Objectives:

As an extension to the Mathland Unit 9 "Dinosaur Days", students will research Dinosaur statistics on the Internet and calculate averages of weights, heights, etc.

Grade Level: 4

Materials:

1. Student Worksheets attached Worksheet 1 (HTML) / Worksheet 1 (PDF) Worksheet 2 (HTML) / Worksheet 2 (PDF)	3. Calculators for self checking of results
2. Computer & Internet Access	4. Graph Paper for graphing data

Internet Resources:

Dinosaur World-Dino Kids-Facts, games, ask dino man	<http://www.dinosaurworld.com/facts.html>
Dinosaur Booklist-Dinosaur Books	<http://www.clpgh.org/cmnh/discovery/dinobooks.html>
Dino Quiz-learn basic dino facts	<http://www.zoomdinosaurs.com/subjects/dinosaurs/classroom/Quizzes.shtml>

Procedure:
1) Have students do 1 or both of the worksheets attached. This can be done at a one computer station as a Literacy Center activity.
2) Have students make graphs representing their data. (Best to do this off-line after printing the data)
3) Have the students find the averages by using their data.
4) Select any extensions for the students do to.

Evaluation:
Data collection and graphing will be evaluated using a 3 or 4 point rubric.
Computation accuracy will be graded on accuracy.

Extensions:
Use a graphing software program like The Graph Club by Tom Snyder have the students create computer graphs of their data they collected.

Some related software includes:

Dinosaurs by Microsoft (CD ROM)
DinoPark Tycoon by MECC

Many web sites exist for exploration of dinosaurs since the students are so keenly interested in these large beasts. Some sites include:

Dinomania <http://www.marshall-es.marshall.k12.tn.us/jobe/Read-Write/dinosaur/maindino.html>
PaleoSearch <http://www.paleosearch.com/> 

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California Mathematics Academic Standards

Grade 4:
Number Sense
1.0 Students understand place value of whole numbers and decimals to two decimal places, how these relate to simple fractions, and use concepts of negative numbers.

1.4 decide when a rounded solution is called for and explain why such a solution may be appropriate
1.6 write tenths and hundredths in decimal and fraction notation and know fraction and decimal equivalents for halves and fourths (e.g., 1/2 = 0.5 or .50; 7/4 = 1 3/4 = 1.75)

2.0 Students extend their use and understanding of whole numbers to the addition and subtraction of simple decimals.

2.1 estimate and compute the sum or difference of whole numbers and positive decimals to two places
2.2 round two-place decimals to one decimal or the nearest whole number and judge the reasonableness of the rounded answer

3.0 Students solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers and understand the relationships among the operations.

3.3 solve problems involving multiplication of multi-digit numbers by two-digit numbers
3.4 solve problems involving division of multi-digit numbers by one-digit numbers

NCTM K-4:
STANDARD 2: MATHEMATICS AS COMMUNICATION
STANDARD 5: ESTIMATION
STANDARD 8: WHOLE NUMBER COMPUTATION
STANDARD 12: FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS

 November 1998/Revised June 12, 2000
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