Lesson Plan - The Truth About Dinos

Watch the Video
Play the video “When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth” and ask: What does the video mean when it says that “not all dinosaurs lived at the same time”? Which dino species mentioned in the video did you find most interesting? Why?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• myths
• cells

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why movies might make up information about dinosaurs.

1. How did scientists figure out that Velociraptor was not as big as a person?
Scientists figured out that Velociraptor was not as big as a person by studying Velociraptor bones found in Asia.
^{(RI.3.1 Text Evidence)}

2. What common myth about T. rex does the article prove is wrong?
The article proves that the common myth that T. rex was a fast runner is wrong. In reality, this dinosaur probably ran only about 12 miles per hour, slower than many track athletes.
^{(RI.3.2 Key Details)}

3. Why do scientists say it’s unlikely they could bring dinosaurs back from the dead?
Scientists say it’s unlikely they could bring dinosaurs back from the dead because that would require a dinosaur’s DNA. Dinosaur DNA is at least 66 million years old. That’s too old to be recovered.
^{(RI.3.8 Cause/Effect)}

FEATURED SKILL: Word Analysis
Assign the skill builder “Dino Name Game” and have students use the root words to unlock the meanings behind dinosaur names. Extend the activity by inviting students to combine root words to “invent” a new dinosaur.
^{(RF.3.3 Prefixes and Suffixes)}