Make no bones about it, kids get excited about dinosaurs.
Area students and residents were treated to a unique lesson in science Friday morning when paleontologist Dr. Nizar Ibrahim paid a visit to Patterson Elementary School in Naperville and McCarty Elementary School in Aurora and presented a community program to the public that night.
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Ibrahim, the National Geographic explorer who uncovered the mystery of the spinosaurus, shared his personal story of how the biggest of all carnivorous dinosaurs was found.
“Dr. Ibrahim’s story about how he discovered a dinosaur really encourages students to think critically about our planet and how it has changed over time,” said Tara Bell, District 204 instructional specialist for science. “We want our students to recognize that science is always seeking evidence for explanations on how things are or have been in our natural world.”
“He was so ambitious,” fifth-grader Natalie Ievans said. “The Sahara desert is deadly pretty much and humans can’t live out there. It was really interesting to see that and know that he had gone out there many times to search for spinosaurus.”
Ibrahim recounted the story of how the spinosaurus — larger than a tyrannosaurus — lived during the Cretaceous period about 100 million years ago. It was discovered in the early 1900s by a German paleontologist, but the remains were lost during World War II when the museum was bombed.
Ibrahim was on a mission to rediscover the spinosaurus and conducted expeditions around the globe until he unearthed the remains in the Sahara.
“I admire how much effort he put into that and that he never give up,” Natalie said. “You should keep working on your goals, no matter how disappointed you are or how ready you are to give up.”
Bell said it’s important to provide students with opportunities to engage with scientists such as Ibrahim because it enhances college and career readiness and cultivates a sense of possibility and wonder.
Ibrahim’s visit was part of Exploring Science, a new science resource District 204 is implementing for elementary school students. Cengage Learning, the publisher of Exploring Science, partnered with National Geographic to sponsor Ibrahim’s visit. He concluded his visit with a free community presentation Friday night at Waubonsie Valley High School.
Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.