Dinosaurs

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

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/dinosaurs

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. What is the scientific name?Dinosauria
2. What is the habitat?Global distribution across all continents, including Antarctica, indicating adaptation to diverse climates
3. What were dinosaurs and when did they live?Dinosaurs were huge reptiles that lived on Earth millions of years ago, from about 245 million to 66 million years ago.
4. Why did dinosaurs go extinct?They disappeared around 66 million years ago, probably because a big asteroid hit the Earth.

Mesozoic Era: The geological era spanning from approximately 252 to 66 million years ago, characterized by the dominance of dinosaurs and the evolution of mammals and birds.
Paleontology: The scientific discipline concerned with the study of prehistoric life through the examination of fossilized remains, providing insights into ancient organisms and ecosystems.
Theropod: A diverse group of bipedal, primarily carnivorous dinosaurs, belonging to the Saurischian lineage, which includes iconic species like Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor.
Chicxulub Impact: The hypothesized asteroid impact event approximately 66 million years ago, widely believed to be the primary cause of the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction that wiped out non-avian dinosaurs.