DINOSAURS Volume 2, Issue 5

[ABCDE] CURRICULUM GUIDE: DINOSAURS Volume 2, Issue 5

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INSIDE 2 Washington, B.C. 7 Official Dinosaur 9 A Look at Dinosaur

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Is Capit alsaurus the R e al Thing? Of f icial Wor ds KidsPost Article: “Washington, B.C.” Asteroid: R ocky and met allic object s tha t orbit R e ad and Discuss L esson: Use original documents the Sun but are too small to be c onsidered and multiple sources to form an Give students more information opinion. about dinosaurs in the D.C. planet s. Asteroids tha t are likely to c ollide L evel: Mid- to High metropolitan area: “Did Dinosaurs Subjects: Science, Reading Ever Live in the Washington, D.C., with Earth are called meteoroids. Area?” This is a KidsPost “Now R e ad You Know” column. Continent: One o f seven lar ge land masses o f In “Washington, B.C.” Michael Give students “Washington, B.C.” the globe Farquhar takes students on a worksheet. Discuss their answers journey back to an era when and their responses in the writing Continent al drift: The Earth’s crust moves dinosaurs roamed and waters portion. Answers to the questions covered this area. are found at the end of this lesson. several inches a ye ar. In mid-1960s You may wish to give older geophysicist s developed theory o f pla te students “The Past is Present.” Analy ze This full-length feature, which For your background, you may tectonics to explain these movement s. inspired the KidsPost article, wish to read “Making No Bones appeared in The Washington About Their Goal: Students Lobby Erode: To diminish or destroy slowly; to we ar Post’s Sunday Magazine in March Council to Adopt Specimen as 2003. Michael Farquhar examines D.C.’s Official Dinosaur.” If you a wa y by action o f wa ter, wind or glacier s the neighborhood where the have time, students may enjoy new convention center and City reading this article to learn Fossil: A remnant, trac e or impression o f an Museum of Washington, D.C., how students can petition their animal or plant o f p ast geological ages tha t opened their doors. He writes: government and bring issues to “...we look out over these two the attention of officials. The Post has been preserved in the e arth’s crust buildings, one just being born, editorial, “ ‘Them Dino Bones,’” the other gaining new life after a also relates to the lobbying done Mammal: Higher vertebra tes c omprising man century of use and misuse, and see by students from Smothers and and o ther animals tha t nourish their young something static: a mere moment Watkins elementary schools. in urban renewal. What we fail to In January 1999, pupils from with milk and ha ve skin c overed, more or notice is the truth. Time is fluid, Watkins Elementary School on each moment inseparable from Capitol Hill gathered signatures to less, with hair all moments that preceded it, change the name of the 100 block an endless chain of “right now” of F Street S.E. to Capitalsaurus Quarry: An open exca va tion for stone, sla te or that only our puny life spans and Street. Ask students why they limestone monumental self-absorption block might have selected that block for from view.” a name change. Check a current Sediment: Ma terial deposited by wind, wa ter The first section of Farquhar’s map of D.C. to see if they were feature covers the same era as the successful. and glacier s KidsPost article. Students who Give students a copy of “Official read the whole article, glimpse the Dinosaur Designation Act of 1998” Teem: P resent in lar ge quantity, f illed to Mount Vernon Square area from which is found in this guide and prehistoric time to the founding at http://www.dcwatch.com/ overf lowing. of the Federal City, through its archives/council12/12-538.htm. transitions to today’s most recent Discuss the format of the bill De finitions are from the Americ an buildings. and the formal language that is Herit age Dictionary 2 June 10, 2003 © 2003 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 2, Issue 5

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Capit alsaurus In the Know Continued ➤ http://www.geobop.com/paleozoo/ World/NA/US/MD/index.htm used. Do all the findings agree Capitalsaurus. Maryland, T he Mioc ene Se a S t a te with information they read in Is the Smithsonian report Good overview of fossils and shells of “Washington, B.C.”? What new persuasive? Do students think Maryland. information is given? the name Capitalsaurus should be ➤ http://www.geobop.com/paleozoo/ Give students “Capitalsaurus used? World/NA/US/VA/index.htm and Astrodon,” This handout is a V ir ginia, the Mo ther o f Paleontologists small portion of “An Alphabetical Write Listing Of Our Dinosaur TYPE Take a stand. After reading and ➤ http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/ Specimens At The National discussing original documents, index.html Museum Of Natural History respond to a question. Here are Dep artment o f Paleobiology, Smithsonian Smithsonian Institution.” The two possible questions: NMNH portion of the document that Do they think it is right for The National Museum of Natural History applies to Capitalsaurus and metropolitan area citizens to use provides “Discover Dinosaurs!” and Astrodon is provided courtesy the name and students in school “Dinosaur FAQ.” of the Smithsonian’s National to study about this D.C. discovery, ➤ http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ Museum of Natural History. The but scientists should not call dinoeggs/ complete document can be found the dinosaur Capitalsaurus? Do Dinosaur E ggs at http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/ they support the Capitalsaurus The National Geographic presents on dino/dinotypes.htm. remaining the official dinosaur of online exhibit that features an egg hunt Explain to students that a D.C.? and observation of fossil researchers “type” specimen is examined very at they “hatch” fossilized dinosaur carefully and compared with other Enrichment eggs. After viewing the site, go to the specimen to be sure that a new Do a crossword puzzle. “D.C. resources and links. species has been found. The fossil Digs” includes many terms from could be another example/finding the article. When finished, students ➤ http://www.sdnhm.org/exhibits/ of a known species. If the fossil is might write about D.C.’s pre- lostworld/index.html truly distinct, it becomes the “type” 1700’s past using words from the San Diego Na tural History Museum or valid example of that species. crossword puzzle. Although The Dinosaurs of Jurassic Park: This report states that Smithsonian 2. Visit the Smithsonian. The The Lost World exhibit is closed, this scientists believe that Capitalsaurus Stegosaurus is back on display online resource offers lively activities. is not a valid name; scientific study at the Smithsonian’s National The interactive “Name That Reptile” indicates the specimen is either a Museum of Natural History. In reinforces root words and traits of theropod or a form of saurischian a year-long effort, the original dinosaur groups. “Death of a Nodosaur,” dinosaur. skeleton was taken down in order “Dinosaur Bytes” and “Finding Fossils” to repair and conserve the bones. are all worthy stops. Summarize and Evalua te An accurate plaster cast was made IN PRINT Students have now read a so that the original specimens Elizabeth Levy, J. R. Havlan and Dan minimum of three documents: a could be returned to the protection McFeeley. Who Are You Calling KidsPost article, “Washington, of the museum’s collection a Woolly Mammoth?: Prehistoric B.C.”; a bill, “Official Dinosaur cabinets. Scientists took the America. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2001. Designation Act of 1998”; and from opportunity to update the mount as The book ends with the arrival of a scientific report, “Capitalsaurus well. Stegosaurus is now in a more humans to America. A humorous look and Astrodon.” Ask students to realistic, active pose, defending at prehistoric North America is given summarize the information that itself against the meat-eating through cartoons, travel tips, diagrams each document provides about the Allosaurus. and quizzes. 3 June 10, 2003 © 2003 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 2, Issue 5

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Capit alsaurus

Continued In the Post 3. Do some digging. Divide camels and saber-tooth tigers are students into four groups to as common in the Washington ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- research dinosaurs and other area as minivans and SUVs are dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A37317- animal life, climate, soil and water now. 2003Jun9.html “Washington, B .C.” in Washington, B.C. Subtopics are • 8 million years ago: The Potomac Michael Farquhar reports on the D.C. scene provided. River starts as a trickle. millions of years ago. Group 1: Dinosaurs Discovered in • 12,000 years ago: The weather D.C. Area cools and trees that you see ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- Archaeornithomimus, ostrich- today, including oaks and maples dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A56152- like start to sprout. 2003Mar19.html Astrodon johnstoni, Maryland’s “T he Past is P resent ” • 10,000 years ago: Bears, deer, official state dinosaur This full-length feature appeared in The buffalo and Native Americans Capitalsaurus, D.C.’s official Washington Post’s Sunday Magazine in roam the Washington area. dinosaur March 2003. Michael Farquhar examines Dryptosaurus, a toothy carnivore • 213 years ago: George the history of the neighborhood of the new Priconodon, a plant-eater Washington, Thomas Jefferson convention center and City Museum of and Alexander Hamilton reach Washington, D.C. Group 2: Influence of Soil and agreement to put the nation’s ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/ Climate on Preservation of Fossils capital on the banks of the wp-dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A8781- “Dinosaur Alley” Potomac River. 2002Sep26.html A land of swamps and ferns True or False: 1. False; 2. True; 3. “Did Dinosaur s Ever Live in Maryland?” The benefits of clay True; 4. False; 5. True; 6. False; 7. A KidsPost Now You Know Q and A, Sept. False. Short Answer: Answers will 27, 2002. Group 3: Animal Life vary. Bear, buffalo, deer, fish A L ook a t Dinosaur: 1. ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- Camel, rhinoceros, saber-toothed Brontosaurus; 2. Brachiosaurus; 3. dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A99075- tiger, sloth Tyrannosaurs; 4. Triceratops 1998Apr16.html “ ‘T hem Dino Bones’” Group 4: Water, water everywhere D.C. Digs An April 16, 1998, Post editorial Potomac River origins C r o s s w o r d A n s w e r s ➤ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- Rock Creek and its quarry F O S S I L B E D dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A99074- 8 E R A 9 N O 1 0D O 1 1 I 1998Apr29.html Ans wer s 1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5 “Making No Bones About T heir Go al: T imeline A: a. 6; b. 3; c. 1; d. 7; e. 4; R E N T S A N O N 1 6 1 7 1 8 S tudents L obb y Council to A dopt Specimen f. 5; g. 2. Student Created N D O T E E D O 1 9 2 0 2 1 2 2 2 3 as D.C.’s Of f icial Dinosaur” T imeline B: S A I R S O S Vanessa Williams reports on D.C. student • 100 million years ago: 2 4R 2 5A 2 6I N 2 7O 2 8K R A efforts, April 29, 1998. Washington is a jungle filled 2 9 3 0 3 1 3 2 A I M C H I N U ➤ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- with huge ferns and ferocious 3 3 3 4 3 5 dinosaurs. C A P I T O L O R dyn/education/kidspost/nie/A99833- 1991Aug29.html • 66 million years ago: “Digging Up the Dirt on P rehistory: Fossil- The dinosaurs, including Laden Cla y Of fered for S tudy” capitalasaurus, died out. Nancy Reckler reports local schools’ • 1 million years ago: Sloths, involvement in paleontology project.

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program Did Dinosaur s Ever Live in the Washington, D.C., Are a?

Definitely, dino fans. Big dinosaur fossils have been found in Maryland. One of the most spectacular was the 90-pound chunk of a dinosaur thigh found near Laurel in 1991. A father and his two kids, ages 10 and 7, had been looking for fossils in a quarry when they found the six-foot bone. The 110-million-year-old bone came from an Astrodon johnstoni, Maryland’s official state dinosaur. It’s a massive mascot. Adults grew to 30 feet tall and 50 to 60 feet long, paleontologists believe. A.J. (we’re KidsPost, we can give him a nickname) roamed Maryland during the early Cretaceous period, between 140 million and 65 million years ago. He was a plant-eater who looked kind of like a brachiosaur, the type of dinosaur once known as Brontosaurus. Astrodon johnstoni is just one of more than a dozen types of dinosaurs that lived in what is now called Maryland. There was Dryptosaurus, a toothy carnivore much like the famous Tyrannosaurus rex. There was the plant-eating Priconodon and the ostrich-like Archaeornithomimus. These and other dinosaurs thrived in IL LUS TR ATION BY KAREN C ARR F OR THE WASHING TON PO S T the ancient Maryland climate: swampy and ferny and similiar to today’s Dinosaur s ro am the are a around the present-da y Mall in D.C. 100 million ye ar s ago . Louisiana. It took iron miners to unearth the throughout the region, including the Western states have a bigger first eastern dinosaur fossils, in the District and Virginia. About 100 years reputation for dinosaur discoveries, and 19th century. Later, mysterious teeth ago, bones were discovered by workers they deserve it. Fossils are much more and bones started turning up in ore and digging for a sewer pipe near First and plentiful and better preserved there. clay deposits in Prince George’s and F streets SE. Those bones belonged to a Fewer fossils have been found in Anne Arundel counties. cousin of T-rex, renamed Capitalsaurus. Maryland, not because there were no For a time, the stretch of land along (It’s the District’s official dinosaur.) dinosaurs, but because conditions to U.S. Route 1 was known as “Dinosaur So, next time you’re feeling oppressed preserve ancient remains weren’t as Alley.” Dinosaur fossils are still being by the landscape of parking lots, strip good. In the wet, mild Northeast, the found in a strip of gray clay there, malls and cul de sacs, picture A.J. and past is buried under season after season called the Arundel formation. his pals stomping through it. of plant growth and decay. Dinosaur bones have been found —Fern Shen

Washington, B.C. Timeline A. Number the following statements, placing them in the correct time order. Number 1 should be the earliest event. Number 7 should be the most recent event. _____ a. Native Americans roam the Washington area. _____ b. Sloths, camels and saber-tooth tigers live in Washington area. _____ c. Washington is a jungle filled with huge ferns and ferocious dinosaurs. _____ d. Washington, D.C., is established as the nation’s capital. _____ e. The Potomac River starts as a trickle. _____ f. The weather cools and trees that you see today, including oaks and maples start to sprout. _____ g. The dinosaurs, including Capitalsaurus, died out.

B. Using the dates given in the article and the information above, create a timeline on your own paper. Illustrate it.

True or False Use the information in “Washington, B.C” and “Did Dinosaurs Ever Live in the Washington, D.C., area?” to respond to this section. Write “True” in front of the statements that are accurate. Write “False” in front of the statement that are not accurate. ______1. The Appalachian Mountains were never higher than the Rocky Mountains. ______2. Meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs lived in the D.C. area. ______3. Some of the sand on the Atlantic shore was once part of the Appalachian Mountains. ______4. Native Americans found the clay soil too difficult for planting crops. ______5. Fish were once plentiful in the Potomac River. ______6. Dinosaur bones were not found in Virginia. ______7. Maryland’s official dinosaur was a small, meat-eater.

Short Answer Michael Farquhar described life in the past. During which of these times would you have liked to live in the D.C. area? Tell why you have selected this time period. Volume 2, Issue 5

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Of f icial Dinosaur Designa tion A ct of 1998 Bill 12-538 A BIL L IN THE C OUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF C OLUMBIA To Designa te the Capit alsaurus as the o f f icial dinosaur o f the District o f Columbia. BE IT ENACTED BY THE C OUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF C OLUMBIA, Tha t this act ma y be cited as the “Of f icial Dinosaur Designa tion A ct o f 1998.”

Sec. 2 F indings: (1) The dinosaur which was disc overed, in January 1898 a t F ir st and F S treet s S.E., in the District o f Columbia, by workmen during a sewer c onnection project 100 ye ar s ago is the only known specimen o f it s kind in the world. (2) The Capit alsaurus was a lar ge me a t e a ting reptile which ma y be an anc estor o f the T. (tyrannosaur s) rex. (3) About 110 million ye ar s ago , the Capit alsaurus lived in the District o f Columbia with many o ther dinosaur s including plante a ter s. (4) The District o f Columbia during the Capit alsaurus lifetime resembled the b a you c ountry o f southern L ouisiana. (5) The Capit alsaurus fossil disc overed in 1989 is now a t the Smithsonian Museum o f Na tural History in the type room. (6) The Captialsaurus is unique to the District o f Columbia because it s fossil remains ha ve no t been disc overed anywhere else in the world. (7) The vertebra o f the dinosaur was given to the Smithsonian Institution as a gift by J.K. Murphy on January 28, 1898 and rec or ded as acc ession number 33153 and specimen number NMNH 3904. (8) District o f Columbia P ublic Schools’ student s ha ve been studying the Capit alsaurus and many o ther dinosaur s from this are a for ye ar s. (9) The student s ha ve also helped to dig up dinosaur fossils which are now p art o f the Smithsonian’s permanent c ollection.

Sec. 3. The Capit alsaurus shall be the o f f icial Dinosaur o f the District o f Columbia.

Sec. 4. F iscal imp act. The act shall ha ve no f iscal imp act.

Sec. 5. This act shall t ake ef fect immedia tely following approval by the Ma yor (or in the event o f veto by the Ma yor, action by the Council to override the veto), approval by the F inancial R esponsibility and Management Assist anc e A uthority as provided in section 203(a) o f the District F inancial R esponsibility and Management Assist anc e A ct o f 1995, approved April 17, 1995 (109 S t a t. 116; D.C. Code ?392.3(a), 30-da y period o f Congressional review as provided in section 602 (c)(1) o f the District o f Columbia Home Rule A ct, approved Dec ember 24, 1973 (97 S t a t. 813; D.C. Code ?33(c)(1), and publica tion in the District o f Columbia R egister.

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Capit alsaurus and Astrodon The following informa tion is an exc erpt from “An Alphabetical Listing Of Our Dinosaur TYPE Specimens At The Na tional Museum Of Na tural History Smithsonian Institution” by M.K. Brett-Surman. The c omplete online listing (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/p aleo/dino/dino types.htm) is provided by the Dep artment o f Paleobiology o f the Smithsonian Na tional Museum o f Na tural History.

A TYPE specimen is the original specimen used to name a new species. It is the “name be arer” specimen. A designa tion o f “nomen dubium” me ans tha t the specimen is a dubious name.

“Capit alsaurus”, see “Cr eosaurus”

Cr eosaurus po tens L ull 1911, USNM 3049 This species o f theropod has the unique distinction o f being disc overed underne a th the na tion’s capit al! It was found in downtown Washington, D.C., by J.K. Murphy in the la te 1800’s during an exca va tion for a sewer line. It is presumed to be from the Arundel Forma tion (Early Cret ac eous Period). The type ma terial c onsist s only o f the c entrum (b ase) p art o f a vertebra o f wha t is now c onsidered to be either an indetermina te theropod, or some form o f saurischian dinosaur. The original publica tion was by R .S. L ull in the L ower Cret ac eous volume o f the Maryland Geological Survey S tra tigraphic Series.

The re ader is also referred to the monograph by C.W. Gilmore, published in 1920 as p art o f the Bulletins o f the U.S. Na tional Museum.

Unfortuna tely this specimen was used to try and name a new genus, “Capit alsaurus”, in honor o f the na tion’s capit al. This is no t scientif ically justif ied and the name “Capit alsaurus” has no validity.

Pleur oc oelus altus Mar sh 1888, USNM 4971 This species o f brachiosaurid sauropod has appe ared in the litera ture mostly under the name o f “Astrodon”. The type ma terial is from P rinc e Geor ges County, Maryland and was c ollected on November 21, 1887 by Ha tcher and Linthicum. It is from the Arundel Forma tion (Early Cret ac eous Period, Albian st age) and c onsist s o f a p artial tibia and f ibula. The original description was by Mar sh in the American Journal o f Scienc e, volume 35, p age 92, in 1888, where he referred this species to the previously named genus “Astr odon”. (See also Gilmore, 1921.)

The original TYPE o f “Astr odon” c onsist s o f three teeth from the Arundel Forma tion tha t are housed in the Yale Pe abody Museum c ollections, in New Ha ven, Connecticut. It has bec ome traditional to refer any East Co ast sauropods from the L ower Cret ac eous to this genus, which is scientif ically unjustif ied. “Astr odon” is c onsidered to be a nomen dubium.

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Word S tudy … A Look a t Dinosaur Do you fear dinosaurs as you picture the inhabitants of As more dinosaurs were discovered, different Jurassic Park? Or do you dote on dinosaurs? Do you believe characteristics emerged. The specimen needed names to they are fascinating, imaginary creatures or find them as distinguish them. For example, a double row of upright bony evidence of a powerful past? plates ran along the back of an herbivorous dinosaur. It had According to biology books, dinosaurs are not phantoms. long legs, a short neck and a small head. What might be the They existed, but are no longer living; they have been extinct distinguishing trait? It almost looked like it carried a roof an estimated 65 million years. Some of these giant reptiles over its body, so it was given the name Stegosaur. ate meat and some ate plants. Dinosaurs are classified in Can you name four more dinosaurs? the orders Saurischia and Ornithischia. Existing during the If you were a dinosaur, what would your name be? Mesozoic era, most dinosaurs lived on land, but a few lived in water. Greek wor d Me aning Dinosaur’s Name In 1842, British anatomist Richard Owen invented a word S tegos R oo f S tegosaur for use in a technical paper, “Report on British fossil reptiles. Br ontê Thunder ______Part II.” He combined two Greek words: deinos and sauros to create the new term “dinosaur.” Some dictionaries define Brachi Arm ______deinos as “monstrous.” The National Museum of Natural Turannos Tyrant ______History says that Owen was using the superlative meaning of deinos that is “fearfully great, as in awe-inspiring.” Sauros Tri + keras + op s three + horn + eye ______means “lizard.” The Smithsonian museum adds that Owen “knew they were NOT lizards, but thought that they may People have examined fossils and imagined what dinosaurs have been derived from them.” Remember this was 1842. might have looked like. The first full-scale models of So, if we look at dinosaurs as Richard Owen did, they are dinosaurs, created by sculptor Waterhouse Hawkins, were not terrible lizards. Dinosaurs are creatures that inspire awe. displayed at London’s Crystal Place Exhibition in 1851. In 1824, William Buckland was the first person to publish a As more fossils were discovered and technology improved, description of a reptile that he had named Megalosaurus. He more could be known about dinosaurs. You can go online to had collected fossils from a quarry near Oxford in England. view many interesting exhibits, even see electron scans of The fragments revealed that the lizard had to be as large as dinosaur eggs, or you can get even closer to dinosaur fossils an elephant. So it was mega (great, large), a Megalosaurus and reconstructions by visiting the National Museum of or Great Lizard. Natural History on the Mall.

D.C. Digs Many of the words in this crossword puzzle are associated with dinosaurs and D.C

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31 32

33 34 35

ACROSS apartment. He ____ it. Congress meets 10. District Attorney (abbrev.) 1. A remnant of a past geological 14. Anonymous (abbrev.) 35. Particle used to express an 13. Most workers take the Metro age 16. Express excessive love or alternative or drive _ _ work. 6. The land on which Washington, fondness 15. Smell. Think of a swamp on a D.C., was built was once a river_ 18. Ancient name for Tokyo DOWN hot July day. _ _. 19. South America (abbrev.) 1. Flowerless, seedless plants 17. Emergency Room (abbrev.) 8. A major division of geological 21. Internal Revenue Service with fronds 20. An elaborate melody for a time (abbrev.) 2. A mineral deposit single voice 9. Means “knobby,” as in 23. Old Style (abbrev.) 3. Particle that is smaller than 22. Land Nodosaurus. A species of 24. Water falling in drops gravel, coarser than silt 25. Ampere (abbrev.) nodosaurid ankylosaur was found 27. Green “slimy” pod that is 4. A natural impulse or aptitude 26. Ninth letter of the alphabet in Prince George’s County in eaten 5. Expression of wonder or 28. Kronen (abbrev.) 1887. 29. Ability to hit a target surprise, as in “__ and behold that 29. Alternating current (abbrev.) 11. First person singular pronoun 30. Lower part of the face, below lizard!” 31. Expression to attract 12. The aggressive animal the lower lip 6. Hard part of the skeleton of a attention, as in “land _ _” ______or tears apart its victim 32. Twenty-first letter of the vertebrate 34. _, me, and myself to establish territory. In modern alphabet 7. Extinct carnivorous or times: He does not own his 33. The building in which the U.S. herbivorous reptile Volume 2, Issue 5

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An In tegra ted C urric ulum For The Washington Po s t Newsp aper In Educ a tion Program

Academic Content S t andards (The main lesson addresses these academic c ontent st andar ds.) This lesson addresses academic content standards of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Among those that apply are: Maryland V ir ginia Washington, D.C. Science Science Science Skills & P roc esses: S tudent s will Grade F ive:The f ifth-grade st andar ds Life Scienc e, Content S t andar d 2: Observe, demonstra te the thinking and acting emphasize the import anc e o f selecting investiga te, describe and classify living things; inherent in the practic e o f scienc e. Use the appropria te instrument s for me asuring and explain life c ycles, diver sity, adapt a tions, knowledge o f scienc e and a vailable scientif ic rec or ding observa tions. The or ganiza tion, structure and function o f c ells and s ystems equipment to devise a plan to solve a analysis, and applica tion o f da t a c ontinue reproduction, heredity, inter dependenc e, practical problem. Grade 7: Apply c onc ept s to be an import ant focus o f classroom beha vior, f low o f ener gy and ma tter and and proc esses o f scienc e to t ake and defend inquiry. Scienc e skills from prec eding grades, changes over time. Grade 4: The student a position rela tive to an issue. including questioning, using and valida ting classif ies living things to know a gre a t variety evidenc e, and s ystema tic experiment a tion, o f kinds o f living things can sorted into groups Reading are reinfor c ed a t this level. in many wa ys using various fe a tures to decide S tudent s ex amine, c onstruct and extend the Grade Six: The sixth-grade st andar ds which things belong to which group. me aning o f a variety o f self -selected and c ontinue to focus on student growth in assigned text (traditional and electronic) by under st anding the na ture o f scienc e. Reading applying a range o f re ading stra tegies and This scientif ic view def ines the ide a tha t Language for R ese ar ch and Inquiry, Content analytic techniques. S tudent s explana tions o f na ture are developed and S t andar d 3: S tudent s use language and • distinguish relevant from irrelevant tested using observa tion, experiment a tion, s ymbol s ystems (e.g., timelines, maps, graphs informa tion c ont ained within text; models, evidenc e and s ystema tic proc esses. and chart s) to def ine problems and or ganize • distinguish among fact s, and opinions in The na ture o f scienc e includes the c onc ept s informa tion. The student text; tha t scientif ic explana tions are b ased on • genera tes questions and makes c onnections • distinguish whether informa tion can be logical thinking; are subject to rules o f about issues, text s, or topics o f interest; useful or no t. evidenc e; are c onsistent with observa tional, • distinguishes between primary and inferential, and experiment al evidenc e; are sec ondary sour c es; A c omplete list o f S t a te Content S t andar ds open to ra tional critique; and are subject to • identif ies stra tegies for managing informa tion o f Maryland can be found a t ht tp:// ref inement and change with the addition (e.g., summarizing, checking for bias). www.mdk12. or g/mspp /st andar ds/. o f new scientif ic evidenc e. The na ture o f scienc e includes the c onc ept tha t scienc e A c omplete list o f S t andar ds for Te aching and can provide explana tions about na ture, can L e arning o f the District o f Columbia P ublic Schools predict po tential c onsequenc es o f actions, can be found a t ht tp://www.k12.dc.us. but canno t be used to ans wer all questions.

Reading Grade Six, 6.6:The student will c omp are and c ontrast informa tion about one topic c ont ained in dif ferent selections.

A c omplete list o f S t andar ds o f L e arning o f Vir ginia can be found on the Web a t ht tp:// www.pen.k12.va.us/.