Birds Evolved from Dinosaurs

Science · Dinosaurs & Paleontology · ages 9-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Both birds and theropod dinosaurs have a wishbone.
Circle one: True False
Which of these animals is a living dinosaur?
- A pigeon pecking in the park
- A crocodile lying on a riverbank
- A shark swimming in the sea
Where did workers find the first Archaeopteryx fossil?
- In China
- In Egypt
- Germany
Which fossil is famous for showing a mix of dinosaur and bird features?
- Triceratops
- Archaeopteryx
- Tyrannosaurus rex
Which two features do birds still share with theropod dinosaurs?
- Four legs and a shell
- Hollow bones and a wishbone
- Scales and gills
In what year did workers in Germany find the Archaeopteryx fossil? Type the number.
Answer: ______________
Pterosaurs could fly, so pterosaurs were dinosaurs.
Circle one: True False
A friend says, 'Every dinosaur died out, so nothing alive today comes from dinosaurs.' What is wrong with that idea?
- Nothing, he is right about all of them
- Dinosaurs are still hiding in the ocean
- Birds are living descendants of dinosaurs, so one dinosaur line survived
Which list puts these animals in the order they appeared, from first to last?
- Modern birds, Archaeopteryx, feathered theropods
- Archaeopteryx, modern birds, feathered theropods
- Feathered theropods, Archaeopteryx, modern birds
Scientists dig up a new fossil. It has feathered wings, sharp teeth, and claws on its wings. What is this fossil most likely to be?
- Another link between dinosaurs and birds, like Archaeopteryx
- A new kind of fish
- Proof that feathers have nothing to do with birds

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Birds Evolved from Dinosaurs W1-mt_T8JGTJ-oNI-s1

True · The wishbone is one of the features birds still share with their theropod ancestors.
A pigeon pecking in the park · Birds came from small feathered theropod dinosaurs, so a pigeon is a dinosaur that is still alive today.
Germany · The lesson says workers in Germany found Archaeopteryx in 1861. China is where many other feathered dinosaur fossils turned up.
Archaeopteryx · Archaeopteryx had feathers and wings like a bird, plus teeth and a bony tail like a dinosaur.
Hollow bones and a wishbone · Hollow bones and a wishbone-shaped collarbone are found in both theropods and modern birds.
1861 · The lesson gives the year 1861 for the discovery of Archaeopteryx in Germany.
False · Pterosaurs were flying reptiles, but they were not dinosaurs. Birds came from feathered theropod dinosaurs instead.
Birds are living descendants of dinosaurs, so one dinosaur line survived · Most dinosaurs went extinct, but the theropod line that became birds survived. Birds are living dinosaurs.
Feathered theropods, Archaeopteryx, modern birds · Feathered theropods came first, Archaeopteryx sat in the middle with its mix of features, and modern birds came last.
Another link between dinosaurs and birds, like Archaeopteryx · A mix of bird features and dinosaur features points to the dinosaur-bird link, just like Archaeopteryx.