What if you could step back in time – millions of years ago – to when giant dinosaurs roamed the Earth? What did these incredible creatures look like? What did they eat? And how do scientists know so much about animals that disappeared long before people ever existed?
In our Prehistoric Journey Family Unit Study, we explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs – from the Age of the Dinosaurs and the supercontinent Pangaea to fossils, paleontology, and the incredible variety of dinosaurs that once walked our planet. Along the way, children will build timelines, make fossils, study dinosaur groups, and even try their hand at a few prehistoric investigations.
In this post, I’m going to walk you through the topics and activities included in our Prehistoric Journey Unit Study, so you can see exactly how your family can explore and learn together.
What is a Family Unit Study?
This unit study, like all of our ever-growing library of unit studies, takes one big theme – Dinosaurs – and breaks it down into 10 manageable, bite-sized learning opportunities. Perhaps you do one area per day, perhaps one per week. Whatever suits your fancy! You can learn and explore from start to finish in about 1-2 hours per bite-sized learning topic.
Each topic includes:
- an interesting fact,
- a discussion question,
- informative information,
- a curated YouTube video,
- a recommended book,
- a math or literacy enrichment question (with three difficulty levels),
- and an ultimate-can’t-be-beat hands-on activity!
Plus, all subjects are covered across the 10 topics! Geography, History, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, Health, Literacy, and Math.
When everything connects across subjects, learning just makes more sense. Kids remember more, understand better, and actually enjoy the process. It’s the kind of learning that really sticks.
All ages. All subjects. One Coursebook. 🙌
A Prehistoric Journey – A Perfect Dinosaur Unit Study
Before we start, be sure to grab a free copy of this fun Dinosaur Fossil Activity be entering your email below. Your little ones will absolutely love it!
Now, let’s take a closer look at what’s included in the Prehistory Journey Family Unit Study! Below, you’ll find the 10 topics we explore, along with some of the activities that bring each topic to life.
Topic 1: Mesozoic Era
Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic Era, often called the Age of the Dinosaurs, which stretched from about 252 million to 66 million years ago. This long era is divided into three periods: Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous.
After learning about these periods, children will build a Mesozoic Era timeline, placing the three periods in order and discovering which dinosaurs lived during each. It’s a simple, hands-on way to see where their favorite prehistoric creatures fit into history!
Topic 2: Pangaea & the Triassic Period
The Triassic Period began about 252 million years ago after a massive extinction event called the “Great Dying,” when most life on Earth disappeared. During this time, life slowly recovered, and the first dinosaurs appeared. The continents were still joined together in one giant supercontinent called Pangaea, which would eventually split to form today’s continents.
Children will explore this topic by creating a Pangaea puzzle, fitting the continents together to see how the world once looked when it was one enormous landmass.
Topic 3: Jurassic Period
The Jurassic Period was a time when dinosaurs truly began to thrive. The giant supercontinent Pangaea was slowly breaking apart, creating warm, lush environments filled with plants – and plenty of dinosaurs roaming the land.
In this hands-on activity, children will become little palaeontologists by creating their own dinosaur fossils using pasta to build a skeleton. It’s a fun way to explore how scientists learn about dinosaurs from the fossils they discover.
Topic 4: Cretaceous Period
The Cretaceous Period was the final – and longest – part of the Age of Dinosaurs, lasting from about 145 to 66 million years ago. Many of the most famous dinosaurs lived during this time, including the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, often called the “King of the Dinosaurs.”
In this section, children will stretch their thinking with some dinosaur-themed, real-world math problems while practicing important math skills.
Topic 5: Dinosauria
Dinosaurs belong to a large group of reptiles called Dinosauria, and they first appeared during the Triassic Period. Over millions of years, these incredible creatures grew and evolved into many different shapes and sizes – from tiny runners to enormous plant-eaters. Scientists have already discovered hundreds of dinosaur species, and new ones are still being found today!
Children will have lots of fun creating their own dinosaur trading cards, researching different dinosaurs, and recording fun facts about each one. It’s a great way to explore the amazing variety of dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth.
Topic 6: Ornithischians
Some dinosaurs were plant-eaters with special hips shaped a bit like a bird’s, and these dinosaurs are called Ornithischians. This group includes some very recognizable dinosaurs like Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Ankylosaurus.
Children will have fun playing an “I Spy an Herbivore” game, using clues to identify dinosaurs that were plant-eaters and learning what made these dinosaurs unique.
Topic 7: Sauropods
Some of the largest dinosaurs to ever walk the Earth were the long-necked giants called sauropods. With their tiny heads, enormous bodies, and incredibly long necks and tails, these plant-eating dinosaurs could reach high into trees for food. Some, like the massive Titanosaur, may have grown up to about 37 meters long!
Children will build their descriptive language skills by closely observing a sauropod and describing what they see – helping them practice using detailed words to paint a clear picture in writing.
Topic 8: Theropods
Some of the fiercest dinosaurs to ever roam the Earth were theropods, a group of meat-eating dinosaurs that walked on two powerful legs. With sharp teeth, strong claws, and quick movements, these hunters were well built for catching prey. Surprisingly, scientists believe that modern birds are the descendants of small theropod dinosaurs!
In this topic, children will explore how dinosaur teeth were shaped for different diets and create their own dinosaur teeth out of salt dough.
Topic 9: Fossils
Fossils are clues left behind from long ago that help scientists learn about dinosaurs and the world they lived in. By studying fossils, we can discover what dinosaurs looked like, what they ate, how they moved, and even how they protected themselves.
Kids will have a blast making their own fossils! Using salt dough and creating impressions, young Palaeontologists will be able to understand exactly how fossils came to be.
Topic 10: Paleontology
Palaeontologists study ancient life, from dinosaurs to prehistoric plants, fish, insects, and even fungi. By carefully uncovering and studying these fossils, they can learn what dinosaurs looked like, what they ate, and how they lived millions of years ago.
For the hands-on portion of this topic, things get delicious! We use a chocolate chip cookie and some mining tools (like toothpicks) to go on a dinosaur fossil dig! Well, really a chocolate chip dig, but that is pretty fabulous as well.
And there you have it! A tiny glimpse inside of all of the amazingness that awaits you in A Prehistoric Journey Unit Study, perfect for children aged 4-12 years old.
Grab A Prehistoric Journey Family Unit Study right here:
https://shop.howweelearn.com/products/family-unit-study-a-prehistoric-journey
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Thank you so much for being here, my friend!
xo
Sarah
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