from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick Ancient ... · • “Reader’s Digest Pathfinders: Dinosaurs” by Paul Willis • “Dinosaurs!”, “Dactyls! Dragons of the Air”

© 2010 Universal Uclick

release dates: October 30-November 5 44-1 (10)

from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

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Ancient Mysteries

Discovering Dinosaurs Do dinosaurs fire up your imagination? If so, you are not alone. These ancient creatures amaze people throughout the world. We are learning more about dinosaurs all the time. The Mini Page talked with a dinosaur expert at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History to learn about new discoveries.A wide open field A new dinosaur species, or type, is discovered about every seven weeks, experts say. There are no signs that the number of discoveries is slowing down. More dinosaur discoveries have been made in the last 20 years than in any other period. In the last 25 years, countries such as China, Mongolia and Argentina have opened up to more dinosaur hunters. The only limit to dinosaur finds in these areas is that there aren’t enough paleontologists (pay-lee-uhn-TAH-luh-jists), or people who study ancient fossils. Fossils are the preserved remains of plants and animals.

Dinosaur planet Dinosaurs roamed the Earth from about 230 million to 65 million years ago. (Different types lived at different times during those years.) They lived everywhere on the planet. Today, dinosaur remains are all over the world, wherever land existed millions of years ago. The only areas where there are no dinosaur bones are new places on Earth, such as Hawaii. Hawaii has been formed by volcanic action since the time of the dinosaurs. Dinosaur fossils can be found on every continent, including Antarctica. Dinosaurs lived in every climate — in deserts, forests and on cold mountains.

Dinosaurs in America For more than 100 years, most dinosaur discoveries were made in Europe or North America. Many of the most famous dinosaurs, such as the Tyrannosaurus rex, were discovered in North America. Colorado, Montana and Wyoming have been dinosaur treasure troves. Even now, 150 years after some of the first discoveries in those areas, there is still an abundance of dinosaur fossils. Dinosaur hunting in the United States is limited by development and land ownership. For example, experts know there are dinosaur fossils under Washington, D.C., but no one is going to dig under the Capitol to find them.

Dinosaur bones might be discovered there only if unearthed during digging for construction.

Words that remind us of dinosaurs are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally. See if you can find: BALAUR, BIRDS, BONES, CHINA, CLAWS, COLORS, EARTH, FEATHERS, FOSSIL, ISLANDS, LAND, MILLION, PALEONTOLOGIST, REX, ROCKS, SEA, SPECIES, TYRANNOSAURUS, VELOCIRAPTOR, YEARS.

Dinosaurs try ’nfind

Dinosaurs are

awesome!

B B C R O T P A R I C O L E V N O I L C M S R E H T A E F B S F N R A H S D N A L S I Y A P O V E D W I S R O L O C E L E S R M S S S N H T R A E A A C S E R O C K S A L A N D R U I I X S E A N O I L L I M S R E L S U R U A S O N N A R Y T S T S I G O L O T N O E L A P


Basset Brown

the news

Hound’s

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ready resourcesfrom The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week’s topics.On the Web: • http://paleobiology.si.edu/dinosaurs • www.bbc.co.uk/sn/prehistoric_life/dinosaurs • http://pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain • www.sciencenewsforkids.orgAt the library: • “Reader’s Digest Pathfinders: Dinosaurs” by Paul Willis • “Dinosaurs!”, “Dactyls! Dragons of the Air” and “Raptor Pack,” all by Robert T. Bakker • “Amazing Dinosaurs” by Dougal Dixon


Finding New SpeciesUndiscovered dinosaurs Paleontologists have barely explored many parts of the world. Often, wars or politics prevent people from hunting for dinosaurs in those areas. For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Africa, experts know there are huge areas of rocks containing dinosaur fossils. However, this area is too dangerous for scientists to do much searching. Paleontologists have not been able to explore in many areas, such as rain forests, because the environment makes the fossils too hard to find. Years from now, you may get to learn about, or even discover, new species of dinosaurs from these hidden places.

Dinosaur dragon New dinosaurs are still being discovered in Europe. One fun new find is the Balaur bondoc (BAH-lore BON-doc), a Velociraptor relative. Its name means “stocky* dragon.”

*“Stocky” means strong and somewhat thick.

It lived in what is now Transylvania, in Romania, about 70 million years ago.

Dinosaur islands At the time of the dinosaurs, the ocean covered much of Europe. There were no polar ice caps, so the sea was much higher. For tens of millions of years, Europe was made up of islands. Different kinds of dinosaurs developed on different islands. As a result, we might find entirely different species of dinosaurs in Romania than in Italy or France, even though they are now joined as one body of land.

The Balaur had an extra, very big claw on the inside toe of its foot. (The Velociraptor had just one.) The claw was so big, the Balaur held it off the ground when it walked.Experts believe it probably used the claw as a kind of hook. A Balaur might have used it to grab onto an enemy during a fight. It would climb onto a bigger dinosaur and grip it with its claws.

Mini Spy . . .Mini Spy and Basset Brown are visiting a dinosaur exhibit! See if you can find: • Halloween mask• word MINI • number 8 • fish • arrow• elephant • pear • steak • tooth• umbrella • tea pot • kite • letter E• comb • heart • saw


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Meet Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Rush is the voice of Ezylryb in the movie “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.” He has starred in many movies, including all of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. He was the voice of Nigel in “Finding Nemo.” He has also

appeared in many plays. He has won many top acting awards, including a Tony, an Academy Award and an Emmy Award. Geoffrey, 59, was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. He grew up in Brisbane, Queensland. He received his degree in English in Australia. He later studied acting in Paris. He does a lot of work for environmental causes.

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Rookie Cookie’s RecipeTurkey Barbecue

You’ll need:• 1/2 cup water• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce• 1/4 cup ketchup• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauceWhat to do:1. Combine water, barbecue sauce, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire

sauce, sugar and mustard in a large nonstick skillet.2. Mix well and add turkey; heat until just boiling.3. Reduce heat and simmer without a cover for 10 to 15 minutes.4. Serve on buttered and toasted hamburger buns. Serves 6. You will need an adult’s help with this recipe. from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick

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• 2 teaspoons sugar• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard• 3 cups cooked, chopped and

shredded turkey breast• 6 hamburger buns


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Dennis: How does a Brontosaurus feel after he’s worked out at the gym?

Darrell: Dino-sore!

Debbie: What happens if you cross a large dinosaur with a chicken?

Denise: You get a Tyrannosaurus pecks!

Daniel: What does a Brontosaurus do when it sleeps?

Darcy: Dino-snores!

All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?


Fine Feathered Dinosaurs

The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

Bursts of knowledge Experts say about every 20 years, we learn so much more about dinosaurs that almost everything we knew changes. We gain new information and new ways of looking at things. Besides all the new dinosaur species being discovered, advances in science are giving us new tools. We are learning more about the dinosaur fossils we already have.Bone lessons Scientists can learn a great deal by looking at the shape and size of a bone and by examining it through a microscope. By counting the layers of bone, they can figure out growth patterns, much like we can learn about trees by studying their rings. Experts used to think that dinosaurs lived for hundreds of years, just like turtles. But now they know dinosaurs lived only 30 to 40 years.

Colorful plumage In the past 15 years, paleontologists have discovered hundreds of fossils with feathers. Now, scientists have figured out what color many of those feathers were. Some feathers were shaped to reflect, or give off, certain colors. They had no pigments, or substances that cause colors. These feathers were like a blue jay’s. A blue jay feather is shaped so it reflects only blue light, which makes our eyes see the color blue. But scientists have found pigment cells in other dinosaur feathers. Just as with birds, there were two different ways to form feather color. Dinosaurs usually had patterns of showy, colorful feathers. They weren’t using feathers for flight, so the feathers must have been for warmth or display. The colorful feathers might have attracted mates or scared away enemies. Some dinosaur feathers were shaped so they were iridescent.* Color was very important.*Iridescence (ear-uh-DEH-sunce) is shiny rainbow-like coloring.

Growing really big, really fast If a layer of bone is thin, scientists can tell the dinosaur grew a little. But if the bone layer is very thick, it means the dinosaur grew a lot. Experts now know that dinosaurs kept growing throughout their lives. They also had a growth spurt much like teenagers have. When they were from 10 to 13 years old, many dinosaurs were adult-sized. A Tyrannosaurus rex might have weighed about 500 pounds when it was 10 years old. Ten years later, it would weigh about 5,000 pounds.

The Mini Page thanks Matthew Carrano, curator of Dinosauria, Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, for help with this issue.

Look through your newspaper for pictures of birds. Can you see ways they are like their ancestors, the dinosaurs?Next week, The Mini Page is about military working dogs.

The Anchiornis had black-and-white striped feathers and an orange crest.


Supersport: Kim ClijstersHeight: 5-81/2 Birthdate: 6-8-83Weight: 150 Hometown: Bree, Belgium Some of Kim Clijsters’ competitors on the women’s professional tennis tour are no doubt wishing she would “retire” — again. Returning to the court in 2009 following a two-year layoff, the

27-year-old star quickly regained her championship form. In September she won her second straight — and third overall — U.S. Open singles title. Clijsters has claimed 50 career Women’s Tennis Association titles — 39 singles and 11 doubles. On the court she’s noted as much for her grace as for her grit. In 2007, Clijsters — who is married to former U.S. professional basketball player Brian Lynch — decided to retire and start a family. In 2008 she gave birth to Jada Ellie, who will be 3 in February. Wife, mother and tennis champion — that’s Kim, who doesn’t look like she’ll become a “retiree” again anytime soon.

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Documents

from The Mini Page © 2010 Universal Uclick Ancient ... · • “Reader’s Digest Pathfinders: Dinosaurs” by Paul Willis • “Dinosaurs!”, “Dactyls! Dragons of the Air”