LARGESTDINOS EdGuide letter w Answersthe African elephant. Variations included: tail length, the...

• Suggestions to Help You Come Prepared

• Essential Questions for Student Inquiry

• Strategies for Teaching in the Exhibition

• Map of the Exhibition

• Online Resources for the Classroom

• Correlation to Standards

• Glossary

INSIDE:

DINOSAURSTHE

WORLD’S LARGEST

Educator’s Guide

amnh.org/education/largestdinos

essential QUESTIONS

storage sacs ensured a constant fl ow of fresh air through the lungs. Today’s birds breathe the same way. Sauropods swallowed without chewing, so they could eat massive amounts rapidly. They processed the food in their enormous stomachs. Bacteria in these “fermen-tation tanks” took up to two weeks to break down tough plants and extract energy. Another adaptation was cavities in the bones of sauropod necks (cervical vertebrae), which made those necks lighter and easier to maneuver. And those long, fl exible necks — as long as 40 feet (12 meters)! — allowed sauropods to stand in one place and eat a lot. Their large, powerful hearts beat very slowly to move massive amounts of blood up to their brains and around their huge bodies.

How do scientists study sauropods? To learn about ancient life, scientists study fossils. Finding these traces of ancient life takes time and experience. Paleontologists search carefully for bits of exposed bone, then typically transport the large piece of rock that contains the fossil back to the lab. Trackways provide some of the best clues about sauropod behavior. Studying living birds and other reptiles, which are related to dinosaurs, gives insight into behavior and biology. Paleontologists also turn to experts in other fi elds. For example, geochemists analyze fossil bones and teeth for clues about paleoclimate, while paleobotanists examine coprolites for the physical and chemical traces of ancient plants. Together, these scientists are fi lling in the picture of what these giant dinosaurs ate, how fast they grew, and how long they lived.

For 140 million years sauropods — humongous plant-eating dinosaurs — roamed the planet. This exhibition explores how scientists study fossils and living animals to understand sauropod biology, and what we can learn from these extinct animals about what it means to be big. Use the Essential Questions below to connect the exhibition to your curriculum.

To reach their massive sizes, sauropods grewfaster than any known land-living

mammal, bird, orother reptile.

What is a sauropod?Sauropods were an extraordinarily successful group of dinosaurs notable for their enormous size. These herbivores were the biggest land animals ever. They inhabited every continent and lived from the Early Jurassic period, about 200 million year ago, until 65.5 million years ago, when most dinosaurs became extinct. Over that period sauropods evolved a range of shapes and sizes, although all walked on four legs, were covered in small bumps and scales, and had small heads. Their brains were small relative to body size, but sauropods were smart enough to engage in social behaviors like herding. Like many modern reptiles, they reproduced by laying many eggs and left the young to fend for themselves. The biggest eggs were about the size of a volleyball. Hatchlings grew fast — gaining weight more quickly than any other land animal that’s ever lived.

How do sauropods vary?Like many groups of animals, sauropods came in differ-ent sizes and body shapes. Their average weight was a hefty 12 tons, with some dwarf species weighing only as much as a cow and Argentinosaurus tipping the scales at up to 90 tons (82,000 kg), which is 15 times heavier than the African elephant. Variations included: tail length, the relative proportion of hindlimbs to forelimbs, the shape of the skull and placement of teeth, and in a few cases, the presence of features such as scales and giant spikes down the neck. Teeth ranged from large spoon-shaped ones for biting branches to small pencil-shaped ones for raking and stripping leaves. Each species had only one type of tooth.

How do sauropod bodies work?While some structures in sauropods’ bodies look much like those in animals alive today, others are quite different. Many aspects of sauropod anatomy are key to their giant sizes. For example, a highly effi cient breathing system enabled them to expend less energy breathing than other animals, including mammals. A system of air

Mamenchisaurusweight gain

COME PREPARED

CORRELATIONS TO NATIONAL STANDARDS

Plan your visit. For information about reservations, transpor-tation, and lunchrooms, visit amnh.org/education/plan.

Read the Essential Questions in this guide to see how themes in The World’s Largest Dinosaurs connect to your cur-riculum. Identify the key points that you’d like your students to learn from the exhibition.

Review the Teaching in the Exhibition section of this guide for an advance look at the specimens, models, and interactives that you and your class will be encountering.

Review activities and student worksheets (coming soon). Designed for use before, during, and after your visit, these activities focus on themes that correlate to the NYS Science Core Curriculum:

• K–2: Structures & Functions • 3–5: Observation & Evidence • 6–8: Body Systems • 9–12: Size & Scale

Decide how your students will explore The World’s Largest Dinosaurs. Suggestions include:

• You and your chaperones can facilitate the visit using the Teaching in the Exhibition section of this guide.

• Your students can use the student worksheets to explore the exhibition on their own or in small groups.

• Students, individually or in groups, can use copies of the map to choose their own paths.

Your visit to The World’s Largest Dinosaurs exhibition can be correlated to the national standards below. See the end of this guide for a full listing of New York State standards.

Science Education StandardsAll Grades • A2: Understanding about scientifi c inquiry

K–4 • C1: Characteristics of organisms • C3: Organisms and environments

5–8 • C1: Structure and function of living systems • C3: Regulation and behavior • C5: Diversity and adaptations of organisms • G2: Nature of science

9–12 • C6: Behavior of organisms • G2: Nature of science

GLOSSARYcoprolite: fossilized animal dung. Coprolites contain clues to what animals ate and how their digestive systems worked.

fossil: remains or traces of ancient life — including bones, teeth, shells, leaf impressions, nests, and footprints — that are usually buried in rocks

herbivore: an animal that eats only plants

metabolism: the set of chemical processes within organisms that convert food into the energy necessary for life — everything from growing and moving to thinking

paleoclimate: climate from the past, recorded in rocks, ice sheets, tree rings, sediment, corals, and shells

paleontologist: a scientist who studies the fossil record in order to understand the history of life on Earth

trachea: the tube that connects the nose and mouth to the lungs

trackway: a series of fossilized footprints. Trackways provide clues to the animal’s size, speed, and behavior.

vertebrae (singular: vertebra): the bones that form the backbone and give vertebrates their name. Sauropod necks have between ten to nineteen cervical vertebrae, whereas most mammals, including giraffes and humans, only have seven.

A human baby doubles in weight in 5 months, but this took a

sauropod only 5 days.

At maturity (about age 20),

a human is 17 times its weight at birth, while a mature sauropod (about age 30) weighed 10,000 times as much as it did

as a hatchling.

Teeth & EatingTouchable teeth and skulls: Invite students to touch the teeth at this table and comparetheir shapes and sizes. Ask them what these teeth might be good for, and how that would help a huge animal get enough to eat. (Answers may include: Sauropod teeth were made for raking leaves or tearing branches, not for chewing. By swallowing whole, sauropods could consume very large quantities of food very fast.)

Mamenchisaurus head and foliage: Look up! Tell students that sauropods were herbivores — they ate only plants. Have them observe the Mamenchisaurus’ head and neck, and ask how these body parts help the animal fi nd and eat a lot of food. (Answers may include: Long necks could reach higher leaves. Small, light heads made long necks possible. Heads could be small because they didn’t need big muscles for chewing.)

Check out the Stomach & Digestion section to learn more about sauropod diet and metabolism.

Size affects just about everything an animal does: eating, breathing, moving, and reproducing. This exhibition takes a look at how sauropods, the biggest land animals ever, pulled it off. You and your students will be exploring a large, open space surrounding a full-scale model of Mamenchisaurus, an exceptionally long-necked sauropod spe-cies that lived about 160 million years ago in present-day China. Use the Explorations below, which are organized around body systems, to guide your visit. Refer at any point to the Biology Theater in the center of the exhibition, where projections tie together all the processes that enabled sauropod dinosaurs to grow to enormous sizes.

Head, Neck & MovementModel of Diplodocus brain: Point out that despite having small brains relative to body size, this group of dinosaurs fl ourished on Earth for 140 million years. Have students look at this “big-enough” brain. Ask them to consider, as they go through the exhibition, what behaviors this brain made possible.

Camarasaurus vertebra and vertebrae comparison interactive: Point out that cavities in sauropod vertebrae made necks light and easy to move, without sacrifi cing strength. Have students look at the vertebra and ask them what’s unique about these bones.(Answer: The architecture of the vertebrae allows them to be both light and strong, with large points for powerful muscles to attach.)Ask what the advantage of having such a long, fl exible neck might be. (Answers may include: Long necks gave them access to lots of vegetation without having to move the rest of their bodies.)Invite them to use the interactive to compare how much giraffe and sauropod vertebrae weigh.

teaching in the EXHIBITION

The Importanceof SizeIn this introductory section students can compare skel-etons representing the range of sizes of animals both living and extinct — from the tiny Rufous Hummingbird to the Argentinosaurus looming overhead.

GUIDED EXPLORATIONS

The spoon-shaped tooth (left) belonged to Camarasaurus, the pencil-shaped one to Diplodocus.

Cavities and hollows in neck bones like this one gave Camarasaurus its name. It means “chambered reptile.”

Sauropods probably farted a lot. They may have released around 13 gallons (50 liters) of gas per day!

h

Heart & CirculationModel of sauropod heart: Tell students that the bigger the animal, the more powerful its heart has to be. Have students observe the heart model and describe the characteristics that help a sauropod heart pump oxygen-rich blood from head to tail. (Answer: Sauropod hearts were large and, like human and bird hearts, were four-chambered. Large hearts beat more slowly than smaller ones.)

Pumping heart interactive: Invite students to determine how much effort it takes to circulate blood throughout a sauropod’s body, especially to its brain. Encourage them to experiment with other animals, like a giraffe. (Answer: A sauropod’s circulatory system was able to regulate blood pressure, whether the dinosaur’s head was up or down.)

Lungs & BreathingScale model of lung and trachea: Have students look closely at the model of a sauropod lung and compare it to the diagram of a mammal lung. Ask what the differences are, and what the effects might be. Point out that the sauropod lung was twice as effi cient as a mammal lung. Why is this important? (Answer: Sauropods expended less energy breathing than other animals. Living dinosaurs, today’s birds, breathe the same way. Big respiratory systems also made the animals’ bodies lighter.)

Stomach & DigestionColumn of leaves and metabolism interactive: Tell students that this case shows how much food this Mamenchisaurus might have had to eat in one hour. Invite students to use the interactive to learn about the relationship among body plans, food type, and energy require-ments. Ask: What are some of the factors that infl uenced how much food the animal needed to consume? (Answers may include: size, digestion period, time of day or time of year, nutritional content of food, the animal’s energy requirements, and its age.)

Eggs & ReproductionDisplay of model eggs: Have students look at a range of eggs laid by both living and extinct species. Ask them why the eggs of sauropods are similar in size to those of much smaller animals. Ask them to compare sauropod eggs to those of other dinosaurs, including birds. What do they observe?(Answers may include: There are physical limits on egg size. The bigger the egg, the thicker the shell has to be, but the shell has to stay thin enough to allow oxygen to pass through pores to the developing embryo. The size of an egg is not necessarily proportional to the size of the animal that laid it. All species of sauropods, regard-less of how big they were, laid eggs that were very similar in size.)

Eggshell magnifi er interactive: Have students use the magnifi er to look at the pores, or tiny holes, of the eggshells of modern animals. Then invite students to look at the diorama and touch the fossil eggs to see the evidence for what sauropod nests, eggs, and embryos were like.

teaching in the EXHIBITION

The tough but nutritious horsetail was a staple of the sauropod diet.

A titanosaur hatchling gets ready to

leave the nest. It’s on its own!

WHAT DO FOSSILS TELL US?

How massive were sauropods?Calculate weight and size interactives: Point out that scientists study living animals to understand the biology of extinct ones. Have students use both the computer interactive and the hands-on interactive to understand how scientists extrapolate the weight of an animal from a single bone. (Answer: They use mathematical equations, computer modeling, and comparisons of fossil bones with those of living animals.)

What did sauropods look like?Skin interactive: Ask students why it’s so challenging to determine the color and pattern of sauropod skin. (Answer: Dinosaur skin is rarely preserved, so we only have limited information.)

How did sauropods behave? Sauropod footprints and zoetrope: Guide students’ attention to the stickers on the fl oor that represent a series of life-size footprints, called a trackway. Ask them what kinds of clues to sauropod behavior are contained in trackways. (Answers may include: Trackways contain evidence of how fast sauro-pods might have moved, and suggest that herds included animals of different ages and species.) Invite them to spin the zoetrope for a 3-D image of what moving dinosaurs may have looked like.

HOW DO PALEONTOLOGISTS EXCAVATE FOSSILS?Dig pit: Have students look at the wall graphic surrounding the dig site to familiarize themselves with the kinds of bones they’ll be uncovering. Ask them to watch the video of paleontologists at work for a sense of what it’s like to be on a dig and to see the tools they use. Suggest that they think about how to uncover fossils without damaging them, and then try it themselves in the dig pit. Make sure each student collects a sticker on the way out.

Have students go to

amnh.org/ology/livinglarge to gather clues about sauropod fossils.

0.8 tons (725kg)Europasaurus holgeri

13 tons (11,800 kg)Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis

90 tons (82,000 kg)Argentinosaurus huinculensis

CREDITS Photo CreditsThe World’s Largest Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York (www.amnh.org) in collaboration with Coolture Marketing, Bogotá, Colombia.

The World’s Largest Dinosaurs is proudly supported by Bank of America.

Additional support is generously provided by Marshall P. and Rachael C. Levine, Drs. Harlan B. and Natasha Levine, and Joyce and Bob Giuffra.

Funding for the Educator’s Guide has been provided in part by the Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation.

Cover: sauropod parade, © Raúl Martin; paleontologists at dig, © AMNH. Essential Questions: sauropod growth chart, © AMNH. Come Prepared: Howe Quarry chart, © AMNH/D.Finnin. Teaching in the Exhibition: teeth and sauropod nest, © AMNH/D.Finnin; vertebra, © AMNH/R.Mickens; horsetail, © J.S.Peterson/USDA; trackway illustration, © AMNH. Insert: Mamenchisaurus, © Raúl Martin.

© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.

The World’s Largest Dinosaursamnh.org/wldAccess featured content from the exhibition, including videos, interactives, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes photos.

PaleontOLogyamnh.org/ology/paleontologyGames, puzzles, and activities help kids explore fossils and the clues they provide about ancient life and Earth’s history.

How Big Were Dinosaurs? amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_05_big.pdfCould all of your students’ footprints fi t into that of an Apatosaurus? Find out with this hands-on activity.

Body and Trace Fossilsamnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_15_body_trace.pdfWhat kind of fossil is a tooth? How about a nest of eggs? Examine the differences between body and trace fossils.

Be a Sleuth: How Dinosaurs Behavedamnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dinoactivity_trackway.pdfLike today’s crime-scene investigators, paleontologists study clues left behind. See fi rsthand what trackways — fossilized footprints — can tell them about dinosaur behavior.

Dinosaur Names amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_04_names.pdfSome dinosaur names are short, while others are lengthy tongue twisters. But all are infused with meaning. Examine the linguistic roots of these terrible (deinos) lizards (sauros).

Understanding Geological Time amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_10_time.pdfHow long have humans been on Earth compared to the length of time dinosaurs roamed the planet? Gain a new understanding of time by mapping out Earth’s history.

online RESOURCES

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Cert no. XXX-XXX-XXXX

DID YOU KNOW?

The largest sauropod we know of is Argentinosaurus. The Museum’s fossil specimen is so big, and the rock around it so hard, that it’s taking years for scientists to excavate all of it from South America.

Sauropods had the longest necks and longest tails of any known dinosaurs.

The head of Diplodocus, a 13-ton (11,800-kg) sauropod, is the same size as the head of a half-ton (450-kg) horse.

Many sauropods grew new teeth as often as once a month, as old ones wore out.

Some titanosaurs, one family of sauropods, were covered with bony plates called osteoderms.

Scientists think that sauropods might have been brightly colored, like many modern-day birds and reptiles.

We know from trackway evidence, which shows smaller sauropods in the middle, that some sauropods traveled in herds.

Will even bigger dinosaurs be discovered

some day? Probably!


Size matters. It affects just about everything an animal does. As you move through the exhibition, examine Mamenchisaurus — an exceptionally long-necked sauropod species — for clues to a fascinating scientifi c question: What did it take to be so big?

The Importance of Size

Teeth & Eating

Head, Neck & Movement

Heart & Circulation

Lungs & Breathing

Stomach & Digestion

Eggs & Reproduction

How massive were sauropods?

What did sauropods look like?

How did sauropods behave?

How do paleontologists excavate fossils?

MAP of the exhibition

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DINOSAURSTHE

WORLD’S LARGEST

Look for these icons throughout the exhibition.

• Explore what these fossilized bones tell us about how sauropods lived and behaved.

• Can you fi nd any of these bones in the dig pit?

ribsthigh bonevertebraskull teeth

KEY:touchable fossils & models

hands-on and computer interactives

video

> Exit

Enter

>


Powerful Hearts The bigger the animal, the bigger this muscular pump needs to be. Sauropods’ strong hearts had four chambers, like those of living birds, crocodiles, and humans.

Effi cient LungsVery different from mammal lungs, sauropod lungs worked like those of modern-day birds. Sauropods could extract more oxygen from each breath than humans can. Big lungs and multiple air sacs also reduced body weight.

Tough StomachsSauropods had to eat enormous amounts every day, and swallowed food whole. Stomachs functioned like giant compost heaps, taking as long as two weeks to digest tough vegetation and releasing as much as 13 gallons (50 liters) of gas a day. Humans typically digest their food in about two days.

Small Heads Despite their massive bodies, sauropods had surprisingly small heads relative to body size. This had its advantages — sauropod heads were light enough for long necks to support. If your head were the same size relative to your body, it would be only a little bigger than a baseball! Sauropod brains were “big enough” for them to fi nd food and herd young.

The Longest Necks Long, fl exible necks enabled sauropods to reach lots of food without moving, and air pockets in the neck bones kept them light. Sauropod species had between 10 and 19 cervical vertebrae, but giraffes have only 7 — just like you!

Size affects just about everything an animal does. Small animals breathe faster than big ones, eat more relative to their size, and produce more offspring. Big animals are generally stronger, have fewer predators, and live much longer. If being big has such huge advantages, why are most animals so small? Because when length doubles, weight is cubed (weight X weight X weight). And the more an animal weighs, the more energy it uses to move and the more it needs to eat. Sauropods were about as big as land animals can get. Oceandwellers have water to support their bulk, which is why blue whales are even more massive than sauropods.

Starting Out Small: Eggs and Hatchlings There are limits on how big eggs can get. Larger eggs require thicker shells, and if the eggshell is too thick, air can’t pass through to the developing chick. Even giant parents can’t lay giant eggs. Sauropod hatchlings generally weighed less than 11 pounds (5 kg), making them easy prey. Although they grew very fast — gaining as much as 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg)a year! — relatively few survived. Like other reptiles, sauropods laid many eggs to ensure that some reached adulthood.

What does it mean to be big?


OVERVIEW

Students will practice their observation skills by studying the largest land animals that ever lived.

BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATOR

For 140 million years sauropods — a group of humongous plant-eating dinosaurs — roamed the planet. Now extinct, sauropods were notable for their enormous size; they were the biggest land animals ever. They all walked on four legs, were covered in small bumps and scales, and had small heads. Smaller ones weighed as much as a cow, while Argentinosaurus was 15 times heavier than the modern African elephant!

All kinds of scientists use tools, and paleontologists (scientists who study ancient life) are no exception. To make sure their observations are accurate, paleontologists focus on details, take accurate measurements, and carefully document their fi ndings.

BEFORE YOUR VISIT

In these activities, students will get clues about how sauropods grew so huge, and prepare tools for their expedition to the Museum.

Activity: How Big Were Dinosaurs?amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_05_big.pdf Spark students’ curiosity about these massive animals. Have students estimate how many of their own footprints would fi t inside one sauropod footprint and conduct an experiment to test their estimate.

Activity: Prepare for an Expedition

Part I: Make Your Own Paleontologist Viewfi nderStudents will make their own special tools in preparation for their visit to The World’s Largest Dinosaurs. Tell students that the scientists who study ancient dinosaurs are called paleontologists, and that they use special tools to make and record their observations. Ask students: What is a tool? Do you ever use tools? What do they help you do? Point out that tools — such as pencils and spoons, or hammers and wrenches — don’t need to be complicated to be useful.

Materials: • Paper clips • Hole punch • Markers • One paper towel tube cut in half

(or two toilet paper tubes) for each student

• 2-foot yarn or thick string for each student

amnh.org/wld

Observe Giant AnimalsTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2

NYS Science Core Curriculum

LE 3.1a: Each animal has differ-ent structures that serve different functions in growth, survival, and reproduction.

Plan how your students will explore The World’s Largest Dinosaurs using the group work-sheets. Plan to have students work in small groups facilitated by a teacher/parent chaperone as they explore the exhibition.

If possible, distribute copies of the worksheets to chaperones before-hand, and review them to make sure everyone understands the activities.

1. Place the two tubes parallel to each other.

2. Clip the tubes together on both ends with paper clips.

3. Use a hole punch to make two holes, one at each end of each tube.

4. Loop the yarn through the holes and tie knots. Hang the viewfi nders around each student’s neck, adjusting the length as necessary.

5. Have students write their names on one of their two tubes, and the word “paleontologist” on the other. (You may need to write the word on the board.) Encourage students to decorate the tubes with drawings of plants and animals, since they’ll be using the viewfi nders to spot animals during the expedition.

Part II. Make Observations Using Viewfi nders Students will pair off and practice using their tools to make observations about animals that may be unfamiliar to them.

Materials: • Paleontologist toolkits for students • Pictures of dinosaurs (you can download illustrations at

amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_16_illustrations.pdf) • Stuffed animals or animal models

© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2

Paleontologis

t

Paleontologist Toolkit

If possible, have each child also assemble a “paleontologist toolkit” in a backpack. Contents should include: their viewfi nders, a fl ashlight, a ruler, and a handheld magnifi er.


Hold up an example of each tool in the toolkit. Discuss what it is and how a paleontologist might use it. Tell students that before heading to the Museum, they will use their tools in the classroom.

Split the class into pairs. Hang dinosaur pictures around the room, one for each student pair. Ask each pair to sit or stand 4-5 feet away from the picture. Taking turns, one student should illuminate the picture with the fl ashlight while his or her partner, using the viewfi nders, makes observations about the dinosaur. (This may be more effective with the lights off.) Have students discuss their observations with each other, and if time allows, share their observations with the class.

Next, give one stuffed animal or animal model to each pair. Have students use magnifi ers and rulers to measure and make close observations about the animal. Ask students to identify different body parts and explain their purpose. How does this body part help this animal live/survive? Is it different from the corresponding part of a human body? How? Have them discuss their observations with each other, and if time allows, share their observations with the class.

DURING YOUR VISIT

The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition 4th fl oor (45 minutes) Have small groups of students, each with an adult chaperone, embark on their expedition to learn about sauropod dinosaurs. As the students make observations and discoveries, have chaperones record the group’s fi ndings on the group worksheet. Encourage students to use their scientifi c tools to enhance their observations, and to be as detailed as possible in their descriptions. They can use their viewfi nders and fl ashlights, as they did in the classroom, to study the huge Mamenchisaurus model. They can use magnifi ers and rulers on the smaller touchable models and fossils, such as eggs and teeth.

Akeley Hall of African Mammals 2nd fl oor (20 minutes)Have students use the same methods to observe the elephant group in the center of the hall. Point out that while sauropods were the largest land animals that ever lived, elephants are the largest land animals alive today. Ask students to identify similarities and differences between sauropod bodies and those of these elephants. (Answers will vary but may include that elephants have smaller bodies, larger heads, smaller tails, larger ears, trunks, etc.)

BACK IN THE CLASSROOM

Activity: Sharing Observations & Recording Findings Have student groups present their paleontological fi ndings. Post a large outline of a sauropod in front of the class. (You can draw your own using the sauropod outline on the next page.)

Have groups come up one at a time and fi ll in the details by drawing features and labeling the pictures. They can refer to group worksheets. They should add other details, such as eggs and footprints, along with any corresponding measurements. If you have younger students, you may want to read fi ndings aloud and label the diagram, and have students add color and other details. When identifying parts of the animal’s body, ask students how they helped the dinosaur live/survive; include this information on the outline.

Activity: Sauropod Structures & FunctionsDistribute pictures of Barosaurus and/or Dipolodocus. (You can download pictures at amnh.org/resources/rfl /pdf/dino_16_illustrations.pdf) Tell students to color their picture and draw a background scene based on what they have learned about sauropods. Have them label the parts of the dinosaur’s body and include what the dinosaur used those parts for.

amnh.org/wld


Instructions for the adult facilitator:

1. Have students fi nd models and images of sauropods in the exhibition and use their tools to help them focus on particular parts of the dinosaur.

2. Have all the students in your group observe the same thing at the same time when possible. If students were not able to bring their own tools, encourage them to use the tools in the exhibition itself, e.g. the magnifi ers in the egg section.

3. Ask students to identify and describe what they are looking at. For large models and fossils, encourage them to use their fl ashlights to illuminate and viewfi nders to isolate the part of the animal they are observing. For touchable objects and models, students should be encouraged to use their rulers and magnifi ers to measure and observe details.

4. Encourage students to be as descriptive as possible, and solicit contributions from all students. Count eggs as a body part too!

5. Record as much as you can of what students observe, including the tools they used to make their observations.


Body Part(s) Tools Used Observation / DescriptionWhat does the sauropod use this body part for?

How does it help the sauropod?

amnh.org/wld

Group WorksheetTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS

Grades K–2


OVERVIEW

Students will use a variety of problem-solving skills to help them understand how scientists gather observations and make inferences about extinct species.


In order to understand the biology of extinct organisms such as sauropods, scientists must make many types of observations, including studying fossils and living animals. Living birds are the only type of dinosaur alive today, and studying them gives scientists insight into the behavior and biology of extinct dinosaurs. Paleontologists (scientists who study ancient life) also turn to experts in other fi elds, such as engineers, to help them understand their observations. Together, these scientists are able to answer many types of questions, including what these dinosaurs ate, how fast they grew, and how long they lived. All kinds of scientists use tools, and paleontologists are no exception. In order to ensure that their observations are accurate, paleontologists focus on details, take accurate measurements, and carefully document their fi ndings.

BEFORE YOUR VISIT

These activities will introduce students to the work paleontologists do: search for, uncover, and study fossil remains, the evidence of prehistoric life. Explainto students that, like paleontologists, they will be making observations that lead to inferences about the biology of extinct animals. (Example: A snake skeleton observed in a fossilized nest may lead a paleontologist to infer that the snake was preying on the eggs.)

Activity: Mystery BackpackPrepare a backpack with books and other items that can help students make inferences about the owner. For example, a paleontologist’s pack might contain magnifying glass, paint brush, ruler, sketch book, pencils, atlas/maps, fossil or dinosaur ID book, toothbrush, pick, goggles, sifter, sunhat, etc.

As the class examines the backpack and its contents, guide students through the following steps to help them make observations and inferences:

1. Ask students: What do you observe?2. Prompt students to describe the backpack and its contents (e.g. size, color, style, descriptions of objects as they

are shown).3. Based on these observations what behaviors can they infer about the owner and how the contents might be used?

Write “observation” and “inference” on the board in the form of a T-Chart, and discuss these terms with students.(An observation is data that can be measured, observed, examined, and analyzed to support a conclusion. Inference is an explanation reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.)

Ask students to share what they’ve observed about the backpack and its contents. (Answers will include descriptions of the bag and its contents.)

Ask students to share information acquired during the backpack activity that is based on inference (ideas that are grounded in but extrapolate from direct observation). (Possible answers: Descriptions of the type of person who may own the bag and how he or she uses the objects found inside.)

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Make Observations & InferencesTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5


S2.1d: Use appropriate tools and conventional techniques to solve problems about the natural world, including: measuring, observing, describing, classifying, and sequencing.

Plan how your students will explore The World’s Largest Dinosaurs using the student worksheets.

Distribute copies of the worksheets to students before coming to the Museum. You may want to review the worksheets with them to make sure they understand what they are to do.


Activity: Animal PuzzleIn this activity, students continue using their observation skills to make inferences.

Bring to class at least 10 photos of various animals (e.g. from magazines). Be sure to include habitat when available. Cut each photo into puzzle pieces, and place them in a manila envelope. You can make the activity more diffi cult by cutting each image into more, smaller pieces.

Divide students into groups of two or three. Give each group an envelope and tell them to pull out one puzzle piece at a time. Have them guess which animal their envelope contains after they pull out each piece, and record each guess. In the process, they should also attempt to fi gure out some facts about the animal (where it lives, what it eats, etc.). Once students have identifi ed their animal, have them write its name and pull out the rest of their pieces to check their answer.

For added diffi culty, mix two puzzles together. This simulates fi nding the fossilized remains of many different animals in one location.

DURING YOUR VISIT

The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition 4th fl oor (45 minutes) Begin the exploration by having students observe the full-scale model of Mamenchisaurus. Ask: If this giant dinosaur went extinct long before humans appeared on Earth, how can we know what it looked like or how its body func-tioned? Then explain to students that they will use different scientifi c techniques to help fi ll in the picture of sauropod biology. Have them record their observations on worksheets, and draw on them to make inferences.

Koch Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs & Wallach Orientation Center4th fl oor (30 minutes)Students will examine teeth, trackways, and a model sauropod, and gather evidence about diet, movement, and body form.

Koch Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs: Apatosaurus skeleton

1. What do the teeth tell us?

Have students sketch the Apatosaurus skull and describe its teeth. Ask them what these observations suggest about what this dinosaur might have eaten, and how. If students are having diffi culty, ask them to feel their own teeth with their tongue and explain how they’re different from those of the sauropod. For further exploration, have students examine the wall panel “Teeth & Diet” (adjacent to the T. rex skeleton across from “What Do the Trackways Tell Us”). There they can touch different types of teeth and gather more information about the sauropod diet.

2. What do the trackways tell us?

Have students observe and sketch the trackways of the Apatosaurus mount. What types of information do they think the trackways contain? What types of information is still lacking? After this discussion, have students read the panel “What Do the Trackways Tell Us?” (adjacent to the Apatosaurus mount) and discuss.

Wallach Orientation Center: Barosaurus model

3. What do we really know about what sauropods looked like?

Ask students what they think sauropods looked like. What color skin did they have? Was it all one color or patterned? Was their skin scaly or smooth? Do they think that the model depicts Barosaurus accurately, or is it just an educated guess? Have them supply the reasoning behind their answers. Do they think that there’s evidence to support their statements, or are they based on inference? Have students watch the video “What do we really know about long extinct animals like Barosaurus?” and revisit their answers.

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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5



Activity: Exhibition Wrap-Up Divide students into small groups to share their experiences at the Museum. Then have the whole class review the observations on their worksheets. Ask what new things they learned, and what surprised them the most. Find out whether any of the questions they came up with before their visit were answered at the Museum. Use new questions to guide further investigation. Then have students draw on what they learned in the Museum to create a picture of sauropods in their habitats.

Activity: Create a Museum Exhibition Students can demonstrate what they’ve learned about sauropods by creating their own Museum exhibition. Have students work in small groups to research a topic of interest to them, such as fossil collecting, scientifi c illustration, or dinosaur features. Groups may want to make posters, models, dioramas, or charts. Have each group present its completed exhibition to the rest of the class.

Activity: Observe a Dinosaur Students will observe living birds (a kind of dinosaur) and other reptiles (related to dinosaurs) to see how scientists use this information to learn about dinosaur biology and behavior.

To fi nd out how ancient dinosaurs moved and behaved, paleontologists look for clues in fossils, such as fossilized footprints, eggs, and even dung. They also observe and analyze the movement and behavior of living dinosaurs and other animals. These data help paleontologists interpret the fossil evidence. Tell students that they too can observe living dinosaurs, by watching birds in their natural habitat. (Or, direct students to watch bird videos, such as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s video gallery www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/VideoGallery.html).

First, have students record information about the environment:

• Date and time• Location and habitat• Weather and temperature

Next, have students observe a bird and record:

• How does the bird move?• What does the bird eat?• Is the bird alone or in a group?• How does the bird behave with members of its species?• How does the bird behave with members of other species?

Tips: Have students observe birds in different weather conditions and at different times of day. To collect good data, they should try to observe similar groups of birds on two or three different occasions.

Finally, have students analyze their data:

• What can you conclude about bird behavior?• What clues to this behavior might be preserved in the rock record (e.g. footprints)?

As a wrap-up activity, have students compare the notes from this activity to notes taken during their Museum fi eld trip. Encourage them to discuss problem-solving strategies used for both.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Living Large: The Secrets of Sauropods: amnh.org/ology/livinglarge

Buried Bones: amnh.org/ology/buried_bones

Going Gobi: amnh.org/ology/gobi

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1. How do scientists know what sauropods ate, and how they fed?Go to the “A Tale of Two Skulls” section. Look for the Diplodocus and horse skulls. Compare the jaws and teeth of the two skulls. Sketch each below.

Based on your drawings, what information can the jaws and teeth tell us about sauropods?

What kind of inferences can you make? Why?

What information can’t they tell us?

Go to the “Fuel” section. Check out the box of food to see how much sauropods had to eat every day, and what types of food they ate.


Diplodocus jaw & teeth horse jaw & teeth

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Student WorksheetTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS

Grades 3–5


2. How do scientists know what sauropods looked like?Observe the skin of the Mamenchisaurus model in the middle of the room. Then go to the “Camoufl age and Attraction” section and look through the viewers.

What evidence is there about sauropod skin?

What information can it tell us?


What information can’t it tell us?

3. How do scientists know the size of sauropods? Go to the “Measure the Femur” Section. Use the sliding ruler to measure the juvenile sauropod femur.

Record the length: _____________________ Record the weight calculation: _____________________




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1. How do scientists know what sauropods ate, and how they fed?Go to the “A Tale of Two Skulls” section. Look for the Diplodocus and horse skulls. Compare the jaws and teeth of the two skulls. Sketch each below.

Based on your drawings, what information can the jaws and teeth tell us about sauropods?

(Answers may include: The shape of the teeth tells us that they ate plants. The Diplodocus jaw has no back teeth (molars) which means that it didn’t chew. The horse jaw contains back teeth (molars) which means that it did chew.)


(Answers may include: Since Diplodocus didn’t chew its food and its teeth are pencil shaped, it probably stripped leaves off of branches quickly.)

What information can’t they tell us?

(Answers may include: What types of plants they ate. How much they had to eat.)

Go to the “Fuel” section. Check out the box of food to see how much sauropods had to eat every day, and what types of food they ate.


Diplodocus jaw & teeth horse jaw & teeth

amnh.org/wld


Grades 3–5

ANSWER KEY


2. How do scientists know what sauropods looked like?Observe the skin of the Mamenchisaurus model in the middle of the room. Then go to the “Camoufl age and Attraction” section and look through the viewers.

What evidence is there about sauropod skin?

(Answers may include: Skin can’t fossilize, but scientists have found fossil skin impressions.)


(Answers may include: We can tell that sauropod skin had a bumpy texture/scales. Some sauropods, like the titanosaurs, had protective shells made of bony pieces, or osteoderms, that grew from within the skin.)


(Answers may include: Other animals use skin color and patterns for camoufl age or attraction, so sauropods may have as well.)


(Answers may include: Scientists can only guess at skin color and the purpose of osteoderms.)

3. How do scientists know the size of sauropods? Go to the “Measure the Femur” Section. Use the sliding ruler to measure the juvenile sauropod femur.

Record the length: _____________________ Record the weight calculation: _____________________


(Answers may include: We can use the femur length to fi gure out what the dinosaur would have weighed.)


(Answers may include: The weight can tell us if it was a juvenile or adult.)


(Answers may include: We still don’t know the sauropod’s height or how fast it grew.)

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ANSWER KEY


OVERVIEW

Students will investigate how aspects of their bodies function (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, and motor systems) and compare and contrast these body systems to those of sauropods.


Dinosaurs have intrigued paleontologists since the fi rst fossil fi nds in the 19th century. Now other scientists, such as animal nutritionists and medical physiologists, are also shedding light on sauropod biology and the conditions that enabled their gigantic size. This exhibition shows how sauropod body systems worked and how they compare to those of humans and other animals.

For a quick overview, read the article, “Living Large: How Did Sauropods Get So Big?” (Rotunda, Spring 2011) amnh.org/join/rotunda/AMNH_RotundaSpring_2011.pdf

BEFORE YOUR VISIT

In these activities, students will explore how their own digestive and circulatory systems work, and predict how they might have worked in sauropods, which ranged in size from almost one ton to ninety.

Discussion: A Day in Your Life Begin the class by asking students to describe a day in their lives in terms of basic biological functions. Use the questions below as prompts. Divide students into discussion groups of four. Then ask a spokesperson to share some of each group’s ideas and record them on the board.

• What do you eat on a typical day? How often? • When do you move the most? • How does your heart rate change during the day? How about

your breathing?

Circulation Activity: How does movement affect heart rate?Students will investigate their heart rate during different activities, and refl ect the relation between size and circulation.

Materials: • stop watches or clock with second hand visible to entire class

Ask students to take their heart rate while (1) resting and (2) doing a simple activity (such as walking). Ask: What do you notice about your heart rate? (Answers will vary.) Have students do fi ve trials, record their fi ndings on a chart, and calculate the group average. Then write the heart ratesof a human newborn baby and an adult on the board (see the chart on the next page). Ask students to compare their numbers with those of a baby and an adult. Have students speculate about the differences. What can they infer about the relationship between heart rate and size? (Answer: As size of an animal increases, the heart rate decreases.)

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Investigate Body SystemsTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 6–8


LE.1.2a: Each system is composed of organs and tissues which per-form specifi c functions and interact with each other, e.g. digestion, gas exchange, excretion, circulation, locomotion, control, coordination, reproduction, and protection from disease.

The Jigsaw Method

These activities use a cooperative learning strategy called Jigsaw. Students form home groups; each member joins a different expert group to learn about a specifi c subtopic; home groups then reas-semble and members share what they’ve learned.

• Before Your Visit: Divide the class into home groups of four students each. Assign each student in the home group to a different expert group (diges-tion, respiration, circulation, or locomotion). Distribute copies of the respective worksheets to the expert groups, and review them with students.

• During Your Visit: Students work in expert groups to gather evidence about the digestion, respiratory, circulation, and locomotion of sauropods and to begin to refl ect on what it means to live large.

• Back in the Classroom: Students

share what they learned with their home groups; the teacher facilitates discussion of how these systems work together. In addi-tion, the whole class activity uses calculations to infer dinosaur size and stride and understand how scientists study extinct species.


Digestion Activity: How long does it take to chew your food? Materials: • bags of baby carrots • box of unsalted crackers • stop watches

Crackers: Working in groups of four, have students chew two crackers for two minutes without swallowing. Ask them to think about how both the texture and taste of the crackers change as they chew. Have them record their observations. Then explain to them how the teeth and saliva work together to break down food.

Carrots: Working in pairs, have each student chew two carrots for two minutes without swallowing. Ask each student to think about how the texture and taste change, and to record their observations. Have each partner observe the other’s chewed carrots and record his or her observations.

Transition to having students refl ect on how many carrots they think they would need to eat in a day to get the calories they need. Ask: If each carrot contains approximately 15 calories and a 13-year-old needs 2,200 calories a day, how many carrots would he or she need to eat to meet this daily requirement? How long would it take? What teeth is he or she using?

Bring the class together and have students share their results. Show a picture of a sauropod (a plant eater) and ask the students to draw upon what they’ve learned to imagine how chewing and digestion work in sauropods.

Discussion: A Day in the Life of a Sauropod Have students make predictions about a day in the life of a 13-ton sauropod by refl ecting on questions such as: What did they eat? How much did they eat? How many carrots would they need in a day? How did their hearts work? How fast? Students will probably have lots of questions about other body systems. Make sure they record these questions.

Divide the class into home groups of four, and then into four expert groups. Have each expert group write 10 questions about how that body system might function in sauropods.

To build background knowledge, students can read short descriptions of the digestion and circulatory systems. (You can download readings from http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/)

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Animal

Human Newborn Baby 110 beats per minute

Human Adult 70 beats per minute

Average Heart Rate Make a statement about the relationship between heart rate and size.


DURING YOUR VISIT

The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition 4th fl oor (45 minutes) Have expert teams use the student worksheets to explore and collect evidence about the four body systems (digestive, circulatory, respiratory, locomotion).

Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs4th fl oor (30 minutes)Have students examine the Apatosaurus skeleton. Ask them to count the number of vertebrae (in the neck, the tail, the body). Using their bodies as a ruler, have them estimate the length of the sauropod’s femur bone. Have students write fi ve observations about the animal, and fi ve inferences.

Then, tell students that back in the classroom, each home team will create a story titled “A Day in the Life of a Sauropod” using evidence obtained in The World’s Largest Dinosaurs exhibition and in this fossil hall. Have students jot down notes, and use this time to decide a plot, the setting, and characters.


Activity: Exhibition Wrap-Up Have students share their fi ndings in their home groups. Encourage students to make connections to other body systems. Use these questions to facilitate the discussion:

• How much am I like a sauropod? How am I really different?• How does size affect the way sauropods’ bodies work?• Think about how long it took you to chew a carrot and how much food Mamenchisaurus ate in one hour.

How does size affect the sauropod digestive system? • How were sauropods able to extract so much oxygen from every breath? • How does size affect heart rate?• How does size affect how animals move, and how much they move?• How are the body systems that each team member learned about connected?

Then, ask each home group to create a story about a day in the life of a sauropod. Remind them that their story needs to include information they learned at the Museum, along with a detailed drawing of the part of the animal, with important body system parts labeled.

Activity: Locomotion/Skeletal System Using fossil evidence, studies of living animals, and their knowledge of biomechanics, scientists can make inferences about sauropods and other extinct organisms. In these two activities, students learn how size can be determined by leg length, and stride length can determine distance traveled. They will compare their results to what they learned in the exhibition about sauropod size.

Materials: • measuring tapes • yardsticks • masking tape

First, measure out an area in which students will take their measurements.

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1. Calculate Stride

Tell students that stride length is the distance covered in an average step, either from heel to heel or toe to toe. Using a ruler, have students measure each of their stride lengths and calculate the group average. Using that average, ask them to use the equation below to fi gure out the distance traveled in 5,000 steps.

0.7 (length of stride in cm) x (number of steps) = X (meters) / 1000 (meter in a km) = X km

For example if the average stride is 70 cm: 0.7 (70 cm) x (number of steps) = X (meters) / 1000 (meter in a km) = X km

2. Infer Height from Femur Length

Tell students that the femur is the single large bone that extends from the hip socket to the kneecap. Have them work in pairs, and use a meter stick or measuring tape to determine the approximate length in centimeters of their partner’s femur. Use the following equation to estimate height:

(length of femur in cm) x 2.6 + 65 = height in cm Then have students use a metric ruler to obtain their partner’s height in centimeters. (They can convert this metric measurement to inches by dividing by 2.54.)

Finally, have students infer the relationship between stride length and femur length. (Answer: The longer the legs, the bigger the steps.)

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Circulation: Powerful Hearts

1. Go to the “Beat” section to investigate and gather evidence about sauropods’ powerful hearts.

Play the pumping heart interactive. Describe the difference between a human and an elephant heart.

Record different animals’ heart rates in this chart.

What do you think pumping a sauropod’s heart would be like?

What evidence suggests that sauropods had a slow heart rate?

Why do scientist think that sauropods had four-chambered hearts?

2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.Listen to the heart rate of sauropods. Record notes about the circulation system.


Sketch the Mamenchisaurus heart modeland label the parts.

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Grades 6–8

Animal

deer mouse

horse

African elephant

human

Heart Rate (beats per minute)

Make a statement about the relationship between body size and heart rate.

Respiration: Efficient Lungs

1. Go to the “Lungs and Breathing” section to investigate and gather evidence about the effi cient respiratory system of sauropods.

Why is the sauropod lung more effi cient than the human lung?

2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video. Observe how the lungs and air sacs worked in sauropods. Record notes about the respiratory system.

What is the purpose of the lungs?


Sketch and label the parts of the sauropod respiratory system.

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Grades 6–8

Digestion: Tough Stomachs

1. Go to the “Teeth” section to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods ate.Describe how your teeth compare to sauropod teeth.

What did their teeth allow sauropods to do?

2. Go to the “Fuel” section to investigate and gather evidence about what sauropods ate.How many calories did sauropods need to consume every day? How does that compare to you?

How is human digestion different from that of sauropods?

What type of plants did sauropods eat?

Make a chart below of the pros (+) and cons (-) of at least two of these plants, and sketch them.

3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.Record notes about the digestive system and why scientists think sauropods had “fermentation tanks.”


Sketch sauropod teeth.

amnh.org/wld


Grades 6–8

Plant Pros (+) Cons (-) Sketch the plants

Skeletal/Locomotion: Necks and legs

1. Go to the “Reach” and “How Big” sections to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods moved.

Observe and lift the giraffe and sauropod vertebrae. How are they different? How many vertebrae do giraffes have? How many do sauropods have?

What did the long neck allow a sauropod to do?

2. Visit the “Femur station activity” to measure a sauropod femur and your weight if you were a sauropod.

On the other side, measure your femur bone and calculate your height. (Ask a friend to help you.)

Calculate and record your height based on the length of your femur.

How do scientists predict the height and weight of sauropods?

3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video. Record notes about the sauropod skeleton, in particular its long neck.


Sketch and label the structure of the sauropod vertebrae.

amnh.org/wld


Grades 6–8

Circulation: Powerful Hearts

1. Go to the “Beat” section to investigate and gather evidence about sauropods’ powerful hearts.

Play the pumping heart interactive. Describe the difference between a human and an elephant heart.

(Answer may include: It’s easier to pump the human heart. The elephant’s heart rate is slow. It takes some effort to get it to beat just once.)

Record different animals’ heart rates in this chart.

What do you think pumping a sauropod’s heart would be like?

(Answers will vary, but it would be hard because their hearts are big and big hearts take more time to fi ll and empty.)

What evidence suggests that sauropods had a slow heart rate?

(Answer: It’s challenging to circulate blood throughout this massive body. Big hearts take more time to fi ll and empty.)

Why do scientist think that sauropods had four-chambered hearts?

(Answer: Crocodiles and living dinosaurs like birds have four-chambered hearts. A four-chambered heart holds oxygen longer and absorbs it more effi ciently.)

2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.Listen to the heart rate of sauropods. Record notes about the circulation system.


Sketch the Mamenchisaurus heart modeland label the parts.

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Grades 6–8

Animal

deer mouse (Answer: 400)

horse (Answer: 38)

African elephant (Answer:28)

human (Answer: 72)

Heart Rate (beats per minute)

Make a statement about the relationship between body size and heart rate.

(Answers may include: The bigger the animal, the more powerful the heart has to be. The bigger the animal, the slower the heart rate).

ANSWER KEY

Respiration: Efficient Lungs

1. Go to the “Lungs and Breathing” section to investigate and gather evidence about the effi cient respiratory system of sauropods.

Why is the sauropod lung more effi cient than the human lung?

(Answers may include: In addition to lungs, sauropod bodies contained two sacs for holding air. Each breath stayed inside the sauropod’s body during a second inhale and exhale, allowing more time for oxygen to be extracted. Oxygenated air is always going through a sauropod lung. Large air-fi lled pouches would have made the animal a lot lighter.)

2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video. Observe how the lungs and air sacs worked in sauropods. Record notes about the respiratory system.

What is the purpose of the lungs?

(Answers may include: Lungs transfer oxygen from the air to the blood through their thin membranes. The lungs also remove CO2 from the blood-stream.)


Sketch and label the parts of the sauropod respiratory system.

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Grades 6–8

ANSWER KEY

Digestion: Tough Stomachs

1. Go to the “Teeth” section to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods ate.Describe how your teeth compare to sauropod teeth.

(Answers may include: Humans have different types of teeth for tasks like biting and grinding. Sauropods have only one kind of tooth, which resembles our incisors.)

What did their teeth allow sauropods to do?

(Answers may include: Sauropods could scrape and rake leaves and snap branches. They could eat a great deal of vegetation very fast because they did not take the time to chew.)

2. Go to the “Fuel” section to investigate and gather evidence about what sauropods ate.How many calories did sauropods need to consume every day? How does that compare to you? (Answers may include: A young adult sauropod needed up to 100,000 calories a day. Human teenagers need about 2,400.)

How is human digestion different from that of sauropods?

(Answers may include: Human digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and intestines. Food passes through our digestive tracts within a few days. Sauropod stomachs functioned as fermentation tanks. Digestion could take as long as two weeks, allowing time for microbes to break down the cell walls of tough plant material.)

What type of plants did sauropods eat?

(Answers may include: Ginkgo, horsetail, monkey puzzle, conifers, cycads, broadleaf trees, and grasses.)

Make a chart below of the pros (+) and cons (-) of at least two of these plants, and sketch them.

3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.Record notes about the digestive system and why scientists think sauropods had “fermentation tanks.”


Sketch sauropod teeth.

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Grades 6–8

Plant Pros (+) Cons (-) Sketch the plants

(Sample answer: Horsetail)

(Sample answer: Very nutritious, digestible, accessible, plentiful)

(Sample answer: Hard to chew)

(Sample answer: Monkey puzzle tree)

(Sample answer: Nutritious, accessible to tall animals, plentiful)

(Sample answer: Diffi cult to digest, low protein content)

ANSWER KEY

Skeletal/Locomotion: Necks and legs

1. Go to the “Reach” and “How Big” sections to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods moved.

Observe and lift the giraffe and sauropod vertebrae. How are they different? How many vertebrae do giraffes have? How many do sauropods have?

(Answers may include: Like most mammals, the giraffe had only 7 vertebrae in its neck. Sauropods usually had between 10 and 19 vertebrae in their necks.)

What did the long neck allow a sauropod to do?

(Answers may include: Allowed the animal’s head to move up and down or side-to-side to access food.)

2. Visit the “Femur station activity” to measure a sauropod femur and your weight if you were a sauropod.

On the other side, measure your femur bone and calculate your height. (Ask a friend to help you.)

Calculate and record your height based on the length of your femur.

How do scientists predict the height and weight of sauropods?

(Answers may include: Using both fossil evidence and studies of living animals, scientist have developed several methods to determine how much a dinosaur might have weighed. Scientists measure the length and thickness of the thighbone, as well as use computer models.)

3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video. Record notes about the sauropod skeleton, in particular its long neck.


Sketch and label the structure of the sauropod vertebrae.

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Grades 6–8

ANSWER KEY


OVERVIEW

Students will explore what it means to be big and how an animal’s size affects just about everything it does. They will examine how body systems functioned in the biggest dinosaurs that ever lived, and how these sauropods ate, breathed, and reproduced.


The fossil record indicates that many animal species got bigger over evolutionary time, and that the body systems of bigger animals function somewhat differently than those of smaller ones. Bigger animals are generally stronger than smaller animals, have fewer predators, and live much longer. However, there are disadvantages to being big. For instance, the more an animal weighs, the more energy it requires to move and perform other life functions. For more information on the world’s biggest dinosaurs read “Living Large: How Did Sauropods Get So Big?” (Rotunda, Spring 2011), downloadable at amnh.org/join/rotunda/AMNH_RotundaSpring_2011.pdf

BEFORE YOUR VISIT

Activity: Size MattersIn this activity, students will explore the differences between big and small animals by charting how specifi c body systems are affected by body size.

Tell students that size affects just about everything an animal does — from eating and producing waste to breathing and reproducing. (See Background paragraph, above). Have students use the information provided in the chart below to create one graph per set of data, plotting body weight as the independent variable on the x-axis, and each data set (body weight, daily food intake, heart rate, life span, birth weight) as the dependant variable on the y-axis. (Note: In the exhibition, students will collect data for sauropods.)

amnh.org/wld

The Science Behind Their SizeTHE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 9–12


LE 1.2b: Humans are complex organisms. They require multiple systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excre-tion, movement, coordination, and immunity. The systems interact to perform the life functions.

Plan how your students will explore The World’s Largest Dinosaurs using the student worksheets.

Distribute copies of the worksheets to students before coming to the Museum. You may want to review the worksheets with them to make sure they understand what they are to do.

Species

A - Hummingbird 0.2 oz 0.4 oz 250 0.018 oz.5-9

11,000 lbs 400 lbs 30 200 lbs40

400,000 8,000 20 6,000 lbs85

150 lbs 4.7 lbs 72 7 lbs68 (world average)

B - African Elephant

C - Blue Whale

D - Average AdultHuman

Adult Body Weight

Daily Food Intake

Heart Rate(beats per minute)

Life Span(years)

Birth weight or size of

eggs


After students create their graphs, have them independently answer the following questions. Then use their answers to lead a class discussion: • Make predictive statements about the patterns you see in the graphs. For instance, as body weight increases, how

are other variables affected? How does daily food intake compare to body weight? How do adult sizes compare to baby sizes?(Answers may include: As body weight increases, daily food intake increases, heart rate decreases, and life span increases.)

• Why might it be better for an animal to be bigger? (Answers: Bigger is safer. Predators think twice about targeting the biggest animal in a group. If the biggest animal in a group is more likely to survive and reproduce, their offspring will grow larger as well. This is an example of natural selection favoring large size. An exception is the hummingbird, the smallest bird and living dinosaur.)

• Are the individual cells in the body of a big animal the same size as those in a small animal? (Answer: Yes, it’s just that big animals have many more cells. The amount of energy required to keep these cells alive is an organism’s metabolism, which varies across species. Smaller animals have higher metabolisms than larger ones, requiring them to consume more calories relative to their size. A tiny hummingbird must drink three times its own weight every day. Its metabolic rate is one of the highest of any animal.)

DURING YOUR VISIT

The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition 4th fl oor (45 minutes) As students explore the exhibition, have them use the student worksheet to collect observations about the body systems of extinct sauropods and their living relatives. They will use this evidence to determine how size affects body systems.

Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians 3rd fl oor (20 minutes)Have students visit two reptile dioramas: Defense & Feeding (diorama #4) and Komodo Dragon (diorama #10). As they explore each diorama, ask them: How do reptilian species use size for defense? Is there an advantage to being small? (Answers may include: Some reptiles may exaggerate their size to appear more aggressive and/or larger when threat-ened by a predator.)


Activity: Exhibition Wrap-UpHave students add the sauropod data from their worksheets to the table provided in the Before Your Visit activity. Next have them plot the sauropod data on three graphs: Adult Body Weight, Daily Food Intake, and Heart Rate. Students should then independently answer the following questions, and share their answers in a class discussion.

• How do sauropods fi t into the predictive patterns you made before your visit?(Answer: The sauropod had a very large body. Therefore, it ate more food and had a slower heart rate than the smaller animals.)

• Based on these patterns and what you learned in the exhibition, can you hypothesize where sauropods fi t on the

other two graphs, Life Span and Size of Eggs? (Answer: Sauropods probably lived longer and laid larger eggs than the smaller animals. Although the sauropod eggs would be bigger than the eggs of smaller animals, they were not as big as you might think relative to their size. After hatching, sauropods ate a lot and grew very fast.)

amnh.org/wld


The Science Behind their SizeAs you explore the exhibition, fi nd the sections listed below and collect evidence about sauropods. Record your data on the chart.



Grades 9–12

Listen to the sound of the beating Mamenchisaurus heart. How many heart beats per minute to you hear?

How many air sacs did the sauropod lung probably have?

How much food did this sauropod have to eat every day?

How long did it take to digest its food?

List some living species that breathe the same way.

Section: Heart Beat

Section: Breathe

Section: Fuel

List some living species that have the same number of heart chambers.

Circle the best answers:

The bigger the animal, the

bigger / smaller and more / less

powerful its heart has to be.


faster / slower

the heart rate.



more / less

energy it uses.


more / less

it needs to eat.

Write down some reasons to support your answers:


How many chambers did the heart have?



Find the magnifying station and push the button to see the chicken and Yacaré caiman eggs. Which eggs have bigger pores?

Based on the length of the adult Apatosaurus femur, calculate its weight in pounds.

Section: Babies

Section: Size

Eggs with bigger pores are found in which environment?


The bigger the eggs, the

thicker / thinner

the shells have to be.

The wetter the environment, the

larger / smaller

the eggs’ pores.

Now measure your own femur using the ruler provided. How much would you weigh if you were a sauropod?


The Science Behind their SizeAs you explore the exhibition, fi nd the sections listed below and collect evidence about sauropods. Record your data on the chart.



Grades 9–12

Listen to the sound of the beating Mamenchisaurus heart. How many heart beats per minute to you hear?

How many air sacs did the sauropod lung probably have?

How much food did this sauropod have to eat every day?

How long did it take to digest its food?

List some living species that breathe the same way.

Section: Heart Beat

Section: Breathe

Section: Fuel

List some living species that have the same number of heart chambers.



bigger / smaller and more / less

powerful its heart has to be.


faster / slower

the heart rate.



more / less

energy it uses.


more / less

it needs to eat.


(Answers may include: Size of the heart will usually be relative to body size, and in bigger animals the heart needs to be more powerful to pump blood throughout the body. The heart rate is slower, or beats fewer times per minute, in bigger animals than in smaller ones.)


(Answers may include: The bigger the animal the more energy is required to move and perform other life functions. That’s why bigger animals need to eat more than smaller ones.)

(Answer: 5)

(Answer: 2 – rear and front)

(Answer: 1,150 lbs; 100,000 calories)

(Answer: about 2 weeks)

(Answer: birds)

(Answer: 4)

(Answer: humans, birds, crocodilians)

How many chambers did the heart have?

ANSWER KEY



Find the magnifying station and push the button to see the chicken and Yacaré caiman eggs. Which eggs have bigger pores?

Based on the length of the adult Apatosaurus femur, calculate its weight in pounds.

Section: Babies

Section: Size

Eggs with bigger pores are found in which environment?


The bigger the eggs, the

thicker / thinner

the shells have to be.

The wetter the environment, the

larger / smaller

the eggs’ pores.

Now measure your own femur using the ruler provided. How much would you weigh if you were a sauropod?


(Answers may include: Bigger eggs need thicker shells so they don’t crack. When eggs are laid in a wet environment (e.g. covered by vegetation or in particularly wet mud), they have reduced air fl ow. Thus the pores must be bigger to accommodate the reduced amount of air available.)

(Answers will vary.)

(Answer: Yacaré caiman)

(Answer: 42,885 lbs)

(Answer: In wetter environments, or those in which eggs are covered for protection against predators. Bigger pores help the embryo breathe.)

ANSWER KEY

The World s Largest Dinosaurs • New York State Science Core Curriculum Elementary School

Standard

Major Understandings

Intr

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Rep

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Bio

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Circ

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3.1c: In order to survive in their environment, plants and animals must be adapted to that environment.... animal adaptations include coloration for warning or attraction, camouflage, defense mechanisms, movement, hibernation, and migration.

X X X X X X X X

1.2a: Living things grow, take in nutrients, breathe, reproduce, eliminate waste and die.

X X

X X X X X X X LE 4

3.2b: Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to permit its survival. Extinction of species is common. Fossils are evidence that a great variety of species existed in the past.

X X X X X X X X

Middle School

Standard


Intr

oduc

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The

Impo

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f Siz

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Mee

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enchisaurus

Eat

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Bra

in

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Bio

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Siz

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Rep

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Ski

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Bio

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The

ater

Circ

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3.2c: Many thousands of layers of sedimentary rock provide evidence for the long history of the earth and for the long history of changing life forms whose remains are found in the rocks. Recently deposited rock layers are more likely to contain fossils resembling existing species.

X X X X X X

3.1b: Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms with a particular trait. Small differences between parents and offspring can accumulate in successive generations so that the descendants are very different from their ancestors. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely to survive and have offspring than individuals without those traits.

X X X X X

1.2a: Each system is composed of organs and tissues which perform specific functions and interact with eachother, e.g., digestion, gas exchange, excretion, circulation, locomotion, control, coordination, reproduction and protection from disease.

X X X X X x X X X X X X X

LE 4

1.1H: Living things are classified by shared characteristics in the cellular and organism level. In classifying organisms, biologists consider details of internal and external structure . Biological classification systems are arranged from general (kingdom) to specific (species).

X X X X X X X X X X X X

High School

Standard


Intr

oduc

tion

The

Impo

rtan

ce o

f Siz

e

Mee

t Mam

enchisaurus

Eat

ing

Bra

in

Nec

k &

Bio

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cs

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Rep

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Ski

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The

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Circ

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1.2 a: Important levels of organization for structure and function include organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and whole organisms.

X X X X X X X X X X X

3.1g: Some characteristics give individuals an advantage over others in surviving and reproducing, and the advantaged offspring, in turn, are more likely that others to survive and reproduce. The proportion of individuals that have advantageous characteristics will increase.

X

X

X X

X

1.2 b: Animals are complex organisms. They require multiple systems for digestion, respiration, reproduction, circulation, excretion, movement, coordination, and immunity. The systems interact to perform the life functions. 1.2c: The components of the animal body, from organ systems to cell organelles, interact to maintain a balanced internal environment. To successfully accomplish this, organisms possess a diversity of control mechanisms that detect deviations and make corrective actions.

X X X X X X X X X X X X X

LE 4

3.1L: Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Fossils indicate that many organisms that lived long ago are extinct. Extinction of a species is common; most of the species that have lived on earth no longer exist.

X

X

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