A Classroom Exercise Investigating Dinosaur Body Covering and Color
Abstract
The dermal features of dinosaurs are an actively researched and debated topic within the scientific community. Fossil preservation grows increasingly more complex as the softness of the material increases. In turn, it is rare for soft tissue such as organs, skin, scales, or attached plumage to survive the rigorous preservation process. Through relatively recent paleontological discoveries of fossilized soft tissue, researchers have been able to collect more data and build new hypotheses about the dermal features of several species of non-avian dinosaurs.
The goal of this research is to develop and implement a scalable college introductory-level lab on body covering and color of large herbivorous dinosaurs. The lab will focus on two herbivorous non-avian dinosaurs, Edmontosaurus and Borealopelta, and address both body covering features and melanin preserved in soft tissues and what those factors mean for the body color, camouflage, and ecological role of the animals. The lesson will focus on reshaping how students understand the evolutionary benefits and differences of various dermal features such as scale size, scale shape, scale color, and feathers on dinosaurs.
Before any instruction, it is vital for the instructor to gauge students' background knowledge and misconceptions. This can quickly be done by engaging the class in an opening activity. As the class time begins, students will be asked to grab out a blank sheet of paper and draw a dinosaur as best as they can. These examples being shared with the class should start with the stereotypical depictions of scale-covered dinosaurs and if there is a drawing with feathers or varying dermal features, that should be shown at the end. A short whole-class discussion can be held to talk about why dinosaurs are so often pictured as giant scaley reptiles rather than with feathers or a mixture of both.
After the discussion, a short lesson about dinosaur dermal features, their nuances, and purposes will be presented, including some specific examples. Casts of two different types of fossilized skin from an extraordinarily-preserved Edmontosaurus samples will be available for students to view, feel, and relate back to the lesson. Then students will apply their reevaluated conception of dinosaur skin, scales, and feathers in a small group lab. Post-lab, individuals will complete an exit slip regarding a question such as "Which dermal feature discussed today would be most beneficial to you in playing your favorite sport? Provide the sport and an explanation as to why." Finishing off the lesson with an engaging, inquisitive question that has students apply their understanding of the lesson to a piece of their own life allows students to be more connected with the information and supports the instructor in evaluating individual student comprehension and mastery.
Students will also develop hypotheses on dinosaur coloration, shading, ecological role, and how data can be extracted from fossil reconstruction through diagrams and analysis. After investigating these aspects and research findings, students will color an image of both Edmontosaurus and Borealopelta based on the data discovered through the lab.
College
College of Science & Engineering
Department
Geoscience
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
W. Lee Beatty
Start Date
4-19-2023 10:00 AM
End Date
4-19-2023 11:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1b=10am-11am
Poster Number
20
A Classroom Exercise Investigating Dinosaur Body Covering and Color
The dermal features of dinosaurs are an actively researched and debated topic within the scientific community. Fossil preservation grows increasingly more complex as the softness of the material increases. In turn, it is rare for soft tissue such as organs, skin, scales, or attached plumage to survive the rigorous preservation process. Through relatively recent paleontological discoveries of fossilized soft tissue, researchers have been able to collect more data and build new hypotheses about the dermal features of several species of non-avian dinosaurs.
The goal of this research is to develop and implement a scalable college introductory-level lab on body covering and color of large herbivorous dinosaurs. The lab will focus on two herbivorous non-avian dinosaurs, Edmontosaurus and Borealopelta, and address both body covering features and melanin preserved in soft tissues and what those factors mean for the body color, camouflage, and ecological role of the animals. The lesson will focus on reshaping how students understand the evolutionary benefits and differences of various dermal features such as scale size, scale shape, scale color, and feathers on dinosaurs.
Before any instruction, it is vital for the instructor to gauge students' background knowledge and misconceptions. This can quickly be done by engaging the class in an opening activity. As the class time begins, students will be asked to grab out a blank sheet of paper and draw a dinosaur as best as they can. These examples being shared with the class should start with the stereotypical depictions of scale-covered dinosaurs and if there is a drawing with feathers or varying dermal features, that should be shown at the end. A short whole-class discussion can be held to talk about why dinosaurs are so often pictured as giant scaley reptiles rather than with feathers or a mixture of both.
After the discussion, a short lesson about dinosaur dermal features, their nuances, and purposes will be presented, including some specific examples. Casts of two different types of fossilized skin from an extraordinarily-preserved Edmontosaurus samples will be available for students to view, feel, and relate back to the lesson. Then students will apply their reevaluated conception of dinosaur skin, scales, and feathers in a small group lab. Post-lab, individuals will complete an exit slip regarding a question such as "Which dermal feature discussed today would be most beneficial to you in playing your favorite sport? Provide the sport and an explanation as to why." Finishing off the lesson with an engaging, inquisitive question that has students apply their understanding of the lesson to a piece of their own life allows students to be more connected with the information and supports the instructor in evaluating individual student comprehension and mastery.
Students will also develop hypotheses on dinosaur coloration, shading, ecological role, and how data can be extracted from fossil reconstruction through diagrams and analysis. After investigating these aspects and research findings, students will color an image of both Edmontosaurus and Borealopelta based on the data discovered through the lab.
