Dinosaurs and Fossils: Make a Model of a Dinosaur, Primary Science

Students have studied dinosaurs and now make their own model of one. They then analyze the model for likes and differences to the real animal. This is lesson 7 in a series that explores dinosaurs and fossils at the primary level. This lesson includes teacher notes, rubric for scoring, background content, student page, a writing page, and correlation to A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. Dinosaur and Fossil lessons are also included in the book by Karen Ostlund and Sheryl Mercier, Rising to the Challenge of the National Science Education Standards- Primary Grades.

Dinosaur and Fossils Correlations
A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas

Make a Model of Dinosaurs - Scientific Practices
Practice 2: Developing and Using Models:
Students make models of dinosaurs using aluminum foil, pipe cleaners, clay, assorted pasta, or other assorted scrap materials. Then students make a drawing of their model and describe their model dinosaur. They compare their model dinosaur to a real dinosaur,

Make a Model of Dinosaurs- Crosscutting Concepts
Structure and Function
The way in which a living thing is shaped determines many of its functions.

Make a Model of Dinosaurs - Core Ideas
The life sciences are partially rooted in earth science, as Earth remains the only example of a biologically active planet, and the fossils found in the geological record of rocks are of interest to both life scientists and earth scientists.
Life Science
LS4-D: Biodiversity and Humans
What is biodiversity, and how do humans affect it, and how does it affect humans?
Grades K-2:
Where do different kinds of living things live?
Different kinds of plants and animals live in different places and need different things to live.
Sometimes there are changes in the places where plants and animals live.
Grades 3-5:
What happens when there are changes in the ecological conditions of places where organisms of groups of organisms live?
Some plants and animals no longer exist on Earth (e.g., dinosaurs).