Paleontology Grades 7-8 Science Unit PDF

PALEONTOLOGY 3- 8 Science Unit Study THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL  Paleontology CREATED BY THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL TEAM Table of Contents Unit Information................................. ii...

PALEONTOLOGY 3- 8 Science Unit Study THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL  Paleontology CREATED BY THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL TEAM Table of Contents Unit Information................................. ii Read-Aloud Book Pack & Correlated Books.................. iii Grades 7–8 Lesson Extensions......................... iv Supplies Needed................................. v Vocabulary.................................... vii Lesson 1: Introduction to Paleontology.................... 1 Lesson 2: Discovering Fossils.......................... 7 Lesson 3: Introduction to Dinosaurs...................... 15 Lesson 4: Land of Giants............................. 17 Lesson 5: Carnivores and Herbivores...................... 24 Lesson 6: Sky and Sea.............................. 29 Lesson 7: Fossils in Ice and Tar......................... 41 Lesson 8: Introduction to Archaeology..................... 47 Lesson 9: Excavation............................... 51 Lesson 10: Artifacts............................... 53 Lesson 11: Around the World in Ancient Days................. 65 © 2022 Jenny Phillips | goodandbeautiful.com No part of this PDF document may be copied or reproduced for anyone outside your family or school group of eight children or fewer. If you are using this document for a school group, you must purchase a copy for each set of eight children in the class. © Jenny Phillips i  Unit Information Student Journal Content for Older Children All The Good and the Beautiful science units Some lessons include extra content that is include activities in a student journal. Each more applicable for older children (grades 7–8). student should have his or her own student 7–8 Parents or teachers may choose to skip this journal, and the parent or teacher will direct content if instructing only younger children. the student regarding when to complete the activities as directed in the lessons. This book can be purchased Content for Younger Children by going to goodandbeautiful.com/science and clicking Some lessons include extra content that is on the Paleontology unit link. more applicable for younger children (grades 3–6 3–6). Parents or teachers may choose to skip Science Wall this content if instructing only older children. All The Good and the Beautiful science units include vocabulary words to be placed on Belief Statement your science wall, which is a wall or tri-fold The Paleontology unit has been written with a focus on presentation board in your learning area on basic Bible principles, allowing all families to use this which you can attach the vocabulary words and other unit and add in their specific beliefs. This unit works images. Cut out the vocabulary word cards at the well for those who hold either Young Earth or Old Earth beginning of the unit. The course will indicate when to beliefs. place them on the wall. Versions Lesson Preparation New discoveries are being made on an ongoing basis. All The Good and the Beautiful science units This course is reviewed and revised periodically to keep include easy-to-follow lesson preparation information as up-to-date as possible. This version is directions at the beginning of each lesson. the first edition of this unit. Activities and Experiments Many of The Good and the Beautiful science lessons involve hands-on activities and experiments. An adult should always closely supervise children as they participate in the activities and experiments to ensure they are following all necessary safety procedures. Unit Videos Some lessons include videos that were created by The Good and the Beautiful. Have a device available that is capable of playing the video from goodandbeautiful.com/sciencevideos or from the Good and Beautiful Homeschooling app. © Jenny Phillips ii  Read-Aloud Book Pack The books below are optional read-aloud books that complement this unit. These books can be purchased as a book pack by going to goodandbeautiful.com/science and clicking on the Paleontology link. Ancient Animals The Ultimate Dinosaur Guide by Molly Sanchez and The Good and the Beautiful Team by Heather Hawkins CORRELATED BOOKS The Good and the Beautiful Library has several books that correlate well with the Paleontology unit. It can be a wonderful experience for children to read books at their levels that are related to the subjects they are learning in science. The library includes both fiction and nonfiction books organized according to reading level. Find the Correlated Books by going to goodandbeautiful.com and clicking on the Paleontology science unit product page. © Jenny Phillips iii  GRADES 7–8 Lesson Extensions How the Extensions Work Taking Notes Each lesson has an optional lesson extension for Some of the grades 7–8 lesson extensions have the children in grades 7–8. Complete the lesson with all the children summarize the material read. Teach the children, and then have the older children complete children to look for key information, summarizing the self-directed lesson extension. These extensions are the most important points. Students can also add located in the Grades 7-8 Student Journal. notes with their thoughts and the facts that are most interesting to them. Answer Key The answer key for the lesson extensions can be found Optional Grades 7–8 Reading Book on the free Good and Beautiful Homeschool app in We recommend Amazing Archaeological Digs as extra the science section. Visit goodandbeautiful.com/apps reading for students in grades 7–8. This book can be for information on accessing the app. The app can be purchased by going to goodandbeautiful.com/science accessed from a computer, phone, or tablet. and clicking on the Paleontology unit link. Flexibility The amount of time it will take to complete each lesson extension will vary for each child. The average time is about 10–15 minutes per extension. Parents/teachers and children may choose to omit parts of the lesson extension if desired. Encourage the children to stretch their capabilities, but also reduce work if needed. Amazing Archaeological Digs by The Good and the Beautiful Team © Jenny Phillips iv  Supplies Needed You will need the following supplies for activities and experiments. Lesson 1 Lesson 7 None 2 bananas (optional) Lesson 2 Thermometer (optional) 2 cups of cornstarch per child One large and one small plastic bottle (such as a 2-liter pop bottle and a standard 16.9-oz water 1 cup of water per child bottle) 1 medium-sized bowl and spoon per child 2 straws cut in half per child Lesson 8 1–2 small toys with smooth, hard surfaces 4 slices of sandwich bread per child (plastic dinosaurs if available) per child 3–4 small objects per child such as paper clips, Lesson 3 candies, toothpicks, etc., that can be placed between the bread Simple tools for digging (toothpick, butter knife, 1 heavy book per child fork, etc.) Glue Lesson 9 Permineralization activity prepared previously 1 small-to-medium soft chocolate chip cookie per child Lesson 4 2 toothpicks per child Chalk or tape Lesson 10 Glue 5 leaves (any leaves, such as from a tree or A pair of scissors for each child houseplant) Lesson 11 3 cups filled halfway with water 9 pennies Lesson 5 9 dimes None tape Lesson 6 Optional: 4 additional coins (if all the children are working together in a timed game) None  Vocabulary Instructions: Cut out the vocabulary cards in this section. Place them on your science wall when prompted to do so in the lessons. Review the vocabulary words several times during this unit and, if desired, at various times throughout the school year. Paleontology the scientific study of the remains of ancient animals and plants Fossil the preserved remains, or traces of remains, of ancient organisms Impression an indented mark formed by life preserved in rock © Jenny Phillips vii  Pterosaur an extinct group of flying reptiles Plesiosaur an extinct group of marine reptiles Permafrost a layer of Earth that stays frozen year-round, found primarily in polar regions Archaeology the study of human culture and history © Jenny Phillips xiii  PALEONTOLOGY Introduction LESSON 1 to Paleontology e je ctiv Ob Help the children feel the wonder of discovering ancient life and understand the process of finding and studying remnants of the past. Preparation: None Activity Supplies: None Read to the Children Picture Observation Have you ever wondered what it would be like to Have the children observe the images of discover something from long ago? In this unit we paleontologists included on page 6 of this lesson. will learn about the branch of science where people specialize in studying the things left behind by the Read to the children: Paleontologists, scientists who animals, plants, and people of times past. work in paleontology, use a variety of tools to remove and study the remains of ancient life, Science Wall: Vocabulary Word ranging from jackhammers to dental picks. What similarities do you see in Place the vocabulary card PALEONTOLOGY these pictures? [clothing, environment, on your science wall. Read and discuss the tools] Do you see the string set up in a grid? word and its definition. Why do you think that grid is used? We will discover the answer in the next activity. Paleontology Dinosaur Discovery Video Watch the video titled Read to the Children “Paleontology: Discovering Dinosaurs” at goodandbeautiful.com/sciencevideos. Children have made important discoveries in paleontology. Young Wylie Brys discovered a nodosaur Read to the children: Why do you think scientists take [NO–doh–sore] bone at a construction site in Texas, and careful notes? When a dinosaur is found, the position 12-year-old Nathan Hrushkin found a hadrosaur [HAD– of each bone and the rock surrounding it provide clues roh–sore] bone while hiking in Canada. In this science that help scientists learn about the dinosaur and the unit, you will learn so much about where and how to world it lived in. look for ancient artifacts that maybe someday you will find a dinosaur bone, too! © Jenny Phillips 1 LESSON 1 World of Discovery Map Activity 3 Gobi Desert, Mongolia The first dinosaur discovered here, an oviraptor [OH– Refer to the “World of Discovery Map” at vir–AP–tor], was thought to be stealing the eggs found the end of this lesson. near it. It was later discovered that the dinosaur was Read to the children: Do you see the red simply sitting on the eggs. The largest sauropod [SAR– circles on the map? These are discovery hot oh–pod] footprint was also found here in 2016. spots where dinosaur bones are often found. Do we live near any of these hot spots? We are going to read about each one in order. As I read about each hot spot, find its circle on the map. Write the blue underlined letters in each hot spot’s name in order on the spaces on the journal page to find out the name of the first discovered dinosaur. 1 Drumheller, Alberta, Canada Drumheller is home to Tyra, the world’s largest dinosaur statue which is over four times as large as a real Tyrannosaurus rex [ty–RAN-oh–SOR–us rex]. Visitors can climb stairs inside to her head to look out over the rocky badlands where Nathan Hrushkin found 4 Hell Creek Formation, USA the bones of a hadrosaur. The famous Barnum Brown made three important discoveries here, including a skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex, something never found before. In 2003, a very unique discovery was made—a dinosaur tail with patches of mummified skin attached. Golden Gate Highlands National Park, South 2 Africa Known for its red and golden-orange sandstone cliffs, this national park is home to an exciting recent discovery of ten Massospondylus [MASS–oh–SPON– duh–lus] nests. Eggs, embryos, and even tiny dinosaur footprints were found in and around the nests. © Jenny Phillips 2  World of Discovery Map 1 5 4 8 2 7 3 6 LESSON 2 Types of Fossils Science Wall: Vocabulary Words Category Example Formation Place the vocabulary cards IMPRESSION, PETRIFICATION, and PERMINERALIZATION Indirect evidence on your science wall. Read and discuss the from animal activity such as footprints, words and their definitions. feces, eggs without embryos, and Trace burrows. These Impression Fossil traces are covered by sediment before water or wind erodes Petrification them, and then they harden into rock. Similar to trace fossils Permineralization but created by the body of an organism that has decomposed. Permineralization Activity Impression Sometimes casts are created when the Give each child a bowl, a spoon, two cups impression fills with of cornstarch, one cup of water, straws, sediment. and a few small toys. Read to the children: We are going to create fossils! 1. Mix the cornstarch and water until smooth. Molds are 2. Place your straws and any small toys you would impressions left like to dig out into the mixture. from the body of an 3. Leave the mixture for 48 hours until fully organism. Casts are hardened. Petrified these molds filled Permineralization is a petrification process in Remains with sediment. which minerals replace the original material. This is replicated in this activity. We will see the results and dig out our fossils in the next lesson. Fossil Detective Activity Original material 1. Lay all of the cut-out “Fossil Detective is preserved in its Cards” faceup on the table. original form by amber, ice, or tar 2. Have the children take turns picking a which keep the picture card and trying to match it to the correct Preserved information card using clues from the fossil Remains organism from decomposing as (answer key provided on page 14). quickly, if at all. Lesson 2 Extension 7–8 Have children grades 7–8 complete the self-directed Lesson 2 extension titled “Coprolites” in their student journals. © Jenny Phillips 8  Fossil Detective Cards © Jenny Phillips 9 LESSON 3 was discovered in Germany around 1335. As more of categories you created for your classification system. these strange creatures were discovered, scientists If not, create a new group or start over and classify all began to wonder if this was a unique species that the dinosaurs using a new system. Continue giving the was now extinct, meaning no members of the species children two dinosaurs and allowing them to classify were still alive. Richard Owens identified dinosaurs them until all the cards have been used. What did as a new species in you learn from this activity? [Dinosaur classification 1842 and gave them has changed over the years as new dinosaurs have the name dinosaur, been discovered.] which means “terrible lizard.” Early Dinosaur Fossils Video scientists trying to Watch the video titled “Dinosaur Fossils: piece together fossils Iguanodon with nose spike Pieces of a Puzzle” at goodandbeautiful.com/ often made their sciencevideos. closest guesses using the information they had at the time. As later scientists gathered more information, Discuss with the children: What is your favorite type of they corrected some of what early scientists thought. dinosaur? What is something new you learned about a When the Iguanodon was discovered by Gideon dinosaur today? How are scientists learning new things Mantell, he believed about dinosaurs? the spike went on its nose. Dinosaur Field Journal Mantell used the Have the children turn to the “Dinosaur information he had Field Journal” booklet in Lesson 3 of their at the time. Newer student journals. evidence has led Iguanodon with thumb spike paleontologists to Read to the children: Let us use your “Dinosaur Field believe that the Iguanodon had spikes on its thumb Notes” cards to learn more about how and where instead of its nose. these species were found, as we glue the cards into the correct spots in the “Dinosaur Field Journal.” Dinosaur Classification Activity Optional activity: As the students glue the cut-out Have the children cut out the “Dinosaur cards in the correct places, look at a map or globe to Field Notes” cards in Lesson 3 of their locate where the dinosaur fossils were found. student journals. Note that these cards will be used in this activity, as well as the Lesson 3 Extension 7–8 activity following the upcoming video. Have children grades 7–8 complete Read to the children: Classification is the the self-directed Lesson 3 extension titled process of organizing something based on shared “Mr. Bones: Dr. Barnum Brown” in their characteristics, like how many legs it has, the size, student journals. the bone structure, if it has horns or not, and so on. Using one student journal’s set of cards, select four dinosaur cards. Together we are going to classify these cards based on shared characteristics. For example, one group could have two legs and the other could have four. Pause for activity and discussion. I am now going to give you two more dinosaurs, and you have to decide if they fit into either of the © Jenny Phillips 16  PALEONTOLOGY LESSON 4 Land of Giants e je ctiv Ob Help the children learn about a variety of creatures and discover hypotheses about how some of them grew to be giants. Preparation: Cut out the “Record Holders” cards on pages 19 and 21. Activity Supplies: 5 leaves (any leaves, such as from a tree Chalk or tape or houseplant) Glue 3 cups filled halfway with water Read to the Children Scientists have done experiments placing insects in highly oxygenated environments to discover the There have been dragonfly fossils discovered that are effects of oxygen on their growth. They found that as long as your arm! Do you know what a millipede is? in environments with more oxygen, insects will grow Hold out your leg. Mammoth millipede fossils longer larger. You will complete your journal activity later in than your leg have also been discovered! Look at and the lesson. discuss the “Dinosaur Comparisons” on page 23 of this guide. One reason dinosaurs are so fascinating is their Record Holders size. But how did they get so big? The best explanation from scientists is simple: oxygen. Take out the “Record Holders” cards. A child could read the cards during this activity if he Leaves and Oxygen Activity or she is able. Optional: This activity can be done outside by marking a sidewalk or long Give the children five leaves and three cups driveway with sidewalk chalk. Start with the half full of water, then have them turn to “Arthropleura” [AR–throw–plur–uh] card. the “Leaves and Oxygen Activity” in Lesson 4 of their student journals. Have them place Read to the children: We are going to see the lengths three leaves in one cup and one leaf in of some record-holding ancient animals. Have a child each of the remaining cups. Place the cup draw or tape a line on the ground. Have one child take with three leaves and a cup with one leaf in eight steps from the line and draw or tape another line direct sunlight. Place the other cup with one leaf in a on the ground. Read the facts on the “Arthropleura” dark closet. card while they walk. This represents the approximate length of an Arthropleura. Continue with each of the Read to the children: Fossils show us that when cards, having the children take turns walking one step dinosaurs were alive, the climate varied from place to for every foot of the creature’s length, beginning from place. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. the starting line each time. If the children cannot walk To do this they need sunlight. Have the children fill out in a straight line for the full length due to the size of the description portion of the “Leaves and Oxygen the area, have them double back and see how many Activity” page. © Jenny Phillips 17 Record Holders Cut along the dotted lines. Read the facts as a child marks the length with chalk or tape. Largest flying reptile Very few fossils have been found, so much is unknown Quetzalcoatlus 10.7 m (35 ft) wingspan First fossil found about this flying reptile was a partial wing discovered in Texas Like other pterosaurs, its wing consisted of an elongated Specimens found have fourth finger and webbed not been near ancient membrane water sources, which leads paleontologists to believe it didn’t eat fish Largest land creature Estimated to have taken 40 years to reach its maximum size Argentinosaurus Was a titanosaur 35 m (115 ft) long Complete skeleton has not been Top speed is estimated found to have been 8 km/h (5 mph) Lived in South America, particularly Argentina Largest Tyrannosaurus rex Weighed up to 8.2 metric tons Tyrannosaurus rex (9 US tons) “Scotty” the 12.2 m (40 ft) long Tyrannosaurus rex means Was able to bite 28 times more “king of the tyrant lizards” powerfully than humans Females were larger than males Lived for about 30 years Largest land invertebrate Tracks found in Nova Scotia revealed details of the Arthropleura Has been found in North creature’s habitat and size 2.4 m (8 ft) long America and Scotland No complete fossil has been Scientists believe it was found an herbivore based on pollen found in its stomach Pterodactyl Titanosaur Iguanodon Triceratops Stegosaurus Tyrannosaurus Velociraptor Hidden in the Tar Pits Creatures of the Tar Pits Read the corresponding facts when a child finds the hidden item on the page. Its teeth were very fragile. The teeth could have been as long as 20 cm (8 in). It is often mistakenly Saber-toothed called saber-toothed tiger, Thousands of these teeth but its correct name is have been found in the La saber-toothed cat. Brea Tar Pits. Cat Smilodon is the name of Scientists believe it hunted the most famous species. in packs. Former US president Thomas A mummified ground sloth Jefferson identified one species of was found preserved by the giant ground sloth. volcano it fell into. Ground Sloth They could grow as tall as 3.65 m Paleontologists believe its (12 ft) and were roughly the size of claws might have also been an elephant. used to dig for food. They were herbivores that had large claws on their hands for pulling down trees. Tusks could grow as long Based on preserved specimens, as 4.6 m (15 ft), and paleontologists know that their paleontologists identify fur came in a range of colors, just the creature’s age by the like human hair. growth rings in its tusk, Mammoth similar to a tree’s trunk. A species of mini mammoths lived on an island off the coast of They likely lived in California. matriarchal herds similar to elephants. Some had horns 2.4 m (8 These are often found in the tar ft) across from point to pits. One mummified specimen point, much larger than was found in Alaskan permafrost Steppe Bison bison today. by gold miners in 1979. It had blue skin caused by a mineral They lived in Alaska coating. It was nicknamed “Blue in the grassy flatland Babe.” environment known as a steppe. They were hunted by American lions.  PALEONTOLOGY Introduction LESSON 8 to Archaeology e je ctiv Ob Help the children feel the wonder of discovering ancient life and understand the process of finding and studying remnants of the past. Preparation: None Activity Supplies: 4 slices of sandwich bread per child 3–4 small objects per child, such as paper clips, candies, toothpicks, etc., that can be placed between the bread 1 heavy book per child Hussein the Water Boy one of the greatest discoveries in history. Would you like to know what led up to this discovery? Why do you Read to the children: The year is 1922, and 12-year-old think Carter’s team was digging in the dirt to find the Hussein is carrying water to an excavation site in Egypt’s remnants of history? Valley of the Kings. Hussein has the important job of keeping the workers hydrated in the extreme heat of the Give each child four slices of bread and three or four desert. Their team has already very small objects that can be flattened between the uncovered a few small tombs bread (paper clip, small candies, toothpick, etc.). Have where nobility were buried. the children place a slice of bread on the table and 1–2 Hussein digs a small hole in the objects on top of it, then another piece of bread. Have sand to help his water jars sit them continue layering bread and objects until they upright and uncovers a smooth have no more. Then place a heavy book on top and stone different from the ones press it down until the bread is fairly flat. around it. He tells a worker, and Read to the children: Look at your layers of bread from the team discovers it is a stone the side. Each piece of bread is like a layer of earth step... and there is another guarding its hidden treasures. Just like with fossils, below it! The team continues over the course of many years, layers of sediment, to dig and makes an important discovery. We will find such as dirt, rocks, grass, or other debris, are blown out where the stone steps took them at the end of this or washed over objects and bury them. Imagine you lesson. left a toy outside for many years. One year there is a mighty wind storm that blows dirt over the toy. Another Bread Layers Activity year a flood carries dirt on top of the wind layer. Now Read to the children: The story of Hussein is imagine someone left another toy in the same spot 100 a true account of a boy who worked for the years later. There are now two layers of toys. Which famous archaeologist Howard Carter. The toy is older? Archaeologists often find objects in many day described in the story was the day of different layers of dirt, unearthing parts of history © Jenny Phillips 47 LESSON 91 LESSON If ancient sites are not visible above 1. How many artifacts did you find? Was it hard to ground, archaeologists can also find remove them without destroying them? their locations based on references in ancient records, including Egyptian 2. What did you learn from this activity about the hieroglyphs, cuneiform tablets, and excavation process of archaeology? [need to be even the Bible. There are careful, takes time] hundreds of thousands Science Wall: Vocabulary Word of cuneiform tablets, like the one above written by Place the vocabulary card EXCAVATION on Mesopotamians, that cover your science wall. Read and discuss the many years of ancient history. word and its definition. Modern technology allows archaeologists to find sites without having to dig first. For Excavation example, drones flown in the sky help archaeologists discover and document ancient sites above Archaeological Site Report ground more quickly and help them find sites hidden in forests. Ground-penetrating radar pulled on a trolley Read to the children: An important part of excavation helps locate things buried underground. is documentation. Documentation helps archaeologists track, study, and compare their findings to reconstruct Cookie Excavation Activity cultures of the past and try to understand how people lived. Archaeologists take precise notes about the Have the children turn to the “Cookie location of each item excavated and its relation to other Excavation” activity in Lesson 9 of their nearby items. For example, if a clay pot is found near student journals. Give each child a small-to- the remains of a well, archaeologists may decide that medium soft chocolate chip cookie and two the pot was used to collect the water. The information toothpicks. gathered from a discovery’s surroundings is called Read to the children: We are going to practice careful context and is very important in determining the story excavation and documentation by using toothpicks to of an archaeological site. remove the chocolate chips from these cookies. Place Famous Finds Video your cookie on the cookie grid on the page. Do not move your cookie for the rest of the activity. Using Watch the video titled the guidelines on the cookie grid, draw a copy of the “Archaeological Sites: Famous Finds” at cookie on the map grid. Start by outlining the cookie goodandbeautiful.com/sciencevideos. Have and then drawing any visible chocolate chips in the the child complete the “Archaeological Site correct locations. Pause while the children draw their Report” in Lesson 9 of their student journals. cookies on their grids. You have now documented the existing site just like an archaeologist. Begin excavation Lesson 9 Extension 7–8 by carefully removing crumbs on the cookie to get to the chocolate chips. If you find a hidden chocolate Have children grades 7–8 complete chip, draw its location on the map grid. Place all the the self-directed Lesson 9 extension titled chocolate chip artifacts on the laboratory square and “Space Archaeology” in their student the crumbs on the dirt pile square. When the children journals. are finished, discuss the following questions: © Jenny Phillips 52 rtifact A nalysis Glittering gold statues found deep in Egyptian tombs and giant stone faces standing sentinel on lonely islands—artifacts like these can sometimes tell us how ancient people lived. But how can objects teach us about the past? Archaeologists become detectives as they look at an artifact and its location in the soil. They see clues and form hypotheses, or educated guesses, about what the artifact is, how it was used, who might have used it, and what it can tell us about the ancient world. The artifacts on this page come from Lindisfarne, an ancient monastery or building occupied by religious men called monks. This archaeological site in England is believed to have been attacked by Vikings. You may be able to tell what some of the artifacts are right away: some coins, a metal pin, an arrowhead, and even rings found on a finger bone, but what about the blue artifact? As we go through the analysis of this blue artifact, you will document it on the “Artifact Analysis” pages in your student journal. Credit: DigVentures and Durham University We now know that the artifact is smooth, made out of glass, and that it was something hard to make—which tells us that it was more expensive and not as many people would have had one. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that only one more of these artifacts has ever been found. This gives us an idea of who would have owned this piece: someone who was wealthy—a leader or even royalty. Knowing the context of the artifact, try to identify who could possibly have been the owner of your artifact. Write your hypothesis in the space labeled with a 5 on the “Artifact Analysis” pages. replace-copyrighted This journal belongs to: THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL INSTRUCTIONS This student journal accompanies The Good and the Beautiful Paleontology science unit. It contains all of the activity and journal pages that are needed to complete the unit. Each student will need a copy of the science journal. Have each student spend enough time to create high-quality work as the activities and worksheets are completed. Students may enjoy looking back on their past discoveries after they’ve finished.  TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson 1.................. 1 Lesson 3...................... 3 Lesson 4.................. 10 Lesson 5.................. 12 Lesson 6.................. 13 Lesson 9.................. 14 Lesson 10.................. 18 Lesson 11.................. 20 Additional Notes............... 22  Dinosaur Notes Field Notes Dinosaur Field Lesson 3 most well-known dinosaur large head crest strong jaw with sharp teeth commonly called “duck-billed dinosaur” walked on two legs walked on two legs Parasaurolophus Tyrannosaurus rex one of the large plates on first dinosaurs back discovered thumb spikes walked on two or four legs walked on four legs Iguanodon Stegosaurus extremely long unique sail on neck its back believed to have lived on walked on walked on land and in four legs two legs water Spinosaurus Australotitan cooperensis 3 © Jenny Phillips  o s a u r Lesson i n 3 D l r n a Fiel d Jou Nicknamed Scotty, the largest Tyrannosaurus rex [Ty–RAN–no–SOR–us rex] fossil ever found took over At the age of 14, Sandy Mackenzie found a dinosaur fossil two decades to excavate and analyze. It was found in near his home in Queensland, Australia. It was the first Saskatchewan, Canada, by a schoolteacher who had fossil found in this area, and it jump-started a search volunteered to help with a local excavation. Exploring that led to the discovery of the largest dinosaur found after lunch, he stumbled upon Scotty’s vertebrae. The in Australia, Australotitan cooperensis [AH–struh–lo– team became even more excited when they discovered TIGH–tan COO–per–EN–sis]. more bones, including the jaw with teeth intact. GLUE CARD HERE GLUE CARD HERE 7 Lesson 5 FINISH THE DINOSAUR Tail that could whip and prove fatal to attackers CARNIVORE Armored plating covering back HERBIVORE Shoulder spikes Large dinosaur that ate plants Could run away from predators on two legs CARNIVORE Had a mouth like a duck and a horn pointing back on its head HERBIVORE Able to run on two legs Able to see 6 kilometers away Used itsjaws to catch and eat CARNIVORE other animals HERBIVORE Giant head Horns made of bone Body weight enable head centered forward t to high impact o receive and inflict strikes CARNIVORE Teeth mad e for chewin HERBIVORE g plants © Jenny Phillips 12 Lesson 9 Cookie Excavation Cookie Grid A B C D E F G H 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Artifact Laboratory © Jenny Phillips 14 Lesson 9 9 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE REPORT By: Circle the types of objects that were found. Site's Name: Date of Discovery: Food Architecture Wood Bone Jewelry Circle the type of environment the site is in. Dishes Shells Art Ceramic Armor Desert Grassland Ocean Circle the age of the person who first discovered it. Forest Mountain Residential Color where in the world this site was discovered. © Jenny Phillips 16 This journal belongs to: THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFUL INSTRUCTIONS This student journal accompanies The Good and the Beautiful Paleontology science unit. It contains all of the activity and journal pages that are needed to complete the unit. Each student will need a copy of the science journal. The lesson extensions are also found here. These extensions are optional for older students (grades 7–8) to complete on their own. Each extension is accompanied by lined paper so the student can keep his or her work in one place. Have each student spend enough time to create high-quality work as the activities and worksheets are completed. Students may enjoy looking back on their past discoveries after they’ve finished.  TABLE OF CONTENTS Lesson 1.................. 1 Lesson 2.................. 4 Lesson 3...................... 7 Lesson 4.................. 16 Lesson 5.................. 20 Lesson 6.................. 22 Lesson 7.................. 24 Lesson 8.................. 26 Lesson 9.................. 28 Lesson 10.................. 32 Lesson 11.................. 36 Additional Notes............... 40  Lesson 1 | Grades 7–8 Instructions: 1. Read the information below. 2. Summarize the information in a paragraph that is at least five sentences long. Then EXTENSION share your summary with a parent or teacher. The Utahraptor Megablock Megablock Timeline CO V E R In November 2014 a team of construction workers and scientists 2005 DIS Y worked tirelessly to remove an 18,000-pound rock from a high mesa Matthew Stikes finds an arm bone near Arches National Park in Utah. A National Geographic camera and contacts the Utah Geological crew stood nearby, capturing this historic event that was the Survey. Paleontologists arrive and culmination of nine years of effort. A wood-framed sled was built discover even more bones! for the megablock to slide down the steep incline. Why was so much effort put into removing this block from the side of a cliff? Dinosaurs. 2006 CAVATION EX The process all began in 2005 when geology graduate student Excavation begins, and the first Matthew Stikes discovered an arm bone in the rock formation he was small block is hauled down the studying. Paleontologists quickly discovered more bones, including cliff on an old car hood. Several the lower jaw of a Utahraptor [YOU–tah–RAP–tor] with the delicate dozen Utahraptor and Iguanodon teeth still intact. Because they are so fragile, paleontologists often bones are found. CK F AL don’t remove bones that are trapped in rock at the dig site; instead, 2007 RO L they cut out the smallest possible block they can. They work to find Returning to the site, the team weaknesses or cracks in the rock that can be broken off without also sees that rocks from the cliff have breaking any bones. The megablock was full of bones, and the rock fallen and broken apart some of would shatter instead of break in clean lines. To protect the bones, the previously prepared blocks. the block was transported elsewhere with a semi-truck! 2007–2014 PARATION When the team finally found a location large enough to house the RE P block, they began studying it more closely. Using microscopes and a The team begins excavating more pneumatic air scribe (similar to a vibrating dental chisel), geologist in earnest. They appear on TV shows Scott Madsen has slowly picked away at the block for years and has and work with construction teams found bones of Utahraptors, Iguanodons [ig–WAHN–uh–DONS], and and engineers to figure out how to others. He believes that there were so many bones because the solid get the block out and down. rock was once quicksand. This hypothesis was developed by studying S PORTAT 2014 AN I the surrounding rock, which was white in color like the rock in the TR ON area. The megablock rock was greener and had fossilized algae The big day arrives, and they pull growing on top, signs of a location with different compositions. the block on its wooden sled with The sheer number of bones found inside also indicates this was a a backhoe. They lift it onto the dinosaur trap of some kind. semi and haul it away. LOCATIO Read through the timeline on the right. In 2020 the block was moved to 2020 RE N the Utah Geological Survey Center. Scott Madsen continues to study and After working on the block at their excavate. Others working on the megablock are using photogrammetry, temporary facility for five years, it a technology that uses photographs to create 3D models, to document is relocated to a permanent home. the details of each bone’s location and eventually create a 3D map of the block. These details can help us get a picture of what happened many years ago to the dinosaurs now trapped in rock. © Jenny Phillips 2 Paleontology  Dinosaur Notes Field Notes Dinosaur Field Lesson 3 most well- known dinosaur large head crest strong jaw with sharp teeth commonly called “duck-billed dinosaur” walked on two legs walked on two legs Parasaurolophus Tyrannosaurus rex one of first large plates on dinosaurs back discovered thumb spikes walked on two or four legs walked on four legs Iguanodon Stegosaurus extremely long unique sail on neck its back believed to have lived on land and walked on walked on in water four legs two legs Spinosaurus Australotitan cooperensis 7 © Jenny Phillips  a u r Lesson o s 3 D i n l n a Jou r Fiel d Nicknamed Scotty, the largest Tyrannosaurus rex [Ty–RAN–no–SOR–us rex] fossil ever found took over At the age of 14, Sandy Mackenzie found a dinosaur fossil two decades to excavate and analyze. It was found in near his home in Queensland, Australia. It was the first Saskatchewan, Canada, by a schoolteacher who had fossil found in this area, and it jump-started a search volunteered to help with a local excavation. Exploring that led to the discovery of the largest dinosaur found after lunch, he stumbled upon Scotty’s vertebrae. The in Australia, Australotitan cooperensis [AH–struh–lo– team became even more excited when they discovered TIGH–tan COO–per–EN–sis]. more bones, including the jaw with teeth intact. GLUE CARD HERE GLUE CARD HERE 11 Lesson 4 LEAVES AND OXYGEN ACTIVITY Description Describe the location where each cup has been placed. Count the bubbles in each cup and write the correct number by each picture below. Results © Jenny Phillips 16  Lesson 6 | Grades 7–8 Instructions: 1. Read the information below, highlighting the parts that are most interesting to you. 2. Summarize the information on this page in a two-minute oral report to your parent or EXTENSION teacher. Write down the points you would like to cover, including what you found most interesting, and practice one or two times before giving your report. Shark Fossils Sharks grow and shed their teeth throughout their lives. This soft flexibility also makes it hard for the skeletons Given that they have hundreds of teeth in their jaw at to fossilize. When a shark dies, its skeleton will often one time, over their lifetime, they will lose around 30,000 collapse. The organic collagen fibers holding the skeleton teeth! This makes finding shark teeth a fairly easy feat. together disintegrate, and the collapsed skeleton falls You have probably seen or maybe even owned one in your apart. Often all that is left are the teeth. life. Finding fossilized teeth is not difficult either. Sharks In order for a shark skeleton to be preserved, some of the past lost thousands of teeth as well. However, it is conditions have to be met; there must be very little oxygen much more difficult to find a fossilized shark skeleton. Why in the water where it dies so bacterial decomposition is do you think this might be? prevented, the skeleton must sink to the ocean floor where Sharks grow and replace many teeth, but they only have it can be covered in silt layers which harden into rock, and one skeleton. Unfortunately for paleontologists, these it must remain undisturbed while fossilization takes place. skeletons are made out of cartilage, a firm but flexible, Such were the circumstances of the Godzilla Shark of New whitish connective tissue that is not bone. Your nose has Mexico, the Manzano ctenacanth [mahn–ZAHN–oh TEN– cartilage in the tip, which helps maintain its shape but uh–canth], an ancient shark found where a shallow, warm also allows for more flexibility. Why do you think it would lagoon is now the Manzano Mountains. be advantageous to a shark to have a skeleton made out Shown below is a fossilized shark tooth. of cartilage? And why would this be a disadvantage for paleontologists? Cartilage is coated in hundreds of thousands of fragments of calcite. These fragments are held together by tiny bits of collagen, which is a protein. As the shark grows, these structural materials grow with it. Cartilage is more lightweight than bone, which makes a shark more buoyant. Not having to use extra energy to keep a heavy skeleton afloat, sharks have more energy available for propulsion, or moving forward, at greater speeds. With flexible bodies that are able to move quickly in the water, sharks are more successful at catching their prey. © Jenny Phillips 22  Lesson 7 | Grades 7–8 Instructions: 1. Read the information below and complete the closing exercise in your journal. 2. Using the list of Greek and Latin descriptive words, create a name to describe a new EXTENSION dinosaur. Write the name of the dinosaur you discovered and its translation in your science journal. For example, Pentadactylgallussaurus would be a “five-fingered chicken lizard.” If you like, you can also draw the dinosaur you discovered. Naming New Species Naming a dinosaur is one of the greatest honors given to those who find new Latin/Greek Guide species. Although dinosaurs have interesting names like “Ichabodcraniosaurus” (a headless velociraptor skeleton), there are some general rules to follow when NUMBERS BODY naming a new specimen. First, every dinosaur is named in Greek or Latin using the Mono = One Brachio = Arm classification orders of genus and species. For example, a Tyrannosaurus rex belongs to the genus Tyrannosaurus and species rex. Di = Two Cephalo = Head Tri = Three Cerato = Horn With this in mind, dinosaurs are usually given names based on one or more of Tetra = Four Cheirus = Hand these three things: body features, where they were found, and/or who discovered Penta = Five Dactyl = Finger them. This is true for modern creatures as well. Many dinosaurs have the suffix Ptero = Wing “saurus,” which means lizard. Dinosaurs found in China are often given the suffix Rhino = Nose “long,” which means dragon. There are a few fun exceptions to these rules, such as the three dinosaurs below. Spinosaurus ANIMAL SIZE/SHAPE Irritator challengeri, a dinosaur similar to Draco = Dragon Baro = Heavy Spinosaurus, is an exception Gallus = Chicken Brachy = Short to these rules. In an attempt Ichthyo = Fish Macro = Big to get more money for their Ornitho/Ornis = Megalo = Huge discovery, dinosaur hunters Bird Micro = Small added bones to the skeleton Saurus = Lizard Nano = Tiny from a different dinosaur Suchus = Crocodile Titano = Giant so that the dinosaur would Taurus = Bull Pachy = Thick appear more complete. When purchased by a museum, the paleontologists became BEHAVIOR OTHER irritated as they unraveled Archo = Ruling Archaeo = Ancient the problem created by the Carno = Meat- Austro = Southern dishonest hunters. eating Crypto = Hidden There is also Camelotia borealis, named after the legendary Camelot, home to the Dino = Terrible Hydro = Water knights of the round table and King Arthur. The partial remains of this dinosaur Dromeus = Runner Lago = Lake were found in England, but little is known about the species. Just like its legendary Gracili = Graceful Nycto = Night namesake, this dinosaur remains shrouded in mystery. Raptor = Hunter/ Ovi = Egg Thief Pelta = Shield Finally, we have Bambiraptor. It was named after the fictional deer “Bambi,” Rex = King because of its similar size. Take a look at the “Latin/Greek Guide” to the right. Pro = Before Tyranno = Tyrant Stego = Roof Using the guide, find the meanings of the names of the following dinosaurs and Veloci = Fast write them in your science journal: Ichthyosaurus, Ornithoraptor, Brachiosaurus, Thalasso = Ocean Pachycephalosaurus, and Triceratops. © Jenny Phillips 24  Lesson 9 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE REPORT By: Site's Name: Questions you would ask if you Date of Discovery: discovered the site: How the site was discovered: Things you found interesting: Color where in the world this site was discovered. 29 © Jenny Phillips Lesson 10 ARTIFACT ANALYSIS By: What shape is the artifact? Where was the artifact found? Circle the material the artifact is made of and describe the color. Bone Stone Gold/Metal Fur Glass Wood Fabric Paper Ceramic Plastic Three questions you have about the artifact: © Jenny Phillips 32  Lesson 10 | Grades 7–8 Instructions: 1. Read the information below. 2. Create a Venn diagram in your science journal to compare and contrast the two EXTENSION Viking women burials discussed, including details such as artifacts, methods used to investigate, and conclusions made. Viking Warrior Women Until recently Viking warriors were believed to be only men. reconstruction technology, they were able to not only Using science to analyze and study the buried remains of reconstruct this woman’s face but also the head wound. various Viking warriors, archaeologists are trying to prove It was a significant blow, a blow most likely inflicted in that this assumption is incorrect. Through intense study combat. and analysis, these important questions are just two that Archaeologists also apply the scientific method when they hope to answer: Could there have been Viking warriors testing theories through reenactment. By producing replica that were women? And could women have even been bows, arrows, and axes, and having female fighting experts military leaders? put them to the test, archaeologists saw that the weapons There are two Viking burial chambers in particular that in the burial chambers with the women would have scientists believe hold answers allowed them to fight to these questions. The “Birka effectively. In the case Warrior” burial, discovered in of the Norwegian Warrior, Birka, Sweden, contained two the axe by her side was horses, arrows, a bow, a silver originally believed to be coin, and even pieces of a for domestic purposes, strategy game. The “Norwegian but re-creating the axe Warrior” burial in Solør, Norway, and reenacting its use contained an assortment of revealed that it was a weapons and a shield under deadly weapon much the warrior’s head. Both of more likely used to fight these burials were originally than to chop wood. identified as containing a male. Using data from the original excavations and computer Scientists are now making the case that both individuals programming, archaeologists looked at the artifacts and were, in fact, female warriors. Using DNA testing they were their placement. In these warrior women’s burial chambers, able to identify each buried specimen as female, but were the weapons were laid close to them, and proximity these women truly warriors? indicates importance. The proximity of pieces of a strategy Forensic scientists discovered that the shoulder bone and game to the Birka Warrior lead archaeologists to believe spinal column of the Birka Warrior had signs of wearing. that she may very well have been a military leader. This indicated that one arm was used more than the other The scientific analyses we have discussed have led in a repeated motion. When you combine this evidence with archaeologists to believe that these two burials held the arrows buried with her, you see she was most likely an Viking warrior women. There are thousands of Viking archer. burials, and scientists are now wondering how many more When examining the bones of the Norwegian woman, could contain female warriors. This could change the way they discovered a dent in her forehead bone. Using facial we view Viking history! © Jenny Phillips 34  Lesson 11 REVIEW QUESTIONS List three things archaeologists analyze A footprint of a T. rex was on an artifact. artifact. found next to a smaller dinosaur footprint. Tell your teacher two questions you could ask to find out more about this discovery. Circle the type of fossil that is created when minerals replace bone. Trace Fossil Cast Fossil Petrified Fossil Preserved Fossil Write one difference between an archaeologist Write two of the ways ancient and a paleontologist. creatures are commonly preserved. The pictures are hints. Write one reason why it is important to study the past. 37 © Jenny Phillips