Boy, is this a good book!  It does a wonderful job of explaining the process scientists go through to learn about the past in a way that children can understand.  The author is also not afraid to allow students to see that adults have made mistakes in their research throughout the years.  However, we learn from our mistakes and continue to study and improve our research findings.  I’m happy that Ms. Kudlinski explains fossils, patterns, bones, and layers of the earth.  There is even a fossil layer that looks like it could be from outer space!  She also emphasizes that some things we believe now are only our best guesses.  We still may be wrong and may never be sure about some facts from long ago.  Students are told by the author that they can someday be a scientist if they so wish and may help us to learn even more about dinosaurs.  In fact, one day just such a scientist may once again say, "Boy, were we wrong about dinosaurs."

 

I found a lesson idea that looks like a great kinesthetic exercise at the Chicago Children’s Museum web site: http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/Dino_Activities.pdf.

Give students an assortment of pasta and allow them to construct a dinosaur skeleton.  They could then glue the pasta on a piece of construction paper and name and write about their dinosaur, describing its size, method of moving, type of food eaten, etc.

 

For a math extension, students could research the length of several types of dinosaurs.  Once average lengths are determined, take the students outside.  Use a rolling distance measure wheel or measure out string with yardsticks.  Have students pair up and measure out the length of the dinosaurs on a grass field.  This will give them a visual of how large these animals were.  Students can predict how many of them it would take lined up lying down to make one dinosaur.  Compare the lengths of the various dinosaurs.

 

This book would seem to work well holding students' interests.  So many children have a natural interest in these ancient creatures and are willing to work at learning activities to discover more about them.