Dinosaurs are amazing extinct creatures that lived during the Mesozoic Era (from 252 to 66 million years ago). Their fossils have been found on every continent. Over their long history, many different species evolved in all different sizes and shapes.
Paleontology is the field of science that studies the history of life on Earth that is preserved in fossils in rocks. Sometimes paleontologists can find hard parts like teeth and bones, and other times, the only evidence left behind may be footprints, or impressions of a shell, leaf, or body. Some fossils that are hundreds of millions of years old look very much like organisms that are alive today, like horseshoe crabs, cockroaches, and ginkgo trees. Others, like fossilized dinosaurs, allow us to learn about creatures that became extinct long before there were any humans on Earth.
Learn how scientists revise their understandings of past life on Earth in light of new evidence in this read-aloud of the book, Boy, Were We Wrong About Dinosaurs (by Kathleen V. Kudlinski and S.D. Schindler, 2008) Watch Here
Learn how scientists at the American Museum of Natural History compare fossils with living organisms to interpret dinosaur appearance and behavior Watch Here
What are fossils? What does a paleontologist do? Watch Here
How do paleontologists know that T. rex had good eyesight and sense of smell? Watch Here
How do paleontologists use creature features to classify groups of dinosaurs? Watch Here
I Am a Paleontologist (by They Might Be Giants, Danny Weinkauf) Watch Here
Music Video Cartoons (by Howdytoons) Watch Here
Check out what you know about Tyrannosaurus rex in this 10-question quiz from the American Museum of Natural History Take the Quiz
Imagine a new kind of dinosaur and draw it:
Challenge your family to this Mesozoic Era card game, Pterosaur: The Card Game (designed by Nick Fortugno for the American Museum of Natural History) Learn How to Play the Game
Imagine you are a T. rex
Your arms are really short! You can’t pick up your food to bite it. You’ll have to stomp on your food with your feet and rip it with your big teeth.
Imagine you are a Triceratops
You have horns on your head! You can use those to protect yourself from being eaten by other dinosaurs.
Imagine you are an Apatosaurus
Your neck is SOOOO long! You can reach up high in the trees for nice, juicy, green leaves to eat.
Take a photo or video of you and your family doing some of the above activities and tag us on social media with the hashtag #ScienceAtHomeDSC
Facebook: @davincisciencecenter
Twitter: @davinciscience
Instagram: @davincisciencecenter
We’ll share some of our favorites so that we can all learn from each other! Plus, check back on this page where we’ll highlight the submissions we receive so you can see what others are doing!
Here are just a few ideas for photos or videos you can share:
Walk among life-size, realistic, animatronic dinosaurs! Be sure to stay up-to-date on what’s coming next by signing up for our email newsletter.
The Da Vinci Science Center is a national award-winning science center that has connected science to life and lives to science since 1992.
7 months 4 days ago
We're just one month away from the deadline to apply for our Hall of Fame Awards. Five high school students with a passion for science will be awarded $2,000 scholarships. Three educators who inspire enthusiasm for science will be awarded a free classroom program or field trip for their students, valued up to $1,000. To apply for the awards or nominate an educator, visit davincisciencecenter.org.
7 months 6 days ago
Ice Cream Wars is only one week away! We can't wait to taste all of the unique flavors that each team creates! Join us on Saturday, Jan. 4 and vote for your favorite. Who will become the Ice Cream Wars 12 champion? Learn more at bit.ly/2EJo98Y.
7 months 1 week ago
Christmas may be winding down, but the fun is only beginning at Da Vinci Science Center! We have BubbleMania! shows every day from Dec. 26-Dec. 31. Don't miss your chance to see how the ordinary soap bubble can become something EXTRAORDINARY! More information on show times and tickets available at bit.ly/2raDJXH.
7 months 1 week ago
Do you know a high school student who is uncommonly creative and passionate about science? How about a teacher who can inspire enthusiasm for science with innovative approaches? Da Vinci Science Center is looking for applications for the Hall of Fame Awards, where students are awarded $2,000 scholarships and educators receive high-quality classroom programs or a field trip for their students, valued up to $1,000. Applications are due by Jan. 27. For more information, visit davincisciencecenter.org.
7 months 1 week ago
Ice Cream Wars 12 is right around the corner! On Saturday, Jan. 4, come taste 9 different ice cream flavors made using liquid nitrogen! Vote for your favorite and help us crown the Ice Cream Wars 12 champion! Will B104 hold their title for the third year in a row? We can't wait to find out! bit.ly/2EJo98Y
7 months 2 weeks ago
A few of our STEAM Team Traveling Science Educators had a blast last week when they brought one of our Science Celebrations, STEAM Fest, to the Boys & Girls Club of Easton. You can learn more about our Traveling Science programs at www.davincisciencecenter.org/traveling-science/.
7 months 2 weeks ago
Teams are hard at work preparing for Ice Cream Wars 12 on Saturday, Jan. 4. Come sample all nine flavors and vote on your favorite!
7 months 4 weeks ago
Have you seen BubbleMania! yet? If not, good news! Casey Carle, professional bubbleologist, will be here all weekend long! We're even open EARLY on Sunday (10:30 a.m.) to bring you even more show times! Don't miss your chance to witness how the ordinary soap bubble can turn into something extraordinary! Learn more at bit.ly/2raDJXH.
7 months 4 weeks ago
With more than 100 types of arthritis out there, finding the best treatment can be tricky. Dr. Matthew Brown will provide a good overview on how to prevent, treat, and manage arthritis during Senior Science Monday this Monday, Dec. 9 from 1-2 p.m. Senior Science Mondays are presented by St. Luke's University Health Network. Learn more at bit.ly/2J1D5l6.
8 months 2 days ago
What if the Da Vinci Science Center didn’t exist?
Jane and her grandkids are sure glad it does. “If the Da Vinci Science Center didn’t exist, the kids wouldn’t have these opportunities to gain greater knowledge of science. Every parent wants to give their children the opportunity to achieve at their highest levels. By experiencing science at this level, kids are more encouraged, excited, and interested in STEAM fields.”
Join Jane and her family in supporting the Da Vinci Science Center tomorrow at 8 a.m. $10 can bring science to life for one under-served student. With Facebook’s #GivingTuesday match, $10 becomes $20 and one under-served student becomes two!
To learn more about how your support makes a difference, visit davincisciencecenter.org/annualfund.
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1 - 7 months 1 week ago