Using the News in your Classroom: World's Oldest public toilet...for dinosaurs discovered in Argentina!

Scientists say they have found what is being called the "world's oldest public toilet"...for dinosaurs. Thousands of fossilized droppings(called coprolites)have been uncovered in the country of Argentina~in a region called La Rioja Province. The dino poo is from a dinosaur called Dinodontosaurus~ a herbivore(plant eater) that lived about 240 million years ago which was somewhat like the rhinos of today.

It is thought that even dinosaurs didn't want to "go" where they lived and ate. And~ scientists think there was another reason for a common toilet area. It made those creatures wandering into the toilet territory think that with so many droppings~ there must be a large herd of dinosaurs in the area...and~ they'd better keep on moving!

Studying the droppings will provide information on the diet and possible diseases of the dinosaurs that left their poo behind.

Extensions:
1. Find three facts from the news article.
2. Write a paragraph pretending to be the scientists that made the discovery. What were you doing? What made you think you had found dinosaur droppings?
3. Write a headline for this news story.
4. Write 2 Factual statements. Write 2 Opinion statements. Exchange with another students to determine which are the Fact statements and which are the Opinion statements.
5. See a drawing of a dinodontosaurus at this link: http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/dinosaurpictures/ig/Therapsid-Pictures/Din...
Write 3 descriptive sentences. Discuss metaphors and similes. Use these in your descriptions. This link has information on metaphors and similes: http://knowgramming.com/metaphors/metaphor_and_simile_difference.htm

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Gail Hennessey

http://www.gailhennessey.com