SCIENCE

Before reading:

1. How do you think moviemakers decide how dinosaurs such as those in Jurassic Park should appear and move?

2. List three types of ancient animal remains other than bones.

During reading:

1. Which dino do scientists believe was the largest to ever walk Earth? How much did it weigh?

2. What is a sauropod?

3. Name two types of technology Manning’s team used to create a three-dimensional model of the Argentinosaurus skeleton.

4. Explain why Manning’s team had to choose carefully how many moving parts their 3-D dino would have.

5. Why did Manning’s team place most of the muscles on the rear legs of the Argentinosaurus 3-D model?

6. How fast did Argentinosaurus walk, according to the researchers’ model? Does this number surprise you? Explain your answer.

7. What is a trackway?

8. Which famous dinosaur belongs to the allosaur family?

9. Explain what computerized tomography is.

10. Describe two types of movements “Big Al” made, according to the model created by Snively’s team.

11. Big Al and a T. rex are both types of allosaurs, but they fed differently. Describe how each animal preyed on others.

After reading:

1. List two ancient animals other than dinosaurs that you would like to see scientists try to re-create the appearance and movement of.

SOCIAL STUDIES

1. Why do you think it is — or isn’t — important to try to understand how dinosaurs and other ancient animals moved?

2. Create your own trackway, then snap a photo of it. Then create another trackway, this time at a lower or higher speed than the first one. Take a photo of those footprints as well. Study those photos side-by-side and write down two differences you notice between the two trackways.