Read It! What IS a Dinosaur?

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for more than 150 million years. Some were longer than semi trucks. Others were smaller than chickens. Some ate meat. Others ate plants. But all dinosaurs were the same in some important ways. All dinosaurs were reptiles. They all laid eggs. And they all had legs built for standing upright. Let’s take a closer look:

• Most dinosaur tails were long and strong.
• Most dinosaurs had skin covered in tough scales.
• Dinosaur claws were made of the same stuff as your fingernails and hair.
• Almost all dinosaurs—especially the huge ones—had really small brains.
• Dinosaurs’ back legs went straight down from their bodies, like a bird’s legs—or YOUR legs! Other reptiles have legs that go out to the sides.