This activity, designed to simulate an archeological dig, allows students to experience the difficulties when interpreting an archeological discovery. They will demonstrate an understanding of model building, use problem solving to put unknown entities together in a sequential manner, and answer questions related to an organisms structural and/or anatomical design, possible habitat, and way of securing ... Full description.

This powerpoint hosted by the National Park Service (NPS) educational site introduces the concepts behind the science of paleontology. Specifically, this show discusses how paleontologists put clues together to interpret what happened millions of years ago in the history of the Earth. This includes using maps and stratigraphic columns to find places to look for fossils, removing fossils from their ... Full description.

This lesson is designed to teach elementary students to make observations and form hypotheses by using the concept of trace fossils. Using tennis shoes to create different track types and patterns, students write stories and draw conclusions about what kinds of activities might have created such track patterns. Full description.

This activity demonstrates to students how paleontologists put fossil evidence together allowing them to imagine what the Earth was like millions of years ago. Students are given certain fossils (drawings or real specimens) and must draw a map showing what environments were present when the fossils were living. This lesson provides all necessary worksheets as well as extension activities. Full description.

This lesson introduces elementary students to the concept of soring living things into groups according to certain features. Students look at two kinds of dinosaurs based upon the structure of the pelvis and categorize them accordingly. Full description.

This website is part of National Geographic's Xpeditions Hall, and offers videos, links to related sites, and other interactive features to help students understand the importance of environment as it relates to organisms and where they choose to live. This activity uses the dinosaur Tyrannosaurus rex as an example and prompts students to find out what kind of environment would best suit this creature's ... Full description.

This National Geographic Society (NGS) website takes users behind the scenes of their 1996 article 'The Great Dinosaur Egg Hunt'. The site contains an online egg hunt and a look at fossil researchers as they 'hatch' fossilized dinosaur eggs to reveal the embryos inside. This includes an in-depth look at 3 different dinosaur eggs that have been found, how researchers view the insides of fossilized ... Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan for kindergarten students discusses prehistoric animals. It will teach students to identify different types of dinosaurs, including names and characteristics. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating ... Full description.

This Classroom Connectors lesson plan fossils and how they are formed. The site provides goals, objectives, an outline, time required, materials, activities, and closure ideas for the lesson. The Classroom Connectors address content with an activity approach while incorporating themes necessary to raise the activity to a higher cognition level. The major motivation is to employ instructional strategies ... Full description.

This database provides access to information about dinosaurs. The reference area is searchable by genus, species, author, or year. Reference information includes a description of the dinosaur's name, information on its discovery, and some statistics (length, weight, diet, time span of the species). There is also a taxonomic classification, a brief description of the dinosaur, an an image (where available). ... Full description.