Teacher's Terrorsaurus

Terrorsaurus is an interactive exhibition developed by Questacon.

Terrorsaurus includes 10 interactive exhibits, eight 1/2 scale robotic dinosaurs, two dinosaur dioramas and a series of dinosaur panels.

Themes

The dinosaur theme of the exhibition extends to:

• physical characteristics
• sounds
• speed and gait
• parenting and social behaviour
• locomotion
• sizes
• extinction theories

The exhibition also includes the importance of observation and interpretation and shows how  palaeontologists determine what dinosaurs looked like.

How to get the most out of your visit

Recent research (summarised by McClafferty) indicates that the success of a school visit to an interactive science exhibition is enhanced by:

• Acknowledging the novelty of the visit by allowing time for the students to explore the exhibition.
• Pre-visit orientation: attending to the personal and social agenda of the students. The children's focus may be on lunch or the price of a dinosaur in the shop rather than the teacher's educational objectives.
• Integrating the visit with your teaching program. To assist with this are activities that can be completed during a visit to the exhibition, and pre and post-visit activities linked to Terrorsaurus exhibits.

Relationship to the Curriculum Statements for Australian schools

The learning experiences embodied in the activities have been developed with reference to the curriculum profile and statement on science for Australian schools. For example, Long Gone-a-saurus relates to the Level 6 outcome 'analyse the effects of environmental change on living things and ecosystems' within the Life and Living strand. The exhibition also serves as a stimulus for activities in other Key Learning Areas.

Structured learning experience for students

Students will gain the greatest benefit from a visit if it is linked with what they are doing in school. We suggest the following approach...

Pre-visit activities at school

• Preparatory activities and discussion related to Terrorsaurus.
• Pre-visit orientation: talk with students about the purpose of the visit and listen to their views.

Visit to the Terrorsaurus exhibition

• Orientation: get to know the exhibits and the centre.
• Worksheets and activities using the exhibits — self directed investigation of exhibits, allowing students to investigate exhibits at their own pace.
• Free roam allowing students to reinforce holistic ideas and/or gather information and ideas for use after the visit.
• Regrouping near the end of the visit to check students' progress.

Post-visit activities at school

• Activities building on the visit, encouraging students to think more deeply about themes they explored at Terrorsaurus and allowing them time to fill in gaps in their understanding and knowledge.
• Use of the exhibition as a starting point for activities across the curriculum.

Teachers are strongly encouraged to visit the exhibition to try out the exhibits and complete the worksheets before bringing their students. This is an ideal opportunity to devise your own activities tailored to your students needs.

All resource materials linked to the exhibition may be photocopied.

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