UKS2 Topic: Dinosaurs and Fossils Block G: Dinosaur DIY

Session 2 Dino DIY - Making
National Curriculum / Science: Recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago; Identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution.
Teaching Objectives / To create a structure of a dinosaur, drawing on design plans, and knowledge of dinosaurs from the chosen period of the Mesozoic era.
National Curriculum / D&T: Use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose.
Teaching Objectives / To choose from a selection of materials to create and then cover dinosaur structure.
Resources
How to make a dinosaur resource; Your dinosaur design; Pipe-cleaners; Scissors; Card;
Tape; Air-drying clay; Modroc, or tissue paper and PVA glue. / Weblinks
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/54wHG51QS1CjVJX2fS97Txq/planet-dinosaur-game - Game where you look after your dinosaur in the correct habitat; http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/body-shape/sauropod/gallery.html?selectedBodyShape=Sauropod - The Natural History Museum’s directory of dinosaurs, showing body shapes; http://news.liv.ac.uk/2013/05/02/scientists-show-dinosaur-body-shape-changed-the-way-birds-stand/ - Interesting article on how dinosaurs changed the way they stand and how that is linked to the way birds stand today; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_size - Facts about dinosaur size; http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/100127-dinosaur-feathers-colors-nature/ - Debate about dino-fuzz; www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3KchANWhAs&index=4&list=PLLo_fnjwxGcjDWac3sN_Qa6RsIngoerl- - First 10 mins explains differences between infant and adult Triceratops; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHJuzPeSto – A palaeoartist talking about his work.
Whole class: Play chn the first 10 minutes of this clip, showing the discovery that Triceratops babies looked different to their parents and how they developed into adults. The clip is interesting because it shows that palaeontologists are finding new things out about dinosaurs all the time. They do not know exactly how dinosaurs looked but are always investigating and discovering new facts.
Next, show this clip of a palaeoartist talking about his work, including looking at modern animals for inspiration.
Explain to the chn that they are going to make their dinosaur in this session, using their designs from the previous session. Allow them some time to share their designs with a partner. Ask them to consider How will my dinosaur succeed in its habitat? Can I make any changes now, at the design stage, to make my dinosaur better adapted to its environment?
Next, show the children the resources provided and the How to make a dinosaur resource. Reiterate to the chn that their making skills are not going to be judged, but that you are far more interested in why they have included certain features in their dinosaur. (For example, why does the dinosaur have large claws? Why does it have a large, sweeping tail?)
Easy/ Medium/ Hard
The session resources gives instructions on how to cover a pipe-cleaner dinosaur with clay. Clay is malleable and therefore easier to mould into a specific shape. For this reason, the less able children may prefer to use this material to cover their dinosaur. Modroc is useful for covering large areas of dino-structure, but hardens quickly and therefore can be frustrating for the child (and messy) if undertaken without supervision. To challenge the more able, ask them to research the possibility of dinosaurs having feathers (dino-fuzz) by looking at this weblink.
Plenary / When chn have finished working through the resource sheet, their dinosaurs should be ready to paint. Ask everyone to display their dinosaur on the table, alongside their design sheet from the previous session. Ask the class to move around the dinosaurs, offering positive comments on the design-to-making process.
Then sit everyone together and, as a class, play this game, looking after your dinosaur in the correct habitat.
Outcomes / Children will
·  Create a structure of a dinosaur, drawing on design plans, and knowledge of dinosaurs from the chosen period of the Mesozoic era
·  Discuss their dinosaur’s adaptation to suit its environment
·  Choose from a selection of materials to create and cover a dinosaur structure

© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.

We refer you to our warning, at the foot of the block overview, about links to other websites.