STAGE
3
Dinosaurs
Tim Vicary
Introduction
This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only
and should not be given to students.
Chapter summary
Chapter 1 (Finding fossils) describes the interest in
fossils and ancient animals that first developed in
19th-century England. The subject was at first of
interest only to a few amateurs and eccentric scientists.
However, the increasing number of finds, and the
amazing size and nature of the animals, soon caught
the public imagination, particularly in North America.
Chapter 2 (Dinosaur numbers) provides some
characterised by very thick skins and other protective
basic facts and figures about the size of dinosaurs and
features such as horns, spikes, and clubbed tails.
the times they lived in. It emphasises the vast length
Chapter 7 (Family life) considers the way that
of time for which they inhabited the Earth, as well as
dinosaurs cared for their young. At first it was believed
the long period between the disappearance of the
that they all laid eggs and forgot about them; however,
dinosaurs and the relatively recent arrival of human
a closer look at the evidence later suggested that
beings.
some dinosaurs took great care of their young after
Chapter 3 (The first dinosaurs) describes the
hatching. Some dinosaurs may even have lived and
evolution of different types of dinosaur from earlier
hunted in family groups.
animals (archosaurs) that survived a mass extinction
Chapter 8 (Birds) looks at the fact that many
about 250 million years ago. The first dinosaurs were
dinosaurs had feathers and hollow bones, like present-
relatively small, but over time they developed into
day birds. At first the idea that birds might be related
larger meat-eating dinosaurs (theropods), and plant-
to dinosaurs seemed absurd, but it is now generally
eating dinosaurs (sauropods) that could weigh over a
accepted that some small feathered dinosaurs did
tonne.
indeed develop the ability to fly, and evolved into the
Chapter 4 (Bigger and stronger) explains how, as
birds of today.
the climate became warmer and wetter, plant-eating
Chapter 9 (A sudden end) describes the evidence
dinosaurs became huge, many weighing 50 tonnes or
for a massive meteor impact that took place about 65
more. Their predators too became bigger, but probably
million years ago, wiping out virtually all the plant life
had to hunt in groups to kill the largest sauropods – or
on Earth, and in turn the sauropods and theropods.
they may have picked young or weak animals, or
Some smaller animals – including early mammals –
scavenged meat from dead ones.
survived, and took over the land previously dominated
Chapter 5 (Big, bad, and dangerous) looks at the
by dinosaurs.
Cretaceous period, when the single continent of
Chapter 10 (Studying dinosaurs) looks at the
Pangaea was separating into the continents that we
fossil evidence for dinosaurs and how it has been
recognize today. The climate continued to get warmer
interpreted. Whilst we can be sure of some facts
and wetter, and the sheer quantity and diversity of
about dinosaurs, there are some questions that we
plant life meant that sauropods became even bigger. A
can only guess at, such as what colour they were or
variety of ferocious meat-eating dinosaurs evolved in
what noises they made.
this period, the most terrible being Tyrannosaurus
Chapter 11 (Dinosaurs today) concludes by
rex.
considering our fascination with dinosaurs, dating back
Chapter 6 (Strangest of all) describes the
to Victorian times. Museums throughout the world
ornithiscians, plant-eating dinosaurs that were very
have dinosaur exhibits, and they have become a
successful during the Cretaceous period. They were
popular feature of novels, computer games, and films.
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© Oxford university press
STAGE
3
Dinosaurs
Pre-reading activity
Is it true?
1 Read these sentences about dinosaurs. Do you think they are true or not?
YesNo
a Dinosaurs lived all over the world.
b Dinosaurs killed a lot of people.
c Dinosaurs lived on Earth for about a million years.
d The dinosaurs disappeared suddenly from the Earth a long time ago.
e The first dinosaurs were very big and frightening.
f Some dinosaurs had feathers, and could fly.
2 Match these chapter titles with the sentences.
1 Finding fossils
aThey bit it with their sharp teeth, and cut it with their terrible
sharp claws, until it died. Then they ate it.
2 Dinosaur numbers
bA bright light filled the sky, and there was an enormous
BANG! – louder than anything they had ever heard.
3 The first dinosaurs
cThese dinosaurs were looking after their children, like good parents.
4 Bigger and stronger
dThe longest dinosaur, Diplodocus, was 35 metres long – longer
than three buses – and its tail was 21 metres long.
5 Big, bad, and dangerous
eThey slept in the trees at night, safe from their enemies.
6 Strangest of all
fDinosaurs have appeared in hundreds of computer games
since 1986.
7 Family life
gAs the plants grew bigger, there was more food for the animals
to eat.
8 Birds
h We can learn a lot about dinosaurs from fossils.
9 A sudden end
iEvery few minutes, she picked up a stone, looked at it carefully,
and put it in her bag.
10 Studying dinosaurs
j Its head was enormous, and it had three large horns.
11 Dinosaurs today
kThe Earth they lived in was a very different place. There were
plants, but no grass, no flowers, and no fruit.
To the teacher
Aim: To familiarize students with some key facts about
this stage. Next, ask the students to match the chapter
dinosaurs
titles with the sentences provided. Ask them to try to
Time: 10–15 minutes
say what the sentences are about, and what other
Organization: This activity can be done as one activity
information might be in each chapter.
or as two separate pre-reading activities. First ask the
Key: 1: a Yes, b No (the dinosaurs disappeared millions
students what they know about dinosaurs. Then, ask
of years before humans arrived), c No (they lived on
them to look at the six statements at the top of the page
Earth for about 165 million years), d Yes, e No (the first
and decide whether they think that these things are
dinosaurs looked like small chickens), f Yes
true. Where students think that a statement is not true,
2: 1 i, 2 d, 3 k, 4 g, 5 a, 6 j, 7 c, 8 e, 9 b, 10 h, 11 f
ask them to explain why, but do not give the answers at
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STAGE
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Dinosaurs
While reading activity
Spot the mistakes
There are 12 mistakes in this summary of Chapters 3 and 4. Find and correct the mistakes. The
first one has been done for you.
million
In the time before the dinosaurs, there were lots of different animals. But about 250 thousand years ago,
something terrible happened. Thousands of volcanoes exploded. This made the sky very bright, so it
was impossible to see the sun, perhaps for years. About 25% of all animals and plants died. Only a
few large animals stayed alive. Some of these were called archosaurs.
As millions of years passed, the archosaurs evolved into three main types of dinosaur: theropods,
which were meat-eating dinosaurs; sauropods, which ate humans; and ornithiscians, which had very
thin skins.
The Earth was very different at that time. There was only one small continent, and there were no
flowers, grass, or fruit. But slowly, over millions of years, the Earth changed. The weather got much
colder and wetter, so there was more food for dinosaurs, and they got much bigger.
Most of the big plant-eating dinosaurs had big heads and brains, heavy bodies, and big stomachs.
They had long, strong arms which they used to defend themselves. The sauropods were very big and
fast. It was difficult to kill them, so dinosaurs like Allosaurus probably hunted in groups. Other meateating dinosaurs, like Ceratosaurus, hunted for their food in the sky.
To the teacher
Where: At the end of Chapter 4 (Bigger and stronger)
of all animals and plants died. Only a few small animals
Aim: To consolidate some of the key facts learned so far
stayed alive. Some of these were called archosaurs.
Time: 20–25 minutes
As millions of years passed, the archosaurs evolved into
Organization: Make a copy of this worksheet for each
three main types of dinosaur: theropods, which were
student. Ask students to look at the summary and say
meat-eating dinosaurs; sauropods, which ate plants;
what it is about. Point out the corrected first mistake,
and ornithiscians, which had very thick skins.
then ask students to rewrite the summary correcting the
The Earth was very different at that time. There was only
remaining mistakes. When students have corrected the
one large continent, and there were no flowers, grass,
mistakes, elicit the correct summary from the class.
or fruit. But slowly, over millions of years, the Earth
Also elicit as much related information as possible from
changed. The weather got much warmer and wetter, so
the class, for example: What were the first dinosaurs
there was more food for dinosaurs, and they got much
like? How were dinosaurs different from crocodiles?
bigger.
What was the name of the first continent? What
Most of the big plant-eating dinosaurs had small heads
happened to it?
and brains, heavy bodies, and big stomachs. They had
Key: The corrected summary should look like this:
long, strong tails which they used to defend themselves.
In the time before the dinosaurs, there were lots of
The sauropods were very big and slow. It was difficult
different animals. But about 250 million years ago,
to kill them, so dinosaurs like Allosaurus probably
something terrible happened. Thousands of volcanoes
hunted in groups. Other meat-eating dinosaurs, like
exploded. This made the sky very dark, so it was
Ceratosaurus, hunted for their food in the water.
impossible to see the sun, perhaps for years. About 95%
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© Oxford university press photocopiable
STAGE
3
Dinosaurs
After reading activity
Word grid
1
i
r
i
d
i
u
m
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1 There is a lot of the metal ______ in meteors.
2 Mary ______ was a young girl who was very interested in fossils.
3 ______ are big plant-eating dinosaurs.
4 Dinosaur means ‘terrible ______’.
5 The dinosaurs died when a huge ______ hit the Earth.
6 Dinosaurs and ______ are the only animals with feathers.
7 The fight between the scientists Marsh and Cope was called the ‘______ wars’.
8 The dinosaurs disappeared suddenly at the end of the ______ period.
9 The scientist Robert Bakker calls himself a ______ detective.
10 Triceratops used its three ______ to defend itself.
To the teacher
Aim: To revise and discuss some of the key vocabulary
some of the topics mentioned. For example: Where did
and facts
Mary Anning live? What did she find? What’s the word
Time: 15–20 minutes
for meat-eating dinosaurs? Why did all the dinosaurs
Organization: Give each student, or group of students,
die? Which other scientists are mentioned in the book?
a copy of the word grid. Ask them to read the clues,
Key: 1 iridium, 2 Anning, 3 sauropods, 4 lizard, 5 meteor,
write in the words, and find the hidden word running
6 birds, 7 bone, 8 cretaceous, 9 murder, 10 horns.
down the centre. Go through the answers as a class,
Hidden word: Diplodocus.
and see how much the students can remember about
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