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American Museum of Natural History

Bigger Than You Think

bigger-than-you-think_thumb

Not all dinosaurs were enormous like the 84-foot-long, 30-ton Apatosaurus. TheCompsognathus, for example, approximated an eight-pound chicken. Size up two others.



Bigger Than You Think?




  • More About This Resource...

    • In this classroom activity, created to complement the Museum's Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries exhibit, middle school students examine the wide-ranging sizes of dinosaurs.

      • The activity opens with background information for teachers about the enormous range of dinosaur sizes.
      • In a classroom discussion, students describe the size of some dinosaurs.
      • Then, working from an existing grid, students either create a to-scale drawing of a Tyrannosaurus head or a life-size drawing of a Protoceratops.

    • Completion Time

      Approximately 1 period

    • Topic

      Paleontology

    • Subtopic

      Fossil Dinosaurs and Birds

    • Subtopic

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades 5-8:
      History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

      • science as a human endeavor• nature of science

    • Learning Standard

      National Science Education Standards
      Grades 5-8:
      History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: 

      • science as a human endeavor• nature of science