LESSON PLANS

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How Big is a Giant?

Dinosaurs are often described as having been the giants of the animal kingdom. We know they were some of the largest animals ever to live but just how big were they? In this activity students will gain a better perspective on the diversity of dinosaurs, and understand that many were giants and others were much smaller than one might think.

LEVEL: Grade 3 and up.

MATERIALS:
· Rulers (metre stick and a small student ruler).
· List of dinosaurs, including their size.
· List of other, comparable, animals.

PROCEDURE:
· Take the class to a large open space such as the gymnasium or playing field.
· Mark out the size (length) of animals on the floor or ground.
· At each metre, ask a student to mark the point by standing on the spot.
· Measure from each student/metre point until you have the length of the animal.
· Compare the length of the animal to other animals or objects (e.g., car, bus, the school).

Dinosaurs:
Iguanodon – 10 metres Lufengosaurus – 6 metres
Gasosaurus – 3.5 metres Tyrannosaurus rex – 12.4 metres
Mamenchisaurus – 21 metres Microraptor – 40 cm
Seismosaurus – 37 metres Sinosauropteryx – 1.3 metres
Lesothosaurus – 90 cm
Yangchuanosaurus – 11 metres

Other Animals:
Blue Whale – 30 metres
Ichthyosaur – 23 metres (not a dinosaur, but a marine reptile)
Lotosaurus – 2.5 metres (not a dinosaur, but from an extinct group related to dinosaurs)
Student (average height of students in the class)