Dinosaur Skeleton Project for Kids

Staging a Dig

Site digs are essential in the discovery of dinosaur skeletons, as many bones are buried beneath the earth's surface. Staging a site dig is an ideal project for illustrating the process by which many fossils and dinosaur bones are discovered. This project can be altered for various age groups, using more realistic bone substitutes or a larger dig area for older groups. Basic materials needed include a plastic container, enough sand to fill the container, plastic or sanitized chicken bones that are placed randomly in the sand. Children are given plastic trowels and brushes to remove the bones from the sand and clean them. Older children and teens can be instructed to tag and label the bones in a field journal.

Matching scattered dinosaur bones to the same skeleton is a difficult task for paleontologists. Using knowledge from the skeletal structure of known animal species and dinosaurs, putting together skeletons can take years of experimentation which may at any time be changed based on new discoveries. Using tangram puzzles, which are puzzles comprised of seven geometrically shaped pieces that join to create a shape, children can develop an understanding of the difficult task of building skeletons. The project involves making and solving the puzzles. To make the puzzles the child will need seven cards with pictures of different dinosaur skeletons, with each card assigned a four to six sided shape that is then cut into smaller squares and triangles. Once the puzzles are assembled, the pieces should be mixed together and assembly of the different skeletons can begin.

Paleontologist's discoveries are not limited to dinosaur bones. Sometimes evidence of dinosaur life or prehistoric ecosystems is found in the fossilized remains of plants, insects, and other animals of the period. Making fossils is a simple project for all ages. Materials for the project include plastic insects and dinosaur shapes, sanitized chicken bones, leaves and ferns with noticeable veins, and self-hardening clay. Each child will take a piece of clay and flatten it with their hand and a rolling pin. After the clay is flattened, an object such as a leaf or bone should be pushed into the surface and carefully removed to leave an imprint. After the clay dries, the fossils can be finished with a water-glue glaze to prevent damage.

Building their own model is perhaps one of the best ways for children to learn about dinosaur skeletons. Models can be made of a variety of materials but those constructed of leftover chicken, beef or lamb bones can make for a more authentic presentation. Materials for the project include three pounds of beef or lamb bones, the equivalent of approximately twenty bones, and two pounds of chicken bones, equaling forty pieces, craft glue, water, bleach, brush or spray-on lacquer, and a piece of white paper, at least 24 inches by 36 inches. Before beginning the project, the child will need to research a particular dinosaur and find a detailed picture of its skeleton that will be drawn on the large piece of paper. An adult should prepare the bones while the child is research the dinosaur by boiling the bones in bleach and water for up to one hour. Once the bones are dried, they will need to be separated by future location on the skeleton based on size and shape. Chicken bones are narrow and fragile, while lamb and beef bones can be square, triangular, cylindrical, and circular. Round shanks can easily be used to mimic the dinosaur's skull. After the bones have been separated, they should be glued together with the drawing as a guide. Drying will take four or more hours, after which the lack should be applied to preserve the skeleton.