Pterosaurs: Giants of the Skies has been designed for Years 3-4 high ability students.   Palaeontologist Professor Tim Richards  from the University of Queensland will lead an exciting presentation followed by a Q&A session.   The session will focus on Pterosaurs who were once the giants of the skies flying above the Eromanga inland sea.  A short break will then be followed by an engaging hands-on session where students will investigate and compare the mythological concept of a dragon with fossil evidence.

Program flyer Pterosaurs

How to book your group

• Book your students into either the morning or afternoon session NOT both.
• There are only a limited number of video conference dial-in sessions available. To reserve your spot, please fill out the booking form. Remember, each class you sign up for counts as one dial-in session.
• Download and complete the attached  Student details spreadsheet and email this through to ecolinc@education.vic.gov.au.

After your booking is confirmed

Please download the parental invitation and student nomination forms and distribute them to the families of the students.

• VCES Student Nomination Form
• VCES Parent Info

The Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series (VCES) is an initiative funded by the Victorian Government to extend and engage high-ability students across the state. The series provides opportunities for students from Foundation to Year 12 in Government Schools to participate in enrichment learning experiences that challenge their thinking, build advanced skills, and encourage creativity, problem-solving and collaboration. Delivered by specialist organisations and education providers, VCES programs immerse students in authentic, real-world learning beyond the classroom.

Year Level: Year 3-4

Duration: 2 hour

Yes, a kit of resources will be sent to your school

No prior knowledge is required.

In this video conference students will:

• Compare prehistoric animals (pterosaurs) with mythical creatures (dragons) to understand the difference between scientific fact and fiction
• Explore how myths and legends may be inspired by real animals from the past
• Examine and compare skull features, wing shape, and body structure of pterosaurs and dragons
• Identify similarities and differences between the anatomy of real and imagined flying creatures
• Explore what physical features would be necessary for a creature to breathe fire and whether these features are found in any known animals
• Use scientific vocabulary to describe the features of animals (e.g. skull, wingspan, bones, fire glands, nostrils).

In this video conference students will:

• Engage in a Q&A session with a qualified, engaging palaeontologist
• Track the daily route to find the elements of fire on a Dragon Isles Map
• Notice and wonder about the differences between dragons and Pterosaurs and map these on a venn diagram
• Sketch the skull adaptations
• Complete a flight structures handout and play a Simon-says game
• Engage in a wing shape design drawing activity

Science -Science as a Human Endeavour

• Data from observations obtained through scientific inquiry can be used to develop explanations of natural phenomena (VC2S4H01)

Science – Science Understanding

• Living things have characteristics that distinguish them from non-living things and things that were once living, including fossils (VC2S4U01)

Science – Science Inquiry

• Observations can be used as a basis for posing questions to identify patterns and relationships, and to predict the outcomes of investigations (VC2S4I01)