Presenting Brachiosaurus

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

This is the third in a series of dinosaur activity kits that include an
egg containing the featured dinosaur’s bones, a handbook, and a
poster. The instructions for assembling the skeleton are on the reverse
side of the poster. The pieces pop together easily to form a 32 x 25 cm
model. The realistic-looking egg, which splits in two to accommodate the
bones, is about 15 x 10 cm and can be reused.

The handbook contains information on the discovery of Brachiosaurus,
and on its family tree, range, dimensions, and eating habits. Theories
concerning special points of interest, such as the placement of its nose
on the top of its head and the question of how blood was pumped up its
singularly long neck to its head, are dealt with at length. Comparisons
between this “arm reptile” and contemporary animals such as
elephants and giraffes allow the reader to imagine this massive animal
using accessible and familiar images. General information about the age
of dinosaurs and specifically about those animals that lived at the same
time as Brachiosaurus rounds out the book. Colored illustrations
accompany the text. The poster shows several Brachiosaurus in their
habitat and a side-chart notes basic data: classification, size, weight,
and so forth.

Any child would be delighted with this kit. The skeleton, an exact
sized-down replica of excavated bones, is easy to put together, and the
model is quite impressive. Highly recommended.