Borealopelta

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/borealopelta

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Borealopelta?Estimated length of approximately 5.5 meters (18 feet)
2. What is the scientific name?Borealopelta markmitchelli
3. What is the diet?Herbivore; stomach contents indicate consumption of ferns and other plant material
4. How did scientists learn about Borealopelta's color?Scientists found tiny pigment cells called melanosomes in the fossilized skin, which show that Borealopelta likely had a reddish‑pink color.
5. Where was the Borealopelta fossil found?The fossil was discovered in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada, where it was preserved with its armor, skin, and even stomach contents.

Nodosaurid: A subfamily of ankylosaurian dinosaurs characterized by their extensive dermal armor and lack of a tail club.
Osteoderms: Bony plates or scutes embedded within the dermis of the skin, forming the armor of many reptiles and extinct animals.
Melanosomes: Organelles within cells that contain melanin pigment, responsible for coloration in tissues like skin and feathers.
In situ: In its original place or position, referring to fossils found exactly where they were deposited.