Dinosaurs of Long Ago

The National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institute
10th Street and Constitution Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20560
(202)357-2700
(202) 357-2747 (Education Department)

Instructional Unit:
To introduce first graders to the dinosaurs and what paleontologists can tell about dinosaurs from their remains. Children will tour the dinosaur exhibits, attend a puppet show, and see a paleontologist at work.

Curriculum Unit:
Grade 1
Science

Objectives:
1. To identify ways to learn about dinosaurs.
2. To describe the land as it was when dinosaurs lived on the earth.
3. To describe the characteristics of the meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs.
4. To identify body parts that helped these dinosaurs adapt to their environment.
5. To discuss the changes on the earth and the effect they had on the dinosaurs.

Pre-Visit Activities:
1. Using a bulletin board of dinosaur pictures, stimulate a discussion of the following:

a. comparing different dinosaurs-similarities-differences
b.making inferences about size, age, source of food.
c. introducing vocabulary words-dictionary work, sentences
d. display various dinosaurs children can bring from their collection for our class display.

2. Setting up dinosaurs in the correct environment.
3. Research on different meat-eating, plant eating, describe their environment
4. Read Digging Up Dinosaurs and Fossils of Long Ago by Aliki
5. Read Dinosaurs by Mary Pachard
6. Listening to the Dinosaur Rock record
7. Activities:

a. Make fossil prints.
b. Make dinosaur cookies.
c. Create dinosaur mobiles.
d. Make a diorama
e. Develop dinosaur-shaped book-writing about the different dinosaurs and illustrating on each page.
f. Construct a dinosaur skeleton using pipe cleaners.
g. Construct a dinosaur mural and use it as a TV show and have each student give some information about the dinosaur he/she drew.

8. Discussion of what we will see at the museum and review what we have discusses in class.
9. Children will be reminded of our objectives and what they should be aware of in order to answer the questions discussed in class.

On-Site Activities:
Divide children into 3 small groups with 2 parents assigned to each group. Encourage each child to ask questions in each section and listen to the docents.

Follow-Up Activities:
1. Discussion about what they learned, liked best or enjoyed.
2. Check-up-words to know, ideas to know, using ideas by applying their understanding of major concepts.
3. Draw a picture of your favorite part of your trip and also illustrate their favorite part of the tour.

Appendices:
None

Bibliography:
None

Return to Science Lesson Plans