A remarkable discovery has been made on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England. The skull of a massive sea monster, known as a pliosaur, has been unearthed from the cliffs. This pliosaur lived approximately 150 million years ago and was a fearsome predator of the oceans. The fossil is one of the most complete specimens of its kind ever found, providing valuable insights into the ancient creature. The skull will be featured in a special documentary hosted by Sir David Attenborough on New Year’s Day.

The pliosaur skull is an impressive sight, measuring longer than the height of an average human. It is incredibly well-preserved, with every bone intact. This level of completeness is extremely rare in fossil finds. The skull features 130 teeth, which were long and razor-sharp, capable of delivering a deadly bite. The back of each tooth is marked with fine ridges, which aided the pliosaur in piercing flesh and quickly extracting its fangs for a second attack.

The pliosaur was a formidable predator, reaching lengths of 10-12 meters and propelled by powerful flipper-like limbs. It was the apex predator of the ocean, capable of preying on other large marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs. The fossil evidence suggests that pliosaurs even fed on other pliosaurs. The discovery of this skull provides scientists with valuable information about how these ancient reptiles lived and dominated their ecosystem.

The recovery of the fossil skull was an extraordinary feat. It began with a chance find by a fossil enthusiast who stumbled upon the tip of the pliosaur’s snout on a beach. The rest of the animal was located on the cliff face, requiring a daring abseil descent to excavate it. The months spent cleaning and preparing the skull for study have been well worth it, as scientists from around the world are eager to examine this remarkable specimen.

The pliosaur skull also reveals interesting features that suggest the creature had acute senses. Small pits on its snout may have housed glands that helped it detect changes in water pressure made by potential prey. Additionally, the pliosaur had a hole on its head that would have housed a third eye, similar to those found in lizards and some fish today. This light-sensitive eye may have aided the pliosaur in locating other animals, especially when surfacing from deep, murky waters.

The skull will be displayed at a museum in Kimmeridge, Dorset, allowing visitors to marvel at this incredible fossil. However, there is still hope that more of the pliosaur’s remains are hidden within the cliffs. The rapidly eroding environment makes it crucial to recover the rest of the animal before it is lost forever. This discovery is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about these ancient sea monsters and their place in Earth’s history.

Original news source: Pliosaur discovery: Huge sea monster emerges from Dorset cliffs (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a list of words related to the article, such as “skull,” “fossil,” “ocean,” “predator,” etc. One person from each team will act out the word without speaking, and their team has to guess what word they are acting out. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually and then write a summary of the most important points. After a few minutes, have them pair up and share their summaries with their partner. Then, as a class, discuss the main points of the article and compare their summaries.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and give each group a set of discussion questions related to the article. For example, “What do you think is the most interesting aspect of this discovery?” or “Do you think it’s important to study ancient sea creatures? Why or why not?” Each group should discuss the questions and then share their opinions with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board, such as “pliosaur,” “fossil,” “predator,” etc. Divide the class into small groups and give each group a whiteboard or piece of paper. One person from each group will choose a word from the list and draw a picture that represents that word. The rest of the group has to guess what word they are drawing. Rotate until all the words have been guessed.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups, one representing the pros and one representing the cons. Have a class discussion about the article, focusing on the pros and cons of studying ancient sea creatures and the impact of fossil discoveries on our understanding of Earth’s history. Each group should present their arguments and try to convince the other group to see their point of view.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the significance of the pliosaur skull discovery on the Jurassic Coast?
2. How does the size of the pliosaur skull compare to that of an average human?
3. What are some characteristics of the pliosaur’s teeth?
4. What other marine reptiles did the pliosaur prey on?
5. How was the fossil skull recovered from the cliff face?
6. What interesting features does the pliosaur skull reveal about the creature’s senses?
7. Where will the pliosaur skull be displayed?
8. Why is it important to recover the rest of the pliosaur’s remains from the cliffs?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A remarkable discovery has been made on the (1)______ Coast in Dorset, England. The skull of a massive sea monster, known as a pliosaur, has been unearthed from the cliffs. This pliosaur lived approximately 150 million years ago and was a fearsome predator of the oceans. The fossil is one of the most complete (2)______ of its kind ever found, providing valuable insights into the (3)______ creature. The skull will be featured in a special documentary hosted by Sir David (4)______ on New Year’s Day.

The pliosaur skull is an impressive sight, measuring longer than the height of an average human. It is incredibly well-preserved, with every bone intact. This level of completeness is extremely rare in fossil finds. The skull features 130 teeth, which were long and razor-sharp, capable of delivering a deadly bite. The back of each (5)______ is marked with fine ridges, which aided the pliosaur in piercing flesh and quickly extracting its fangs for a second attack.

The pliosaur was a formidable predator, reaching lengths of 10-12 meters and propelled by powerful flipper-like (6)______. It was the apex predator of the ocean, capable of preying on (7)______ large marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs. The fossil evidence (8)______ that pliosaurs even fed on other pliosaurs. The discovery of this skull provides scientists with valuable information about how these ancient reptiles lived and dominated their ecosystem.

The recovery of the fossil skull was an extraordinary feat. It began with a chance find by a fossil enthusiast who stumbled upon the tip of the pliosaur’s snout on a beach. The rest of the animal was located on the cliff face, requiring a daring abseil descent to excavate it. The months spent (9)______ and preparing the skull for (10)______ have been well worth it, as scientists from around the world are (11)______ to examine this remarkable specimen.

The pliosaur skull also (12)______ interesting features that suggest the creature had acute senses. Small pits on its snout may have housed glands that helped it detect changes in water pressure made by potential prey. Additionally, the pliosaur had a hole on its head that would have (13)______ a third eye, similar to those found in lizards and some fish (14)______. This light-sensitive eye may have aided the pliosaur in locating other animals, especially when surfacing from deep, murky waters.

The skull will be displayed at a museum in Kimmeridge, (15)______, allowing visitors to marvel at this incredible fossil. However, there is still hope that more of the pliosaur’s remains are hidden within the cliffs. The rapidly eroding environment (16)______ it crucial to recover the rest of the animal before it is lost forever. This discovery is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about these ancient sea monsters and their place in Earth’s history.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a pliosaur and what makes it a fearsome predator?
2. How would you feel if you stumbled upon a fossil of a massive sea monster like the pliosaur?
3. Do you think it is important to study ancient creatures like the pliosaur? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the discovery of the pliosaur skull can tell us about how these ancient reptiles lived?
5. Do you like watching documentaries about prehistoric creatures? Why or why not?
6. How do you think the pliosaur’s acute senses, such as its ability to detect changes in water pressure, helped it survive in its environment?
7. What other types of animals do you think the pliosaur may have preyed upon?
8. How do you think the pliosaur’s size and physical features helped it dominate its ecosystem?
9. Have you ever visited a museum to see fossils or other ancient artifacts? What was your experience like?
10. Do you think it is important to preserve and protect fossil sites like the Jurassic Coast? Why or why not?
11. How do you think the discovery of the pliosaur skull contributes to our understanding of Earth’s history?
12. What other types of ancient creatures would you like to learn more about?
13. How do you think the pliosaur’s third eye, similar to those found in lizards and some fish today, helped it survive in its environment?
14. Have you ever found something interesting or valuable by chance? What was it and how did you feel?
15. How do you think the rapidly eroding environment of the cliffs affects the recovery of the pliosaur’s remains?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. remarkable
2. unearthed
3. fearsome
4. specimens
5. insights
6. formidable
7. propelled
8. apex
9. ecosystem
10. enthusiast
11. abseil
12. acute
13. glands
14. murky
15. eroding

Meanings:
(A) Examples or instances, especially of something rare or valuable
(B) Worthy of attention; striking
(C) Driven or moved forward
(D) The highest point or top of a hierarchy
(E) Causing fear or respect through being impressively powerful
(F) Very sharp or keen
(G) Organs in the body that secrete particular chemical substances for use in the body or for discharge into the surroundings
(H) Gradually being worn away or deteriorated by natural forces
(I) Dark and difficult to see through
(J) Dug up or exposed to view
(K) To descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface using a rope
(L) A person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about a particular activity
(M) Understandings or interpretations gained from an in-depth study
(N) A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
(O) Inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, or capable
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where was the pliosaur skull discovered?
(a) Jurassic Coast, Scotland
(b) Kimmeridge, Wales
(c) Dorset, England
(d) London, England

2. How old is the pliosaur skull?
(a) Approximately 100 million years old
(b) Approximately 150 million years old
(c) Approximately 200 million years old
(d) Approximately 50 million years old

3. How complete is the pliosaur skull fossil?
(a) Partially complete, with some missing bones
(b) Very complete, with every bone intact
(c) Mostly complete, with a few missing teeth
(d) Incomplete, with many missing bones

4. How many teeth does the pliosaur skull have?
(a) 100 teeth
(b) 150 teeth
(c) 200 teeth
(d) 130 teeth

5. What kind of predator was the pliosaur?
(a) Apex predator of the ocean
(b) Scavenger of the ocean
(c) Prey for other marine reptiles
(d) Herbivore of the ocean

6. How long could the pliosaur grow?
(a) 10-12 meters
(b) 5-7 meters
(c) 15-20 meters
(d) 2-3 meters

7. How was the rest of the pliosaur located?
(a) In a museum
(b) On a beach
(c) On the cliff face
(d) In a laboratory

8. What interesting feature did the pliosaur skull have?
(a) A hole that may have housed a second mouth
(b) A hole that may have housed a second brain
(c) A hole that may have housed a second nose
(d) A hole that may have housed a third eye

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The skull lacks 130 long and razor-sharp teeth, marked with fine ridges.
2. The skull of a pliosaur, a massive sea monster, has been discovered on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England.
3. The fossil skull is one of the most complete specimens of its kind ever found.
4. The pliosaur skull is longer than the height of an average human and is incredibly well-preserved.
5. The skull will be featured in a special documentary hosted by Sir David Attenborough on New Year’s Day.
6. The pliosaur lived approximately 50 million years ago and was a timid scavenger of the oceans.
7. Pliosaurs were not apex predators of the ocean, incapable of preying on other large marine reptiles.
8. The pliosaur skull conceals uninteresting features that suggest the creature had dull senses, including large pits on its snout and a hole that would have housed a second eye.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is the significance of the pliosaur skull discovery on the Jurassic Coast?
2. How does the completeness of the pliosaur skull fossil compare to other fossil finds?
3. What were some of the physical characteristics and abilities of the pliosaur?
4. How was the pliosaur skull recovered and what challenges were faced during the excavation process?
5. What interesting features does the pliosaur skull reveal about the creature’s senses and vision?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. The significance of the pliosaur skull discovery on the Jurassic Coast is that it is one of the most complete specimens of its kind ever found, providing valuable insights into the ancient creature and how it lived.
2. The pliosaur skull is longer than the height of an average human.
3. The pliosaur’s teeth were long and razor-sharp, with fine ridges on the back that aided in piercing flesh and quickly extracting its fangs for a second attack.
4. The pliosaur preyed on other large marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs.
5. The fossil skull was recovered from the cliff face through a daring abseil descent and months of cleaning and preparation.
6. The pliosaur skull reveals interesting features such as small pits on its snout that may have housed glands to detect changes in water pressure made by potential prey. It also had a hole on its head that would have housed a third eye, which may have aided in locating other animals.
7. The pliosaur skull will be displayed at a museum in Kimmeridge, Dorset.
8. It is important to recover the rest of the pliosaur’s remains from the cliffs because the rapidly eroding environment could cause them to be lost forever.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Jurassic
(2) specimens
(3) ancient
(4) Attenborough
(5) tooth
(6) limbs
(7) other
(8) suggests
(9) cleaning
(10) study
(11) eager
(12) reveals
(13) housed
(14) today
(15) Dorset
(16) makes
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. remarkable
Answer: (B) Worthy of attention; striking

2. unearthed
Answer: (J) Dug up or exposed to view

3. fearsome
Answer: (E) Causing fear or respect through being impressively powerful

4. specimens
Answer: (A) Examples or instances, especially of something rare or valuable

5. insights
Answer: (M) Understandings or interpretations gained from an in-depth study

6. formidable
Answer: (O) Inspiring fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, or capable

7. propelled
Answer: (C) Driven or moved forward

8. apex
Answer: (D) The highest point or top of a hierarchy

9. ecosystem
Answer: (N) A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

10. enthusiast
Answer: (L) A person who is very interested in and enthusiastic about a particular activity

11. abseil
Answer: (K) To descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface using a rope

12. acute
Answer: (F) Very sharp or keen

13. glands
Answer: (G) Organs in the body that secrete particular chemical substances for use in the body or for discharge into the surroundings

14. murky
Answer: (I) Dark and difficult to see through

15. eroding
Answer: (H) Gradually being worn away or deteriorated by natural forces
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where was the pliosaur skull discovered?
Answer: (c) Dorset, England

2. How old is the pliosaur skull?
Answer: (b) Approximately 150 million years old

3. How complete is the pliosaur skull fossil?
Answer: (b) Very complete, with every bone intact

4. How many teeth does the pliosaur skull have?
Answer: (d) 130 teeth

5. What kind of predator was the pliosaur?
Answer: (a) Apex predator of the ocean

6. How long could the pliosaur grow?
Answer: (a) 10-12 meters

7. How was the rest of the pliosaur located?
Answer: (c) On the cliff face

8. What interesting feature did the pliosaur skull have?
Answer: (d) A hole that may have housed a third eye
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The skull lacks 130 long and razor-sharp teeth, marked with fine ridges. (Answer: False)
2. The skull of a pliosaur, a massive sea monster, has been discovered on the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, England. (Answer: True)
3. The fossil skull is one of the most complete specimens of its kind ever found. (Answer: True)
4. The pliosaur skull is longer than the height of an average human and is incredibly well-preserved. (Answer: True)
5. The skull will be featured in a special documentary hosted by Sir David Attenborough on New Year’s Day. (Answer: True)
6. The pliosaur lived approximately 50 million years ago and was a timid scavenger of the oceans. (Answer: False)
7. Pliosaurs were not apex predators of the ocean, incapable of preying on other large marine reptiles. (Answer: False)
8. The pliosaur skull conceals uninteresting features that suggest the creature had dull senses, including large pits on its snout and a hole that would have housed a second eye. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧