In this workshop, you'll put yourselves in the shoes of a paleontologist. You'll investigate real dinosaur bones, eggs, footprints and other traces. By feeling, measuring and putting things together, you'll be able to reconstruct the age of the dinosaurs. View dinosaurs in the museum and ponder questions that not even scientists know all the answers to. To round off the workshop, you'll dig up your own dino era fossil.
Everything you need to knowin a row
- Workshop
- Year 1 (12–13 years old)
- Length: 120 minutes
- Number of pupils: no more than 36
- Areas: workshop "The past", "Dinosaur age" gallery
- The school supplies: one supervisor for every 20 pupils
- Naturalis supplies: two educational assistants
- Objectives: 1. Pupils are introduced to the work of a paleontologist: digging, preparing, putting things together, investigating, reconstructing and debating. 2. Pupils learn how scientists think and find out that they don't always agree with each other.
- Keywords: excavation, paleontologist, fossils, research, dinosaurs, skeleton
Course of the programat the museum
The program consists of three parts. The schedule given below is an indication only.
0-55 minutes: research in the “Past” workshop area
The pupils are given a brief introduction to the work paleontologists do in the field. Next, they will go to the carousel and examine real dinosaur fossils.
55-85 minutes: “Dino Era” gallery
Pupils will be handed a real fossil or model and tasked with figuring out which dinosaur in the gallery it belonged to, and where on the dino’s body. Next, they will be given an inquisitive question for which the scientific community does not yet have a clear answer. These questions will have to do with the appearance of dinosaurs. Each pupil will cast their vote for the answer they think is most likely using a colored ball.
85-120 minutes: “Past” workshop area
The results of the vote will be discussed. Pupils will watch video clips in which scientists present arguments for their own opinions. Sometimes the scientists agree with each other and sometimes they don’t. After that, pupils can free a small fossil from stone and take it home with them.
Booking infoprepare your visit
Everything you need to know about practical matters such as parking, lockers and house rules.
