Digging Up Dinosaurs

Yes, the book does foster the development of processes by going in chronological order of how bones are moved and built inside museums. It talks about the time period dinosaurs existed, when they die, how the bones are buried and the process of digging out the bones.

• Author: Aliki
• Year Published: 1988
• ISBN: 978-0064450782

Science Topics

• Earth Science

Minimum Suggested Grade Level

• Prekindergarten

Maximum Suggested Grade Level

• 2nd Grade

Summary

Long ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Then, suddenly, they died out. For thousands of years, no one knew these giant creatures had ever existed. Then people began finding fossils—bones and teeth and footprints that had turned to stone. Today, teams of experts work together to dig dinosaur fossils out of the ground, bone by fragile bone. Then they put the skeletons together again inside museums, to look just like the dinosaurs of millions of years ago.

Evaluation

• Appropriateness: Medium
• Authority: Medium
• Accuracy: Medium
• Liteary Artistry: Medium
• Appearance: Medium

Questions

Does the book foster development of processes?

Yes, the book does foster the development of processes by going in chronological order of how bones are moved and built inside museums. It talks about the time period dinosaurs existed, when they die, how the bones are buried and the process of digging out the bones.

Does the book provide an opportunity for children to ask and answer their own questions?

Yes, there are several moments where I was asking questions. Students are allowed to draw their own conclusions about the book and ask further questions about dinosaurs and how their bones are buried.

Does the book encourage children to think for themselves?

yes, there are moments where children can think about dinosaurs and the workers  who help find bones.

Is the science topic addressed in ways that are appropriate to the lesson?

yes, there are so many opportunities for a lesson. The book talks about dinosaurs, how their bones are buried, how long it might take and the process of finding bones. There's a team of experts that work together.

Is the content based on sound scientific principles? Is it accurate?

Yes, everything listed in the book is accurate. I looked up a few things I was curious about and it all seemed true.

Does the book distinguish between fact and fiction?

The book focuses on facts, how dinosaurs are discovered and how their bones are found. Also, the importance of taking care of a bone that is found is mentioned in the text. The bones are fragile and should be taken good care of.

Are the illustrations clear and accurate?

The illustrations are clear for children to observe during a reading. The illustrations are also accurate and follow the words of text perfectly.

Is the book written at the level of your students?

There are several challenging terms for students to pronounce and even comprehend but I feel that the teacher could help by modeling and giving meaning throughout the book.

Is there a multicultural component? Is it free from stereotyping?

I did notice that the workers who dig the fossil out of the rock were of darker skin. The Paleontologist, geologist, draftsman, photographer and the specialists had lighter skin than the "diggers" so I'm curious about this.

Is the book free from gender bias?

The book was free from gender bias since it presented male and females as part of the team experts that work together for the bones.

Does the book show the close association between science and other disciplines?

Yes, the book could be a great introduction about dinosaurs history. I think it allows students to wonder about dinosaurs and their bones.

Does the book present a positive attitude toward science and technology?

yes, the book truly presents a positive attitude toward science because it founds a way to make fossils interesting. The topic about dinosaurs is so interesting and I feel that the book presented science in an exciting manner. The book provided illustrations that are fascinating to the eye.