Dinosaurs Worksheet for 12-Year-Olds — Science & Paleontology Activities

Instructions

Read each section carefully and complete the activities. Use the information provided in the worksheet to help you answer the questions. Good luck, future paleontologist!

Activity 1: The Age of Reptiles

Read the paragraph below and fill in the blanks using the words from the word bank. Not all words will be used.

The long reign of the dinosaurs occurred during the 1. _______________ Era, an immense period of time lasting about 180 million years. This era is divided into three distinct periods. It began with the 2. _______________ period, where the first dinosaurs evolved. This was followed by the famous 3. _______________ period, home to giants like the Brachiosaurus. Finally, the 4. _______________ period saw the evolution of iconic dinosaurs like Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex before a mass extinction event ended their time on Earth. Dinosaurs are also classified by their hip structure. The 5. _______________ ("lizard-hipped") dinosaurs include carnivores like T-rex and long-necked herbivores, while the 6. _______________ ("bird-hipped") group includes dinosaurs like Stegosaurus and Triceratops.

Activity 2: Dino Detective - Fact or Fiction?

Read the statements below. Mark whether you think they are Fact (F) or Fiction (F). If a statement is fiction, correct it on the line below.

1. Statement: The Tyrannosaurus rex and the Stegosaurus fought each other for survival.
   Fact or Fiction? _____
   Correction (if fiction): ____________________________________________________________________
   
   
2. Statement: All dinosaurs were enormous, lumbering giants.
   Fact or Fiction? _____
   Correction (if fiction): ____________________________________________________________________
   
   
3. Statement: The word "dinosaur" means "terrible lizard."
   Fact or Fiction? _____
   Correction (if fiction): ____________________________________________________________________
   
   
4. Statement: Birds are considered by scientists to be modern-day dinosaurs.
   Fact or Fiction? _____
   Correction (if fiction): ____________________________________________________________________
   
   

Activity 3: Dinosaur Classification

Use the short descriptions to fill in the table below. Classify each dinosaur by its time period, diet, and hip type.

• Ankylosaurus: A heavily armored herbivore from the Late Cretaceous period. It was an Ornithischian ("bird-hipped") dinosaur.
• Allosaurus: A large carnivorous predator that lived during the Late Jurassic period. It was a Saurischian ("lizard-hipped") dinosaur.
• Triceratops: A famous three-horned herbivore from the Late Cretaceous period. It was part of the Ornithischian ("bird-hipped") group.
• Argentinosaurus: A massive, long-necked herbivore from the Late Cretaceous period. It was a Saurischian ("lizard-hipped") dinosaur and one of the heaviest land animals ever.

Activity 4: Vocabulary Unscramble

Unscramble the letters to reveal key terms related to the study of dinosaurs.

1. SLOIFS
   Answer: ____________________


2. TINXECTONI
   Answer: ____________________


3. REVOIBREH
   Answer: ____________________


4. LEPAGOYONLOT
   Answer: ____________________

ANSWER KEY

Activity 1: The Age of Reptiles

1. Mesozoic
2. Triassic
3. Jurassic
4. Cretaceous
5. Saurischian
6. Ornithischian

Activity 2: Dino Detective - Fact or Fiction?

1. Fiction.
   Correction: The Stegosaurus lived in the Jurassic period and the T-rex lived in the Cretaceous period. They were separated by millions of years.
2. Fiction.
   Correction: Dinosaur sizes varied greatly. Some, like the Compsognathus, were only about the size of a chicken.
3. Fact.
   Correction: (No correction needed)
4. Fact.
   Correction: (No correction needed) Evidence like feathered fossils and bone structures (hollow bones) link birds directly to a group of dinosaurs called theropods.

Activity 3: Dinosaur Classification

Activity 4: Vocabulary Unscramble

1. FOSSIL
2. EXTINCTION
3. HERBIVORE
4. PALEONTOLOGY