Visiting the dinosaurs

Visiting the dinosaurs

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Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about reading a story and using evidence from pictures to answer questions about animals that once lived. 

Question 1Change answer

Walking along one day James and Lyn found a time machine! They wanted to go back to when dinosaurs were alive so they climbed in and pressed a button labelled "past".
 
Thud. The machine landed James and Lyn back on a beach. "Look at these dinosaur tracks!" said Lyn.
dinosaur footprints
How many different types of dinosaurs had walked on this part of the beach?  

Question 1Change answer

James and Lyn walked up the beach. Whoosh, above them flew this animal. "Watch out, it eats meat!" shouted James. 
 
What is one thing about this animal's body which shows it eats meat?

Question 1Change answer

brontosaurus
They decided that it would be safer in the forest. They came to a gap in the trees, and there in front of them was a brontosaurus standing in a swamp.
What is a swamp?
 
"Look at the long neck it has" Lyn said. "That would be useful". 
How would the long neck be useful to the brontosaurus?

Question 1Change answer

dinosaur skull
Lyn and James walked further into the forest, they found this skull. "That animal had big horns, I wonder how they were useful?" asked Lyn. 
 
Explain how the horns would have been useful to this animal.

Question 1Change answer

mammoth
"Let's get out of here, it feels dangerous" said James. They went back to their machine and pressed a button labelled "future".
 
When it stopped next they looked out the window and saw this animal. Lyn said, "I think it looks like a big hairy elephant." 
 
What are two ways a mammoth and an elephant look the same?

Question 2Change answer

Why did mammoths have so much hair?

Question 1Change answer

James and Lyn had seen enough of the past, so they pressed the button in their machine to take them to "today".
 
The next day their teacher showed them some old dinosaur bones that had been found in a swamp nearby. 
 
What do we call the remains of animals that are found in swamps or in rocks?
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.
Level:
2
Curriculum info: 
Science, Understanding about science, Living World
Keywords: 
ecology, dinosaurs
Description of task: 
Students are provided with a narrative of two children who have gone back to the past at a time when dinosaurs existed. Students have a number of questions to answer during the narrative.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss different collections of data.
 
Capability: Use evidence
This resource provides opportunities to discuss scientists support their explanations with evidence.
 

 
Science capabilities: 
Gather and interpret data, Use evidence
Answers/responses: 

 

Y4 (12/1999)
a) 3 very easy
b) Because of the (sharp) teeth/claws. easy
c) An area of land that is waterlogged/filled with water. difficult
d) So it could reach the tops of tall trees/get food from trees. moderate
e) For defence easy
f) Any 2 of:

  • tusks
  • four legs/feet
  • body shape is similar (not just "shape")
  • have hair/fur
  • have a trunk
  • other answers possible

2 correct – moderate

1 correct – very easy
g) Any 1 of:

  • To keep warm.
  • Because they lived in cold areas.

 

moderate
h) Fossils moderate