Name:
Date:
WALKING WITH DINOSAURS
Part One – Making Observations – We will walk through the dinosaur trackway together.
There are two different scenes. List observations of what you see in the boxes below.
•
How many different types of tracks are there?
•
What are the relative sizes and shapes of the tracks – Are the toes pointy or
rounded? Are the large or small?
•
How many feet does each dinosaur appear to have? Are all the footprints the
same size?
•
What is the pattern of the tracks? What happens when more than one type of
tracks come together in the same area?
•
Which way was the dinosaur moving?
•
Are the tracks close together or far apart?
•
Make a sketch of each different type of footprint in each scene.
SCENE ONE – Trackway in road parallel to tennis courts
Observations
Sketch each type of footprint
SCENE TWO – Trackway on hill & crossing road towards tennis courts
Observations
Sketch each type of footprint
Part Two – Measuring Footprints
Complete the charts below by following these steps. The number of the step matches
the number of the column.
1. Decide whether each dinosaur walked on two feet (biped) or four feet (quadruped).
Record your inference in column 1.
2. Measure the length from heel to toe of the
longest part of each type of footprint. Refer
to the diagram on the right to see how to
measure a footprint. If the dinosaur was a quadruped, measure the REAR footprint.
Record footprint length in centimeters (cm) in column 2.
3. Identify the type of dinosaur using the information on the Dinosaur Fact Sheet. The
length of the footprint, shape of foot and whether it was a biped or quadruped will
help you identify the dinosaur. Choose from names in BOLD on the fact sheet.
Record the name in column 3.
*Hint: The smallest tracks in Scenes 1 and 2 are from the same type of dinosaur.
Scene One
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Biped or
Footprint
Quadruped?
Length, cm
Dinosaur Name
Column 1
Column 2
Column 3
Biped or
Footprint
Quadruped?
Length, cm
Dinosaur A
(largest tracks)
Dinosaur B
Dinosaur C
(smallest tracks)
Scene Two
Dinosaur D
(large tracks)
Dinosaur E
(small tracks)
Dinosaur Name
Part Three – Measuring Stride
A stride is the distance from one left footprint to the next left footprint (or right to right).
Refer to the diagrams below to see how to measure stride length.
•
Always measure from the same place on each print
– same toe to same toe (or heel to heel).
•
Record stride in centimeters.
•
If you measure stride in meters, multiply by 100 to
convert to centimeters.
•
Measure each dinosaur’s stride length. Record data in the chart below.
•
Dinosaur Letters (A, B, etc.) refer to the same dinosaurs as in Part Two.
Scene One
Stride Length (cm)
(# meters x 100 = # centimeters)
Dinosaur A
(large, three-toed along
tennis court)
Dinosaur B
(four toed dino by jumble)
*You do not need to measure the stride for Dinosaur C in Scene 1.
Scene Two
Stride Length (cm)
(# meters x 100 = # centimeters)
Dinosaur D
(very large, four toed dino)
*Dinosaur E 1st set
(small tracks by building)
*Dinosaur E 2nd set
*Near the top of the hill, there are two different stride lengths for the
small dinosaur (Dino E). Measure and record BOTH stride lengths.
Before you do the next step, check with a teacher that you completed the
measurements in Parts Two and Three correctly.
Part Four – Determining Dinosaur Size & Behavior
A dinosaur’s size (hip height and head-to-tail length) and behavior can be estimated
from its footprint and stride lengths.
Complete the chart below by following these steps. Column numbers in the chart
correspond to the step numbers.
1.
Copy the dinosaur names from the chart in Part Two.
2.
Copy the footprint lengths from the chart in Part Two.
3.
Calculate the head-to-tail length of each dinosaur.
4.
Calculate the hip height of each dinosaur.
5.
Copy the stride lengths from Part Three.
6.
Calculate Stride Length / Hip Height. There are no units for this answer.
7.
A dinosaur’s behavior is inferred from the relationship between stride length and
hip height. Use the key below to infer each dinosaur’s behavior.
Behavior Key:
< (less than) 2.0
WALKING
2.0-2.9
TROTTING
> (greater than) 2.9 RUNNING
Scene One
1
Dinosaur
Name
A
B
Scene Two
D
*E (1st set)
*E (2nd set)
2
Footprint
length
(cm)
3
4
Head-to-tail
length =
10 x footprint
length (cm)
Hip height =
4 x footprint
length (cm)
5
Stride
length
(cm)
6
Stride Length
÷ Hip Height
= Col. 5/Col. 4
(no units)
7
Behavior?
(See Key)
* Use the two DIFFERENT strides you measured for Dinosaur E in Scene Two.
Summary and Conclusions
In the space below neatly write a summary about one of the dinosaur scenes. Include
the following information in your summary.
• Which scene are you describing?
• What types of dinosaurs where present?
• Based on the EVIDENCE you recorded (observations, measurements and
calculations), make a hypothesis about what you think happened in the scene.
Describe your hypothesis. Give at least two pieces of evidence and explain how
it supports your inferences.