Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?

Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
Scroll for prep
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DISCUSS:

How could scientists figure out what dinosaurs ate by studying fossils?

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DISCUSS:

How do you think a single asteroid hitting the Earth could cause all the dinosaurs to go extinct?

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Slide Image
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organism


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any living thing
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herbivore


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an animal that only eats plants
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carnivore


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an animal that eats only other animals
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omnivore


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an animal that eats both plants and animals
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consumer


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a living thing that eats other living things
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producer


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a living thing that makes its own food
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food chain


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how living things are connected through what they eat and what they are eaten by
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food web


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many different food chains found in one place
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solar energy (solar power)


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energy from the Sun that provides energy for plants and consumers that eat those plants
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energy flow


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the movement of energy through living things
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model


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a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
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extinct


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a type of living thing that once lived on Earth but no longer exists
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fossil


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the remains of a plant or animal that lived a very, very long time ago
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coprolite


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fossil poop
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atmosphere


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the air that surrounds a planet
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asteroid


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a rocky object in outer space
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evidence


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information that can be used to support or reject an idea

Featured Reviews

“The topic is SOOOOO high interest and the discussion was engaging and interesting the entire time. They got the main point about food webs, how organisms are connected and affect one another, how the sun is our main source of energy... What was amazing is how this was all taught through such a riveting topic that encouraged debate and critical thinking through theory making. I LOVED this mystery! ***APPLAUSE*** ”
· Yukendra · Teacher
“This ENTIRE lesson was 100% engagement - even with the 'hard to reach' students!!! All lessons have been great --- this was an eleven!!!”
· Lorraine · Teacher
“My students were sooo excited to learn more about the dinosaurs. I loved seeing the lightbulb go off when they thought about HOW the dinosaurs could have all disappeared and they connected it to the sunlight being blocked out somehow and the plants dying and it affecting the rest of the food web.”
· Alexandra · Teacher
“The students genuinely reached the conclusions on their own--and then they even recognized why certain animals are still around today. This lesson did a great job of leading students to the ideas and still allowing them to truly ponder and reflect.”
· Cynthia · Teacher
“Amazing conversations! Excellent way to teach all energy comes from the sun and to reinforce carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores. ”
· Annmarie · Teacher
“My students LOVED this lessson! The activity planned was amazing, they could discover what might happened to dinosaurs when the sun was blocked. The last video was also mind blowing for them!!!! ”
· Patricia · Teacher
“The steps for making the food web paired with the videos really engaged students throughout the lesson and they understood in a meaningful way how energy can be traced back to the sun. ”
· Emilie · Teacher
“This led to lots of light bulb moments as the students saw how everything was connected in an ecosystem. Was a great last mystery in the unit as it tied all their knowledge together. ”
· Caitlin · Teacher
“Youth loved discussing their theories on what they think might have happened to the dinosaurs. Engaging lesson.”
· Sheryl · Teacher
“This lesson did a great job of introducing food webs and providing practice for the students to apply their knowledge. The fact that you used dinosaurs to teach the lesson was charming. You continue to use creative and innovative ways to keep my students curious.”
· Beth · Teacher
“Best lesson I taught all year!”
· Christal · Teacher
“I liked how the black strips were used to cover the colored strips. That made it obvious why the extinction took place.”
· Charles · Teacher
“The kiddos loved relating what they are learning about food chains and food webs to Dinos!”
· · Teacher
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students investigate the hypothesis that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. In the activity, Create a Dinosaur Food Web, students use cards and construction paper connectors to create a food web from the time of the dinosaurs. Using this model, they follow the flow of energy through the food web and figure out why dinosaurs went extinct but some other animals survived.
Preview activity

I have a Mystery Pack

Dino Die-Off Cards printout 1 per pair
Dinosaur Food Web worksheet 1 per student
Dinosaur Food Web Answer Key teacher-only resource 1 per class
Markers
Pens, crayons, or colored pencils will also work.
Details
1 marker per student
Scissors
1 pair per student
Black Construction Paper
1 sheet per group
Colored Construction Paper
1 sheet per pair
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Each pair of students needs an area that’s about 2 feet by 3 feet for their completed food web. Plan for enough space. Students can work at desks, tables, or on the floor.

Access to a paper cutter will make your activity prep really easy.

Prepare Connector Strips

If you have access to a paper cutter, we suggest you use one to prepare these construction paper strips.

Cut the black construction paper into strips measuring 3” by ¾”.

Black Construction Strips

Cut your colored construction paper into strips measuring about 4” by ¾”.

Color Construction Strips

Exploration

15 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Extend this lesson

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Student slideshow: English | Spanish

Teacher printout: English & Spanish

Unit Reading

Unit Reading

What Can Young People Do to Protect the Environment?

In this reading, students learn simple steps they can take to help protect the environment.

Activities

Activities

The American Museum of Natural History in New York has a great Dinosaur Curriculum Collection (Grades 5–8; lesson plans included). Check these out:

  • Walk Like a Dinosaur!: Dinosaurs were reptiles…with a twist. Find out what makes a dinosaur a dinosaur by doing the dinosaur walk.

  • Solve a Sedimentary Layers Puzzle: What happened when? Test your fossil-hunting skills by working out this dino timeline.

Videos

Videos

Find out why scientists think birds are modern-day dinosaurs: It may be hard to believe, but there are dinosaurs around us every day. You might even have had one for dinner last night.

Art Project

Art Project

Scientists and artists work together to imagine how dinosaurs looked and lived. Here, you’ll watch a video, read an article, and then create a dinosaur of your own.

If you're curious, scientists named this dinosaur Parasaurolophus!

Transcripts

Download this Lesson to your device so you can play it offline:
Credits
 
Ecosystems Lesson 7: Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?

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