Dino-Mite Dinosaurs

How It Works:  Many children find dinosaurs fascinating because of their sizes, long names, and imagined actions. Students fantasize about dinosaurs and are delighted to hear and read about dinosaurs. Learning about dinosaurs provides opportunities for students to attain skills in a variety of areas. This unit integrates many disciplines including technology, science, reading, research, writing, math, and art. In this series of activities students match dinosaur pictures and names, compare dinosaurs and categorize dinosaurs. Students will also become paleontologists and learn about fossils. Students will have the opportunity to gather information to create their own imaginary dinosaur and use research skills to make a timeline of prehistoric life. Furthermore, students will go on a Virtual Field Trip and on a Scaventure Hunt.

Standards: 

• Students will identify various dinosaurs.

• Students will use technology to locate and collect information from a variety of sources.

• Students will use technology tools to process data and report results.

• Students will identify features that were unique to certain dinosaurs.

• Students will describe dinosaur features and explain how the features relate to the way dinosaurs ate, moved, defended themselves, and attacked.

• Students will explain what a fossil is and where they are found.

• Students will describe how a fossil is formed.

• Students will explain how we use fossils to learn about the past.

• Students will explain who a paleontologist is and what he does.

• Students will conduct research to complete a time line of prehistoric life.

• Students will identify names of prehistoric life and give examples of different early life forms.

Estimated Class Periods To Complete:  10 or more

Software Materials Used:  Internet, Kid Pix CD-Rom, HyperStudio, Word Processor, The Golden Book Encyclopedia CD-Rom, Printer, Literature Books, Art Supplies

Keywords:  dinosaur, prehistoric, carnivores, herbivores, extinct, amphibian, reptile, fossil, paleontologist, timeline, invertebrate, vertebrate, trilobite, armor

Students:  The students involved in this unit were second graders. There were 20 students in the classroom of mixed ability. The students had prior training using the computer. Students worked with with the teacher, worked with partners, and worked in small groups in many of the activities.

Overall: The purpose of this unit is to develop students' awareness of dinosaurs. The project integrates multimedia and various software to captivate its audience. The lessons integrate many subject disciplines, which helps in the students' retention and understanding of the different concepts. The goal of this unit is to capture the students' attention with the fascinating life of dinosaurs. 

Tips:  Access to the Internet is important and students should have knowledge about navigating the Internet. The teacher should bookmark various web sites dealing with dinosaurs in advance. Mini-lessons on using Kid Pix and HyperStudio are also important before students begin their projects.

About the Teacher: Terry Garcia is a creative teacher who is constantly looking for meaningful activities in order to motivate and inspire her students. Terry is a graduate of Florida International University and has a Master's Degree in Mathematics through Florida State University. She began working in Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 1995. She has been been a part of the Citibank Family Tech program for three years.

Subjects:  Science and English

Grade Levels:  1 through 5

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