Dinosaurs & Adaptations
👩🏫 Teacher’s Guide
Objective
Explain dinosaur survival features and discuss evidence for their disappearance.
Vocabulary
- — A cold‑blooded animal with scales
- — Hard body covering
- — Animal that is hunted
- — Space rock
- — Scientist who studies fossils
Teaching Notes
Link form to function (teeth, legs, plates); asteroid impact hypothesis; birds as relatives evidence.
Answer Key
Sharp teeth for meat; plates/spikes for defense; birds share traits with dinosaurs.
Extension Ideas
Compare feet (bird vs. T. rex) — count toes/claws.
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🧒 Student Worksheet
Concept and Helping Material
Dinosaurs lived long ago. Some hunted. Some ate plants. Some had armor. Scientists study fossils to learn about them.
Words to Learn
- An animal hunted by another is ___.
- A person who studies fossils is a ___.
- A hard body covering is ___.
Sentences to Fill In
- Riddle: What breaks a shell to get out? (___).
- Choose: Did all dinosaurs live at the same time? (Yes/No).
Hands-On Experiment — Torn‑Paper Fossil Art
What You Need
paper, glue, reference image
What You Do
Tear paper shapes to assemble a skeleton; label parts; title your specimen.
Reflection
- What evidence suggests birds are dinosaur relatives? (Answer may vary.)
- How could an asteroid cause extinctions? (Answer may vary.)