Educator's Guide - American Museum of Natural History

Educator’s Guide
THE
LARGEST
WORLD’S
DINOSAURS
INSIDE:
• Suggestions to Help You Come Prepared
• Essential Questions for Student Inquiry
• Strategies for Teaching in the Exhibition
• Map of the Exhibition
• Online Resources for the Classroom
• Correlation to Standards
• Glossary
amnh.org/education/largestdinos

essential QUESTIONS
For 140 million years sauropods — humongous plant-eating dinosaurs — roamed the planet. This exhibition
explores how scientists study fossils and living animals to understand sauropod biology, and what we can
learn from these extinct animals about what it means to be big. Use the Essential Questions below to
connect the exhibition to your curriculum.
What is a sauropod
Sauropods were an extraordinarily successful group
of dinosaurs notable for their enormous size. These
herbivores were the biggest land animals ever. They
inhabited every continent and lived from the Early
Jurassic period, about 200 million year ago, until 65.5
million years ago, when most dinosaurs became extinct.
Over that period sauropods evolved a range of shapes
and sizes, although all walked on four legs, were covered
in small bumps and scales, and had small heads. Their
brains were small relative to body size, but sauropods
were smart enough to engage in social behaviors like
herding. Like many modern reptiles, they reproduced
by laying many eggs and left the young to fend for
themselves. The biggest eggs were about the size of a
volleyball. Hatchlings grew fast — gaining weight more
quickly than any other land animal that’s ever lived.
How do sauropods vary
Like many groups of animals, sauropods came in different
sizes and body shapes. Their average weight was a
hefty 12 tons, with some dwarf species weighing only as
much as a cow and Argentinosaurus tipping the scales at
up to 90 tons (82,000 kg), which is 15 times heavier than
the African elephant. Variations included: tail length, the
relative proportion of hindlimbs to forelimbs, the shape
of the skull and placement of teeth, and in a few cases,
the presence of features such as scales and giant spikes
down the neck. Teeth ranged from large spoon-shaped
ones for biting branches to small pencil-shaped ones for
raking and stripping leaves. Each species had only one
type of tooth.
How do sauropod bodies work
While some structures in sauropods’ bodies look
much like those in animals alive today, others are quite
different. Many aspects of sauropod anatomy are key to
their giant sizes. For example, a highly efficient breathing
system enabled them to expend less energy breathing
than other animals, including mammals. A system of air
storage sacs ensured a constant flow of fresh air
through the lungs. Today’s birds breathe the same way.
Sauropods swallowed without chewing, so they could
eat massive amounts rapidly. They processed the food
in their enormous stomachs. Bacteria in these “fermentation
tanks” took up to two weeks to break down
tough plants and extract energy. Another adaptation
was cavities in the bones of sauropod necks (cervical
vertebrae), which made those necks lighter and easier
to maneuver. And those long, flexible necks — as long
as 40 feet (12 meters)! — allowed sauropods to stand
in one place and eat a lot. Their large, powerful hearts
beat very slowly to move massive amounts of blood up
to their brains and around their huge bodies.
How do scientists study
sauropods
To learn about ancient life, scientists study fossils.
Finding these traces of ancient life takes time and
experience. Paleontologists search carefully for bits
of exposed bone, then typically transport the large
piece of rock that contains the fossil back to the lab.
Trackways provide some of the best clues about
sauropod behavior. Studying living birds and other
reptiles, which are related to dinosaurs, gives insight
into behavior and biology. Paleontologists also turn
to experts in other fields. For example, geochemists
analyze fossil bones and teeth for clues about
paleoclimate, while paleobotanists examine
coprolites for the physical and chemical traces of
ancient plants. Together, these scientists are filling in
the picture of what these giant dinosaurs ate, how
fast they grew, and how long they lived.
To reach their massive sizes, sauropods grew
faster than any known land-living
mammal, bird, or
other reptile.
Mamenchisaurus
weight gain

GLOSSARY
coprolite: fossilized animal dung.
Coprolites contain clues to what animals ate
and how their digestive systems worked.
fossil: remains or traces of ancient life
— including bones, teeth, shells, leaf
impressions, nests, and footprints — that
are usually buried in rocks
herbivore: an animal that eats only plants
metabolism: the set of chemical processes
within organisms that convert food into the
energy necessary for life — everything from
growing and moving to thinking
paleoclimate: climate from the past,
recorded in rocks, ice sheets, tree rings,
sediment, corals, and shells
paleontologist: a scientist who studies
the fossil record in order to understand the
history of life on Earth
trachea: the tube that connects the nose
and mouth to the lungs
trackway: a series of fossilized footprints.
Trackways provide clues to the animal’s size,
speed, and behavior.
vertebrae (singular: vertebra): the bones
that form the backbone and give vertebrates
their name. Sauropod necks have between
ten to nineteen cervical vertebrae, whereas
most mammals, including giraffes and
humans, only have seven.
A human baby doubles in weight
in 5 months, but this took a
sauropod only 5 days.
At maturity (about age 20),
a human is 17 times its weight at birth,
while a mature sauropod (about age 30)
weighed 10,000 times as much as it did
as a hatchling.
COME PREPARED
Plan your visit. For information about reservations, transportation,
and lunchrooms, visit amnh.org/education/plan.
Read the Essential Questions in this guide to see how
themes in The World’s Largest Dinosaurs connect to your curriculum.
Identify the key points that you’d like your students to
learn from the exhibition.
Review the Teaching in the Exhibition section of this
guide for an advance look at the specimens, models, and
interactives that you and your class will be encountering.
Review activities and student worksheets (coming soon).
Designed for use before, during, and after your visit, these
activities focus on themes that correlate to the NYS Science
Core Curriculum:
• K–2: Structures & Functions
• 3–5: Observation & Evidence
• 6–8: Body Systems
• 9–12: Size & Scale
Decide how your students will explore The World’s Largest
Dinosaurs. Suggestions include:
• You and your chaperones can facilitate the visit using the
Teaching in the Exhibition section of this guide.
• Your students can use the student worksheets to explore
the exhibition on their own or in small groups.
• Students, individually or in groups, can use copies of the
map to choose their own paths.
CORRELATIONS TO
NATIONAL STANDARDS
Your visit to The World’s Largest Dinosaurs exhibition can
be correlated to the national standards below. See the end of
this guide for a full listing of New York State standards.
Science Education Standards
All Grades • A2: Understanding about scientific inquiry
K–4 • C1: Characteristics of organisms • C3: Organisms and
environments
5–8 • C1: Structure and function of living systems
• C3: Regulation and behavior • C5: Diversity and adaptations
of organisms • G2: Nature of science
9–12 • C6: Behavior of organisms • G2: Nature of science

teaching in the EXHIBITION
Size affects just about everything an animal does: eating,
breathing, moving, and reproducing. This exhibition takes a look at
how sauropods, the biggest land animals ever, pulled it off. You and your
students will be exploring a large, open space surrounding a full-scale
model of Mamenchisaurus, an exceptionally long-necked sauropod species
that lived about 160 million years ago in present-day China. Use the
Explorations below, which are organized around body systems,
to guide your visit. Refer at any point to the Biology Theater in the
center of the exhibition, where projections tie together all the processes
that enabled sauropod dinosaurs to grow to enormous sizes.
The Importance
of Size
In this introductory section
students can compare skeletons
representing the range
of sizes of animals both living
and extinct — from the tiny
Rufous Hummingbird to the
Argentinosaurus looming
overhead.
GUIDED EXPLORATIONS
Teeth & Eating
Touchable teeth and skulls:
Invite students to touch the
teeth at this table and compare
their shapes and sizes. Ask
them what these teeth might
be good for, and how that
would help a huge animal
get enough to eat.
(Answers may include:
Sauropod teeth were made for
The spoon-shaped tooth (left)
belonged to Camarasaurus,
the pencil-shaped one to
Diplodocus.
raking leaves or tearing branches, not for chewing. By
swallowing whole, sauropods could consume very large
quantities of food very fast.)
Mamenchisaurus head and foliage: Look up! Tell
students that sauropods were herbivores — they ate only
plants. Have them observe the Mamenchisaurus’ head
and neck, and ask how these body parts help the animal
find and eat a lot of food.
(Answers may include: Long necks could reach higher
leaves. Small, light heads made long necks possible.
Heads could be small because they didn’t need big
muscles for chewing.)
Check out the Stomach & Digestion section to learn
more about sauropod diet and metabolism.
Head, Neck & Movement
Model of Diplodocus brain: Point out that despite
having small brains relative to body size, this group
of dinosaurs flourished on Earth for 140 million years.
Have students look at this “big-enough” brain. Ask them
to consider, as they go through the exhibition, what
behaviors this brain made possible.
Camarasaurus
vertebra and vertebrae
comparison interactive:
Point out that cavities in
sauropod vertebrae made
necks light and easy to
move, without sacrificing
strength. Have students
look at the vertebra and
ask them what’s unique
about these bones.
(Answer: The architecture
of the vertebrae allows
them to be both light and
strong, with large points for powerful muscles
to attach.)
Cavities and hollows in neck
bones like this one gave
Camarasaurus its name. It
means “chambered reptile.”
Ask what the advantage of having such a long, flexible
neck might be.
(Answers may include: Long necks gave them access to
lots of vegetation without having to move the rest of
their bodies.)
Invite them to use the interactive to compare how much
giraffe and sauropod vertebrae weigh.
Sauropods probably farted a lot.
They may have released around
13 gallons (50 liters) of gas per day!

teaching in the EXHIBITION
Heart & Circulation
Model of sauropod heart: Tell students that the
bigger the animal, the more powerful its heart has to be.
Have students observe the heart model and describe the
characteristics that help a sauropod heart pump
oxygen-rich blood from head to tail.
(Answer: Sauropod hearts were large and, like human
and bird hearts, were four-chambered. Large hearts beat
more slowly than smaller ones.)
Pumping heart interactive: Invite students to
determine how much effort it takes to circulate blood
throughout a sauropod’s body, especially to its brain.
Encourage them to experiment with other animals, like
a giraffe.
(Answer: A sauropod’s circulatory system was able to
regulate blood pressure, whether the dinosaur’s head
was up or down.)
Lungs & Breathing
Scale model of lung and trachea: Have students
look closely at the model of a sauropod lung and
compare it to the diagram of a mammal lung. Ask what
the differences are, and what the effects might be. Point
out that the sauropod lung was twice as efficient as a
mammal lung. Why is this important
(Answer: Sauropods expended less energy breathing
than other animals. Living dinosaurs, today’s birds,
breathe the same way. Big respiratory systems also made
the animals’ bodies lighter.)
Stomach & Digestion
Column of leaves and
metabolism interactive:
Tell students that this case
shows how much food this
Mamenchisaurus might
have had to eat in one
hour. Invite students to use
the interactive to learn
about the relationship
among body plans, food
type, and energy requirements.
Ask: What are
some of the factors that
influenced how much
food the animal needed
to consume
(Answers may include:
size, digestion period, time
The tough but nutritious
horsetail was a staple of the
sauropod diet.
of day or time of year, nutritional content of food, the
animal’s energy requirements, and its age.)
Eggs & Reproduction
Display of model eggs: Have students look at a range
of eggs laid by both living and extinct species. Ask them
why the eggs of sauropods are similar in size to those of
much smaller animals. Ask them to compare sauropod
eggs to those of other dinosaurs, including birds. What
do they observe
(Answers may include: There are physical limits on egg
size. The bigger the egg, the thicker the shell has to be,
but the shell has to stay thin enough to allow oxygen to
pass through pores to the developing embryo. The size
of an egg is not necessarily proportional to the size of
the animal that laid it. All species of sauropods, regardless
of how big they were, laid eggs that were very
similar in size.)
Eggshell magnifier interactive: Have students use
the magnifier to look at the pores, or tiny holes, of the
eggshells of modern animals. Then invite students to
look at the diorama and touch the fossil eggs to see the
evidence for what sauropod nests, eggs, and embryos
were like.
A titanosaur
hatchling gets ready to
leave the nest. It’s on its own!

0.8 tons (725kg)
Europasaurus holgeri
13 tons (11,800 kg)
Mamenchisaurus hochuanensis
90 tons (82,000 kg)
Argentinosaurus huinculensis
WHAT DO FOSSILS TELL US
How massive were sauropods
Calculate weight and size interactives: Point out that scientists
study living animals to understand the biology of extinct ones. Have
students use both the computer interactive and the hands-on interactive
to understand how scientists extrapolate the weight of an animal from a
single bone.
(Answer: They use mathematical equations, computer modeling, and
comparisons of fossil bones with those of living animals.)
What did sauropods look like
Skin interactive: Ask students why it’s so challenging to determine the
color and pattern of sauropod skin.
(Answer: Dinosaur skin is rarely preserved, so we only have limited
information.)
How did sauropods behave
Sauropod footprints and zoetrope: Guide students’ attention to
the stickers on the floor that represent a series of life-size footprints,
called a trackway. Ask them what kinds of clues to sauropod behavior
are contained in trackways.
(Answers may include: Trackways contain evidence of how fast sauropods
might have moved, and suggest that herds included animals of
different ages and species.)
Invite them to spin the zoetrope for a 3-D image of what moving
dinosaurs may have looked like.
HOW DO PALEONTOLOGISTS EXCAVATE
FOSSILS
Dig pit: Have students look at the wall graphic surrounding the dig site
to familiarize themselves with the kinds of bones they’ll be uncovering.
Ask them to watch the video of paleontologists at work for a sense of
what it’s like to be on a dig and to see the tools they use. Suggest that
they think about how to uncover fossils without damaging them, and
then try it themselves in the dig pit. Make sure each student collects a
sticker on the way out.
Have students go to
amnh.org/ology/livinglarge
to gather clues about sauropod fossils.

online RESOURCES
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs
amnh.org/wld
Access featured content from the exhibition, including videos,
interactives, fun facts, and behind-the-scenes photos.
PaleontOLogy
amnh.org/ology/paleontology
Games, puzzles, and activities help kids explore fossils and the clues
they provide about ancient life and Earth’s history.
How Big Were Dinosaurs
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_05_big.pdf
Could all of your students’ footprints fit into that of an
Apatosaurus Find out with this hands-on activity.
Body and Trace Fossils
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_15_body_trace.pdf
What kind of fossil is a tooth How about a nest of eggs
Examine the differences between body and trace fossils.
Be a Sleuth: How Dinosaurs Behaved
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dinoactivity_trackway.pdf
Like today’s crime-scene investigators, paleontologists study clues
left behind. See firsthand what trackways — fossilized footprints —
can tell them about dinosaur behavior.
Dinosaur Names
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_04_names.pdf
Some dinosaur names are short, while others are lengthy tongue
twisters. But all are infused with meaning. Examine the linguistic
roots of these terrible (deinos) lizards (sauros).
Understanding Geological Time
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_10_time.pdf
How long have humans been on Earth compared to the length of
time dinosaurs roamed the planet Gain a new understanding of
time by mapping out Earth’s history.
DID YOU KNOW
The largest sauropod we know of
is Argentinosaurus. The Museum’s
fossil specimen is so big, and the rock
around it so hard, that it’s taking years
for scientists to excavate all of it from
South America.
Sauropods had the longest necks and
longest tails of any known dinosaurs.
The head of Diplodocus, a 13-ton
(11,800-kg) sauropod, is the same size
as the head of a half-ton (450-kg)
horse.
Many sauropods grew new teeth as
often as once a month, as old ones
wore out.
Some titanosaurs, one family of
sauropods, were covered with bony
plates called osteoderms.
Scientists think that sauropods might
have been brightly colored, like many
modern-day birds and reptiles.
We know from trackway evidence,
which shows smaller sauropods in the
middle, that some sauropods traveled
in herds.
Will even bigger
dinosaurs be discovered
some day Probably!
CREDITS
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs is organized by the American Museum of Natural History,
New York (www.amnh.org) in collaboration with Coolture Marketing, Bogotá, Colombia.
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs is proudly supported by Bank of America.
Photo Credits
Cover: sauropod parade, © Raúl Martin; paleontologists at dig, © AMNH.
Essential Questions: sauropod growth chart, © AMNH. Come Prepared:
Howe Quarry chart, © AMNH/D.Finnin. Teaching in the Exhibition: teeth
and sauropod nest, © AMNH/D.Finnin; vertebra, © AMNH/R.Mickens;
horsetail, © J.S.Peterson/USDA; trackway illustration, © AMNH. Insert:
Mamenchisaurus, © Raúl Martin.
Additional support is generously provided by Marshall P. and Rachael C. Levine,
Drs. Harlan B. and Natasha Levine, and Joyce and Bob Giuffra.
Funding for the Educator’s Guide has been provided in part by the
Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
Cert o. n XXX-XXX-XXXX
XX%

MAP of the exhibition
11
> Exit
KEY:
touchable fossils
& models
hands-on and
computer interactives
video
THE
WORLD’S LARGEST
DINOSAURS
Size matters. It affects just about everything
an animal does. As you move through the
exhibition, examine Mamenchisaurus — an
exceptionally long-necked sauropod species
— for clues to a fascinating scientific
question: What did it take to be so big
1
The Importance of Size
6
2
3
Teeth & Eating
Head, Neck & Movement
7
9
10
5
4
5
6
Heart & Circulation
Lungs & Breathing
Stomach & Digestion
4
7
Eggs & Reproduction
8
3
8
9
10
How massive were sauropods
What did sauropods look like
How did sauropods behave
1
2
11
How do paleontologists
excavate fossils
Look for these icons throughout the exhibition.
ribs
skull
vertebra
teeth
thigh
bone
• Explore what these fossilized bones tell us about how
sauropods lived and behaved.
>
Enter
• Can you find any of these bones in the dig pit
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.

What does it mean to be big
Size affects just about everything an animal does. Small animals breathe faster than big ones, eat more
relative to their size, and produce more offspring. Big animals are generally stronger, have fewer predators,
and live much longer. If being big has such huge advantages, why are most animals so small Because when
length doubles, weight is cubed (weight X weight X weight). And the more an animal weighs, the more
energy it uses to move and the more it needs to eat. Sauropods were about as big as land animals can get.
Oceandwellers have water to support their bulk, which is why blue whales are even more massive than
sauropods.
Small Heads
Despite their massive bodies, sauropods
had surprisingly small heads relative
to body size. This had its advantages
— sauropod heads were light enough
for long necks to support. If your head
were the same size relative to your body,
it would be only a little bigger than a
baseball! Sauropod brains were “big
enough” for them to find food and
herd young.
Efficient Lungs
Very different from mammal lungs,
sauropod lungs worked like those
of modern-day birds. Sauropods could
extract more oxygen from each breath
than humans can. Big lungs and multiple
air sacs also reduced body weight.
Tough Stomachs
Sauropods had to eat enormous
amounts every day, and swallowed food
whole. Stomachs functioned like
giant compost heaps, taking as long
as two weeks to digest tough vegetation
and releasing as much as 13 gallons
(50 liters) of gas a day. Humans typically
digest their food in about two days.
Powerful Hearts
The bigger the animal, the bigger this
muscular pump needs to be. Sauropods’
strong hearts had four chambers, like those
of living birds, crocodiles, and humans.
The Longest Necks
Long, flexible necks enabled sauropods to reach
lots of food without moving, and air pockets in the
neck bones kept them light. Sauropod species had
between 10 and 19 cervical vertebrae, but giraffes
have only 7 — just like you!
Starting Out Small: Eggs and Hatchlings
There are limits on how big eggs can get. Larger eggs require thicker shells, and if the
eggshell is too thick, air can’t pass through to the developing chick. Even giant parents can’t
lay giant eggs. Sauropod hatchlings generally weighed less than 11 pounds (5 kg), making
them easy prey. Although they grew very fast — gaining as much as 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg)
a year! — relatively few survived. Like other reptiles, sauropods laid many eggs to ensure that
some reached adulthood.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2
Observe Giant Animals
OVERVIEW
Students will practice their observation skills by studying the largest land
animals that ever lived.
BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATOR
NYS Science Core Curriculum
LE 3.1a: Each animal has different
structures that serve different
functions in growth, survival, and
reproduction.
For 140 million years sauropods — a group of humongous plant-eating
dinosaurs — roamed the planet. Now extinct, sauropods were notable for their enormous size; they were the biggest
land animals ever. They all walked on four legs, were covered in small bumps and scales, and had small heads. Smaller
ones weighed as much as a cow, while Argentinosaurus was 15 times heavier than the modern African elephant!
All kinds of scientists use tools, and paleontologists (scientists who study ancient life) are no exception. To make sure
their observations are accurate, paleontologists focus on details, take accurate measurements, and carefully document
their findings.
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
In these activities, students will get clues about how sauropods grew so huge,
and prepare tools for their expedition to the Museum.
Activity: How Big Were Dinosaurs
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_05_big.pdf
Spark students’ curiosity about these massive animals. Have students estimate
how many of their own footprints would fit inside one sauropod footprint and
conduct an experiment to test their estimate.
Activity: Prepare for an Expedition
Part I: Make Your Own Paleontologist Viewfinder
Students will make their own special tools in preparation for their visit to
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs. Tell students that the scientists who study
Plan how your students will
explore The World’s Largest
Dinosaurs using the group worksheets.
Plan to have students work
in small groups facilitated by a
teacher/parent chaperone as they
explore the exhibition.
If possible, distribute copies of the
worksheets to chaperones beforehand,
and review them to make
sure everyone understands the
activities.
ancient dinosaurs are called paleontologists, and that they use special tools to make and record their observations.
Ask students: What is a tool Do you ever use tools What do they help you do Point out that tools — such as pencils
and spoons, or hammers and wrenches — don’t need to be complicated to be useful.
Materials:
• Paper clips
• Hole punch
• Markers
• One paper towel tube cut in half
(or two toilet paper tubes)
for each student
• 2-foot yarn or thick string for
each student
1. Place the two tubes
parallel to each other.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2
2. Clip the tubes together on both ends with paper clips.
3. Use a hole punch to make two holes,
one at each end of each tube.
4. Loop the yarn through the holes and tie knots.
Hang the viewfinders around each student’s
neck, adjusting the length as necessary.
Paleontologist
5. Have students write their names on one of their
two tubes, and the word “paleontologist” on the
other. (You may need to write the word on the
board.) Encourage students to decorate the
tubes with drawings of plants and animals,
since they’ll be using the viewfinders to spot
animals during the expedition.
Part II. Make Observations Using Viewfinders
Students will pair off and practice using their tools to make observations
about animals that may be unfamiliar to them.
Materials:
• Paleontologist toolkits for students
• Pictures of dinosaurs (you can download illustrations at
amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/dino_16_illustrations.pdf)
• Stuffed animals or animal models
Paleontologist Toolkit
If possible, have each child also
assemble a “paleontologist toolkit”
in a backpack. Contents should
include: their viewfinders, a
flashlight, a ruler, and a handheld
magnifier.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2
Hold up an example of each tool in the toolkit. Discuss what it is and how a paleontologist might use it. Tell students
that before heading to the Museum, they will use their tools in the classroom.
Split the class into pairs. Hang dinosaur pictures around the room, one for each student pair. Ask each pair to sit or
stand 4-5 feet away from the picture. Taking turns, one student should illuminate the picture with the flashlight while
his or her partner, using the viewfinders, makes observations about the dinosaur. (This may be more effective with the
lights off.) Have students discuss their observations with each other, and if time allows, share their observations with
the class.
Next, give one stuffed animal or animal model to each pair. Have students use magnifiers and rulers to measure and
make close observations about the animal. Ask students to identify different body parts and explain their purpose. How
does this body part help this animal live/survive Is it different from the corresponding part of a human body How
Have them discuss their observations with each other, and if time allows, share their observations with the class.
DURING YOUR VISIT
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition
4th floor (45 minutes)
Have small groups of students, each with an adult chaperone, embark on their expedition to learn about sauropod
dinosaurs. As the students make observations and discoveries, have chaperones record the group’s findings on the
group worksheet. Encourage students to use their scientific tools to enhance their observations, and to be as detailed
as possible in their descriptions. They can use their viewfinders and flashlights, as they did in the classroom, to study
the huge Mamenchisaurus model. They can use magnifiers and rulers on the smaller touchable models and fossils, such
as eggs and teeth.
Akeley Hall of African Mammals
2nd floor (20 minutes)
Have students use the same methods to observe the elephant group in the center of the hall. Point out that while
sauropods were the largest land animals that ever lived, elephants are the largest land animals alive today. Ask students
to identify similarities and differences between sauropod bodies and those of these elephants. (Answers will vary but
may include that elephants have smaller bodies, larger heads, smaller tails, larger ears, trunks, etc.)
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Activity: Sharing Observations & Recording Findings
Have student groups present their paleontological findings. Post a large outline of a sauropod in front of the class.
(You can draw your own using the sauropod outline on the next page.)
Have groups come up one at a time and fill in the details by drawing features and labeling the pictures. They can
refer to group worksheets. They should add other details, such as eggs and footprints, along with any corresponding
measurements. If you have younger students, you may want to read findings aloud and label the diagram, and have
students add color and other details. When identifying parts of the animal’s body, ask students how they helped the
dinosaur live/survive; include this information on the outline.
Activity: Sauropod Structures & Functions
Distribute pictures of Barosaurus and/or Dipolodocus. (You can download pictures at amnh.org/resources/rfl/pdf/
dino_16_illustrations.pdf) Tell students to color their picture and draw a background scene based on what they have
learned about sauropods. Have them label the parts of the dinosaur’s body and include what the dinosaur used those
parts for.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades K–2
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Group Worksheet
Grades K–2
Instructions for the adult facilitator:
1. Have students find models and images of sauropods in the exhibition and use their tools to help them focus on
particular parts of the dinosaur.
2. Have all the students in your group observe the same thing at the same time when possible. If students were not
able to bring their own tools, encourage them to use the tools in the exhibition itself, e.g. the magnifiers in the egg
section.
3. Ask students to identify and describe what they are looking at. For large models and fossils, encourage them to
use their flashlights to illuminate and viewfinders to isolate the part of the animal they are observing. For touchable
objects and models, students should be encouraged to use their rulers and magnifiers to measure and observe details.
4. Encourage students to be as descriptive as possible, and solicit contributions from all students. Count eggs as a
body part too!
5. Record as much as you can of what students observe, including the tools they used to make their observations.
Body Part(s) Tools Used Observation / Description
What does the sauropod
use this body part for
How does it help the sauropod
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5
Make Observations & Inferences
OVERVIEW
Students will use a variety of problem-solving skills to help them understand
how scientists gather observations and make inferences about extinct species.
BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATOR
In order to understand the biology of extinct organisms such as sauropods,
scientists must make many types of observations, including studying fossils
and living animals. Living birds are the only type of dinosaur alive today, and
NYS Science Core Curriculum
S2.1d: Use appropriate tools and
conventional techniques to solve
problems about the natural world,
including: measuring, observing,
describing, classifying, and
sequencing.
studying them gives scientists insight into the behavior and biology of extinct dinosaurs. Paleontologists (scientists who
study ancient life) also turn to experts in other fields, such as engineers, to help them understand their observations.
Together, these scientists are able to answer many types of questions, including what these dinosaurs ate, how fast
they grew, and how long they lived. All kinds of scientists use tools, and paleontologists are no exception. In order to
ensure that their observations are accurate, paleontologists focus on details, take accurate measurements, and carefully
document their findings.
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
These activities will introduce students to the work paleontologists do: search
for, uncover, and study fossil remains, the evidence of prehistoric life. Explain
to students that, like paleontologists, they will be making observations that
lead to inferences about the biology of extinct animals. (Example: A snake
skeleton observed in a fossilized nest may lead a paleontologist to infer that
the snake was preying on the eggs.)
Activity: Mystery Backpack
Prepare a backpack with books and other items that can help students make
inferences about the owner. For example, a paleontologist’s pack might
contain magnifying glass, paint brush, ruler, sketch book, pencils, atlas/maps,
fossil or dinosaur ID book, toothbrush, pick, goggles, sifter, sunhat, etc.
Plan how your students will
explore The World’s Largest
Dinosaurs using the student
worksheets.
Distribute copies of the worksheets
to students before coming to the
Museum. You may want to review
the worksheets with them to make
sure they understand what they are
to do.
As the class examines the backpack and its contents, guide students through the following steps to help them make
observations and inferences:
1. Ask students: What do you observe
2. Prompt students to describe the backpack and its contents (e.g. size, color, style, descriptions of objects as they
are shown).
3. Based on these observations what behaviors can they infer about the owner and how the contents might be used
Write “observation” and “inference” on the board in the form of a T-Chart, and discuss these terms with students.
(An observation is data that can be measured, observed, examined, and analyzed to support a conclusion. Inference is
an explanation reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.)
Ask students to share what they’ve observed about the backpack and its contents. (Answers will include descriptions of
the bag and its contents.)
Ask students to share information acquired during the backpack activity that is based on inference (ideas that are
grounded in but extrapolate from direct observation). (Possible answers: Descriptions of the type of person who may
own the bag and how he or she uses the objects found inside.)
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5
Activity: Animal Puzzle
In this activity, students continue using their observation skills to make inferences.
Bring to class at least 10 photos of various animals (e.g. from magazines). Be sure to include habitat when available.
Cut each photo into puzzle pieces, and place them in a manila envelope. You can make the activity more difficult by
cutting each image into more, smaller pieces.
Divide students into groups of two or three. Give each group an envelope and tell them to pull out one puzzle piece at
a time. Have them guess which animal their envelope contains after they pull out each piece, and record each guess. In
the process, they should also attempt to figure out some facts about the animal (where it lives, what it eats, etc.). Once
students have identified their animal, have them write its name and pull out the rest of their pieces to check
their answer.
For added difficulty, mix two puzzles together. This simulates finding the fossilized remains of many different animals in
one location.
DURING YOUR VISIT
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition
4th floor (45 minutes)
Begin the exploration by having students observe the full-scale model of Mamenchisaurus. Ask: If this giant dinosaur
went extinct long before humans appeared on Earth, how can we know what it looked like or how its body functioned
Then explain to students that they will use different scientific techniques to help fill in the picture of sauropod
biology. Have them record their observations on worksheets, and draw on them to make inferences.
Koch Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs & Wallach Orientation Center
4th floor (30 minutes)
Students will examine teeth, trackways, and a model sauropod, and gather evidence about diet, movement, and
body form.
Koch Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs: Apatosaurus skeleton
1. What do the teeth tell us
Have students sketch the Apatosaurus skull and describe its teeth. Ask them what these observations suggest about
what this dinosaur might have eaten, and how. If students are having difficulty, ask them to feel their own teeth with
their tongue and explain how they’re different from those of the sauropod. For further exploration, have students
examine the wall panel “Teeth & Diet” (adjacent to the T. rex skeleton across from “What Do the Trackways Tell Us”).
There they can touch different types of teeth and gather more information about the sauropod diet.
2. What do the trackways tell us
Have students observe and sketch the trackways of the Apatosaurus mount. What types of information do they think
the trackways contain What types of information is still lacking After this discussion, have students read the panel
“What Do the Trackways Tell Us” (adjacent to the Apatosaurus mount) and discuss.
Wallach Orientation Center: Barosaurus model
3. What do we really know about what sauropods looked like
Ask students what they think sauropods looked like. What color skin did they have Was it all one color or patterned
Was their skin scaly or smooth Do they think that the model depicts Barosaurus accurately, or is it just an educated
guess Have them supply the reasoning behind their answers. Do they think that there’s evidence to support their
statements, or are they based on inference Have students watch the video “What do we really know about long
extinct animals like Barosaurus” and revisit their answers.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Activity: Exhibition Wrap-Up
Divide students into small groups to share their experiences at the Museum. Then have the whole class review the
observations on their worksheets. Ask what new things they learned, and what surprised them the most. Find out
whether any of the questions they came up with before their visit were answered at the Museum. Use new questions
to guide further investigation. Then have students draw on what they learned in the Museum to create a picture of
sauropods in their habitats.
Activity: Create a Museum Exhibition
Students can demonstrate what they’ve learned about sauropods by creating their own Museum exhibition. Have
students work in small groups to research a topic of interest to them, such as fossil collecting, scientific illustration,
or dinosaur features. Groups may want to make posters, models, dioramas, or charts. Have each group present its
completed exhibition to the rest of the class.
Activity: Observe a Dinosaur
Students will observe living birds (a kind of dinosaur) and other reptiles (related to dinosaurs) to see how scientists use
this information to learn about dinosaur biology and behavior.
To find out how ancient dinosaurs moved and behaved, paleontologists look for clues in fossils, such as fossilized
footprints, eggs, and even dung. They also observe and analyze the movement and behavior of living dinosaurs and
other animals. These data help paleontologists interpret the fossil evidence. Tell students that they too can observe
living dinosaurs, by watching birds in their natural habitat. (Or, direct students to watch bird videos, such as the Cornell
Lab of Ornithology’s video gallery www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/VideoGallery.html).
First, have students record information about the environment:
• Date and time
• Location and habitat
• Weather and temperature
Next, have students observe a bird and record:
• How does the bird move
• What does the bird eat
• Is the bird alone or in a group
• How does the bird behave with members of its species
• How does the bird behave with members of other species
Tips: Have students observe birds in different weather conditions and at different times of day. To collect good data,
they should try to observe similar groups of birds on two or three different occasions.
Finally, have students analyze their data:
• What can you conclude about bird behavior
• What clues to this behavior might be preserved in the rock record (e.g. footprints)
As a wrap-up activity, have students compare the notes from this activity to notes taken during their Museum field trip.
Encourage them to discuss problem-solving strategies used for both.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Living Large: The Secrets of Sauropods: amnh.org/ology/livinglarge
Buried Bones: amnh.org/ology/buried_bones
Going Gobi: amnh.org/ology/gobi
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 3–5
1. How do scientists know what sauropods ate, and how they fed
Go to the “A Tale of Two Skulls” section. Look for the Diplodocus and horse skulls. Compare the jaws and
teeth of the two skulls. Sketch each below.
Diplodocus jaw & teeth
horse jaw & teeth
Based on your drawings, what information can the jaws and teeth tell us about sauropods
What kind of inferences can you make Why
What information can’t they tell us
Go to the “Fuel” section. Check out the box of food to see how much sauropods had to eat every day, and
what types of food they ate.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5
2. How do scientists know what sauropods looked like
Observe the skin of the Mamenchisaurus model in the middle of the room. Then go to the “Camouflage and
Attraction” section and look through the viewers.
What evidence is there about sauropod skin
What information can it tell us
What kind of inferences can you make Why
What information can’t it tell us
3. How do scientists know the size of sauropods
Go to the “Measure the Femur” Section. Use the sliding ruler to measure the juvenile sauropod femur.
Record the length: _____________________
Record the weight calculation: _____________________
What information can it tell us
What kind of inferences can you make Why
What information can’t it tell us
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 3–5
ANSWER KEY
1. How do scientists know what sauropods ate,
and how they fed
Go to the “A Tale of Two Skulls” section. Look for the Diplodocus and horse skulls. Compare the jaws and
teeth of the two skulls. Sketch each below.
Diplodocus jaw & teeth
horse jaw & teeth
Based on your drawings, what information can the jaws and teeth tell us about sauropods
(Answers may include: The shape of the teeth tells us that they ate plants. The Diplodocus jaw has no back
teeth (molars) which means that it didn’t chew. The horse jaw contains back teeth (molars) which means that
it did chew.)
What kind of inferences can you make Why
(Answers may include: Since Diplodocus didn’t chew its food and its teeth are pencil shaped, it probably
stripped leaves off of branches quickly.)
What information can’t they tell us
(Answers may include: What types of plants they ate. How much they had to eat.)
Go to the “Fuel” section. Check out the box of food to see how much sauropods had to eat every day, and
what types of food they ate.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 3–5
2. How do scientists know what sauropods looked like
Observe the skin of the Mamenchisaurus model in the middle of the room. Then go to the “Camouflage and
Attraction” section and look through the viewers.
What evidence is there about sauropod skin
(Answers may include: Skin can’t fossilize, but scientists have found fossil skin impressions.)
ANSWER KEY
What information can it tell us
(Answers may include: We can tell that sauropod skin had a bumpy texture/scales. Some sauropods, like the
titanosaurs, had protective shells made of bony pieces, or osteoderms, that grew from within the skin.)
What kind of inferences can you make Why
(Answers may include: Other animals use skin color and patterns for camouflage or attraction, so sauropods
may have as well.)
What information can’t it tell us
(Answers may include: Scientists can only guess at skin color and the purpose of osteoderms.)
3. How do scientists know the size of sauropods
Go to the “Measure the Femur” Section. Use the sliding ruler to measure the juvenile sauropod femur.
Record the length: _____________________
Record the weight calculation: _____________________
What information can it tell us
(Answers may include: We can use the femur length to figure out what the dinosaur would have weighed.)
What kind of inferences can you make Why
(Answers may include: The weight can tell us if it was a juvenile or adult.)
What information can’t it tell us
(Answers may include: We still don’t know the sauropod’s height or how fast it grew.)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 6–8
Investigate Body Systems
OVERVIEW
Students will investigate how aspects of their bodies function (digestive,
circulatory, respiratory, and motor systems) and compare and contrast these
body systems to those of sauropods.
BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATOR
Dinosaurs have intrigued paleontologists since the first fossil finds in the
19th century. Now other scientists, such as animal nutritionists and
medical physiologists, are also shedding light on sauropod biology and the
conditions that enabled their gigantic size. This exhibition shows how
sauropod body systems worked and how they compare to those of humans
and other animals.
For a quick overview, read the article, “Living Large: How Did Sauropods
Get So Big” (Rotunda, Spring 2011)
amnh.org/join/rotunda/AMNH_RotundaSpring_2011.pdf
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
In these activities, students will explore how their own digestive and circulatory
systems work, and predict how they might have worked in sauropods, which
ranged in size from almost one ton to ninety.
Discussion: A Day in Your Life
Begin the class by asking students to describe a day in their lives in terms of
basic biological functions. Use the questions below as prompts. Divide
students into discussion groups of four. Then ask a spokesperson to share
some of each group’s ideas and record them on the board.
• What do you eat on a typical day How often
• When do you move the most
• How does your heart rate change during the day How about
your breathing
Circulation Activity: How does movement affect heart rate
Students will investigate their heart rate during different activities, and
reflect the relation between size and circulation.
Materials:
• stop watches or clock with second hand visible to entire class
Ask students to take their heart rate while (1) resting and (2) doing a simple
activity (such as walking). Ask: What do you notice about your heart rate
(Answers will vary.) Have students do five trials, record their findings on a
chart, and calculate the group average. Then write the heart rates
of a human newborn baby and an adult on the board (see the chart on the
next page). Ask students to compare their numbers with those of a baby
and an adult. Have students speculate about the differences. What can they
infer about the relationship between heart rate and size (Answer: As size
of an animal increases, the heart rate decreases.)
NYS Science Core Curriculum
LE.1.2a: Each system is composed
of organs and tissues which perform
specific functions and interact
with each other, e.g. digestion, gas
exchange, excretion, circulation,
locomotion, control, coordination,
reproduction, and protection from
disease.
The Jigsaw Method
These activities use a cooperative
learning strategy called Jigsaw.
Students form home groups; each
member joins a different expert
group to learn about a specific
subtopic; home groups then reassemble
and members share what
they’ve learned.
• Before Your Visit: Divide the
class into home groups of four
students each. Assign each
student in the home group to
a different expert group (digestion,
respiration, circulation, or
locomotion). Distribute copies of
the respective worksheets to the
expert groups, and review them
with students.
• During Your Visit: Students
work in expert groups to gather
evidence about the digestion,
respiratory, circulation, and
locomotion of sauropods and to
begin to reflect on what it means
to live large.
• Back in the Classroom: Students
share what they learned with
their home groups; the teacher
facilitates discussion of how these
systems work together. In addition,
the whole class activity uses
calculations to infer dinosaur size
and stride and understand how
scientists study extinct species.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 6–8
Animal
Human Newborn Baby
Average Heart Rate
110 beats per minute
Make a statement about the relationship
between heart rate and size.
Human Adult
70 beats per minute
Digestion Activity: How long does it take to chew your food
Materials:
• bags of baby carrots
• box of unsalted crackers
• stop watches
Crackers: Working in groups of four, have students chew two crackers for two minutes without swallowing. Ask
them to think about how both the texture and taste of the crackers change as they chew. Have them record their
observations. Then explain to them how the teeth and saliva work together to break down food.
Carrots: Working in pairs, have each student chew two carrots for two minutes without swallowing. Ask each student
to think about how the texture and taste change, and to record their observations. Have each partner observe the
other’s chewed carrots and record his or her observations.
Transition to having students reflect on how many carrots they think they would need to eat in a day to get the calories
they need. Ask: If each carrot contains approximately 15 calories and a 13-year-old needs 2,200 calories a day, how
many carrots would he or she need to eat to meet this daily requirement How long would it take What teeth is he or
she using
Bring the class together and have students share their results. Show a picture of a sauropod (a plant eater) and ask the
students to draw upon what they’ve learned to imagine how chewing and digestion work in sauropods.
Discussion: A Day in the Life of a Sauropod
Have students make predictions about a day in the life of a 13-ton sauropod by reflecting on questions such as: What
did they eat How much did they eat How many carrots would they need in a day How did their hearts work How
fast Students will probably have lots of questions about other body systems. Make sure they record these questions.
Divide the class into home groups of four, and then into four expert groups. Have each expert group write 10 questions
about how that body system might function in sauropods.
To build background knowledge, students can read short descriptions of the digestion and circulatory systems. (You can
download readings from http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 6–8
DURING YOUR VISIT
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition
4th floor (45 minutes)
Have expert teams use the student worksheets to explore and collect evidence about the four body systems (digestive,
circulatory, respiratory, locomotion).
Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs
4th floor (30 minutes)
Have students examine the Apatosaurus skeleton. Ask them to count the number of vertebrae (in the neck, the tail, the
body). Using their bodies as a ruler, have them estimate the length of the sauropod’s femur bone. Have students write
five observations about the animal, and five inferences.
Then, tell students that back in the classroom, each home team will create a story titled “A Day in the Life of a
Sauropod” using evidence obtained in The World’s Largest Dinosaurs exhibition and in this fossil hall. Have students
jot down notes, and use this time to decide a plot, the setting, and characters.
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Activity: Exhibition Wrap-Up
Have students share their findings in their home groups. Encourage students to make connections to other body
systems. Use these questions to facilitate the discussion:
• How much am I like a sauropod How am I really different
• How does size affect the way sauropods’ bodies work
• Think about how long it took you to chew a carrot and how much food Mamenchisaurus ate in one hour.
How does size affect the sauropod digestive system
• How were sauropods able to extract so much oxygen from every breath
• How does size affect heart rate
• How does size affect how animals move, and how much they move
• How are the body systems that each team member learned about connected
Then, ask each home group to create a story about a day in the life of a sauropod. Remind them that their story needs
to include information they learned at the Museum, along with a detailed drawing of the part of the animal, with
important body system parts labeled.
Activity: Locomotion/Skeletal System
Using fossil evidence, studies of living animals, and their knowledge of biomechanics, scientists can make inferences
about sauropods and other extinct organisms. In these two activities, students learn how size can be determined by leg
length, and stride length can determine distance traveled. They will compare their results to what they learned in the
exhibition about sauropod size.
Materials:
• measuring tapes
• yardsticks
• masking tape
First, measure out an area in which students will take their measurements.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 6–8
1. Calculate Stride
Tell students that stride length is the distance covered in an average step, either from heel to heel or toe to toe. Using a
ruler, have students measure each of their stride lengths and calculate the group average. Using that average, ask them
to use the equation below to figure out the distance traveled in 5,000 steps.
0.7 (length of stride in cm) x (number of steps) = X (meters) / 1000 (meter in a km) = X km
For example if the average stride is 70 cm:
0.7 (70 cm) x (number of steps) = X (meters) / 1000 (meter in a km) = X km
2. Infer Height from Femur Length
Tell students that the femur is the single large bone that extends from the hip socket to the kneecap. Have them work
in pairs, and use a meter stick or measuring tape to determine the approximate length in centimeters of their partner’s
femur. Use the following equation to estimate height:
(length of femur in cm) x 2.6 + 65 = height in cm
Then have students use a metric ruler to obtain their partner’s height in centimeters. (They can convert this metric
measurement to inches by dividing by 2.54.)
Finally, have students infer the relationship between stride length and femur length. (Answer: The longer the legs, the
bigger the steps.)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 6–8
Circulation: Powerful Hearts
1. Go to the “Beat” section to investigate and gather evidence about sauropods’ powerful hearts.
Play the pumping heart interactive. Describe the difference between a human and an elephant heart.
Record different animals’ heart rates in this chart.
Animal
deer mouse
horse
African elephant
human
Heart Rate
(beats per minute)
Make a statement about the relationship
between body size and heart rate.
What do you think pumping a sauropod’s heart would be like
What evidence suggests that sauropods had a slow
heart rate
Sketch the Mamenchisaurus heart model
and label the parts.
Why do scientist think that sauropods had
four-chambered hearts
2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Listen to the heart rate of sauropods. Record notes about the circulation system.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 6–8
Respiration: Efficient Lungs
1. Go to the “Lungs and Breathing” section to investigate and gather evidence about the efficient
respiratory system of sauropods.
Sketch and label the parts of the sauropod respiratory system.
What is the purpose of the lungs
Why is the sauropod lung more efficient than the human lung
2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Observe how the lungs and air sacs worked in sauropods. Record notes about the respiratory system.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 6–8
Digestion: Tough Stomachs
1. Go to the “Teeth” section to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods ate.
Describe how your teeth compare to sauropod teeth.
Sketch sauropod teeth.
What did their teeth allow sauropods to do
2. Go to the “Fuel” section to investigate and gather evidence about what sauropods ate.
How many calories did sauropods need to consume every day How does that compare to you
How is human digestion different from that of sauropods
What type of plants did sauropods eat
Make a chart below of the pros (+) and cons (-) of at least two of these plants, and sketch them.
Plant Pros (+) Cons (-) Sketch the plants
3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Record notes about the digestive system and why scientists think sauropods had “fermentation tanks.”
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 6–8
Skeletal/Locomotion: Necks and legs
1. Go to the “Reach” and “How Big” sections to investigate
and gather evidence about how sauropods moved.
Sketch and label the structure of the
sauropod vertebrae.
Observe and lift the giraffe and sauropod vertebrae.
How are they different How many vertebrae do giraffes have
How many do sauropods have
What did the long neck allow a sauropod to do
2. Visit the “Femur station activity” to measure a sauropod femur and your weight if you were
a sauropod.
On the other side, measure your femur bone and calculate your height. (Ask a friend to help you.)
Calculate and record your height based on the length of your femur.
How do scientists predict the height and weight of sauropods
3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Record notes about the sauropod skeleton, in particular its long neck.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
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THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Circulation: Powerful Hearts
Grades 6–8
ANSWER KEY
1. Go to the “Beat” section to investigate and gather evidence about sauropods’ powerful hearts.
Play the pumping heart interactive. Describe the difference between a human and an elephant heart.
(Answer may include: It’s easier to pump the human heart. The elephant’s heart rate is slow. It takes some
effort to get it to beat just once.)
Record different animals’ heart rates in this chart.
Animal
deer mouse
Heart Rate
(beats per minute)
(Answer: 400)
horse (Answer: 38)
African elephant (Answer:28)
human (Answer: 72)
Make a statement about the relationship
between body size and heart rate.
(Answers may include: The bigger the
animal, the more powerful the heart has
to be. The bigger the animal, the slower
the heart rate).
What do you think pumping a sauropod’s heart would be like
(Answers will vary, but it would be hard because their hearts are big and big hearts take more time to fill and
empty.)
What evidence suggests that sauropods had a slow
heart rate
(Answer: It’s challenging to circulate blood
throughout this massive body. Big hearts take
more time to fill and empty.)
Sketch the Mamenchisaurus heart model
and label the parts.
Why do scientist think that sauropods had
four-chambered hearts
(Answer: Crocodiles and living dinosaurs like birds
have four-chambered hearts. A four-chambered heart
holds oxygen longer and absorbs it more efficiently.)
2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Listen to the heart rate of sauropods. Record notes about the circulation system.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Respiration: Efficient Lungs
Grades 6–8
ANSWER KEY
1. Go to the “Lungs and Breathing” section to investigate and gather evidence about the efficient
respiratory system of sauropods.
Sketch and label the parts of the sauropod respiratory system.
What is the purpose of the lungs
(Answers may include: Lungs
transfer oxygen from the air
to the blood through their thin
membranes. The lungs also
remove CO 2 from the bloodstream.)
Why is the sauropod lung more efficient than the human lung
(Answers may include: In addition to lungs, sauropod bodies contained two sacs for holding air. Each breath
stayed inside the sauropod’s body during a second inhale and exhale, allowing more time for oxygen to be
extracted. Oxygenated air is always going through a sauropod lung. Large air-filled pouches would have
made the animal a lot lighter.)
2. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Observe how the lungs and air sacs worked in sauropods. Record notes about the respiratory system.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Digestion: Tough Stomachs
Grades 6–8
ANSWER KEY
1. Go to the “Teeth” section to investigate and gather evidence about how sauropods ate.
Describe how your teeth compare to sauropod teeth.
Sketch sauropod teeth.
(Answers may include: Humans have different types of teeth for tasks
like biting and grinding. Sauropods have only one kind of tooth,
which resembles our incisors.)
What did their teeth allow sauropods to do
(Answers may include: Sauropods could scrape and rake leaves and snap
branches. They could eat a great deal of vegetation very fast because
they did not take the time to chew.)
2. Go to the “Fuel” section to investigate and gather evidence about what sauropods ate.
How many calories did sauropods need to consume every day How does that compare to you
(Answers may include: A young adult sauropod needed up to 100,000 calories a day. Human teenagers need
about 2,400.)
How is human digestion different from that of sauropods
(Answers may include: Human digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and intestines.
Food passes through our digestive tracts within a few days. Sauropod stomachs functioned as fermentation
tanks. Digestion could take as long as two weeks, allowing time for microbes to break down the cell walls of
tough plant material.)
What type of plants did sauropods eat
(Answers may include: Ginkgo, horsetail, monkey puzzle, conifers, cycads, broadleaf trees, and grasses.)
Make a chart below of the pros (+) and cons (-) of at least two of these plants, and sketch them.
Plant Pros (+) Cons (-) Sketch the plants
(Sample answer:
Horsetail)
(Sample answer: Very
nutritious, digestible,
accessible, plentiful)
(Sample answer:
Hard to chew)
(Sample answer:
Monkey puzzle
tree)
(Sample answer:
Nutritious, accessible to
tall animals, plentiful)
(Sample answer:
Difficult to digest, low
protein content)
3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Record notes about the digestive system and why scientists think sauropods had “fermentation tanks.”
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Skeletal/Locomotion: Necks and legs
1. Go to the “Reach” and “How Big” sections to investigate
and gather evidence about how sauropods moved.
Grades 6–8
ANSWER KEY
Sketch and label the structure of the
sauropod vertebrae.
Observe and lift the giraffe and sauropod vertebrae.
How are they different How many vertebrae do giraffes have
How many do sauropods have
(Answers may include: Like most mammals, the giraffe had only
7 vertebrae in its neck. Sauropods usually had between 10 and
19 vertebrae in their necks.)
What did the long neck allow a sauropod to do
(Answers may include: Allowed the animal’s head to move
up and down or side-to-side to access food.)
2. Visit the “Femur station activity” to measure a sauropod femur and your weight if you were
a sauropod.
On the other side, measure your femur bone and calculate your height. (Ask a friend to help you.)
Calculate and record your height based on the length of your femur.
How do scientists predict the height and weight of sauropods
(Answers may include: Using both fossil evidence and studies of living animals, scientist have developed
several methods to determine how much a dinosaur might have weighed. Scientists measure the length and
thickness of the thighbone, as well as use computer models.)
3. Visit the Body Theatre and watch the video.
Record notes about the sauropod skeleton, in particular its long neck.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 9–12
The Science Behind Their Size
OVERVIEW
Students will explore what it means to be big and how an animal’s size affects
just about everything it does. They will examine how body systems functioned
in the biggest dinosaurs that ever lived, and how these sauropods ate,
breathed, and reproduced.
BACKGROUND FOR EDUCATOR
NYS Science Core Curriculum
LE 1.2b: Humans are complex
organisms. They require multiple
systems for digestion, respiration,
reproduction, circulation, excretion,
movement, coordination, and
immunity. The systems interact to
perform the life functions.
The fossil record indicates that many animal species got bigger over
evolutionary time, and that the body systems of bigger animals function
somewhat differently than those of smaller ones. Bigger animals are generally
stronger than smaller animals, have fewer predators, and live much longer. However, there are disadvantages to being
big. For instance, the more an animal weighs, the more energy it requires to move and perform other life functions.
For more information on the world’s biggest dinosaurs read “Living Large: How Did Sauropods Get So Big”
(Rotunda, Spring 2011), downloadable at amnh.org/join/rotunda/AMNH_RotundaSpring_2011.pdf
BEFORE YOUR VISIT
Activity: Size Matters
In this activity, students will explore the differences between big and small
animals by charting how specific body systems are affected by body size.
Tell students that size affects just about everything an animal does — from
eating and producing waste to breathing and reproducing. (See Background
paragraph, above). Have students use the information provided in the chart
below to create one graph per set of data, plotting body weight as the
independent variable on the x-axis, and each data set (body weight, daily
food intake, heart rate, life span, birth weight) as the dependant variable on
the y-axis. (Note: In the exhibition, students will collect data for sauropods.)
Plan how your students will
explore The World’s Largest
Dinosaurs using the student
worksheets.
Distribute copies of the worksheets
to students before coming to the
Museum. You may want to review
the worksheets with them to make
sure they understand what they are
to do.
Species
Adult Body
Weight
Daily Food
Intake
Heart Rate
(beats per
minute)
Life Span
(years)
Birth weight
or size of
eggs
A - Hummingbird 0.2 oz 0.4 oz 250 5-9 0.018 oz.
B - African Elephant
11,000 lbs 400 lbs 30 40 200 lbs
C - Blue Whale
D - Average Adult
Human
400,000 8,000 20 85 6,000 lbs
150 lbs 4.7 lbs 72
68 (world
7 lbs
average)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 9–12
After students create their graphs, have them independently answer the following questions. Then use their answers to
lead a class discussion:
• Make predictive statements about the patterns you see in the graphs. For instance, as body weight increases, how
are other variables affected How does daily food intake compare to body weight How do adult sizes compare to
baby sizes
(Answers may include: As body weight increases, daily food intake increases, heart rate decreases, and life span
increases.)
• Why might it be better for an animal to be bigger
(Answers: Bigger is safer. Predators think twice about targeting the biggest animal in a group. If the biggest animal
in a group is more likely to survive and reproduce, their offspring will grow larger as well. This is an example of
natural selection favoring large size. An exception is the hummingbird, the smallest bird and living dinosaur.)
• Are the individual cells in the body of a big animal the same size as those in a small animal
(Answer: Yes, it’s just that big animals have many more cells. The amount of energy required to keep these cells alive
is an organism’s metabolism, which varies across species. Smaller animals have higher metabolisms than larger ones,
requiring them to consume more calories relative to their size. A tiny hummingbird must drink three times its own
weight every day. Its metabolic rate is one of the highest of any animal.)
DURING YOUR VISIT
The World’s Largest Dinosaurs Exhibition
4th floor (45 minutes)
As students explore the exhibition, have them use the student worksheet to collect observations about the body
systems of extinct sauropods and their living relatives. They will use this evidence to determine how size affects body
systems.
Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians
3rd floor (20 minutes)
Have students visit two reptile dioramas: Defense & Feeding (diorama #4) and Komodo Dragon (diorama #10). As they
explore each diorama, ask them: How do reptilian species use size for defense Is there an advantage to being small
(Answers may include: Some reptiles may exaggerate their size to appear more aggressive and/or larger when threatened
by a predator.)
BACK IN THE CLASSROOM
Activity: Exhibition Wrap-Up
Have students add the sauropod data from their worksheets to the table provided in the Before Your Visit activity.
Next have them plot the sauropod data on three graphs: Adult Body Weight, Daily Food Intake, and Heart Rate.
Students should then independently answer the following questions, and share their answers in a class discussion.
• How do sauropods fit into the predictive patterns you made before your visit
(Answer: The sauropod had a very large body. Therefore, it ate more food and had a slower heart rate than the
smaller animals.)
• Based on these patterns and what you learned in the exhibition, can you hypothesize where sauropods fit on the
other two graphs, Life Span and Size of Eggs
(Answer: Sauropods probably lived longer and laid larger eggs than the smaller animals. Although the sauropod
eggs would be bigger than the eggs of smaller animals, they were not as big as you might think relative to their size.
After hatching, sauropods ate a lot and grew very fast.)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved.
amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 9–12
The Science Behind their Size
As you explore the exhibition, find the sections listed below and collect evidence about sauropods.
Record your data on the chart.
Section: Heart Beat
Listen to the sound of the beating Mamenchisaurus heart.
How many heart beats per minute to you hear
How many chambers did the heart have
List some living species that have the same number of
heart chambers.
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the animal, the
bigger / smaller and more / less
powerful its heart has to be.
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
The bigger the animal, the
faster / slower
the heart rate.
Section: Breathe
How many air sacs did the sauropod lung probably have
List some living species that breathe the same way.
Section: Fuel
How much food did this sauropod have to eat every day
How long did it take to digest its food
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the animal, the
more / less
energy it uses.
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
The bigger the animal, the
more / less
it needs to eat.
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 9–12
Section: Babies
Find the magnifying station and push the button to see
the chicken and Yacaré caiman eggs. Which eggs have
bigger pores
Eggs with bigger pores are found in which environment
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the eggs, the
thicker / thinner
the shells have to be.
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
The wetter the environment, the
larger / smaller
the eggs’ pores.
Section: Size
Based on the length of the adult Apatosaurus femur,
calculate its weight in pounds.
Now measure your own femur using the ruler provided.
How much would you weigh if you were a sauropod
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS
Student Worksheet
Grades 9–12
The Science Behind their Size
As you explore the exhibition, find the sections listed below and collect evidence about sauropods.
Record your data on the chart.
Section: Heart Beat
ANSWER KEY
Listen to the sound of the beating Mamenchisaurus heart.
How many heart beats per minute to you hear
How many chambers did the heart have
List some living species that have the same number of
heart chambers.
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the animal, the
bigger / smaller and more / less
powerful its heart has to be.
The bigger the animal, the
faster / slower
the heart rate.
(Answer: 5)
(Answer: 4)
(Answer: humans, birds, crocodilians)
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
(Answers may include: Size of the heart
will usually be relative to body size, and
in bigger animals the heart needs to be
more powerful to pump blood throughout
the body. The heart rate is slower, or beats
fewer times per minute, in bigger animals
than in smaller ones.)
Section: Breathe
How many air sacs did the sauropod lung probably have
List some living species that breathe the same way.
(Answer: 2 – rear and front)
(Answer: birds)
Section: Fuel
How much food did this sauropod have to eat every day
How long did it take to digest its food
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the animal, the
more / less
energy it uses.
The bigger the animal, the
more / less
it needs to eat.
(Answer: 1,150 lbs; 100,000 calories)
(Answer: about 2 weeks)
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
(Answers may include: The bigger the
animal the more energy is required to move
and perform other life functions. That’s
why bigger animals need to eat more than
smaller ones.)
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

THE WORLD’S LARGEST DINOSAURS Activities for Grades 9–12
Section: Babies
Find the magnifying station and push the button to see
the chicken and Yacaré caiman eggs. Which eggs have
bigger pores
Eggs with bigger pores are found in which environment
Circle the best answers:
The bigger the eggs, the
thicker / thinner
the shells have to be.
The wetter the environment, the
larger / smaller
the eggs’ pores.
(Answer: Yacaré caiman)
ANSWER KEY
(Answer: In wetter environments, or those
in which eggs are covered for protection
against predators. Bigger pores help the
embryo breathe.)
Write down some reasons to support your
answers:
(Answers may include: Bigger eggs need
thicker shells so they don’t crack. When
eggs are laid in a wet environment (e.g.
covered by vegetation or in particularly wet
mud), they have reduced air flow. Thus the
pores must be bigger to accommodate the
reduced amount of air available.)
Section: Size
Based on the length of the adult Apatosaurus femur,
calculate its weight in pounds.
(Answer: 42,885 lbs)
(Answers will vary.)
Now measure your own femur using the ruler provided.
How much would you weigh if you were a sauropod
© 2011 American Museum of Natural History. All rights reserved. amnh.org/wld

The Worlds Largest Dinosaurs • New York State Science Core Curriculum
Elementary School
Standard
LE 4
Major
Understandings
3.1c: In order to survive in
their environment, plants
and animals must be
adapted to that
environment.... animal
adaptations include
coloration for warning or
attraction, camouflage,
defense mechanisms,
movement, hibernation,
and migration.
1.2a: Living things grow,
take in nutrients, breathe,
reproduce, eliminate
waste and die.
3.2b: Extinction of a
species occurs when the
environment changes and
the adaptive
characteristics of a
species are insufficient to
permit its survival.
Extinction of species is
common. Fossils are
evidence that a great
variety of species existed
in the past.
Introduction
The Importance of Size
Meet Mamenchisaurus
Eating
Brain
Neck & Biomechanics
Size of Sauropods
Reproduction
Skin
Trackways
Metabolism
Biology Theater
Circulation
Respiration
Dig Pit
Epilogue
X X X X X X X X
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Middle School
Standard
Major
Understandings
Introduction
The Importance of Size
Meet Mamenchisaurus
Eating
Brain
Neck & Biomechanics
Size of Sauropods
Reproduction
Skin
Trackways
Metabolism
Biology Theater
Circulation
Respiration
Dig Pit
Epilogue
LE 4
3.2c: Many thousands of
layers of sedimentary rock
provide evidence for the
long history of the earth
and for the long history of
changing life forms whose
remains are found in the
rocks. Recently deposited
rock layers are more likely
to contain fossils
resembling existing
species.
3.1b: Changes in
environmental conditions
can affect the survival of
individual organisms with
a particular trait. Small
differences between
parents and offspring can
accumulate in successive
generations so that the
descendants are very
different from their
ancestors. Individual
organisms with certain
traits are more likely to
survive and have offspring
than individuals without
those traits.
1.2a: Each system is
composed of organs and
tissues which perform
specific functions and
interact with eachother,
e.g., digestion, gas
exchange, excretion,
circulation, locomotion,
control, coordination,
reproduction and
protection from disease.
1.1H: Living things are
classified by shared
characteristics in the
cellular and organism
level. In classifying
organisms, biologists
consider details of internal
and external structure .
Biological classification
systems are arranged
from general (kingdom) to
specific (species).
X X X X X X
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X X X X X x X X X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X

High School
Standard
Major
Understandings
Introduction
The Importance of Size
Meet Mamenchisaurus
Eating
Brain
Neck & Biomechanics
Size of Sauropods
Reproduction
Skin
Trackways
Metabolism
Biology Theater
Circulation
Respiration
Dig Pit
Epilogue
LE 4
1.2 a: Important levels of
organization for structure
and function include
organelles, cells, tissues,
organs, organ systems,
and whole organisms.
3.1g: Some characteristics
give individuals an
advantage over others in
surviving and reproducing,
and the advantaged
offspring, in turn, are more
likely that others to survive
and reproduce. The
proportion of individuals
that have advantageous
characteristics will
increase.
1.2 b: Animals are
complex organisms. They
require multiple systems
for digestion, respiration,
reproduction, circulation,
excretion, movement,
coordination, and
immunity. The systems
interact to perform the life
functions. 1.2c: The
components of the animal
body, from organ systems
to cell organelles, interact
to maintain a balanced
internal environment. To
successfully accomplish
this, organisms possess a
diversity of control
mechanisms that detect
deviations and make
corrective actions.
3.1L: Extinction of a
species occurs when the
environment changes and
the adaptive
characteristics of a
species are insufficient to
allow its survival. Fossils
indicate that many
organisms that lived long
ago are extinct. Extinction
of a species is common;
most of the species that
have lived on earth no
longer exist.
X
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X X X X X
X X X X X X X X X X X X X
X