Allow groups 15 - 20 minutes to find information about dinosaurs. Have groups report their findings to the rest of the class. Write responses on the chalkboard and use them to create a definition of dinosaurs. Identify Different Kinds of Fossils Explain to students that fossils are the remains of dinosaurs or other ancient animals. Bone fossils come from the animal itself and include bones, claws, and teeth.
Trace fossils are what the dinosaur left behind.
They can be skin impressions, footprints, and nests with eggs. They provide clues to how dinosaurs might have behaved. Display the pictures of the bone and trace fossils found on Insert 3. Elicit from students that by carefully studying fossils, scientists learn about how these animals may have looked and behaved. Ask students what information scientists might glean from a tooth, a bone, or a set of footprints.