Description
What our Dinos A to Z: Velociraptor lesson plan includes
Lesson Objectives and Overview: Dinos A to Z: Velociraptor is a high-interest reading comprehension lesson plan. As such, students will practice various close reading and comprehension skills. In addition, they will learn some basic information about this popular dinosaur. This lesson is for students in 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade.
DINOS A TO Z: VELOCIRAPTOR LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES
Velociraptor
The Dinos A to Z: Velociraptor lesson plan contains one content page. If you have ever seen one of the Jurassic Park movies, then you have an idea what this dinosaur looked and acted like. The Velociraptor (vuh·LAW·suh·RAP·ter) is one of the most well-known and popular dinosaurs in the world. It was a fearsome, clawed dinosaur with a reputation as a vicious killer. But, did the Velociraptor deserve its bad image? Scientists are not so sure!
Unlike the movies, which tend to exaggerate things, the Velociraptor was not very large. In fact, it was about the same height as a turkey, about 2 meters (6 feet) from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail! It was also fast, running at speeds of 36 kilometers per hour (24 miles per hour). Velociraptors were agile and speedy! They had little difficulty in running down slower and less nimble herbivores.
Interesting Facts
There are two reasons this dino is thought of as a vicious killer. The first is that its claws were 6 centimeters (2 inches) long and used to grip and slash its prey. Some scientists compare its claws to those of modern eagles. The second reason is that scientists believe the Velociraptor hunted in packs. The groups would hunt a slow-moving prey, jump on it, slash it with their claws, and then rip the flesh off with their 60 serrated teeth!
Velociraptors lived about 85 million years ago. Their feathered bodies were well adapted to living in arid desert environments. Scientists believe they were more intelligent than other dinosaurs that lived during that time. That is because Velociraptors had a larger brain than that of other dinosaurs, excellent vision, and a keen sense of smell. All of these traits gave them an advantage over other dinosaurs living at the same time.
Does the Velociraptor deserve its killer reputation portrayed in movies? It combined speed, agility, and intelligence, and it hunted in packs. No doubt it was one of the most—if not the most—feared predators living! However, other dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex were equally fearsome. So, what do you think? Does the Velociraptor deserve its menacing reputation?
DINOS A TO Z: VELOCIRAPTOR LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS
The Dinos A to Z: Velociraptor lesson plan includes two worksheets: an activity worksheet and a practice worksheet. Each one will help students solidify their grasp of the material they learned throughout the lesson.
COLORING PAGE ACTIVITY WORKSHEET
For this activity, students will color a picture of a pack of three velociraptors. Encourage them to be as creative as they wish!
DINOS A TO Z: VELOCIRAPTOR REVIEW PRACTICE WORKSHEET
The practice worksheet requires students to answer a series of 5 questions. These questions all relate to the content pages, so students will need to refer to them for the answers.
