Lesson plan: Debate over dinosaurs
June 12, 2000
Web posted at 7:28 p.m. EST (2328 GMT)
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Objectives
Students will:
- Identify various issues involved with excavation of public land.
- Interpret the position of conservationists and scientists.
- Appreciate the need to consider ethical questions in excavations.
- Design a resolution to satisfy conservationists and scientists.
Standards
Benchmarks for Science Literacy
High school students understand that investigations are conducted for different reasons, including to explore new phenomena, to check on previous results, to test how well a theory predicts and to compare different theories.
National Council for the Social Studies
High school students will understand that they need to think more deeply about how we can manage technology so that we control it rather than the other way around.
Suggested time
1-2 class periods
Materials
CNNfyi article, "Fossil feuding"
Internet access
Procedure
1. Ask students if they have seen any of the following on exhibit at a museum: a mummy, fossils or any artifact. Discuss with the class how these items may have been obtained. Ask if they had any feeling at the time about the manner in which these items were obtained. Introduce students to the concept of ethics and then invite them to discuss their feelings about the ethics involved in excavation and/or the scientific community's quest for knowledge of the past.
2. Have students read the CNNfyi article "Fossil Feuding." Then ask the following questions:
- What do scientists want to do since they found bones from possibly the largest dinosaur ever? What is an alamosaurus, and how does it compare to the newest dinosaur discovery? What questions are raised as a result of this excavation? What makes this discovery unique? What are sauropods?
- Why do local Texas residents oppose an excavation? Do you think that the residents' opposition has validity? Why or why not? What do paleontologists hope to gain from the excavation? How could the decision about the bones affect the knowledge that scientists can gain from the find? How would you state or interpret the scientists' position? Is there another environmental debate that reminds you of this one? Explain.
- "Why not leave it in its natural environment, build a display and let people come from all over the world to see this magnificent creature," said Jan Forte, co-owner of Big Bend River Tours. Is this a valid point in your opinion? Elaborate.
3. Direct students to research paleontology as it relates to environmental issues. They may use the sites listed below or other materials/Web sites of the teacher's choice. Have them consider the positions of those who own the land being excavated and/or the scientific position. Allow students to work in groups of four to five persons to list as many different excavation/ethical issues related to this debate. Have students consider the following categories: economic, political, technological, religious, medical, legal and other.
Challenge
Have students pick the single issue they see as most important. Then assign groups to various positions on the issue and have them prepare for a brief debate on the issue.
Assessment
After the debate, each student should write a short essay explaining how the issue could be resolved and what the impact of their resolution might have on future excavations.
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