Dino Detective Worksheet
Paleo Field Log Dossier #042 • Cretaceous Expedition
Elementary Science Guide
TYRANNOSAURUS REX
"Tyrant Lizard King" • Earth's Most Famous Prehistoric Carnivore
Time Period Late Cretaceous (~68-66 Mya)
Anatomical Field Specimen
1 Crushing Bone Jaws
50+ serrated teeth up to 12 inches long delivered a bite force of 12,800 lbs!
2 Eagle-Sharp Vision
Binocular eyes faced forward, giving 3D depth perception to lock onto prey.
3 Counterweight Tail
Heavy, rigid tail kept the 8-ton body balanced while turning and running.
Length & Height
40 Feet Long
12 ft (3.6m) tall at the hips; roughly the size of a school bus!
Massive Weight
8 - 9 Tons
Weighed around 16,000–18,000 lbs (equal to two African bull elephants).
Diet & Role
Carnivore
Apex predator and scavenger; ate Triceratops and hadrosaurs.
Fossil Location
North America
Found in Hell Creek Formation across Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.
Paleontologist Word Bank
Study these terms for the investigation sheet on Page 2!
Carnivore
An animal that gets food and energy entirely from eating meat and other animals.
Bipedal
Walking or running upright on two rear legs rather than all four limbs.
Fossil
The preserved bones, teeth, footprints, or impressions of ancient organisms turned into rock.
Theropod
A family of hollow-boned, two-legged dinosaurs that includes T-Rex and all modern birds.
Field Specimen Dossier: Tyrannosaurus Rex Page 1 of 2 • Visual Fact File
Lab Worksheet
DINO DETECTIVE INVESTIGATION
Grade Level: Elementary
Student Name:
Date:
Score: / 25
1
Fossil Evidence Check
Mark the correct answer choice
A. How did T-Rex balance its heavy skull?
Using feathered wings
A heavy muscular tail
By walking on four legs
B. What was T-Rex's primary diet?
Ferns and tree leaves
Carnivore (meat & prey)
Deep ocean seaweed
C. In what era did T-Rex live?
The Ice Age
Triassic Period
Late Cretaceous Period
2
Vocabulary Match-Up
Write the matching definition letter
1. Carnivore Letter: [ ]
2. Bipedal Letter: [ ]
3. Fossil Letter: [ ]
4. Theropod Letter: [ ]
A. Ancient life or footprint preserved in stone over millions of years.
B. An animal that eats only other animals and meat for nourishment.
C. A creature that walks upright on two legs instead of four.
D. A two-legged, hollow-boned dinosaur family closely related to birds.
3
Field Scientist Reasoning
Answer in complete sentences
Prompt A: Why were forward-facing eyes (binocular vision) helpful for a predator like T-Rex?
Prompt B: If a fossil hunter finds a tooth serrated like a steak knife, what does that prove about the dinosaur's diet?
4
Field Sketch Challenge
Sketch your own fossil discovery (tooth, footprint, or bone) and label 2 features
Feature 1: __________________________________ Feature 2: __________________________________
Field Specimen Dossier: Tyrannosaurus Rex Page 2 of 2 • Student Activity Sheet
