Our favourite 3: Dinosaurs

While many children are fascinated by dinosaurs and some are veritable experts in this field, you may be be wondering how to include dinosaurs in a meaningful STEM learning experience that isn’t so much about memorising facts and Latin names but more about inquiry-based explorations and discoveries. We have selected three dinosaur books that can contribute to meaningful STEM inquiries around dinosaurs.

Am I yours? is the story of an egg separated from its parents and the dinosaurs’ attempts to return it based on the physical attributes of the creature inside the egg. As demonstrated by the dinosaurs in the story, observation, accurate description and comparisons are important tools of scientific research and help us make sense of the world around us. Maybe one of your in-house dinosaur experts will tell you that pterosaurs are not dinosaurs, as they only lived on land, leading into a discussion of the scientific classification of animals.

Meg’s eggs is about three dinosaurs whose appetite could lead to discussions about carnivores and herbivores and how this is apparent in the dinosaurs’ anatomy. The story touches on other interesting STEM concepts, such as size and strength. And how do you crack an egg with a very thick shell?

Where he forest meets the sea invites us to experience the connection between all living things and the environment with all our senses. It also shows us a world where past, present and future overlap. Take the children outside and invite them to imagine what it would be like to be a dinosaur in today’s world. What would they eat? Where would they sleep?

If you are looking for more ideas on embracing children’s fascination with dinosaurs as part of their STEM learning, we have a few more ideas on how to take these dinosaur conversations to the next level.