Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Diorama

Our thanks to Robert who sent in to us a photograph of the dinosaur and prehistoric animal landscape that he had created.  He has built a huge prehistoric landscape, complete with authentic Mesozoic vegetation, dinosaur footprints, flying reptiles and a watering hole.  The talented model maker then created his very own Late Cretaceous prehistoric scene using his large collection of dinosaur and prehistoric animal models.

A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Diorama

Picture credit: Robert

We think you will agree the results are very impressive.

A Creative and Imaginative Prehistoric Scene

A lot of care and thought has gone into making this creative and imaginative scene.  Robert has been careful to research the prehistoric animals that his model collection represents and he has only featured models of prehistoric animals that would have lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous.  The diorama features such famous dinosaurs as Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Styracosaurus and the armoured giant Ankylosaurus.

The prehistoric scene also features a large pterosaur replica.  The pterosaur (Pteranodon sternbergi), has swooped down to the watering hole to take a drink, but it had better watch out as a large predator (Albertosaurus), is stalking it.  On the ground, this flying reptile would have been vulnerable to attack from tyrannosaurids, let’s hope that it spots the danger in time and is able to take flight.

The Pteranodon is Being Stalked by an Albertosaurus

Picture credit: Robert

A Late Cretaceous Diorama

Our congratulations once again to Robert, for creating such a wonderful prehistoric animal diorama and that is a wonderful collection of dinosaur and prehistoric animal figures that you have got there.

For dinosaur and prehistoric animal models: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Dinosaur Themed Extension Activity for Key Stage 1

Everything Dinosaur team members are getting ready for the start of the summer term (UK).  Staff have a lot of dinosaur and fossil themed workshops and other activities to prepare.  For example, in a few days, a team member is visiting a school to conduct some dinosaur workshops with Year 2 classes and once the workshops have been concluded they have been invited to a question and answer session with two classes of Year 2.

As part of our extension activities to help support the teaching team’s scheme of work, we have developed a lesson plan based around answering the question how did dinosaurs keep themselves clean?

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

A Helpful PDF – Dinosaur Extension Activity for Key Stage 1

To assist the teaching team, we have developed a lesson plan outlining the learning aims and objectives.  Fossil bones and teeth help scientists to work out what extinct animals looked like, what they ate and how they moved, but evidence from fossils can’t tell palaeontologists much about the way that prehistoric animals behaved.

Trace fossils such as trackways and burrows can provide some evidence, but in order to answer questions about Dinosauria hygiene, scientists have to study animals alive today in order to get some clues.  By studying living creatures palaeontologists can make educated assumptions about how extinct animals kept themselves clean.

Did Some Dinosaurs Roll Around in the Dust to Help Keep Themselves Clean?

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“When we visit schools, we like to provide additional resources to help support the topic area.   We are happy to provide lots of free information including prepared lesson plans and lesson guides.  It is all part of our extensive programme of dinosaur and fossil themed workshops in schools.”

For further information about the range of science outreach offered by Everything Dinosaur: Email Everything Dinosaur.

Symbiosis in the Dinosauria

Some animals alive today relay on the assistance of other animals to help them keep clean and tidy.  Tropical fish on coral reefs deliberately visit areas where “cleaner fish” congregate and they patiently wait whilst these fish clean them and remove dead skin and parasites.  In Africa, the Oxpecker (Buphagus spp.), a type of starling, regularly hitch a ride on the back of a large mammals, such as elephants and pick dead skin and parasites from their host’s hide.  These birds also catch insects disturbed as the large animals move through the scrub and bush.

Symbiosis in the Dinosauria

It is very likely that these sorts of mutually beneficial relationships between different species occurred in the past and with dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Symbiosis – Classroom Extension Ideas

Mutually beneficial activities are termed symbiotic relationships by scientists.  In the picture (above), a statue of a large theropod dinosaur (Megalosaurus) is shown. Since the early days of studying dinosaur bones, symbiosis within the Dinosauria was suspected. Symbiosis is the term used to describe an interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association to the benefit of both.

• Can your class find examples of mutual co-operation (symbiosis) in the natural world?
• Can the class consider ways that pupils and staff at the school co-operate together?

For further information contact Everything Dinosaur: Email Everything Dinosaur.