Lesson+Plan+One


 * Grade Level: **Second Grade


 * Unit: **Science-dinosaurs


 * Assignment type: ** collaborative research


 * Lesson objectives: **
 * Student will understand the process of how fossils are created.
 * Student will be able to identify at least ten different dinosaurs and be able to categorize them (e.g. meat eaters, plant eaters, etc.)
 * Student will understand the various characteristics of dinosaurs, especially those that differ mostly in comparison to themselves, or people in general.
 * Students will be able to create a simple class graph, and be able to interpret it.
 * Student will be able to work together cooperatively and understand the process in voting and respect others opinions.
 * Students will be able to listen to books and movies about dinosaurs in a quiet and respective manner.


 * Time required to complete this lesson: ** 3 to 4 hours; will have to be done in several class periods.


 * Title of lesson:** Introduction to Dinosaurs and Fossils

-video on dinosaurs -graph paper -play dough -butcher paper -video: "Dinosaur Song" []
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Resources/materials needed: **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">This lesson will begin with a short movie on dinosaurs. The movie will focus on describing the different kinds of dinosaurs and how to classify them (ex. meat eaters vs. plant eaters). The class will be responsible for paying attention to the names of the dinosaurs during the movie. Following the movie, as a class, the students will take turns naming dinosaurs they saw on the movie. The goal will be to have at least ten dinosaurs on the list. All of these names will be written on butcher paper and hung up in the classroom. The class will also have a discussion on the characteristics of dinosaurs. Most importantly, the students will discuss how the dinosaurs are different than they are as people (ex. dinosaurs are much larger than people). This will create a personal connection for the students, and allow them to understand the concept of what dinosaurs look like. Next, after learning about several different dinosaurs, the class will vote on their favorite dinosaur. Using the names on the butcher paper, each student will pick their favorite dinosaur and vote for that dinosaur. We will create a separate list on butcher paper, putting tallies by each dinosaur depending on the votes. Then, as a class, we will make a bar graph showing everyone’s favorite dinosaurs. Students will be learning how to respect each other’s votes on their favorite dinosaurs, as well as learning how to make a simple bar graph. The last part of this lesson will be a fun activity using play dough. During this portion of the unit, students will learn that <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">fossils were created by an animal that made an imprint on damp soil; this soil then hardened over time. The students will create fossils with play dough by pressing dinosaur feet into play dough. The dinosaur tracks can then be compared at the end of the activity.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Description of lesson: **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Assignment: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> The assignment that will go along with this unit will be in the form of homework. The students will be responsible for going home and telling family members about the different kinds of dinosaurs they learned. The students will then take a vote (similar to the one done in class) as to which dinosaur their family members liked the most. This information will also be graphed and brought to class to compare with other classmates. This will allow the students to practice the names of the dinosaurs they learned about, as well as how to make another simple graph (this time on their own, instead of collaboratively as a class).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">media type="file" key="Dinos.mp3" width="147" height="71"
 * Students, please listen carefully to the podcast below for the full description of your assignment!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Technology used: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> The technology used will be the movie on dinosaurs at the beginning of the lesson.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The technology used in this lesson changes the teaching / learning in this way: **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Showing the students a movie on dinosaurs will allow them to see a visual representation of what they are about to learn more about. At this age, having as many visual as possible is key in the learning process. The video is also in a song format, which is a useful way of remembering information for some students.