Discovering dinosaurs
| National Curriculum links
(Key Stage 4) |
Sc1
1b |
... how scientific controversies
can arise from different ways of interpreting empirical evidence |
Sc1
1c |
... ways in which scientific
work may be affected by the contexts in which it takes place |
Sc2
4i |
... the fossil record is
evidence for evolution |
Sc2
4J |
... variation and selection
may lead to evolution or extinction |
Resources
Discovering dinosaurs provides a brief introduction to the amazing
effect of dinosaur discoveries with direct links to potted biographies
of four women who were particularly active in fossil hunting :
Mary Anning
Etheldred Benett
Mary Woodhouse/Gideon Mantell
Mary Morland
The great dinosaur controversy looks at some of the conflicting ideas
around as fossil hunters and geologists began to build up their science.
It looks at attempts to marry the religious and the scientific view
and the impact of Darwin's 'Origin of Species' on the debate.
Activities
| Activity
1 |
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- Students make a revision pack about fossil hunters.
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| Activity
2 |
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- Students produce a newspaper article on 19th century women
in fossil hunting.
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| Activity
3 |
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- Students plan a two minute talk in favour of funding /against
funding a 19th century fossil hunter. They will need to think
carefully about the reasons for funding scientific research,
and may need some help in thinking through the various arguments.
Research shows that there is a tendency for many children to
equate "scientific research" with "medical research",
so there may be children who think that the only benefits of
scientific research come in the form of "a cure for cancer"
or similar. Equally, many students may not see the acquisition
of knowledge in its own right as a valid reason for carrying
out research - there may be a lively debate!
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