How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

Lesson narration:
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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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02/20
Get your supplies.
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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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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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05b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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06/20
Finalize which cards go in the carnivore group and which cards go in the herbivore group.
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07a/20
Did the dinosaur most likely eat meat or plants?
Answer questions 2 and 3 on your worksheet.
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07b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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08/20
New fossil discovery!
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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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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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10b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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11/20
Finalize how you sorted your cards.
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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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12b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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13/20
New fossil discovery!
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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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15/20
Sort your “C” bone cards into three groups: wings, flippers, and
claws. Answer question 7 on your worksheet.
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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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17b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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18a/20
Sort the fossil bone into one of your 3 groups.
Answer questions 8 and 9 on your worksheet.
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18b/20
Here’s what we noticed.
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19/20
Discuss:
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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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Lesson narration:

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

Exploration

15 mins

Wrap-Up

12 mins

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