Planning Guide, Grades 9-12

The Evolution of Dinosaurs Over Geologic Time
Paul Sereno

Overview

High school students should be able to synthesize knowledge from different subjects and topics they’ve studied and to examine those topics from various perspectives. This lesson asks them to combine their knowledge of evolution, geologic time, and dinosaurs into a discussion of how these three topics overlap with regard to dinosaur evolution in the Cretaceous period.

Objectives

Students will:

• Read about Paul Sereno’s work and list the dinosaurs he’s discovered as well as their locations and time periods.
• Review the periods of geologic time.
• Review the theory of evolution and write a paragraph explaining how geographic isolation would contribute to the evolutionary process.
• Write paragraphs describing the changes to the Earth’s continental layout during the Cretaceous period.
• Write paragraphs relating geological changes to dinosaur evolution during the Cretaceous period.
• Create posters or computer presentations illustrating the Earth during the Cretaceous period and the dinosaur species’ evolution processes during this time.

Time

Three to four class periods

Correlation to National Standards

Life Science Standards:

• Standard 4: Knows about the diversity and unity that characterize life
• Standard 9: Understands the basic concepts of the evolution of species

Earth and Space Science Standards:

• Standard 2: Understands basic Earth processes

Nature of Science Standards:

• Standard 15: Understands the nature of scientific inquiry

Introduce

Introduce the class to the work of Paul Sereno by having them read the information at the National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence site (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/eir/bio_sereno.html). Ask them to list the types of dinosaurs he’s discovered, the locations in which he’s found them, and the time periods in which they lived.

Review students’ understanding of geologic time by having them go to the Geological Time Machine (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/timeform.html) and look through the different time periods. Ask them if they know in which era the dinosaurs lived. They should say “Mesozoic.”

Teach

Have students gather information for a three-paragraph essay by following these steps:

Have students review their understanding of Darwin’s theory of evolution, focusing on the ways in which geographic isolation facilitates species divergence. They should read the information at Cretaceous Passport to Charles Darwin (http://www.mrdowling.com/602-darwin.html) and/or other materials on evolution, then explain in a paragraph how geographic isolation contributes to the evolutionary process.

Have students find out what the Earth looked like during the Cretaceous period by going to the Northern Arizona University Global Earth History site (http://vishnu.glg.nau.edu/rcb/globaltext.html) and exploring the Early and Late Cretaceous pages. Ask them to write a second paragraph describing the changes to the Earth’s continental layout between these two periods.

Ask students to find out about the evolution of Cretaceous dinosaurs by going to the following sites:

• An audio discussion by Paul Sereno on dinosaur evolution
  http://dinosaur.uchicago.edu/continents
  /EvolutionFrame.html
• Evolution of the Dinosaurs—At this site, they should look at “How and when did the first dinosaurs evolve?” and then read about the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous dinosaurs.
  http://palaeo.gly.bris.ac.uk/communication
  /boulton/evolution.html

Ask students to write a third paragraph explaining how geological changes and the evolutionary process during the Cretaceous period contributed to the diversification and proliferation of dinosaur species in this period.

Close/Assess

Have students make posters or computer presentations showing what the Earth looked like during different parts of the Cretaceous period. They should also indicate how continental plate movements contributed to the evolution of dinosaurs and other species during this period. They can use information from the Web sites they’ve already visited, plus any additional Internet and/or print resources.

Extension Activities

Reteach

Have students write statements explaining why a paleontologist such as Paul Sereno might be particularly interested in studying dinosaurs of the Cretaceous as opposed to earlier periods.

Challenge

Ask students to compare the dinosaur species that were present during the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods and explain the ways in which geological and climatic changes on Earth may have contributed to the development of these species.

—Betsy Hedberg