I Wonder Why Triceratops Had Horns: and Other Questions about Dinosaurs
I Wonder Why Series
What’s inside...
Taking as its starting point a child's natural desire to understand the world, this is a series designed to entertain and to inform. This book focuses on dinosaurs. Each spread has answers to between one and four questions, backed up by snippets of relevant extra information and cartoons.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-7
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
Why do you think Triceratops had horns? What purposes could they have served?
How do different dinosaurs adapt to their environment in the book?
What similarities and differences do you notice between dinosaurs and animals today?
If you could meet any dinosaur from the book, which one would it be and why?
How do you think scientists learn about dinosaurs even though they are extinct?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to imagine being a paleontologist. Ask them what tools they might need and what discoveries they could make about dinosaurs.
Relate the dinosaur's adaptations to the animals your child is familiar with today. Discuss how environment can shape physical features and behaviors.
Use the illustrations in the book as a starting point to ask your child to describe what they see and think about each dinosaur.
After reading, encourage your child to draw their favorite dinosaur from the book and explain why they chose it.
Discuss the scientific methods mentioned in the book for understanding dinosaurs and relate it to how we gather information and learn about new things in everyday life.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Curiosity and Exploration
Explanation: The book encourages children to ask questions about the natural world, using dinosaurs as a captivating subject.
Real-World Application: Children learn to be curious and explore the world around them, asking questions and seeking answers in their daily experiences.
Example Lesson: Understanding Nature and Extinction
Explanation: Through learning about dinosaurs, children gain insights into natural history and the concept of extinction.
Real-World Application: This knowledge helps children appreciate and consider the impact of human actions on current species and their environments.
Example Lesson: Scientific Thinking
Explanation: Children are introduced to basic paleontology, fostering an early interest and understanding of scientific methods and reasoning.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to apply critical thinking and scientific methods to solve problems and understand phenomena in their everyday life.
Example Lesson: Patience and Perseverance
Explanation: The book details the long processes involved in discovering and understanding dinosaur fossils.
Real-World Application: Kids learn the value of patience and perseverance in achieving goals, understanding that some processes take time to complete.
Example Lesson: Respect for Historical Knowledge
Explanation: The book highlights how much of what we know about dinosaurs comes from piecing together fossils and other historical data.
Real-World Application: This teaches children to respect and value historical knowledge and the contributions of scientists to our understanding of the world.