Summary

Watch a video clip featuring Valerie Velociraptor (below) as she talks about the her feathers. Using real and man-made feathers, students learn about the size, purpose and location of different kinds of feathers, and create 3-D crafts featuring feathers.

Materials

• Variety of bird feathers (available from a pet shop or bird owner) NOTE: Find feathers from different parts of birds, such as tail feathers, wing feathers and so on. IMPORTANT: Make sure feathers are clean.
• Magnifying glass
• Colored feathers from a craft store
• White glue
• Printable Page: Picture of Velociraptor without feathers (1.5 MB PDF)

Related Video Clip

Dinosaur Train: Now With Feathers! (3 minutes 56 seconds)

Procedures

1. Show students the video clip from “Now With Feathers” (above) in which Buddy and Tiny meet Valerie Velociraptor, admire her feathers, and learn what functions they serve – to keep dinosaurs warm, and to keep eggs warm in the nest.
2. Have students look at a variety of (cleaned) bird feathers from a pet store or bird owner. Encourage them to discuss the differences in color, texture and size. You might have students talk about which feathers might be used for warmth, for flight, for decoration, and so on. Ask students to drop the feathers and watch them fall. Ask: What is one reason that feathers weigh so little?
3. Have students examine the feathers under a magnifying glass. Ask them to discuss what feathers look like close-up. Any surprises?
4. Give students a picture of a Velociraptor without any feathers. (See PRINTABLE above). Explain that scientists once thought that this dinosaur species did not have feathers, but now based on fossils, we know that they did. Show students a picture of Valerie Velociraptor (See PRINTABLE above) from this episode. You can explain that while no actual feathers have survived from millions of year ago, we know where the feathers used to be because the fossilized bones of Velociraptor have “nubs” similar to those on the bones of modern birds, where their feathers are attached.

Extensions

1. In this episode, we discover that under his cap, the train Conductor has feathers on his head. Create a simple paper crown, and attached an “X” across the top. Then attach craft store feathers to the top to create a feathered Troodon head.