Dinosaur Parenting

Let’s be honest, when you think about a Mama T-rex it doesn’t make your heart all warm and fuzzing feeling does it? It probably shouldn’t, as the t-rex could fit your entire torso in its mouth in one bite! BUT! Despite that terrifying thought, more evidence is showing that many Dinosaurs were actually great parents! Those that laid eggs and bounced may surprise you. Grab your Notes with Gaps and Power Point for Week 4 and let’s explore.

[INSERT Dinosaur Parenting_Part 1]

Crocodile Parenting

Bird Parenting

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WLQ2s1UGn2c

Relating this to Dinosaur and Reproductive Strategies

In this section we will cover some of the different reproductive strategies employed by different animals. This relates to dinosaurs because we can use some of this information when we examine fossilized dinosaur nests.

Evidence of Dinosaur Parenting

Select a dinosaur and do your own research on evidence of parenting. Keep in mind, that choosing a dinosaur (like Stegosaurus) where there is little to no evidence might make for a difficult research subject. Try to do a quick search prior to selecting your dinosaur!

Select a dinosaur species you would like to investigate what evidence we have of their parenting abilities. answer the questions listed and submit a written or video report of your findings: [LINK to Dinosaur Parenting Research project]

Dinosaur Parents

What EVIDENCE is there?

In the lecture videos for the week, we spent a lot of time looking at the modern analogues of crocodiles and birds to see how they employ various parenting strategies. Now, you will investigate the dinosaur fossil EVIDENCE. You have the freedom to choose any dinosaur you would like, but you have to be able to report something about dinosaur parenting. I suggest you look at dinosaurs with nests preserved.

Check out Google Scholar and reputable scientific journalism sources (such as LiveScience.com) to gather data regarding your dinosaur. Please do not cite Wikipedia (but feel free to use it as an annotated bibliography).

You may submit your findings in the form of a video or submit a written report. To obtain full credit your submission should include:

Be sure to include in your report:

1. What is the dinosaur starring in your reading?
2. What is parenting strategy?
   • K or R Selection?
   • What is the evidence
3. What additional evidence is needed to be sure?
4. Do you think this applies to all or only some dinosaurs? Why/Why not?

Keep in mind to cite things correctly as your written report will be run through Turnitin.

Finishing up

Finally, finish up with your Weekly quiz 7b.

Be sure that you completed the following exercises this week: 

1. Pre-Quiz [Weekly Quiz 7a]
2. Hands-On Activity- [Dinosaur Parenting Research Project]
3. Post-Quiz [Weekly Quiz 7b]