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Fabulous Field Trips

Dinosaur State Park Educational Programs

Meet Connecticut Core Science Standards

Visit Dinosaur State Park with your students where they can explore a museum and enjoy the outdoors in one field trip. Our educational programs have been designed to meet Connecticut Core Science Standards. The Park features more than 500 Early Jurassic dinosaur footprints preserved in place within the museum, alongside interactive exhibits highlighting dinosaurs, evolution, and Connecticut geology. The Park has guided programs throughout the school year for grades 1 through high school. Each visit will begin with a slide presentation, followed by a guided tour of the trackway and a participatory, age-appropriate activity.

Grades 1-5 Fun with Fossils - Travel back in time to discover what Connecticut was like at the time of the dinosaurs, and what we can learn about dinosaurs from their footprints and other fossils. Students will examine a variety of fossils and dinosaur models to find out what made dinosaurs unique. Core Science Standards 1.2, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3

Grades 3-5 Rocks & Minerals Around Us - The rocks and minerals around us tell a story of dramatic changes in Connecticut over hundreds of millions of years. We still use many of these materials in our lives today. Students will examine samples of rocks and minerals from around Connecticut, explore their distinctive properties, and discuss ways we use these materials. Core Science Standards 3.1, 3.3, 4.3

Grades 6-8 Connecticut Landforms -- The Connecticut landscape around us today was shaped over hundreds of millions of years by colliding continents, erupting lava, flowing water, and massive ice sheets. Students will learn how these forces interacted by examining the shape of the land surface and samples of bedrock from key locations around the state. Core Science Standard 7.3

Grades 9-12 Evolution -Find out how the dinosaur footprints in Connecticut relate to the larger story of evolution through time, beginning with Earth's earliest lifeforms and leading to the rise of the mammals in the Cenozoic. Choose from a timeline activity examining key evolutionary events, or a fossil-dating activity. Core Science Standard 10.5

Grades 9-12 Earth Systems - The dinosaur footprints and rocks found in Connecticut provide evidence for the cycling of matter and energy through the Earth system. Students will examine rock samples from Connecticut and piece together the exciting story of moving plates and changing environments that made Connecticut what it is today. Core Science Standards 9.1, 9.4, 9.5, 9.7, and 9.8

Programs are only $2 per student for ages 6-12; $5 for ages 13 and up. Minimum group size is 10, with a maximum of 60 students. Guided programs are approximately 1½ hours in length.

Also available at the Park:

§ Outdoor track casting - Make a plaster cast of a dinosaur footprint (seasonal -bring own material).

§ Mine for Gems and Fossils in our outdoor mining sluice (seasonal - additional fee applies).

§ Outdoor Picnic area

§ 2- 1/2 miles of hiking trails

§ Bookstore - contact us for information about pre-purchased "Treasure Bags" for your group.