The Tasty T-Rex: How can cladograms provide evidence about the anatomical similarities and differences among modern and ancient organisms?

Before Strategy/Engage: 20 minutes

1. The teacher should divide students into partners. The teacher should give each partner group one slip of paper from the "Compare and Contrast Organisms" list. The teacher can pass out the slips or allow students to draw slips of paper randomly.

2. Each student in a partner group should draw a Venn diagram on his or her notebook paper. Using the Venn diagram, the students should compare and contrast the two organisms listed on their slip of paper. For example, the students who received the slip of paper with "Shark and Tuna" would list the similarities and differences between these two organisms.

Note: Based on the students' prior knowledge of these organisms, the teacher may wish to project pictures of the organisms on the board or allow students to look up pictures and information using internet-capable devices.

3. After students have had ample time to collaborate with their partners, the teacher should ask the students to discuss the following question: Do you think the two organisms are closely related? Why or why not? The teacher may allow partner groups to share their response with their classmates. 

During Strategy/Explore & Explain: 45 minutes

1. For the next portion of the lesson, students will need access to an internet-capable technology device. Depending on the number of available devices, students can complete the following activity independently or in partners. Students will need to navigate to the following website:  "What did T. rex Taste Like?" from the University of California Museum of Paleontology. Each student will need a copy of "What did the T. rex Taste Like? Module Questions". 

2. The students should navigate through the first three folders of the module and answer the questions on the "What did the T. rex Taste Like? Module Questions". Students should also complete the interactive activities while navigating through the modules.

After Strategy/Explain & Elaborate: 45 minutes

1. Each student will need a copy of "Features Table" from the University of California Museum of Paleontology. The students should complete this table as they navigate through folder 4 of the "What did the T. rex Taste Like?" modules.

Note: The online modules allow students to self-check the correct completion of their features table.

2. For the fifth, and last folder, of the module, each student will need a copy of "Cladogram and Data Table Special Assignment"  from the University of California Museum of Paleontology. The students should answer the "Special Assignment" questions on their sheet of notebook paper, using their completed "Features Table" and the "Cladogram and Data Table Special Assignment". 

3. After students have had ample time to complete all five modules of "What did T. rex Taste Like?", they will demonstrate their knowledge through a written explanation in a claim-evidence-reasoning format. The teacher will give each student a copy of "Claim Evidence Reasoning" Template from Digging Deep Into Science Literacy (page one). The students should write the following question the first line of the template: "How can we tell what the T. rex tasted like?" The students will write a claim to respond to the question, provide evidence to support the claim, and use scientific reasoning to explain how the provided evidence supports the stated claim. Students should claim that the T-rex probably tasted like chicken because it was related to modern birds. Students should provide evidence from the information learned in the modules and their completed feature table to support their claim. Students should use scientific reasoning to explain how the evidence they provided supports their claim.