Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon Lesson Plan
Your children will be captivated by the hard work and determination of eleven year old fossil hunter Mary Anning who loved to scour the shore of Lyme Regis, England for stone curiosities and shells. In 1810, Mary unearthed the first sea-reptile fossil ever found. Was it an alligator or a sea dragon? Mary gets credit for being the world’s first paleontologist.
This product is based on the popular children’s book Mary Anning and the Sea Dragon (written by Jeannine Atkins and illustrated by Michael Dooling). The text and illustrations of the book were reviewed for accuracy by Dr. John Maisey, Fossil Fish Curator at the Museum of Natural History in New York.
Subject: Archaeology, Paleontology, Informational Text, Women’s History Month
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Grade Levels: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, Homeschool
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Resource Type: Lesson Plans (Individual), Worksheets, Printables
- File Type: PDF
Worksheets include: characters, plot, setting, character traits, themes, cause/effect, conflict/resolution, response to text, and summarizing. Good resource for grades 3rd, 4th, 5th, Middle, High School and Homeschool.
This packet includes an article, ready to print student worksheets with answers, paleontologist drawing activity, maps of Lyme Regis, ichthyosaur facts, fossil hunting tips, extension activities, related web sites and teacher instructions.
All winter, Mary worked with chapped, red hands. As she worked she heard her father’s voice as clearly as if he were speaking to her, “Don’t ever stop looking, Mary.” This 1908 tongue twister, written by songwriter Terry Sullivan, was inspired by the life of Mary Anning.
