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Get Ready to Dig
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Eva Koppelhus and Philip Currie are paleontologists
whose work helps others study and prepare fossils.
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Often all that is learned from a scientific investigation is that there are many more questions than answers. In the study of dinosaurs there are many great questions still to investigate. One of the biggest mysteries is what happened to the big dinosaurs. Did they die gradually or at the same time in a huge catastrophic event? Did they all disappear at the same time all over the earth? Some scientists think that some smaller dinosaurs survived and evolved into birds. In this exercise students will explore theories about why dinosaurs are not here today. They may not come up with new answers but they may think of new questions. Asking questions is what science is really all about.
Extinction
What happened to the dinosaurs? Students learn reasons why dinosaurs are not alive today. They learn that paleontologists, scientists who study dinosaur life, use fossil clues and observations to understand dinosaurs. They will also learn why some scientists believe that dinosaurs may be related to today's birds. Students role-play to learn about the life discoveries of famous paleontologists.
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Paleontologist Peter Larson examines dinosaur
bones at the Bucky dig site. Fossil bones on the surface hint
at a treasure below.
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Top
Paleontologists
Sir Richard Owen, Robert Bakker and Barnum Brown are dinosaur hunters
whose discoveries rocked the world of paleontology. In this experience
students learn about the people who have discovered and named dinosaurs.
Students learn that paleontology draws upon a diverse group of scientists.
Through research and reports students learn about the skills and educational
background needed to be an official fossil hunter, a paleontologist.
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