Scientists have uncovered the fossilized bones of what may be the largest dinosaur that ever existed.
The fossils were uncovered in a desert in Argentina.
The Titanic was the largest ship in its day. Likewise, this type of Titanosaur appears to have been the largest dinosaur in its day—in fact, the largest animal ever to walk the face of the earth.
Palaeontologists (dinosaur experts) say the animal was 40 metres long from head to tail, and its head was as high up as a seven-story building.
It was about five tonnes heavier than any dinosaur that has ever been found, according to Diego Pol, a palaeontologist who helped unearth the dinosaur bones. Pol told CBC Radio that the dinosaur didn’t have any predators (enemies). He said nothing would have been big and strong enough to hunt it.
The dinosaur is about 95 million years old; it lived during the Cretaceous period and ate only plants which means that it was a herbivore.
Some experts say that although this dinosaur was extremely large, it may not have been the world’s largest dinosaur.
It can be difficult to compare dinosaurs. That’s because usually scientists find only a few fossils from a skeleton and have to make many guesses about what the rest of it might have looked like or how big it might have been.
In this case, the palaeontologists measured the thigh bone and figured out, based on that, what its weight must have been.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Kathleen Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Several facts about the largest dinosaur are listed in this article:
– it is the largest animal to walk the face of the earth
– it was 40 metres long from head to tail
– its head was as high as a 7-storey building
– it didn’t have any predators (enemies)
– it is about 95 million years old
– it was a herbivore
All of this information was pieced together using a few fossils from a skeleton. How were experts able to figure out all of this information?
Reading Prompt: Making inferences/Interpreting Texts
There have been many articles in which scientists claim to have discovered “the biggest” something. And then someone else comes along and discovers something bigger. What do you think about the claims made in this article? Do you think the author of the article believes them? Do you believe them?
Primary
Make inferences about texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts as evidence (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Junior
Use stated and implied ideas in texts to make inferences and construct meaning (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Intermediate
Develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations (OME, Reading: 1.5).
Language Feature: Comparative Adjectives
When we talk about two things, we often compare them. For example, the T-Rex was a big dinosaur but the Titanosaur was the biggest.
Write the comparative adjective for each of the adjectives listed below.
1. large
2. small
3. smart
4. clever
5. artistic
6. shiny
7. smelly
8. loud
9. clean
10. clear
