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Tab l e o f C o n t e n t s

© Copyright 1997 Educational Insights Inc., Carson, CA (USA), St Albans, Herts. (UK).All rights reserved. Please retain this information. Conforms to ASTM F-963-96a, EN-71. Printed in China. EI-5176

What Is in Dueling Dino Dig? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Welcome to Tyrannosaurus’s World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Mealtime in the Mesozoic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Tyrannosaurus Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

A Dinosaur Dig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

You’ll DIG These Fossils! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Get Ready to Dig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Dino Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Draw Your Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Tyrannosaurus Fact Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Picture Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Making Your Tyrannosaurus Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Displaying Tyrannosaurus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

The Age of Dinosaurs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Where Did They Go? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

What Is in DuelingDino Dig?Dueling Dino Dig Guide Book—Tyrannosaurus kit: Thisbook contains an exciting story featuring Tyrannosaurus, setin the Mesozoic era. You will also find backgroundinformation and history, plus instructions on how to excavateyour fossils, assemble them, and pose your model with otherDueling Dinos!

Clay block: This block of clay represents a piece of earth—millions of years old. Buried inside the clay, you will findfossil replicas of Tyrannosaurus bones.

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Fossil

StandWax

Paleontologist’s tools: Just like a paleontologist, you willget to dig the “fossils” from the “earth.” The digging toolwill help you break apart the clay, separate the fossils fromthe clay, and clean bits of clay from the fossils. The brushwill let you clean the dust from the fossils as you excavate.

Fossils: The fossils that you excavate will be smaller thanreal ones, but when you put them together you’ll have atrue-to-scale skeleton of Tyrannosaurus.

Wax: This wax will hold your fossil parts together. It willnot harden and you can change poses or positions wheneveryou wish! The flexibility of this wax allows your dinosaur tohave a little bit of movement, especially in the jaw and legs.Then you can pose them alone or with models from otherDueling Dino Dig kits. (See back cover of this guide book.)

Stand: When your Tyrannosaurus model is complete, poseit on this stand. Then attach the label (included).

Guide Book

Paleontologist’s tools:

Welcome to Tyrannosaurus’s WorldAre you ready to find and study fossils, just like a paleontologist?Are you ready to dig some fossils of your own?Are you ready to build a model of a dinosaur and pose it in action?Then you are ready for Dueling Dino Dig!

Let’s go back in time more than 65 million years to theworld of dinosaurs—the time of Tyrannosaurus...

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ealtime in the MesozoicOn a warm day in a lush swamp forest, sixty-five millionyears ago, a Tyrannosaurus wakes from sleep. It’s near theend of the Mesozoic era*—the age of dinosaurs. The air isstill. A pteranodon spreads its huge wings and flies from atreetop to the water. She swoops down and catches a fishwith her long, pointy beak. Tyrannosaurus begins to think about eating. He watchesthe pteranodon glide across the sky. In the distance, aTroodon runs from the water. Something is dangling fromTroodon’s mouth—it’s a snake! Troodon’s eyes face partlyforward, making it easy for her to find snakes, lizards, andsmall mammals to eat. Tyrannosaurus watches carefully. Suddenly, a thundering sound fills the swampland. It isnot from the silent Tyrannosaurus, who hears it too. This is the sound of dinosaurs in battle!

*To find out more about the Mesozoic era and the age of dinosaurs, see page 26.

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The BattleTyrannosaurus lifts his huge head. He uses his tiny armsfor balance as he raises his 7-ton body. When he stands, he is more than 46 feet (14 meters) tall! Tyrannosaurussmells the moist air. He listens. The thundering warfarecontinues. Tyrannosaurus can sense the direction of thesounds. He turns toward the swamp.Slowly, carefully, Tyrannosaurus moves his giant body.The earth rumbles with each step. A Parksosaurus,heading for the water, feels the rumble and bolts in theopposite direction! It only takes a few long steps for the huge Tyrannosaurusto reach the battle sounds. He peers through the brush atthe water hole, surrounded by flowering plants.

At the water’s edge, he sees the source of the battle cries—two Triceratops, heads lowered, long horns locked infierce conflict.Tyrannosaurus, the “tyrant-lizard,” watches and waits. For a few seconds, the two Triceratops are at a standoff—horns locked—unable to move. Suddenly, they breakloose. One Triceratops thrusts its bony horns into the neckof the other, but even its sharp point can’t tear the other’stough neck frill. The second Triceratops lowers his head—almost to the ground. Then, with a quick move, he raiseshis top horn into the lower shoulder of the other, forcingthe mighty dinosaur to the ground, defeated. The battle isover. The victor steps on his victim with a heavy foot, thenstalks away.

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Tyrannosaurus seizes the moment. With a bolt of speed, hebursts through the brush and attacks the woundedTriceratops. He uses his own body weight to pin down thestruggling animal. Then he sinks his teeth into its flesh.Tyrannosaurus’s teeth are like knives: 7 inches (18 cm) longand curved, with a rough, jagged edge to rip apart his prey.The Triceratops tries to defend himself but he is trapped inthe grip of Tyrannosaurus’s tiny arms as the tyrant lizardtears off another chunk of flesh. Tyrannosaurus twists andturns his powerful neck as he rips away each morsel. Finally, Tyrannosaurus is satisfied. He moves on throughthe swamp grasses, leaving the Triceratops body behind.

All of a sudden the sky darkens. Dark clouds burst intoheavy rainfall. The water hits the earth fast and hard. Thewater hole fills and overflows. Flood waters rush across thelands. Plants and animals are carried away by the sweepingflow. Tyrannosaurus, trying to keep his feet planted in themuddy swampland, is lifted by the rushing water. He isswept away by the newly formed river of water. Hedisappears, never to be seen again...

...at least, not for 65 million years!

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TyrannosaurusFindingsMontana, 1902Sixty-five million years after all dinosaurs had disappeared,paleontologists gathered at a dig site in Montana, UnitedStates of America, to study plant and animal fossils. Theyear was 1902. Excitement filled the air as the scientists dugdeeper into the earth’s mysterious secrets. They found thebones of one of the largest, most powerful animals that everlived (that we know of!)—Tyrannosaurus, the tyrant lizard.The fossilized bones were in excellent condition. This is whyscientists believed he or she may have died in a flash flood.When the flood was over, Tyrannosaurus was left buried intiny particles of earth, sand, and mud. Over the years, thissediment hardened into rock. The rock lay unnoticed formillions of years, until this day.From this and other digs that followed, paleontologists havefound many Tyrannosaurus fossils, including a 7-inch (18 cm)tooth. The curved tooth has a serrated, or saw-like edge.They learned that Tyrannosaurus had three toes on its feetand two claws on its two tiny hands. They determined thatTyrannosaurus probably walked with its huge, heavy tailraised to balance the weight of its large head, not lowered tothe ground as was earlier believed. Like some other animalspecies, the female Tyrannosaurus may have been largerthan the male. By the 1990s, scientists had found two almostcomplete skeletons of this remarkable dinosaur.

Scavenger or Hunter?Was the great meat-eating Tyrannosaurus a terrifying hunter or a cunning scavenger? Scientists disagree about theevidence. Some believe Tyrannosaurus was the most viciousmeat-eating creature of the Cretaceous period—a powerfulthreat to any living animal who may have been in the way.Its long, sharp teeth could have gripped the flesh of any preyit wanted. Other scientists say Tyrannosaurus’s enormoussize and weight would have prevented it from moving fastenough to catch any live prey. They believe the greatdinosaur relied on the weak, sick, or dead for its meals.One thing scientists do agree on about the Tyrannosaurus—it was one of the last species of dinosaur to disappear fromthe face of the earth.

This is a drawing of Tyrannosaurus’s front arm from the humerus, or shoulderbone, to the finger claws.

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A Dinosaur DigDinosaur digs require very hard work. It can take months,even years, and a lot of work to find a fossil and remove itfrom the earth. It’s worth it, though, for the excitement ofdiscovery and new scientific knowledge! Let’s take a look at what happens at many fossil digs:

Fossil hunters search rock layers of the Mesozoic era for fossils.

They use tools, such as picks and hammers, bulldozers,and other heavy machinery, to get to the fossils.

Once a fossil is found, the area is cleared and marked.Some of the rock and dirt is carefully removed from the fossil.

Photographs and drawings are made of the fossil whileit is still in the ground. The fossil is numbered and labeledon a map of the site.

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The fossil is uncovered with a brush. It is protected withwrappings of plaster-soaked cloth or sprayed with a resin tomake it stronger.

When the plaster hardens, it is safe to remove the fossilfrom the ground. Sometimes a whole rock is excavated toprotect a fragile fossil.

After it is removed from the ground, each fossil is care-fully placed in a padded crate. The crates are loaded ontotrucks and shipped to the museum laboratory.

At the laboratory, the fossils are carefully removed fromtheir protective plaster or from the solid rock in which theywere moved.

Researchers use magnifying glasses, microscopes, dental drills, dental picks, and even needles to free the fossil.

It may take years, but the fossils are finally reconstructedas a whole or part of a skeleton for display in a museum.

Now, are you ready to begin your own dinosaur dig?

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TYRANNOSAURUS

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You’ll DIG These Fossils!Buried inside the Dueling Dino Dig clay block, you willfind 8 Tyrannosaurus “fossils.” Of course, these bonesaren’t the true size of Tyrannosaurus. This dinosaurweighed about 7 tons and was about 39 feet (12 meters)long! You will, however, discover bones that will let youassemble a true-to-scale model of Tyrannosaurus. This is what you will find:

skull lower jaw bone

2 rib cages with connectedfront legs and hip bones

2 hind legs

2 spines that connectinto 1 long spine

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Get Ready to DigBefore You BeginSet up a place to work. The area you choose must remainundisturbed while you complete your excavation. Spreadout plenty of newspaper. Digging creates a lot of dust. Workon a floor or table counter that can easily be cleaned offwhen you’re finished.

YYOOUU’’LLLL NNEEEEDD::

• clay block• digging tool • brush

Follow These StepsBefore beginning, read all the directions carefully.

Carefully examine the surface of the clay block. Lookfor bumps or dents that might show where one of yourfossils is buried.

When you see a fossil showing through the clay, becareful not to scratch it with your tool. Carefully dig out theclay from around the fossil. When you’ve uncovered its topand sides, start to dig out the clay underneath it. Never tryto pull a fossil from the clay before you’ve dug completelyaround it. The fossils might break if not removed gently.

Use the excavation tool to remove any big clumps ofclay from the fossil. Then use the brush to dust off theremaining clay. Use a damp cloth or carefully rinse thefossil in a bowl of water to clean off leftover dirt. Do notwash clay down the drain—it might cause a clog!

Follow these steps until you have unearthed all 8 of thefossils. Remember, good paleontology work is slow andmethodical.

Record each fossil find by coloring that part of theTyrannosaurus skeleton on pages 18 and 19. When you areready to assemble Tyrannosaurus, turn to page 22 fordirections.

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SAFETY NOTE: Be careful to keep the sharp end of the tool pointedaway from your eyes, body, and other hand. Work slowly and carefully.Remember, the fossils could be buried anywhere inside the clay.

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Gently start to scrape away the edge of the clay withyour excavation tool. Scraping the clay is the most effectiveway to uncover fossils without breaking them.

NOTE: You won’t need the wax until you begin to assemble your model.Be careful to keep the wax separate from the clay. The clay dustwill harm the wax.

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Draw Your OwnLook at the drawing of Tyrannosaurus’s footprint. Thefossil measured 34 inches (86 cm)—that’s almost threefeet long for one footprint! It may look like a simple fossil,but it tells us many things. For example, scientists can tellby this footprint and others like it that Tyrannosauruswalked about the same speed we do, 2-3 miles (4-5 km)per hour. Footprints like these convince paleontologiststhat Tyrannosaurus was a loner. It was more likely totravel, hunt, and live alone or in pairs than in packs orherds like some other dinosaurs.Paleontologists make a detailed drawing of each fossilthey find. Use the box to draw one of the fossils youexcavated.

Dino DrawingEach time you find a different Tyrannosaurus fossil, color it on this skeleton. You may wantto use a different color for each fossil.

When the skeleton is complete, you are ready to make your Tyrannosaurus model! (See page22 for instructions.)

Tyrannosaurus’s footprint

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Picture GalleryUse this page to draw Tyrannosaurus’s environment.Be sure to include the details you have learned aboutplants, trees, and other animals that lived withTyrannosaurus. (You can read more about the age ofdinosaurs on pages 26-29.)

Tyrannosaurus FactSheetUse what you read about Tyrannosaurus in this guidebook to complete the fact sheet.

TyrannosaurusHeight:

Weight:

Its Name Means:

When It Lived:

Diet:

Special Notes:

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Making Your Tyrannosaurus ModelWhen you have excavated all 8Tyrannosaurus fossils, you can buildyour Dueling Dino model. Somereminders about putting your modeltogether:• Prepare a clean work space.• Clean and dry all fossil parts.• The wax holds the fossil parts

together. Press a tiny piece of wax onto a contact point or nub. Then push the nub into the hole.Experiment with the wax, adding more as you need it.

• Experiment to find the best pose for your model. Remember, the wax will not harden, so you can change poses or positions. 4

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Connect thespine parts.

Attach each rib cage partwith connected front legand hip to the spine.

Attach bothhind legs to thehip bones.

Attach the lowerjaw to the head.

Attach the headto the body.

Keep your model away fromdirect sunlight or heat. Theycan cause the wax to melt. Pose your Tyrannosaurus on its stand. Use wax

to keep it in place. Attach the label to the stand.

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DisplayingTyrannosaurusWhen your Tyrannosaurus model is complete, you willwant to put it on display. Here are some ideas and hints:Do you have a shelf for models or special things? It wouldbe the perfect place for your Tyrannosaurus model.You may want to create a Cretaceous diorama to placebehind your model, complete with volcanoes erupting and pterosaurs swooping down from the sky. A diorama is a miniature scene. You have probably seen dioramas in museums.

To create a diorama, you can use a shoe box or a long pieceof cardboard that you can bend into a three-sided display. If you have a shoe box, cut out one of the long sides. The other long side will be the background with the volcanoesand mountains. The bottom of the shoe box will be theground. Illustrate the three sides and place your modelinside. Here are some things you might want to draw on thebackground:

Mountains, volcanoes, pine trees, flowering plants,streams, other dinosaurs, birds, and insects.

You can combine Tyrannosaurus with dinosaurs from otherDueling Dino Digs to create a whole scene from the Mesozoicera. There are four Dueling Dino Digs kits: Tyrannosaurus,Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Velociraptor.Below is a duel between Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops.

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The Age of DinosaursDinosaurs lived on the earth millions of years ago, duringthe Mesozoic era. The Mesozoic era lasted from about 248million years ago to about 65 million years ago. Not all ofthe dinosaurs lived on the earth at the same time during theMesozoic era. The time is divided into three periods. Theyare the Triassic, from about 248 million years ago to 208 mil-lion years ago; the Jurassic, from around 208 million yearsago to 145 million years ago; and the Cretaceous, whichlasted from about 145 million years ago until the dinosaursall mysteriously disappeared, about 65 million years ago.

During the Triassic period, the earth looked different than itlooks today. All of the land was connected as one continent.This land mass is called Pangaea, a word that means “allearth.”

Scientists believe a group of bony fishes were ancestors ofearly reptiles. They lived on the earth about 370 millionyears ago. By about 245 million years ago, there wereseveral kinds of reptiles roaming on the single land mass.The rhynchosaurs were ancestors of mammals. These plant-eaters had strong hind feet and curved beaks. Archosaurs,meat-eaters that looked similar to crocodiles, later evolvedto pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and dinosaurs.

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Triassic

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By about 208-213 million years ago, the single land masshad changed. Now the earth had two large land masses.Laurasia was in the north, and Gondwanaland was in thesouth. Plant life changed, and so did animal life. The lushvegetation became the food source for many dinosaurs.Giant meat-eaters, such as Allosaurus, evolved during theJurassic period. This is the time when dinosaurs of manysizes, shapes, and ways of surviving shared the earth’s air,land, and food sources.

Where Did They Go?Despite all of our developments in science and technology,no one really knows the reason for the extinction of thedinosaurs There are many theories. Some are:

• A comet or asteroid caused huge masses of dust to blockout the sun. Lack of sun caused plants to die. Then theplant-eating dinosaurs died, and finally, the meat-eatersdied.

• Massive volcanic eruptions shot dust containing poisonsinto the air. The poisons caused fewer and fewer eggs tohatch, until finally no more eggs were laid or newdinosaurs hatched.

• Changes in the climate caused genes to change so thatanimals gave birth to only one gender. This would causea species to die out.

• A huge plague or disease wiped out a species or its foodsource.

• The newly developing flowers poisoned the dinosaurs.

No one knows what really made the dinosaurs disappear. What do YOU think?

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During the Cretaceous period, the land masses continued to shift and break apart. Mountain ranges thrust up andshallow seas formed. Flowering plants began to appearalong with many of the trees we know today—oaks, walnuts, maples, and magnolias.Many of the hadrosaurs, such as Maiasaura, whose fossilshave been found in western North America, lived and died during the Cretaceous period. Some snakes, birds,moths, and a few other animals that we recognize todayfirst appeared during this time. But many other species,including all of the dinosaurs, mysteriously vanished fromthe earth during this time—about 65 million years ago.

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Cretaceous—The Tyrannosaurus’s World

The black outline shows the world today compared to the shaded Cretaceous period.