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Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Discovering Dinosaurs

Cast skeleton of an Edmontosaurus annectens dinosaur
Edmontosaurus annectens, a hadrosaurid dinosaur. Credit: Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution.

School Program for Grades K-2

In-Person Version

Explore dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals using fossil evidence. In this museum educator-led program, students observe, touch, compare, and contrast fossils of prehistoric animals to describe the animals’ characteristics and predict what those characteristics could tell us about how they lived their lives. In-person programs take place at the museum in Washington, D.C. 

Online Version

During this museum educator-led program, students make observations of dinosaur characteristics, discover how paleontologists learn about ancient animals by studying fossils, and practice some of the same scientific skills used by museum scientists!

Online Formats

Designed to accommodate classes, grades, or groups with 15 to 500 students. Students will not be visible to the museum educator or other students, but they will be able to submit questions in writing through the Q&A, and interact through polls. 

Designed to accommodate classes of 15 to 35 students. Students will be visible to the museum educator and their classmates, and will have the ability to raise their hand to ask and answer questions. In order to participate in this format, those registering will need to provide proof of parental permissions to participate in onscreen programs. If you would like to register for more than 35 students you will need to book a second slot. 

Designed to accommodate individual students or small groups with less than 15 students. Students will not be visible to the museum educator or other students, but they will be able submit questions in writing through the Q&A, and interact through polls. Homeschool Days are available the first Monday of the month, October through June.
Learn more about Homeschool Days and register. 

Register

Registration is open for programs from October 6 through December 19, 2025.

Supplemental Video

This video has background music, but no spoken words.

More Videos

A group of young children in yellow shirts gathered in front of a table with large bones on it.
Kids, you are just like scientists! (5:25)
Michelle Pinsdorf in the fossil prep lab.
A Tour of the Fossil Prep Lab with Fossil Preparator Michelle Pinsdorf (49:08)
Video screen with words Tylosaurus Story Time, with three illustrated boxes below it
Tylosaurus Story Time (64:46)

Extension Resources

Follow along with two of the world’s top paleoartists, Bob Walters and Tess Kissinger, as they teach you how to sketch your own dinosaur (or reptile) drawings! As you sketch, they describe how they use scientific evidence to create their art.

Life in the Late Cretaceous

This Learning Lab activity was originally created as an extension for the Museum's virtual family program, Natural History at Home: Tylosaurus Story Time, to help facilitate co-learning in families with children ages 5-10, but can also be used by educators!

In this Learning Lab, your learners can practice making observations of fossils from ancient Late Cretaceous life. Paleontologists can learn information from fossils about ancient life. Paleontologists can learn about the size, how the animal moved, and even what the animal ate by making close observations of the fossils! What information can you learn about these ancient Late Cretaceous life forms?