We Dig Dinosaurs Facilitated Programmuseum.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/edu-program-flyers/We Dig... · We Dig Dinosaurs Facilitated Program ... e.g. teeth are sharp for cutting

Western Australian MuseumTeacher Resource: We Dig Dinosaurs© 2011

museum.wa.gov.au

PerthWestern Australian Museum

K - 3Early Childhood

We Dig Dinosaurs

Facilitated ProgramOverview: Become a palaeontologist for the day! Brush, chip and sort your way

through a variety of hands-on activities, just like a real fossil finder.Investigate how fossils reveal the secrets from life as it was millions of years ago.

Duration: One hour facilitated experience with a Museum Education Officer.

Please allow approximately 45 minutes additional time for self-guided gallery exploration using Student Activity sheets and Adult Helper Guide.

Whatyourclasswillexperience:

Uncover a large fossil buried under sand. Use tools to excavate a fossil from rock. Reconstruct a dinosaur skeleton. Identify real fossils. Learn types of fossils. Self-guided gallery exploration.

ExcursionBookingandEnquiries:For enquiries and bookings please contact:

Western Australian Museum – PerthEducation

Phone: 9427 2792Fax: 9427 2883Email: [email protected]

museum.wa.gov.au


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Contents

Teacher Resource

Links 3 Curriculum Galleries

At the Museum 4 FacilitatedProgram Self-guidedExperience RelatedMuseumResources

At School 5 Classroom Activities

Adult Helper Guide 7 Photocopy We Dig Dinosaurs Adult Helper Guide (for every adult)

Student Activity Sheets 13 Photocopy We Dig Dinosaurs Student Activity sheets (for every student)

museum.wa.gov.au


WesternAustralia:LandandPeopleHackettHall,Level 1

DiamondstoDinosaursJubileeWing,Level 2

DiscoveryCentreHackettHall,Ground Floor

Curriculum LifeandLiving Students understand their own biology and that of other living

things and recognise the interdependence of life.

KeyMessages

1. By investigating fossils, we can identify, compare and contrast various aspects of a dinosaur’s habitat, diet and behaviour.

2. The physical features and behaviours of dinosaurs enabled them to survive in their environment.

Galleries

3

Links

Science

museum.wa.gov.au


FacilitatedProgramOnehour

The facilitated component of We Dig Dinosaurs takes place in one of the Museum’s learning spaces. It is a hands-on, interactive experience with five activity stations where the students become ’junior palaeontologists’.

Pleasehaveyourstudentssplitintofivegroupsforthisexperience(dependingonthenumberofstudentsandadults).Eachgroupwillrequireoneadultsupervisortoassistthemwiththeactivities.

Self-guidedExperienceApproximately45minutes

The self-guided component of We Dig Dinosaurs takes place in the Museum’s galleries. Using the questions contained within the Adult Helper Guide, group leaders will be able to assist students to complete their Student Activity sheets and explore our collection of fossils and dinosaur-related objects.

Please allow for time to explore the galleries before or after your facilitated program. Maps are available at the Front Desk to assist you in locating these galleries, or please ask a staff member for directions.

PhotocopyPleasebringwithyouonthedayofyourexcursion:

We Dig Dinosaurs Adult Helper Guide (for every adult) We Dig Dinosaurs Student Activity sheets (for every student)

RelatedMuseumResourcesPlanningYourExcursion

Excursion Management Plan Excursion Essentials Availableonlinemuseum.wa.gov.au/education

Publications

Fun stuff for students: • 3D T-rex mask

Availableforpurchase,pleaseenquireattimeofbooking.

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At the Museum

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At School

ClassroomActivities

Fromthislist,pleaseselectsomeactivitiesthataresuitablefortheageandabilityofyourstudents.

Footprints:Find out the size of a well-known dinosaur footprint and draw an outline on a large sheet of paper. How many students can fit an outline of their own foot inside it?

Sizeandscale:Use measuring tapes, rulers and other measuring devices such as paper strips to compare the heights of different dinosaurs to everyday objects and familiar buildings. Remember that not all dinosaurs were massive and many could easily fit through the classroom door!

Classification:Discuss herbivores and carnivores, examining pictures of each to determine common distinguishing features such as teeth, claws and limb size/shape. Create a chart in the classroom to show dinosaurs in these categories and add other animals (including humans) to the chart.

Exploringthroughthearts:Re-write familiar songs to a dinosaur theme and add some creative hand or body actions, e.g. ‘Five Little Ducks’ becomes ‘Five Little Dinosaurs’.

Mypetdinosaur.Make dinosaur eggs out of balloons and papier-maché. Paint white and then cut the top open. Make a sock puppet dinosaur to pop out the top.

PreparingfortheMuseumExcursion:Before visiting the Museum, create a ‘mind map’ of the facts that the class know about dinosaurs.

Findoutmore:Use a variety of books and online resources to research dinosaurs seen at the Museum – Muttaburrasaurus, Carnotaurus, Gorgosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.

Dinosaursaroundtheworld:When researching dinosaurs and fossils from around the world, place coloured pins with the dinosaurs’ names on a world map. Where are most of the fossils found? Which dinosaurs have been found in Australia?

Describe-a-saur:Palaeontologists had to use clues from fossils to guess what dinosaurs looked like. What would it be like to draw something that you did not know a lot about? In pairs, give each student a picture of a dinosaur. One has to describe the dinosaur to the other, who has to draw it without looking at the picture. Encourage students to describe features such as teeth, limbs, protection plates, neck length, etc.

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Dinosaurbodies–structureandfunction:Make dinosaur skeletons out of modelling clay or white pipe cleaners. Discuss how the shape of each feature has a specific purpose; e.g. teeth are sharp for cutting or flat for grinding, limb bones are long for striding or reaching, ribs are curved to protect organs and the skull is thick to protect the brain.

Colourorcamouflage?: Collect a variety of dinosaur colouring-in pages and give one to each class member. Instruct half the class to use camouflaging colours and the other half to use ‘mate-attracting’ colours. Hide all pictures in a small garden area and then give students 30 seconds to find as many as they can. Discuss findings and the benefits of different skin colours, explaining that scientists have used other clues to guess what colour dinosaurs were. Investigate other reptiles and their skin colour.

Design-a-saur:Draw plans for a ‘new’ dinosaur, including special features to:

• capture or collect food • eat food • hide from danger • move from place to place • call or attract a mate • defend itself in a fight.

Use modelling clay to make the dinosaur in 3D, adding features with toothpicks, pipe cleaners, feathers, small shells and coloured markers.

Survivalandextinctiontheories:Make a list on the board (using words or simple pictures) in two categories:

• Things that helped dinosaurs survive (such as food, water, new eggs, sunshine, plants etc).

• Things that may have contributed to extinction (such as volcanoes, predators, cooler climate, meteorites etc).

Each class member can draw a picture of one of the things on the board. Stick coloured card on the back so all pictures look the same. Use these to play a ‘survival of the fittest’ game where class members stand in a circle, each member turning a card over, sitting down if they turn an ‘extinction’ card over.

museum.wa.gov.au

Western Australian MuseumAdult Helper Guide: We Dig Dinosaurs© 2011

PhotocopyWe Dig Dinosaurs Adult Helper Guide (for every adult).

HowToUseThisGuideUse the questions contained within the Adult Helper Guide to encourage discussion while you explore our collection of fossils and dinosaur-related objects with your group of students.

This guide will identify which Student Activity Sheet/s should be completed in each gallery.

Please allow approximately 45 minutes additional time for self-guided gallery exploration using Student Activity Sheets and Adult Helper Guide.

GalleriesYou will visit three galleries. The following icons are used within this document and the Student Activity Sheets to identify which gallery you should be in.

We Dig Dinosaurs

Adult Helper Guide




DiscoveryCentreHackettHall,Ground Floor

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CreepuponCarnotaurus

Isthisdinosaurreal?Howdoyouknow? Carnotaurus bones were found in Argentina and it was one of the

most complete dinosaur skeletons ever found. That’s how the Museum could make such a good model.

The Museum used information about the Carnotaurus skeleton to create the shape of its body, and looked at some fossilised skin to design all the lumps and bumps on the outside.

Fossilschangecolourwhentheyturntorock,sohowdoyouthinkwedecidedwhatcolourtheCarnotauruswouldbe?

Looking at plants that may have been used for camouflage.

Comparing to modern-day reptiles.

Dinosaurswerereptiles…canyouseeanyotherreptilesaround?

Small lizard and turtle underneath the Carnotaurus model.

Large python on display.

AskoneoftheMuseumstaffiftheyknowwhenCarnotaurusisduetoROAR!

Creep up on CarnotaurusMark the following:

• Its sharp, meat-eating teeth.

• Its bull-like horns.

• Its sharp claws, which it used to catch its prey.

Draw a close-up of the Carnotaurus’ skin in the magnifying glass.

Western Australia: Land and PeopleHackett Hall, Level 1

© 2009: Approved for classroom use only.

Western Australia: Land and PeopleHackettHall,Level 1

museum.wa.gov.au


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Diamonds to DinosaursJubileeWing,Level 2

ADinosaurDownUnder!

LookatMuttaburrasaurus’flatteeth–whatdiditeat? Plants.Muttaburrasaurus had strong jaws and flat teeth for eating

tough vegetation.

Whatisthespecialnameforplanteater? Herbivore

Whatotherbodypartshelpediteatitsfood? Long arms and neck to reach tall branches.

ShowwithyourarmshowaMuttaburrasaurusmightreachthetallestbranches.

Canyouseethelumponits’head? Many scientists believe that Muttaburrasaurus’ bulging skull was for

making loud calls.

CanyoumakeasoundthataMuttaburrasaurusmighthavemade?

A Dinosaur from Down Under!

Muttaburrasaurus bones were found near a Queensland town called Muttaburra.Colour Queensland on this map of Australia.

Muttaburrasaurus langdoni

Draw some Muttaburrasaurus footprints.

Find the Muttaburrasaurus. Look carefully at its skeleton and draw it inside this body.


Diamonds to DinosaursJubilee Wing, Level 2

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‘T-riffic’T-rex

LookattheT-rex’steeth–whatdoyouthinkitate?Why?WhatwordcanweuseforMeat-eaters?

Carnivore. T-rex feasted on many types of dinosaurs with their sharp, banana-shaped teeth. Scientists believe that T-rex would grow new teeth if it lost any, just like a crocodile.

Findthethickhadrosaurthighbonearoundthecorner. Hadrosaurs were a duck-billed group of dinosaurs. It is likely T-rex would

have eaten hadrosaurs like Parasaurolophus or Corythosaurus.

Askstudentstopointtotheirthighbone.

T-rexhadbinocularvision–seehowitseyesarefacingforward?Howdoyouthinkthathelpedittosurvive?

To judge depth and distance – they could locate prey to eat and easily spot any threats.

Whatotheranimalshaveforwardfacingeyes? Predators like hawks, owls, cats, lions, people. Animals such as

monkeys that need to judge distances to move though trees.

Whatothersensescantheyusewhenhunting? Hearing, smell, touch. Some animals, like snakes, can even

sense heat.

Circle the meal that T-rex might have eaten.

A meat eater is called a

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

‘T-riffic’ T-rexFind the skull of Tyrannosaurus rex.

Draw some sharp teeth in the mouth of T-rex.

T-rex



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FossilHunt

Howdoweknowaboutdinosaurs?Humans were not around when dinosaurs were alive so we need to use the clues left behind by fossils.

Whatcanwetellfromdinosaurlegbones?How they moved, how fast they ran, how many legs they walked on.

Whatcantheshapeofdinosaurteethtellus?What they ate, whether they were predators or not.

Howmanyofthesekindsofanimalsinthedisplaycanstillbefoundtoday?Examples include prawn, cuttlefish, fish, dragonfly, cockroach and wasp.

Encouragechildrentodiscoverasmanydifferentkindsoffossilsastheycaninthegallery.Examples include bones, plants, teeth, eggs, tracks and shells.

Howarefossilsformed?Fossils are preserved remains of plants and animals that may have been covered with mud. Some fossils are prints that may have been left behind in mud. Over millions of years they have turned into rock.

It’sEgg-citing

FindthenestofdinosaureggsfromChina.Canyouguesswhatmightbeinside?ScientistscanusespecialX-rays–calledCATscans,tolookinsidefossiliseddinosaureggswithoutbreakingthem.Theysometimesfindthefossilisedskeletonsofbabydinosaursinsidetheireggs.

Fossil HuntFind these fossils.

Draw a line to the animal or plant that it came from.

It’s Egg-citing! Find the nest of dinosaur eggs.

Draw a baby dinosaur inside this egg.



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Discovery CentreHackettHall,Ground Floor

ToolsoftheTrade

FindthePalaeontologydisplayinthecorner (near the bookshelf).

Whatisapalaeontologist? A palaeontologist is a scientist who finds and studies fossils of animals

and plants that lived long ago.

Lookinthedrawersbeneaththedisplayandfindthesethings:

•adinosaurfootprint Can you guess how long its steps were? Can you show me?

•aTyrannosaurusclaw How might Tyrannosaurus have used this? Can you show me?

•aMassosponylusskull Ask students to guess how big this dinosaur might have been.

Can you show me?

Palaeontologists use this to break fossils out of rocks.

Tools of the TradeFind the palaeontology display. Draw a line to match each tool to the way it is used.

Palaeontologists brush sand away from fragile fossils.

Palaeontologists store small fossils in this.

Palaeontologists

measure the size

of a fossil.


Discovery CentreHackett Hall, Ground Floor

museum.wa.gov.au

Western Australian MuseumStudent Activity Sheets: We Dig Dinosaurs© 2011

PhotocopyWe Dig Dinosaurs Student Activity sheets (for every student).

HowToUseStudentActivitySheetsUse the questions contained within the Adult Helper Guide to encourage discussion while students use their Student Activity sheets.

GalleriesYou will visit three galleries. The following icons are used within this document and the Student Activity sheets to identify which gallery you should be in.

We Dig Dinosaurs

Student Activity Sheets




DiscoveryCentreHackettFloor,Ground Floor

13


Explore our collection of fossils

and dinosaur-related objects.


Student Activity

We Dig Dinosaurs

www.museum.wa.gov.au 14

CreepuponCarnotaurusMarkthefollowing:

•Itssharp,meat-eatingteeth.

•Itsbull-likehorns.

•Itssharpclaws,whichitusedtocatchitsprey.

Drawaclose-upoftheCarnotaurus’skininthemagnifyingglass.

Western Australia: Land and PeopleHackettHall,Level 1

© 2011: Approved for classroom use only. 15

ADinosaurfromDownUnder!

MuttaburrasaurusboneswerefoundnearaQueenslandtowncalledMuttaburra.ColourQueenslandonthismapofAustralia.

Muttaburrasaurus langdoni

DrawsomeMuttaburrasaurusfootprints.

FindtheMuttaburrasaurus.Lookcarefullyatitsskeletonanddrawitinsidethisbody.



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CirclethemealthatT-rexmighthaveeaten.

Ameateateriscalleda

___________________________

‘T-riffic’T-rexFind the skull of Tyrannosaurus rex.

DrawsomesharpteethinthemouthofT-rex.

T-rex


17© 2011: Approved for classroom use only.

FossilHuntFind these fossils.

Drawalinetotheanimalorplantthatitcamefrom.

It’sEgg-citing! Find the nest of dinosaur eggs.

Drawababydinosaurinsidethisegg.



Palaeontologistsusethistobreakfossilsoutofrocks.

ToolsoftheTradeFindthepalaeontologydisplay.Drawalinetomatcheachtooltothewayitisused.

Palaeontologistsbrushsandawayfromfragilefossils.

Palaeontologistsstoresmallfossilsinthis.

Palaeontologists

measure the size

of a fossil.

Discovery CentreHackettHall,Ground Floor


Documents

We Dig Dinosaurs Facilitated Programmuseum.wa.gov.au/sites/default/files/edu-program-flyers/We Dig... · We Dig Dinosaurs Facilitated Program ... e.g. teeth are sharp for cutting