Geologist Adam Sedgwick Born on this Day 1785

On this day in 1785, Adam Sedgwick was born.  He was to play a vital role in the development of geology and did much to help improve our understanding with regards to the age of the Earth and the various geological periods that can be reflected in the fossil record.  A graduate of Cambridge University, Sedgwick spent much of his working life collaborating with another pioneering British geologist, Roderick Murchison and between them they mapped and dated much of the strata of the British Isles.  Adam Sedgwick was responsible for defining the Cambrian geological period and with Murchison, they defined the Devonian.

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Britain’s Developing Canal Network Permitted Access to Rocks

Extensive engineering projects and widespread quarrying as Britain developed its network of canals provided these early pioneers of geology with unprecedented access to the rocks and strata of the British Isles.  This study was further augmented with the development of the railways.  The industrial revolution greatly increased the demand for coal and this fuelled (no pun intended), a tremendous scientific interest in how rock layers are formed and their relative ages.

The Famous Ripple Beds at Wren’s Nest (Dudley)

The famous ripple beds at Wren’s Nest SSSI located in the West Midlands. Adam Sedgwick was one of the founders of the science of geology. A knowledge of geology helped find coal and other important resources to help fuel the industrial revolution. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The Science of Biostratigraphy

Adam Sedgwick played a significant role in the nascent science of biostratigraphy.  Biostratigraphy is the study of the age of strata using the fossils preserved within the rock layers.  Formations, that may be separated by hundreds of miles can be relatively dated using the fossils preserved within the sediments.  Adam Sedgwick was a vehement opponent of Darwin’s theory of evolution.  Although he admired Darwin for his methodical approach to research, he could not accept the consequences of the theory that Darwin postulated in his seminal book of 1859 – that of evolution by natural selection as explained in the “Origin of Species”.

Everything Dinosaur stocks a range of replica animals that represent iconic creatures from the fossil record: Iconic Fossil Animals.

New Dinosaur Described – Boreonykus certekorum

Canadian palaeontologist Philip Currie in collaboration with Australian Phil Bell has published a scientific paper announcing the discovery of a new meat-eating dinosaur, one that was very probably closely related to the famous Velociraptor.  The fossils of a theropod dinosaur, described by a member of the Everything Dinosaur team as being “about the size of a German Shepherd dog”, come from an extensive dinosaur bonebed containing the remains of a number of huge horned dinosaurs (Pachyrhinosaurus).

Boreonykus certekorum

The shed teeth and isolated bones, including diagnostic cranial material that proved critical in the establishing of a new genus, had been preserved amongst the immense bones of the horned dinosaurs.  These fossils provide evidence that a number of different types of carnivorous dinosaur would have scavenged the carcases of horned dinosaurs, possibly the victims of an attempt to cross a river in flood.

A Pair of Boreonykus Feeding on the Carcase of Pachyrhinosaurus

A pair Boreonykus feeding on the corpse of a Pachyrhinosaurs lakustai.

Picture credit: Canadian Press

The discovery of a frontal bone (a bone from the front of the skull), led to the erection of a new genus.  The dinosaur has been named Boreonykus certekorum and a phylogenetic analysis indicates that this dinosaur was probably a descendent of Asian members of the Velociraptorinae sub-family of dromaeosaurids.  The researchers propose that the ancestors of B. certekorum migrated across a land bridge from Asia into North America.

Polar Dinosaurs

The fossils come from the Wapiti Formation of north-western Alberta, Canada.  The Pachyrhinosaurus bonebed is located at Pipestone Creek and the fossils have been dated to around 72.5 million years ago or thereabouts.  Writing in the open access, on line journal “The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology” the scientists suggest that Boreonykus is potentially a close relative of the famous Velociraptor from Asia.

The Sickle-shaped Killing Claw on the Second Toe of Boreonykus

The killing toe claw of the “raptor”Boreonykus. Scale bar = 1 centimetre.

Picture credit: The Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

A Polar Climate

During the Late Cretaceous, this part of northern Canada would have been part of an extensive “polar” climate adjacent to an substantial inland sea.  Although not as cold as this region of Canada today, Alberta in the Late Cretaceous would have suffered from long winters with plenty of snow and temperatures below freezing.  It is likely that Boreonykus was covered in a thick coat of shaggy proto-feathers to help keep out the cold.

This small meat-eating dinosaur may not have been a permanent resident of this polar environment, however, it has been noted that relatively small dinosaurs such as Boreonykus would have found migrating long distances quite a challenge.  Indeed, if the bonebed with the Pachyrhinosaurus fossils is anything to go by, there would certainly have been enough carcases in the area to sustain a population of Boreonykus dinosaurs through any long , dark winter.

For models and replicas of dromaeosaurs: Beasts of the Mesozoic Models.

Mind Mapping to Support Teachers

The staffroom notice board can get rather congested.  There is so much paperwork and administration these days and with increasing school  populations, coupled with the move towards larger schools in the form of academies, the deluge of paperwork, notices, meeting minutes, union information and so on does not seem likely to abate any time in the future.  However, if space can be found in the staffroom, why not try a mind map?  Mind maps can provide a visual image of the school curriculum, it is simply a very visual way of organising information.

Take for example, this snippet from a mind map spotted by one of our teachers on a recent visit to Sparken Hill Academy in Worksop (Nottinghamshire).

Dinosaurs Feature on a Curriculum Mind Map

Mind map features dinosaurs. A dinosaur-themed mind map was spotted during a school visit by a team member from Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Sparken Hill Academy/Everything Dinosaur

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Mind Maps

If space can be found somewhere on the staffroom walls, then a mind map can be created.  Simply, paint a large area with black paint and provide chalk so that a mind map can be drawn.  Brainstorming sessions amongst staff members can help teaching teams make connections and explore potential resources to help support their teaching aims.  For Sparken Hill Academy, the teaching team linked a visit from Everything Dinosaur to deliver a dinosaur workshop in support of Key Stage 1 to the menu being served at the school canteen.  The children had been learning all about herbivores and carnivores (some omnivores too), so the cafe was used to help the reinforce learning about food chains and food webs.

Teachers in Year 3, who were covering how fossils form as part of the science element of the new national curriculum dealing with rocks and fossils could utilise the many photographs taken of the fossils used in the Everything Dinosaur workshops.  The Year 1 and Year 2 teachers could even request further information and photographs to help their colleagues in Key Stage 2 with their scheme of work.

Dinosaur Workshops in School

Mind maps can be a very powerful way of helping to visualise the curriculum and to make connections which enhances the learning of all the children in the school.  A mind map in the staffroom can be a useful resource for teachers and teaching assistants to help them visualise links in the national curriculum.  It can aid the senior leadership team in their quest to optimise resources and monitor budgets and mind maps can help to foster a spirit of greater co-operation.  Building an effective mind map can involve the whole school and this can help to build teams.

To view the extensive range of educational toys and games available from Everything Dinosaur: Educational Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.