They once roamed and ruled the earth-creatures so large that the largest mammals today pale in comparison. Dinosaur! pieces together the clues of the world's greatest detective story, the story of the dinosaurs. Using state-of-the-art animation, this visual encyclopedia offers insight into these creatures that continue to intrigue scientists as well as school children. From the 1824 discovery of a giant tooth which rocked the foundations of scientific thinking, to the staggering theories of today, this is a story as big as the earth and as great as all time. Dinosaur! would be useful for classes on Science, Geography, Biology and History. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Birth of a Legend: Tale of an Egg

Enter the fascinating world of the baby dinosaur. In 1922, a chance discovery in the deserts of Mongolia heralded a new understanding of dinosaur behavior. Dinosaur eggs allow us a privileged insight into the family life of the most successful race of creatures ever to walk the earth.

• agility
• analogy
• anatomy
• articulated
• conspicuous
• envisage
• fetid
• flamboyant
• horde
• migration
• obsession
• predators
• premonition
• pugnacious
• stereoscopic
• strewn
• throve
• yearling

1. Dinosaurs seem to have a made an earlier appearance in folklore in the form of dragons. How and why are dragons part of folklore? What are some examples of dragons in folklore?

2. The discovery of dinosaur eggs helped paleontologists discover much about the social lives of dinosaurs. How does the discovery of dinosaur eggs shed light on the social behavior of dinosaurs?

3. Because of the immense weight of dinosaurs, it is unlikely that they sat on their eggs, similar to birds, to incubate their eggs. How does paleontologist Jack Horner hypothesize dinosaur mothers kept their eggs warm?

4. How do Jack Horner and other paleontologists know that dinosaurs nurtured their young?

5. What is migration? Why do animals migrate? What animals migrate today?

6. Most paleontologists believed that dinosaurs were cold-blooded creatures similar to reptiles. Dinosaur hunter Bob Bakker believes that dinosaurs were warm-blooded animals. Why?

7. Discuss the contributions of amateur paleontologists. How have they added to our knowledge of the past?

8. Discuss how dinosaur hunters use a combination of sweat and technology in their quest to find dinosaurs bones.

1. Create a dragon to symbolize the Chinese New Year. What does your dragon have in common with a dinosaur?

2. Design a dinosaur museum.

3. Create games for younger children that use dinosaurs to promote learning. Perhaps you can try these games with some of your younger schoolmates or your younger siblings.

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