Journeys Lesson 17- The Albertosaurus Mystery

This week we'll begin by asking, "What can fossils tell us about the past?" In the informational text. The Albertosaurus Mystery: Philip Currie's Hunt in the Badlands, students will read about a paleontologist who searches for dinosaur bones.

Home Connection Activities!

Draw Fossils: Ask you child to name some favorite animals. Then look online or in a reference book for pictures of those animals' skeletons. Encourage your child to draw one of the skeletons, and point out that this is what the animals' skeletons. Encourage your child to draw one of the skeletons, and point out that this what the animal's fossils would look like.

Vocabulary on the Go: Create a story with your child. Say a sentence about fossils or fossil hunting. Then ask your child to add another sentence. Include a Target Vocabulary word in each sentence. Continue adding sentences until the story is complete.

clues, remains, evidence, prove, fossils, skeletons, uncovering, buried, fierce, location

Express Yourself: Ask your child to write a short paragraph explaining why he or she thinks it is important to study fossils.

Vocabulary

Build Background: Fossils

Our world is full or mysteries. Earth science, or the study of the earth, helps explain some of these mysteries. For example, studying the earth has led scientists to fossils. Fossils are hints of plants and animals that have lived a very long time ago. A fossil can show the shape of a leaf, or it can be a bone that has turned into stone.

When scientists find fossils, they may or may not know what the ancient living plant or animals was. Sometimes a fossil is a clue in a new mystery. In the Albertosuarus Mystery, you'll see how scientist used fossils to answer an important question about how dinosaurs lived.

Read the Story: "The Albertosaurus Mystery"

Genre

Informational Text gives information about a topic. As you read, look for:

headings that tell what each section is about
photographs and captions
graphics such as maps that help explain the topic

Read "The Albertosaurus Mystery" on page 59 in your Journeys Textbook

Click for Story Comprehension Questions

Continue your discussion of the Albertosaurus Mystery by answering these questions

Target Skill: Conclusions

Readers can use clues, or evidence, in the text to understand a topic. Readers can then use this text evidence, along with their own ideas, to draw conclusions about the topic. When readers draw conclusions, it means they make smart guessses about things the author hasn't directly stated.