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Explain to students that anatomically modern humans (or humans as we know them today) have been on Earth for about 80,000 years. In light of modern history, this may seem like a long time, but it is a relatively short time considering that dinosaurs roamed Earth millions of years earlier. Dinosaurs lived during the Mesozoic era, which lasted from about 250 million to 63 million years ago. Dinosaurs first emerged and thrived in that era, so it is sometimes called the Age of Dinosaurs. |
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Explain to students that not all dinosaurs lived at the same time. Like all animals, dinosaurs adapted as their environment changed, or they became extinct. |
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Review the three periods of the Mesozoic era with the class. Draw a time line on the board or on a large piece of paper: The earliest period is theTriassic,which began around 248 million years ago and lasted about 35 million years. During the Triassic, Earth’s climate ranged from hot to mild, and there were many inland deserts. The Triassic ended with a mass extinction of many plants and animals.
The middle period is called theJurassic.It began around 213 million years ago and lasted for about 69 million years. The climate on Earth was warm and damp, and there were many active volcanoes. The Jurassic is known for its wide variety of dinosaur species.
The third period is theCretaceous.It began around 144 million years ago and lasted for about 79 million years. The period experienced a warm and mild climate. During this time Earth’s first flowers and trees appeared. Dinosaurs with horns and armor dominated the landscape. The Cretaceous also ended with a mass extinction, which some scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs and many other species.
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Explain that students will work in groups to conduct research on dinosaurs from each of the three Mesozoic periods. They will use their research to create a Mesozoic mural. |
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Divide the class into three groups and assign each group a Mesozoic period. Then have each student select a dinosaur from his or her group’s period. It is a good idea to have print resources on hand, but students can find the information they need at the Web siteZoom Dinosaurs. Triassic dinosaurs:Plateosaurus, Lesothosaurus, Saltopus, Massospondylus, Anchisaurus, Coelophysis, Dilophosaurus, Eoraptor, Herrerasaurus, Mussaurus, Riojasaurus
Jurassic dinosaurs:Heterodontosaurus, Lesothosaurus, Syntarus, Vulcanodon, Meglosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Xiaosaurus, Brachiosarus, Ceratosaurus, Dryosaurus, Janenschia, Kentrosaurus, Yangchuanosaurus, Camarasaurus, Camptosaurus, Compsognathus, Allosaurus, Aptosaurus, Diplodocus, Ornitholestes, Stegosaurus, Supersaurus
Cretaceous dinosaurs:Iguanadon, Psittacosurus, Hylaeosaurus, Utahraptor, Armargasaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, Ouranosaurus, Spinosaurus, Leaellynasaura, Minmi, Muttaburrasaurus, Acanthopholis, Baryonyx, Hypdilophodon, Deinychus antirrhopus, Microvenator, Sauropelta, Gigantosaurus, Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Proceratops, Saurolophus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, Thescelosaurus, Anatotitan, Albertosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Corythosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Lambeosaurus, Maiasaura, Monoclonius, Montanoceraptor, Ornithomimus, Pachycephalosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Styracosaurus, Triceratops
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Distribute the Classroom Activity Sheet: Dinosaur Profile. Have students use it as a guide as they research dinosaurs. Give students time in class to complete their research. |
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Assign the Take-Home Activity Sheet: Dinosaur Drawing. Tell students to draw their dinosaurs to the following scale: 1/4 inch = 1 foot. (For example, a 4-foot-tall dinosaur would be drawn 1 inch tall, and a 40-foot dinosaur would be drawn 10 inches tall.) |
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During the next class period, have the groups meet to discuss and plan their murals. Tell them to consider the habitats of the dinosaurs they were assigned. Do the dinosaurs live in swamps, coniferous forests, or deserts? Then have each group use a large sheet of paper to create a group mural. Have students draw and label the plants (trees are plants) and other environmental features. |
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After the murals of habitats have been completed, have students cut out their dinosaur pictures and place them in the appropriate environment on the mural, such as near plants or animals the dinosaurs ate. Using information on the Classroom Activity Sheets, each student should write a brief description of a dinosaur on an index card. Students should tape their cards next to their pictures. |
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Hang the murals around the classroom. Once students have had a chance to view all the murals, ask the class how the Mesozoic periods were alike and how they were different. How did dinosaurs change as their environment and its vegetation changed? |
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The Scientific American Book of Dinosaurs
Gregory S. Paul, ed. St. Martin’s Press, 2000
With each chapter written by a dinosaur specialist, this comprehensive volume explains everything about dinosaurs: their anatomy, evolution, behavior, growth, and development, along with several theories of their mass extinction. Black-and-white drawings, photographs, and artistic reconstructions add to the detailed text. A section of colored plates shows how perceptions of dinosaurs’ appearance and movement have changed throughout the past century.
The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book
Thomas E. Svarney and Patricia Barnes-Svarney. Visible Ink Press, 1999
On a lighter note, this book answers all the questions you can think of about dinosaurs. Three sections cover the three major periods of dinosaur existence—the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. Other sections answer questions about dinosaur anatomy, behavior and extinction, as well as dinosaur discoveries in North America and around the world. The last sections include a listing of books, organizations, museums and Web sites.
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