Dinosaur Egg
Exploration (Science)
Grade Level (K-1)

Objectives:

  1. The students will have an experience with a different type of an egg.
  2. The students will understand more about reptiles.
  3. The students will understand that reptiles (dinosaurs) did not hatch from eggs with hard shells, like those of chickens.

Materials:

Procedure:

  1. One day before the lesson, place the 5 eggs in 5 cups of vinegar. Make sure the egg is fully submerged. The vinegar will dissolve the shell.
  2. Explain to students about characteristics of reptiles and reptile eggs.
    1. Reptiles emerge from their eggs fully shaped.
    2. A reptile egg has a tough, leathery shell with a built in food supply.
    3. Tough shells allowed eggs to become fossilized.
    4. Some reptiles not only have thick shells on their babies, they are on themselves as well. (Discuss class pet - turtle)
  3. During center time, take one egg out of vinegar with a spoon.
  4. Let the students GENTLY squeeze the egg to find out how it feels. (Egg will break if squeezed too hard)
  5. Discuss how it feels.
  6. Discuss what you see.
  7. Store in a glass of water if it is to be used again.
  8. Have children write and draw a picture about the experience that they just had.

Evaluation:

  1. The students will be able to discuss that different animals come from different types of eggs.
  2. The students will be able to tell the difference between some reptiles and some other animals. For example, they should know that our class turtle is a reptile, but a dog is not.
  3. The students will communicate their new knowledge about dinosaur eggs in the writing and drawing.

Reflection & Extension:

I have not completed this lesson with the children yet. I anticipate problems of eggs breaking before each child has a turn to feel the "reptile" egg. To compensate for this, it may be a good idea to make a few extra eggs.

Once again, I think it would be fun to make a book out of the students' work. Another good extension activity would be to talk about other kinds of eggs. For example, you could discuss soft and squishy amphibian eggs.