AWESOME!DINOSAURS ARE

WRITTEN & ILLUSTRATED BYPHOENIX TRINIDAD

Question: What are dinosaurs?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSTo the students from Kasese Humanist Primary This project was developed by Swinburne University of Technology’s Digital Media Design program as part of a public outreach initiative called ScienceQandA (www.scienceqanda.com). Students from the Kasese Humanist Primary School, Uganda posed interesting questions and Swinburne students collaborated with scientists globally to answer them in a fun and scientifically accurate way.

The Kasese Humanist Primary School was founded in 2010. Being guided by humanist values the curriculum emphasises ethics, human rights and application of the scientific method. The school aims to develop rounded students, ready to be innovative, creative, skilled and able to maximise their potential at an early age.

The schools motto is; ‘with science we can progress’.

Priscilla Gaff has been working as a Program Coordinator of Life Science at Melbourne Museum for seven years. She has a background in palaeontology and education, and completed a Masters Thesis on fossil birds, specialising in fossil eagles. During her Masters research, she not only search through the fossils collection of the major Australian museum, but also compared the Australian fossil eagles to the giant extinct eagle of New Zealand. Priscilla has also been an avid dinosaur digger, having been part of the Dinosaur Dreaming team who dig for dinosaurs along the coast of Victoria, Australia. Today, her job involves teaching people about the fossils, dinosaurs, animals through the wonderful exhibitions of the museum.

Priscilla GaffMelbourne Museum

One of Phoenix’s earliest cinematic experiences involved being terrified and amazed by the 1998 film Godzilla. It was around this time that Phoenix decided that when he were to grow up, he would pursue a career as a full-time dinosaur.

Unfortunately many years later, Phoenix’s chilhood dream has not yet come to fruition. Instead he spends his time delving into as many different creative outlets that he can, while completing a degree in Digital Design at Swinburne University of Technology. In the future he hopes to travel the world and have plenty of interesting conversations with people.

Phoenix TrinidadSwinburne University of Technology

Junior and his dog Louie were on their regularafternoon walk when they happened upon a giant

dome building. “I’ve never seen that building before. I wonder what’s inside!” pondered Junior.

Louie suddenly began sniffing in the air excitedly: as something had caught his attention.

“What is it, Louie?” questioned Junior.

Louie answered with an excited bark and began to dash towards the building, dragging little Junior behind him.

“Stop!” screamed Junior, but Louie was too excited to listen.

There was a loud bang as Louie and Junior crashed through the front door.

Junior picked himself off the floor to find Louie sniffing at a bone. However it was no ordinary bone, as it was connected to a gigantic animal skeleton that towered

high over Junior. It was the most awesome thing that Junior had ever seen!

“Woah!” exclaimed Junior. “What is that?”

“You broke my door!” came a voice. A tall, skinny woman in a white coat jumped out from behind the skeleton, frightening Louie.

“Wait a minute, did you just ask what THIS is? This is the skeleton of a DINOSAUR!”

“Wow!” gasped Junior. “Wait, what are dinosaurs?!”

“You don’t know what a dinosaur is!?” asked the woman in disbelief. “...nah.” said Junior.

“Well then, let me tell you! I am Professor Kate, and this here is my Tyrannosaurus rex!”

“Awesome!” exclaimed Junior, as he moved around the skeleton, admiring it’s size.

“The Earth used to be a very different place,” began the Professor, “Between 240 million and 65 million years

ago, these creatures known as dinosaurs roamed the Earth.”

The Professor flicked a switch on her remote control and the entire dome began to change into a completely different environment.

Junior and Louie stared silently in awe as the room suddenly filled with fauna that they had never seen before.

“Dinosaurs were reptiles, much like the crocodiles and lizards that you see today.” explained the Professor.

“How many types were there!?” asked Junior, as Louie stared down a curious Deinonychus.

“Well, scientists have found about 1000 different species of dinosaurs! And they came in all shapes and sizes. Some were about the size of your little dog there!” exclaimed the Professor pointing towards Louie,

who had decided to begin barking at the Deinonychus.

“And then you have the Argentinosaurus, who is said to be between 30 to 35 metres long! And weighed about between 80 – 100 tonnes, which is about the same as 6 firetrucks! Isn’t that AWESOME?” explained the Professor.

“Watch out, Professor!” warned Junior, as the Profes-sor accidentally stepped in some poop left behind by Louie.

“Ah!” exclaimed the Professor as she scowled at Louie, whom responded to the scowl with a friendly bark in the Professor’s face.

“Professor, did dinosaurs poo?” asked Junior. The Professor, while annoyed at first, continued to explain.

“Well, it’s interesting you say that actually, because dinosaur faeces, also known as coprolites, have taught scientists a lot about what dinosaurs ate and how they behaved. The most famous dino-poop fossil was found

in Canada in 1998 and was around 43 cm long and15 cm thick!” explained the Professor, cleaning Louie’s

poop off her shoe.

“What’s a fossil?”

“Well, fossils are how we know about dinosaurs. The dinosaurs left remains like coprolites and bones,

which get buried underground. Over time, minerals eventually replace the original remains. So we are left with an exact rock-like copy of the dinosaur’s bones. These fossils are then dug up and studied by palaeontologists, like me!” proudly explained the Professor.

“But how come there aren’t any more dinosaurs?” asked Junior.

“Scientists think that a mass-extinction event occurred which wiped out all the larger animals and dinosaurs. Around 66 million years ago, massive volcanic eruptions were occuring and then around 65 million

years ago a gigantic meteorite hit the Earth. Together these events caused a large amount of smoke, blocking out the sun, changing the climate and reducing oxygen.”

“But it’s not all bad news! Because scientists also know that other smaller reptiles and even birds evolved from dinosaurs, so there technically could be some dinosaurs in your very backyard!” exclaimed the Professor.

“However, I think it might be time for you two to go home now. You’ve caused enough trouble for one day!” said the Professor.

She flicked a switch on her remote and the giant dome building changed once again as the dinosaurs disappeared.

“Thanks Professor! Come on Louie” said Junior, gathering Louie and heading towards the door.

The Professor smiled as Junior and Louie left, although she had this small feeling in the back of her

mind that something was missing….

“Wow!” said Junior, as he walked home with Louie, “Dinosaurs are AWESOME!”

Louie barked in agreement and returned to happily chewing his over-sized bone.

THE END.

AWESOME DINOSAUR QUIZ!1) How long ago did the dinosaurs roam the Earth ? a) Between 240 and 65 years ago b) Between 240 thousand and 65 thousand years ago c) Between 240 million and 65 million years ago d) Between 240 billion and 65 million years ago

2) Which animal is in the Reptile Family with the dinosaurs? a) crocodile b) whale c) cow d) giraffe

3) Approximately how many species of dinosaurs have been discovered and named? a) 10 b) 100 c) 1000 d) 100 000

4) How long was the Argentinosaurus? a) Between 30 to 35 metres b) Between 30 to 35 centimetres c) Between 40 to 45 metres d) Between 400 to 450 metres

5) What is a fossil? a) A dinosaur eye b) Remains or traces of ancient living things c) A type of dinosaur that only eats plants d) A person who studies dinosaurs

6) What is fossilised dinosaur poo called? a) Poopasaurs b) Faeces c) Bonos d) Coprolites

7) What is the name of a person that studies dinosaurs and other prehistoric life? a) Dinotologist b) Palaeontologist c) PrehistorianB d) Dinosaurian

8) Why are there no more dinosaurs? a) Volcanic activity and a meteorite strike drastically changed the climate and reduced oxygen. b) They drowned due to mass flooding over a short period of time c) A giant dinosaur virus infected and killed them all d) Humans hunted them all

9) Which of the following animals is the closest relative to the dinosaurs ? a) Monkeys b) Birds c) Whales d) Humans

10) What are dinosaurs? a) Boring b) OK c) Cool d) AWESOME!

Answers:

1) C. 2) A. 3) C. 4) A. 5) B.6) D. 7) D. 8) A. 9) B. 10) D.

AWESOME COFFEE FOSSILSHere we will learn to make our very own fossils out of some materials you might have at home.

What you will need:

- 1 cup of used coffee grounds- ½ cup of cold coffee- 1 cup of flour- ½ cup of salt- Wax paper- Mixing Bowl- Small objects to make your fossils from (toy dinosaurs, sea shells, etc.)

How to make your fossils:

1. Stir the coffee grounds, cold coffee, flour and salt until they resemble a rock-like texture.

2. Knead the dough and flatten it onto the waxed paper.

3. Separate the dough into small parts to form your fos-sil rocks.

4. Press your objects into the dough. They will leave an impression resembling a fossilized object.

5. Let the fossil dry and harden overnight and in the morning you will have a fossil!

BIBLIOGRAPHYThan, K. (2012). Oldest Dinosaur Found? Retrieved April 23, 2014 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com.au/news/2012/12/121205-old-est-dinosaur-found-tanzania-science-archaeology/

Fossils. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2014 from http://www.infoplease.com/dk/encyclopedia/fossils.html

Argentinosaurus. (2013). Retrieved April 15, 2014 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Argentinosaurus

Deinonychus antirrhopus. (n.d.). Retrieved April 15, 2014 from http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/di-nosaur-walk/meet-the-skeletons/deinonychus/

Barnes-Svarney, P., Svarney, T. (2010). The Handy Dinosaur Answer Book. New York : Visible Ink Press.

DK Children. (1994). Big Book of Dinosaurs (1st ed.). New York, NY. USA.

Mullen, L. (2004). Multiple Impacts. Astrobiology Magazine. Retrieved April 15, 2014 fromhttp://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/1253/multiple-impacts