date:
Strategies:
Evaluation:
- I will evaluate the
final project based
on the rubric
provided.
Materials And Aids:




Digging Up Dinosaurs by Aliki
Information sheet
Crayons/ pencil crayons/ markers
List of Dinosaur names and what they mean on chart paper
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
Independent learning:
Critical and Creative Thinking:
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will have to think
independently about what they have
learned and apply it to their creation.
-
Students will have to be creative when
designing their dinosaurs. However
they will have to think critically
because they will have to remember
what characteristics go with what type
of dinosaur.
Procedure
Classroom Management
Set:
- Read the book Digging up
- I will have the students sitting on
Dinosaurs by Aliki
the mats while I read the book.
- Explain that the palaeontologist that
finds the dinosaur gets to name it.
Use the hand out to explain the
meaning behind some dinosaur
names.
Development:
- Explain to the students that you
want them to create their very own
- I will have the students work on their
dinosaur.
dinosaur at their desks.
- Write a list of characteristics they
- I will use eyes on me to get the students
must include in their dinosaur. Is it
attention.
bird hipped or lizard hipped,
herbivore or carnivore, bipedal or
quadruped, and it must have a
scientific name. ( Have important
words on the board)
- The students will be asked to fill out
the information sheet and draw a
picture.
Closure:
- After the students have finished I will
- I will remind the students to be respectful
give them time to share their creations with and not interrupt.
the rest of the class.
Adaptive Dimension: If the students need help the teacher can write the list of
characteristic of the dinosaur on the board. To make the lesson more difficult, or as a
follow up lesson, you could have the students write a story about their dinosaur instead of
answering the hand out questions.
By:_______________
My Dinosaur
My dinosaurs name is___________________________________
It means ______________________________________________
My dinosaur is a ________________________ That means that it
eats____________________________
My Dinosaur has hips like a _______________________________
My Dinosaur walks on ________________ legs.
My favorite thing about my dinosaur is ______________________
______________________________________________________
Here is a picture of my dinosaur.
Grade:
2
Subject: Science
Topic: Dinosaurs
Centers #8 and 9 (two days)
Objectives:
- Students will build a model of a
fossil
- Students will understand how
information about dinosaurs is
obtained
Strategies:
Learning Centers
Name:
Date:
Evaluation:
- I will make
anecdotal records of
the students as they
are participating in
the centers
- I will also evaluate
their journal
responses.
Materials And Aids:







Two computers and hand-outs to go with computer site (dinosaur floor)
Dinosaur puzzles and games
Dinosaur digging tub
Dinosaur armor hand out
A variety of non-fiction dinosaur books and sticky notes
Story seeds and markers/ crayons to write their stories
Chimes
Common Essential Learnings
Identify:
Communication:
Critical and Creative thinking:
Technology:
Explain how it’s incorporated into the
lesson:
- Students will have to listen to the
teacher and communicate with each
other to get through the centers in time
- Students will have to use their critical
thinking skills to match the dinosaur
armor.
- Students will be looking for
information and playing educational
games on the internet.
Procedure
Set:
- I will explain to the student that they
are going to be working on centers.
I will explain to the student that they
will be broken up into groups of
four chosen by the teacher.
- I will let the students know that they
will have 15 minutes at each center.
Development:
- The centers will last two classes as
the students will only be able to get
to three centers.
- Center 1- Students will got to the
dinosaur floor web page and fill out
the hand out to go with.
- Center 2- Students will complete the
dinosaur armor hand out. Students
will match the dinosaur to the type
of armor it has.
- Center 3- Students will present to be
paleontologists when the try to dig a
dinosaur skeleton out of plaster.
- Center 4- Students will complete a
what if story using stories seeds
provided by the teacher. Ex: What if
you found a dinosaur egg and it
hatched?
- Center 5- Students will be given a
large variety of dinosaur games and
puzzles to try and figure out.
- Center 6- The students will be given
a large variety of non-fiction
dinosaur books. The students will
get to look through the book and
sticky note one thing that they
would like to share with the rest of
the class.
Closure:
- After the students have completed all of
the learning centers I will ask the students
what they learned from the centers
- I will ask the students to write in their
journal three things that they learned from
the centers.
Classroom Management
-
I will explain to the students that we
only have 15 minutes at each station
so they must listen carefully if they
want to complete them all.
-
I will use eyes on me to get the
students attention.
I will use the chimes to signify
when the students are to change
centers.
I will walk around the room and
ensure that all students are on task.
-
-
- I will have the students sit on the mat and
share their information. I will remind the
students that it is rude to interrupt. I will
also tell the student to put up their hand if
they would like to say something.
Center 1
Computers
Web site: Dinosaur Floor
Directions:
1. Click on Meet the Dinosaurs
2. Click the next button at the bottom of the
page.
3. Name a dinosaur from each time period
and tell me one fact about each dinosaur.
Center 2
Dinosaur Armour
Complete the hand out matching the
dinosaur to its armour.
Center 3
Digging for Dinosaurs
Each student must wear a pair of
goggles while digging for a dinosaur.
Remember: Fossils are delicate so you
have to be very careful when trying to
get the fossil out.
Center 4
What if…
Each student must write a story using
the story seeds provided on the chart
paper.
Each student must also draw a picture
to go with their story.
Center 5
Puzzles and Games:
Students may use any of the games or
puzzles provided while at this station.
Center 6
Reading:
Each student will look at the book and
pick one thing that they would like to
share with the rest of the class.
Students will mark one page using a
sticky note.
Name:____________________________
Station 1
Cretaceous Period:
Dinosaur:_______________________________________
Fact:___________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Jurassic Period:
Dinosaur:_______________________________________
Fact:___________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Triassic Period:
Dinosaur:_______________________________________
Fact:___________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Dinosaur Journal
By:_______________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
Assessment:
Name:__________________________________
``My Dinosaur``
Dinosaur Name
What the
Dinosaur Eats
Dinosaur Hips
Dinosaur
Picture
4
Student
combined two
words from the
scientific guide
to create their
dinosaur’s
name.
Student used
the word
herbivore or
carnivore and
correctly listed
what it ate.
3
Student used
only one word
from the
scientific guide
to make their
dinosaur’s
name.
Student used
the word
herbivore or
carnivore but
mixed up what
it eats.
2
Student made
up their own
dinosaur name
with out using
the scientific
guide.
1
Student used a
dinosaur name
that already
exists.
Student used
the word planteater or meateater but mixed
up what it eats.
Student used
bird or lizard
hips and
correctly
matched it to a
herbivore or
carnivore.
Student
matched their
dinosaur to the
description
given and fully
coloured the
background.
Student used
bird or lizard
hips but mixed
but did not
match it to a
carnivore or
herbivore.
Student’s
dinosaur
matched the
description but
the background
was not fully
coloured.
Student
invented their
own type of
hips.
Student did not
use the word
herbivore or
carnivore and
did not match it
to the right
food.
Student forgot
to include hips.
Additional Comments:
Student’s
dinosaur did
not match the
description but
background
was fully
coloured
Student drew a
dinosaur that
did not match
the description
and did not
color the
background.
Name:
Date:
Subject
Teacher
Score:
Additional Comments:
4= Excellent
- All the illustrations as well as the text are in the correct order. The
pictures were carefully coloured in a variety of colors to create detail.
3= Very Good
- All the illustrations as well as the text are placed in the correct order.
Little effort was placed into coloring the illustrations.
2= Good
- Over half of the illustrations and pictures are in the correct order.
Student put effort into coloring their picture using different colors for
detail.
1= Fair
- Less than half the pictures and illustrations are in the correct order.
Students put little effort or did not color their pictures at all.
Centers
Date :
Center 1: Dinosaur Floor (computers) check list
Name:
Dinosaur
was from
the
Cretaceous
period
Fact
matched
the
dinosaur
chosen
Dinosaur
was from
the
Jurassic
period.
Fact
Matched
the
dinosaur
chosen
Dinosaur
was from
the
Triassic
period
Fact
Matched
the
dinosaur
chosen