Digging for Dinos

Does the word “dinosaur” send your students into prehistoric pandemonium?

Bring the wonders of paleontology into your classroom with this investigation of basic natural science concepts related to the work of a paleontologist. Students will practice paleontological skills with real and cast fossils, animal bones, dig boxes, puzzles, and other age-appropriate hands-on activities.

Teacher Guide

Ohio’s Learning Standards 

Pre-Kindergarten

Science – Science Inquiry and Application 

• Explores and investigates objects and events in the environment. 

Language and Literacy – Language and Communication 

• Develops and expands understanding of vocabulary and concepts.
• Participates in conversations with increasing application of turn-taking skills. 

Mathematics – Geometry 

• Develops understanding of spatial relationships. 

Kindergarten

Physical Science – Properties of Everyday Objects and Materials 

• Objects and materials can be sorted and described by their properties. 

English Language Arts – Print Concepts 

• Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. 

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Participate in collaborative conversations about kindergarten topics and texts with diverse partners in small and larger groups.  
  • Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).  
  • Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. 
• Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented in various media and other formats (e.g., orally) by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. 
• Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.

English Language Arts – Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas 

• Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Mathematics – Counting and Cardinality 

• Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged in a line, a rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered configuration; given a number from 1-20, count out that many objects. 
• Orally identify (without using inequality symbols) whether the number of objects in one group is greater/more than, less/fewer than, or the same as the number of objects in another group, not to exceed 10 objects in each group. 

Grade 1

Life Science – Basic Needs of Living Things 

• Living things have basic needs, which are met by obtaining materials from the physical environment. 

English Language Arts – Fluency 

• Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. 

English Language Arts – Comprehension and Collaboration 

• Participate in collaborative conversations about grade 1 topics and texts with diverse partners in small and larger groups. 
  • Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion). 
  • Build on others’ talk in conversations by responding to the comments of others through multiple exchanges. 
  • Ask questions to clear up any confusion about the topics and texts under discussion.
• Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented in various media and other formats (e.g., orally).
• Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.