Topic(s): Science

Images/Video Resources

A walk back in time with the Magical School Bus

Asteroid Collision

Earth's Climate

Volcanoes

Scenario

Many years ago dinosaurs roam the world. These creatures were like no other creature or animal we have seen. They came in all sizes; large, medium, small, extra large, extra small. They live on land and water and they were kings and rulers of their time. 

Nowadays we only see dinosaurs in museums, books and movies. So, what happen to the dinosaurs? Many people believe that a combination of several factors is responsible for their destruction.  Paleontologists have several theories about the extinction of the dinosaurs:

1. Collision of an asteroid with our planet
2. Change on Earth’s climate
3. Dinosaurs could not adapt to evolution
4. Multiple eruption of volcanoes  

To try to understand why? or how? dinosaurs got extinct, paleontologists do all sorts of investigations.  “A paleontologist is a scientist who studies the fossils of animals and plants from the past to learn what the earth was like and what kind of animals and plants lived on the earth millions of years ago” (http://www.angelfire.com/magic/homework/paleontologists.htm). Paleontologists have developed several theories regarding the extinction of the dinosaurs.  

Task

Sample Investigations/Teacher Resources

The U.S. Paleontologists Association has commissioned your team to develop a report to help people understand dinosaurs’ extinction. By creating this report people will understand and prepare better for a potential catastrophic event. Your task will be to research one of the theories presented in the scenario.  For example, if you decide to do your presentation on “collision of an asteroid with our planet”, you must do research on this topic and find evidence that support the theory.  As part of your research, you will also provide possible solutions to survive such catastrophical event. 

You will be divided into groups of three or four members. Responsibilities will be divided among the team members. All members are responsible for doing research on the topic. One will be responsible for organizing the information.  Another will be responsible for editing the information. And the last person will be responsible for working on the presentation.   

You are not limited to only these theories. These theories are being provided, to you, only to guide you and not to limit your research. 

Keep in mind that your main goal is to find evidence that try to answer, “What happen to the dinosaurs”?

Teacher Resources:

Questions about dinosaurs to guide students

http://www.zoomdinosaurs.com/subjects/dinosaurs/activities/findit/gr2b.shtml

How to teach evolution to kids

http://www.noanswersingenesis.org.au/teaching_evolution.htm

Facts and Fiction about dinosaurs

http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dinosaurs/

Discovering dinosaurs - a web page that will guide teachers through an exiting lesson on dinosaurs

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/discovering-dinosaurs.cfm

This link provides excellent resources for teachers, including the PowerPoint video "volcanoes".

http://www.freeclubweb.com/powerpoints/science/volcanoes.html

Volcanoes.ppt

This is a PowerPoint on different types of volcanoes

Volcanic cones.ppt

This link provides an online quiz about volcanoes

http://www.geography4kids.com/extras/quiz_earthvolcano/index.html

Student Resources

Students resources:

Information on different dinosaurs such as; name, diet, period of time, etc.

http://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain/games/fieldguide.html

This page give information on the threat to earth from asteroids & comets

http://pan-starrs.ifa.hawaii.edu/public/asteroid-threat/asteroid_threat.html

Climate change threats and impacts - With rapid climate change, one fourth of Earth's species could be headed for extinction.

http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/urgentissues/climatechange/threatsimpacts/index.htm

This page provides kids a guide to global warming

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/17859-the-kids-guide-to-global-warming#

The great mystery - If extinct animals were wiped out by some catastrophe, couldn't that just as easily happen to us? 

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/extinction.html

Ancient volcanic eruptions that might have caused global mass extinction

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090528142827.htm

The following links will assist you on your presentation.

Prezi Tutorial

Tutorial Video on Spicynodes

Tutorial Video on Sliderocket

Click here to play Dino Math

Student Work

Standards

1. Read and analyze the scenario and situation.
Check your understanding of the scenario. Don't be tempted to start thinking about potential solutions or to start looking for information. 

1. List your personal understanding, ideas or hunches.

 With your team use all the information available in the scenario to list everything that you know about dinosaurs. You do not have to conduct any research yet. Just use the information given and write the facts that you already know about dinosaurs.

With your team, make a list about what you do not know and would like to learn. List all the questions you will need to answer to solve the problem.  

4. List what needs to be done.
"What should we do?" List actions to be taken, e.g., question an expert, ask the librarian, ask your parents, conduct research. List possible actions. 

5. Develop a problem statement.

You will be responsible for thinking and choosing one of the theories to solve the problem.  A problem statement should come from your analysis of what you know. In one or two sentences, you should be able to describe what it is that your group is trying to solve, produce, respond to, or find out. The problem statement may have to be revised as new information is discovered and brought to bear on the situation.

Use all the resources available (Internet, library, etc) to research about the problem/topic and find a solution.

7. Present Findings

You will deliver your presentation using any of the folloiwng Web2.0 programs:

prezi

spicynodes

sliderocket

DinosaursRubric.htm

Rubric for project presentation

Information provided ........................  25

graphics & pictures   ..........................  10

organized information ......................  20

spelling and grammer .......................  25

Tone and voice  ....................................  20

Total  ......................................................... 100

Learn the following vocabulary:

1. Factors
2. Environment
3. Temperature
4. Behavior
5. Extinction
6. Migration
7. Volcanoes
8. Asteroids
9. Fossils

    10.  theory

Sources:

Youtube

Google.com

Google.com/Images

http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

http://www.kids-dinosaurs.com/

 http://www.theteachersguide.com/dinosaurs.htm

http://io9.com/5931965/was-the-disappearance-of-the-dinosaurs-actually-two-separate-extinction-events