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How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?
Animals Through Time Unit | Lesson 2 of 3
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How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

Animals Through Time Unit | Lesson 2 of 3
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:

How do you think scientists figure out what dinosaurs looked like?

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DISCUSS: (1 of 6)
This is the skeleton of a kind of animal alive on Earth today.
What kind of animal do you think it is?
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DISCUSS: (2 of 6)
It’s an ELEPHANT!
What would you need to add to make this look like a living elephant?
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DISCUSS: (3 of 6)
Try another one! This is the skeleton of a kind of animal alive today.
What kind of animal do you think it is?
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DISCUSS: (4 of 6)
It’s a CAMEL!
What would you need to add to make this look like a living camel?
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DISCUSS: (5 of 6)
Last one! This is the skeleton of a kind of animal alive today.
What kind of animal do you think it is?
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DISCUSS: (6 of 6)
It’s a PEACOCK!
What would you need to add to make this look like a living peacock?
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DISCUSS:
What do the animals on top have in common?
What makes them look DIFFERENT from the animals on the bottom?
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DISCUSS:
Observe this dinosaur fossil closely. What do you notice?
Describe what you see in as much detail as possible.
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Step
01/20
You’ll work with a partner.
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Step
02/20
Get your supplies.
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Step
03/20
Cut along the dotted lines of your Modern Animal Bone Cards.
Sort them into 3 piles: A, B, & C.
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Step
04/20
Make observations about the skulls (“A” cards) with your partner.
Write and circle similarities and differences you notice on the cards.
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Step
05a/20
Sort the skull cards into the two groups: carnivores and herbivores.
Answer question 1 on your worksheet.
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Step
05b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
06/20
Finalize which cards go in the carnivore group and which cards go in the herbivore group.
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Step
07a/20
Did the dinosaur most likely eat meat or plants?
Answer questions 2 and 3 on your worksheet.
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Step
07b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
08/20
New fossil discovery!
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Step
09/20
Make observations about these bones (“B” cards) with your partner.
Write and circle any similarities and differences on the cards.
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Step
10a/20
Sort your “B” bone cards into two groups: animals that walk on their
back two limbs and animals that walk on all four limbs.
Answer question 4 on your worksheet.
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Step
10b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
11/20
Finalize how you sorted your cards.
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Step
12a/20
Did the dinosaur most likely walk on its back two limbs only or on all
four limbs? Answer questions 5 and 6 on your worksheet.
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Step
12b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
13/20
New fossil discovery!
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Step
14/20
Make observations about these bones (“C” cards) with your partner.
Write and circle any similarities and differences on the cards.
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Step
15/20
Sort your “C” bone cards into three groups: wings, flippers, and
claws. Answer question 7 on your worksheet.
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Step
16/20
Get the rest of your supplies.
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Step
17a/20
Cut out extra bone cards. Make observations with your partner.
Sort all front limb bones into THREE groups: wings, flippers, and
claws.
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Step
17b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
18a/20
Sort the fossil bone into one of your 3 groups.
Answer questions 8 and 9 on your worksheet.
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Step
18b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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Step
19/20
Discuss:
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Step
20/20
Discuss:
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DISCUSS:
Compare these pictures. What’s the same? What’s different?
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DISCUSS:

If scientists can’t find many fossils of the soft parts of a dinosaur, what evidence should a paleoartist use to draw those parts?

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dinosaur


1 of 11

a type of animal that lived long ago and that shares traits with modern birds and reptiles
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extinct


2 of 11

a type of living thing that once lived on Earth but no longer exists
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bones


3 of 11

the hard parts inside many animals that help give their bodies shape
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skeleton


4 of 11

all of the bones of an animal
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fossil


5 of 11

the remains of a plant or animal that lived a very, very long time ago
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carnivore


6 of 11

an animal that only eats other animals
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herbivore


7 of 11

an animal that only eats plants
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paleontologist


8 of 11

a scientist who studies fossils
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observe


9 of 11

to pay close attention to something
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claim


10 of 11

to say or write an idea
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evidence


11 of 11

information that can be used to support or reject an idea
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Featured Reviews

“My students LOVED looking for similarities between the skeletons. They LOVED guessing which animals belonged to the skeletons. They LOVED using their evidence to determine the features of the unknown fossil. ”
· Mallory · Teacher
“The videos and handouts are amazing. Students were engaged throughout the lesson. I appreciated that you incorporated all four language domains which is so important. This is particularly helpful for my English language learners. As they were discussing, I was able to access them informally. Thank you!”
· Ana · Teacher
“The kids loved this lesson. It was great to see them use there. Observational skills. They even got into some disagreements about what the observations told them. There was some good partner work.”
· · Teacher
“Our 8 year old son, Matthew, absolutely loved this lesson. It kept his FULL attention and he did not want it to end. He has been passionate about dinosaurs for a long time, for years even, and to stumble upon this lesson was a treasure for him. And to try to single out a best part would not do the lesson justice as a whole. He thoroughly enjoyed it all. Thank you very much.”
· CiCelia · Homeschooler
“The kids were very engaged and loved learning about fossils and how scientists can tell a lot about them just from their bone structure.”
· Deanna · Teacher
“My students loved seeing what the animals (who are alive today) were after seeing the bones.”
· Taylor · Teacher
“The low-prep, step-by-step guidance to a hands-on activity. A teacher's dream! Engaging content that is actually covering the standards!”
· Amanda · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 3

Fossils & Changing Environments

Fossil Evidence & Dinosaurs

3-LS4-1

Activity Prep

Print Prep
THIS LESSON WAS REVISED ON JUNE 1, 2023. Here is a link to the previous version.
In this lesson, students analyze data from dinosaur fossils in order to provide evidence about the appearance and behavior of those dinosaurs when they were living. In the activity, Dinosaur Detectives, students compare the traits of dinosaur fossils with the traits of modern animals in order to help a paleoartist draw a dinosaur as accurately as possible.
Preview activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Animal Bone Cards (A, B, & C) printout Print 15 copies
Dinosaur Decisions worksheet 30 copies
Dinosaur Decisions Answer Key teacher-only resource 1 copy
Extra Evidence Bone Cards printout
Needs to be prepped prior to lesson (see below). 		Print 8 copies
Scissors
30 pairs
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prepare Extra Evidence Bone Cards

Extra Evidence Bone Cards will print two per page so you will need to prep these cards by cutting along the thick black line in the middle of the page. Each pair of students will need a 1/2 sheet for the activity.

Wait to distribute these cards until Step 16 of the activity.

Teacher Background

This activity involves students annotating illustrations of animal bones. Students are asked to write observations and circle patterns on their Animal Bone Cards. Prior to beginning the activity, it may be helpful to have a discussion about how circling similarities and writing notes on diagrams can be a useful way to compare and contrast multiple images.

Exploration

15 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Wrap-Up

12 mins

Grade 3

Fossils & Changing Environments

Fossil Evidence & Dinosaurs

3-LS4-1

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Credits
 
Fossils Lesson 2: How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

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