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Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?
Web of Life Unit | Lesson 7 of 7
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Why did the dinosaurs go extinct?

Web of Life Unit | Lesson 7 of 7
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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DISCUSS:

How could scientists figure out what dinosaurs ate by studying fossils?

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DISCUSS:

How do you think a single asteroid hitting the Earth could cause all the dinosaurs to go extinct?

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organism


1 of 17

any living thing
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herbivore


2 of 17

an animal that only eats plants
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carnivore


3 of 17

an animal that eats only other animals
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omnivore


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an animal that eats both plants and animals
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consumer


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a living thing that eats other living things
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producer


6 of 17

a living thing that makes its own food
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food chain


7 of 17

how living things are connected through what they eat and what they are eaten by
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food web


8 of 17

many different food chains found in one place
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solar energy (solar power)


9 of 17

energy from the Sun that provides energy for plants and consumers that eat those plants
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energy flow


10 of 17

the movement of energy through living things
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model


11 of 17

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
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extinct


12 of 17

a type of living thing that once lived on Earth but no longer exists
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fossil


13 of 17

the remains of a plant or animal that lived a very, very long time ago
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coprolite


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fossil poop
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atmosphere


15 of 17

the air that surrounds a planet
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asteroid


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a rocky object in outer space
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evidence


17 of 17

information that can be used to support or reject an idea
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Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Grade 5

Ecosystems & The Food Web

Food Webs & Flow of Energy

5-PS3-1

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students investigate the hypothesis that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. In the activity, Create a Dinosaur Food Web, students use cards and construction paper connectors to create a food web from the time of the dinosaurs. Using this model, they follow the flow of energy through the food web and figure out why dinosaurs went extinct but some other animals survived.
Preview activity
I don't have a Mystery Pack
In your Mystery Pack Lesson Bag
Dino Die-Off Cards printout 1 per pair
Dinosaur Food Web printout 1 per student
Dinosaur Food Web Answer Key printout 1 per class
Black Construction Paper 8 sheets per class
Colored Construction Paper 15 sheets per class
Not included in your Mystery Pack
Dino Die-Off Cards printout 1 per pair
Dinosaur Food Web printout 1 per student
Dinosaur Food Web Answer Key printout 1 per class
Markers

Pens, crayons, or colored pencils will also work.

 1 marker per student
Scissors 1 pair per student
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs.

Each pair of students needs an area that’s about 2 feet by 3 feet for their completed food web. Plan for enough space. Students can work at desks, tables, or on the floor.

Access to a paper cutter will make your activity prep really easy.

Prepare Connector Strips

If you have access to a paper cutter, we suggest you use one to prepare these construction paper strips.

Cut the black construction paper into strips measuring 3” by ¾”.

Black Construction Strips

Cut your colored construction paper into strips measuring about 4” by ¾”.

Color Construction Strips

Exploration

15 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

Wrap-Up

5 mins

Grade 5

Ecosystems & The Food Web

Food Webs & Flow of Energy

5-PS3-1

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