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DINOROCK
A Dinosaur Book of World Records / Teachers Guide
©Dinorock Productions, Inc. 1998
Performance Information: A Dinosaur Book of World Records is a show about dinosaur
extremes. Using an oversized book and engaging dinosaur puppet characters, the Dinorockers
introduce record holding Mesozoic creatures through original songs and audience
participation.
Background : The important point to remember when writing a book of world records is that
most records can be broken. As long as Dinorock has been in existence the T.rex was always
the biggest carnosaur. Within the last 5 years two separate expeditions have found larger meat
eaters, one in South America and one in Africa. So T.rex is still the largest meat eater... in
North America. With all the new dinosaur discoveries records are broken all the time. The
other important theme in this show is that there is still “so much out there to be
discovered....exploration is the name of the game!”
For Before or After the Show
I. Explore Dinosaur Names: Show pictures of dinosaurs and practice the names with
your class. One of the things children seem to love most about dinosaurs is the
tongue–twisting names given to them by the scientists who discover them, like:
A. Tyrannosaurus rex (tye–RAN–uh–sawr–us rex)
The name means 'tyrant king'. The T. rex was one of the largest and most
famous carnosaurs that ever walked on earth.
B. Parasaurolophus (par-ah-sawr-OL-o-fus) Although the name translates as
“similar crested lizard” this late Cretaceous hadrosaur of North America had a
very unique crest. It was a hollow tube about 5’ long that extended back
behind the head. Scientists think it might have been used to make trumpeting
sounds; mating calls or danger alarms. This duck billed planteater had webbed
hands and about 1600 small, flat teeth for grinding tough riverside grasses.
C. Ankylosaurus (ang-KYL-o-sawr-us) means “Stiffened lizard” because
the head, body and tail of this plant eating Cretaceous tank were covered with
bony plates set close together in thick leathery skin. About 25 feet long the
ankylosaurus was only 4 feet high but 6 feet wide! Discovered in North America
and Mongolia, it was one of the last of the plant eating dinosaurs to die out.
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II. Dinosaur Sounds: Scientists believe that dinosaurs made many sounds that animals of
today make. Practice dinosaur "talking" with the children. This is a wonderful avenue for
creative sounds, since no one ever heard them. We can't be sure exactly how they sounded.
But they didn’t all roar like lions.
III. Dinosaur Movement: Sauropods vs Theropods
Sauropods
(sawr–OP–odd) or "Lizard–footed" were the 4 footed, plant–eating dinosaurs. They had huge
bodies, long necks, whip like tails and elephant like legs. To get the feel of walking like a
sauropod the children can slither their backbones up and down while walking in slow motion.
Or link all the children together in a straight line and move them in a wave pattern as a unit.
Theropods
(the–ROP–od) or "Beast–footed" were two legged mostly meat eaters, who walked on strong
hind legs with their bodies bent over parallel to the ground. Most had short arms and tiny
hands. The children can stomp around the room, growling, to show off their powerful teeth.
Most children love T.rex, the most famous theropod of all, because he was so invincible. He is,
however, no longer considered the largest carnosaur; since digs in South America and North
Africa unearthed the Giganotosaurus and the Carcharodontosaurus respectively.
IV. Fossils
A. Discuss fossils with the children – Fossils are dinosaur leftovers.
Suggestion: Using modeling clay and plastic dinosaur models, make your own fossils
by pressing the dinosaur models into the clay. The impression left in the clay is a
reasonable facsimile of a fossil.
Dinosaur fossils include: Bones, Teeth, Eggs, Skin, Footprints, Imprints of
skeletons left in rocks, and dinosaur dung -also called coprilite).
B. Using picture books, explain excavation - digging up the bones and paleontologist
(a scientist who studies dinosaurs) to the children.
C. Dramatic Play: How to go on a dinosaur dig in the classroom.
1. Divide the children into two groups: fossils and paleontologists.
2. Instruct the fossils to hide. Make sure you have enough fossils to put
together a 4 footed planteater. Only a quadruped will be able to do step 5.
3. Decide with the paleontologists which and how many bones you might
find on this 'dig'. Each bone must touch another bone when assembled.
4. Help your paleontologists assemble the bones of this 4 footed plant eater.
5. Decide with the children how the dinosaur sounded. Using a magic sound
or wand, bring the dinosaur to life for a few moments. Let the dinosaur
slowly move around the room, emitting those sounds.
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V. Ways of illustrating Dinosaur size and shape
A. In The Belly of the Beast: Convert the entire classroom into the inside of a large
theropod (Chances are the children will want it to be a T.rex.)
1. Hang the rib cage, heart and lungs as cardboard cutouts from the ceiling.
2. Make the doorway into the dinosaur's mouth by hanging cardboard teeth.
3. Label various areas of the classroom accordingly (ie, the snack table as the stomach)
B. Dinosaur strides: Using masking tape, put one foot print of T. rex down on the
floor.Then count 15’ to another spot on the floor. Put down another foot print.
Have the children count how many strides of theirs equals one stride of T. rex.
C. Size Comparisons: Using your school building, mark off the length of a large
sauropod in the hallway of the school. The diplodocus was 90 feet long.
Other comparisons: Triceratops - a dump truck., Stegosaurus - a Volkswagen
T.rex - a 2 story school building
Dinosaur Resources
Aliki. Dinosaurs Are Different. Harper and Row. New York, 1985.
––––––Dinosaur Bones. Thomas Y. Crowell. New York, 1988.
––––––Digging Up Dinosaurs. Harper and Row. New York, 1988.
Sattler, Helen Roney. The New Illustrated Dinosaur Dictionary. Lothrop Lee and
Shepard. New York, 1990.
Dinosaurs on the Internet
www.dinodon.com
www.dinosauria.com
www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs
www.dinorock.com
You can always reach us through our email at: [email protected]
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www.classactsarts.org
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