STEM Week ‘Time’ in Year 3: How do we know dinosaurs existed?
Hello, young explorers! Are you ready for a thrilling adventure back in time to discover the amazing world of dinosaurs? Let’s put on our explorer hats and journey together to uncover how we know dinosaurs existed!
The focus of STEM week this year was ‘time’ and Year 3 children looked at the question: How do we know dinosaurs existed? We looked at different theories from different scientists and produced a non-chronological report based around these ideas.
Fossil Finds: Imagine finding a puzzle piece from a giant, ancient puzzle! That’s what fossils are like. Fossils are bits and pieces of dinosaurs that got stuck in rocks and turned into stone over millions of years. Scientists find these fossils buried deep underground, and they help us learn about what dinosaurs looked like and how they lived.
Dino Bones: Have you ever seen a dinosaur skeleton at a museum? Those big bones are like clues that help scientists figure out how dinosaurs moved and what they ate. Sometimes, scientists find whole skeletons buried together, like a dino family portrait!
Footprints in Time: Just like how you leave footprints in the sand, dinosaurs left footprints in the mud, millions of years ago. These footprints tell us about the size and shape of different dinosaurs and even show us how they walked.
Amazing Rocks: Rocks might seem boring, but they can tell us a lot about the past! Layers of rock can hold secrets about the places where dinosaurs lived, like if it was a forest or a desert. Scientists study these rocks to learn more about the world of dinosaurs.
Dinosaur Cousins: Did you know that some animals alive today are related to dinosaurs? Birds, like the ones you see in the park or in your backyard, are actually distant cousins of dinosaurs! Scientists study birds to learn more about how dinosaurs might have looked and moved.
So, how do Year 3 know dinosaurs existed? Well, it is all thanks to the incredible clues they left behind! Fossils, bones, footprints, rocks, and even bird cousins help us piece together the puzzle of the prehistoric past. Isn’t that amazing? Next time you visit a museum or see a picture of a dinosaur, remember all the exciting adventures scientists went on to uncover these incredible creatures. Who knows? Maybe one day, you’ll become a dinosaur detective too! Keep exploring, adventurers!
