Unit Plan
SEDL

Sedl: Dinosaurs

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This site provides wonderful lesson plans about dinosaurs. Seven sequenced units cover the following topics: extinction, fossils, types of dinosaurs, and the dinosaur life cycle. The site provides basic lesson and background information...
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BBC

Bbc: Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

For Students 9th - 10th
Several articles that trace the chronology of the dinosaur from the Triassic to the Cretaceous. Articles were written to accompany the BBC series, Walking with Dinosaurs.
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Other

Hvpm: Mass Extinctions

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of the mass extinctions throughout earth history. Each mass extinction has a link to its own page with a list of its possible causes and the species that were most affected.
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Ducksters

Ducksters: Dinosaurs for Kids

For Students 1st - 8th
Dinosaurs: Kids learn about these ancient animals that wondered the Earth thousands of years ago. We know about them from studying fossils.
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: When Will the Next Mass Extinction Occur?

For Students 9th - 10th
Borths, D'Emic, and Pritchard give a quick history of mass extinctions. [5:01]
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Geo Logic: The Big Five Mass Extinctions

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Using GEOLogic puzzles, students are asked to match the five largest mass extinction events with their relative dates, approximate duration, and severity based on clues given from various perspectives.
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Other

Black Hills Institute of Geological Research: Unearthing T. Rex

For Students 9th - 10th
Follow the steps of paleontologists as they excavate Tyrannosaurus bones. This project took place in 2004 but there is plenty of useful information on the website for learning more about the T. Rex. Such as, how do you tell a male from a...
Website
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Piece of Dinosaur Extinction Asteroid Puzzle Recovered

For Students 9th - 10th
The first meteorite fossil discovered in this period when tests can be run on it, was found at Chicxulub in Northeastern Yucatan, Mexico. Scientists believe it is part of the meteorite which made the dinosaurs extinct.
Website
BBC

Bbc Nature: Prehistoric Life: Jurassic Period

For Students 9th - 10th
Overview of the Earth in the Jurassic Period told by photos, news, videos, and external links with emphasis on what grew then, what lived then, the causes of mass extinction, types of fossils, and what life was like in general.
Website
Other

Catastrophism and Mass Extinctions

For Students 9th - 10th
An overview of Walter and Luis Alverez's theory that a large meteorite crashed into earth causing huge tidal waves, showers of ash, and an enormous dust cloud.
Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Fighting Dinos: New Discoveries

For Students 3rd - 8th
A virtual investigation surmising how two fighting dinosaurs died in the Gobi Desert.
Website
University of California

Ucmp: The Cretaceous Period

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the UCMP Berkeley provides information about the Cretaceous Period, the last portion of the age of the dinosaurs and the continued break up of the continent of Pangaea.
Article
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Hhmi: Bio Interactive: Article: "The Day the Mesozoic Died"

For Students 9th - 10th
A short article by Dr. Sean B. Carroll detailing the discoveries covered in the film The Day The Mesozoic Died.
Graphic
Curated OER

Asteroid

For Students 9th - 10th
The first meteorite fossil discovered in this period when tests can be run on it, was found at Chicxulub in Northeastern Yucatan, Mexico. Scientists believe it is part of the meteorite which made the dinosaurs extinct.