STUDENTS DIG STUDY OF `BONES' IN SIMI.

Byline: Angela Randazzo Daily News Staff Writer

Dinosaur bones were unearthed by White Oak Elementary students during an archeological dig at Simi Valley High School's Nature Center on Friday. And while the bones weren't real, the field trip for Lorraine Beley's third grade class had all the joy of discovery.

``There isn't a child that doesn't love dinosaurs no matter what the age,'' said Beley. ``It's fun for the students. They don't know what's in there until they dig it up and figure it out.''

Divided into teams, the students tackled each of five 8-foot-by-4-foot pits that had been filled in with fine dirt. Using a garden trowel and a paint brush to whisk away dirt, the students got down and dirty to unearth their finds.

``First we number the bones and then we figure out how they go together,'' said Chris Spear, 9.

``It's so surprising and it's so exciting when you find something,'' said Karissa Peterson, 8. ``The bones are very brittle, if you pull it out too soon the bones will break.''

The bones were actually made of wood, crafted with slots that interconnect to make a three-dimensional dinosaur model. There were 24 to 28 bones to each model, and some of the faux skeletons were life-size while others like the struthiomimus - an 8-foot long dinosaur said to be related to the ostrich - were on a smaller scale.

The students will follow up on the dig by writing a poem or story and creating a newspaper about the work. The students will also give a presentation of their research and act as museum guides to visiting parents and students.

In the classroom, the students have been learning about plants and animals and how they are interrelated. For the past two weeks, they have been reading dinosaur related books.

Beley began her archeological digs seven years ago to support her classroom lessons. The first site was in the backyard of her Moorpark home, but when the grass grew in, the site was relocated. Simi Valley High School has played host to the dig for the past few years.

And it seems wherever the dinosaurs are, the student archeologists are determined to find them.

``This project is wonderful. It's hands-on education and also encourages teamwork,'' said Rosa Spear, a parent volunteer at the dig. ``If one student doesn't know something they get together and they're excited doing the research.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Eunice Pae, top left, reacts as she clears debris off a bone during a dig at Simi High School.

(2--Color) After digging out various bones at Simi Valley High School, students at White Oak Elementary School will be able to connect the bones to complete the dinosaur.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News