Dinosaurs and the giant space rock
A very long time ago, a giant space rock hit Earth. It changed the world and helped to end the time of the dinosaurs.
- Know that a giant space rock hit Earth long ago.
- Say how it made life hard for dinosaurs.
- Know that birds are related to dinosaurs.
Links to: Science: asking simple questions about the world; history: events beyond living memory.
The giant rock
A very, very long time ago, before there were any people, dinosaurs lived on Earth. Then a giant space rock, as big as a mountain, crashed into the sea near Mexico.
It made a huge crater, much bigger than a city.
A dark, cold time
The crash threw lots of dust high into the sky. The dust blocked out the sunshine. It got dark and cold for a long time. Plants could not grow well without sunshine, so many animals could not find enough food.
The big dinosaurs died out.
Who survived?
Some small animals survived. Birds are the great-great-great (lots of greats!) grandchildren of some small dinosaurs. So next time you see a bird, you are looking at a dinosaur relative.
Draw two pictures side by side. In the first, show dinosaurs in a sunny, green world. In the second, show the same place, dark and dusty after the giant space rock. Then draw a bird in the corner and label it 'dinosaur relative'.
Quiz
5 questions. Choose an answer to see whether you are right and why. Finish the quiz to complete the lesson.
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Question 1What hit Earth at the time of the dinosaurs?
A giant space rock, as big as a mountain, crashed into Earth.
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Question 2Why did it get dark after the crash?
Dust thrown into the sky blocked the sunlight.
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Question 3Why could plants not grow well?
Plants need sunlight to grow.
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Question 4Which animals today are related to dinosaurs?
Birds come from a group of small dinosaurs.
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Question 5Were there people when the dinosaurs died out?
The dinosaurs died out long, long before there were any people.