This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Join us as we explore the BIG creatures that have inhabited the Earth– from giant dragonflies to the fearsome Megalodon to the blue whale. Why do creatures become extinct, and why do some survive? And why are some so big?
Total number of class meetings: 12
Duration of each class: 45 minutes
Prerequisite: None
Suggested grade level: 6th to 8th grade
Suggested credit: One full semester Life Science
Description
Most of the creatures we encounter are rather small compared to creatures from the past. During this course, we will examine some of the huge creatures of the past and look at the giants still in existence. We will discuss the theories about the lives of the large and consider possible causes of extinction.
Outline
Class 1: Introduction to Geological time periods
Class 2: Big Invertebrates of the past—and present?
Class 3: Get a backbone! Big sharks and armored fish
Class 4: Halfway: Giant amphibians
Class 5: Life on land: Totally terrestrial reptiles
Class 6: How big can they get?
Class 7: Dino or bird? The feathered giants
Class 8: Things in caves: Mega mammals of Eurasia
Class 9: Still bigger: Mega mammals of Africa
Class 10: High hoppers? Mega Mammals of Australia
Class 11: Mammoth proportions: Mega mammals of North America
Class 12: Today’s biggest is THE biggest!
Materials and Homework
Course materials: Reading provided by Mrs. Derham and available on the Moodle site. A supplementary reading list will be available.
Homework: Class quizzes, assigned reading.
