[ABCDE] CURRICULUM GUIDE: DINOSAURS Volume 2, Issue 5 e r I n E d u c a p a p t i o w s n P N e r o t g s r a P o m n t o g i n h s T a h e W C e u h r T r i f c u O l u e r m o C A t e T h h T e t C A o r m KLMNO e u l O u An Integrated Curriculum c f i r Resource Program T r h u e C W e a h s T h i n g t o n P m o a s r t g N o r e P w s n p o a i p t a e c r u I d n E INSIDE 2 Washington, B.C. 7 Official Dinosaur 9 A Look at Dinosaur Did Dinosaurs Live Capitalsaurus and Crossword in the Washington, Astrodon 5 D.C., area? 8 10 June 10 , 2003 © 2003 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 2, Issue 5 KLMNO An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Is Capitalsaurus the Real Thing? Official Words KidsPost Article: “Washington, B.C.” Asteroid: Rocky and metallic objects that orbit Read and Discuss Lesson: Use original documents the Sun but are too small to be considered and multiple sources to form an Give students more information opinion. about dinosaurs in the D.C. planets. Asteroids that are likely to collide Level: 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 Read You Know” column. Continent: One of seven large land masses of 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 Continental 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 year. In mid-1960s You may wish to give older geophysicists developed theory of plate students “The Past is Present.” Analyze This full-length feature, which For your background, you may tectonics to explain these movements. 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 wear Post’s Sunday Magazine in March Council to Adopt Specimen as 2003. Michael Farquhar examines D.C.’s Official Dinosaur.” If you away by action of water, wind or glaciers the neighborhood where the have time, students may enjoy new convention center and City reading this article to learn Fossil: A remnant, trace or impression of an Museum of Washington, D.C., how students can petition their animal or plant of past geological ages that 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 earth’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 vertebrates comprising man century of use and misuse, and see by students from Smothers and and other animals that 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 have skin covered, 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 excavation for stone, slate 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: Material deposited by wind, water The first section of Farquhar’s map of D.C. to see if they were feature covers the same era as the successful. and glaciers KidsPost article. Students who Give students a copy of “Official read the whole article, glimpse the Dinosaur Designation Act of 1998” Teem: Present in large quantity, filled to Mount Vernon Square area from which is found in this guide and prehistoric time to the founding at http://www.dcwatch.com/ overflowing. of the Federal City, through its archives/council12/12-538.htm. transitions to today’s most recent Discuss the format of the bill Definitions are from the American buildings. and the formal language that is Heritage Dictionary 2 June 10, 2003 © 2003 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY Volume 2, Issue 5 KLMNO An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Capitalsaurus In the Know Continued ➤ http://www.geobop.com/paleozoo/ World/NA/US/MD/index.htm used. Do all the findings agree Capitalsaurus. Maryland, The Miocene Sea State 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 Virginia, the Mother of 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 Department of 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 Eggs 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 Natural 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 Evaluate 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 KLMNO An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Capitalsaurus 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.