Inspired by: How Dinosaurs Really Work - Week 1

"How Dinosaurs Really Work" is a vibrant educational resource that encourages children to delve into the world of dinosaurs through a variety of engaging activities. The book is designed to broaden the scope of reading for children, introducing them to a wide range of non-fiction and reference materials. Students are prompted to analyze the book's covers to deduce the intended audience, using visual and textual evidence to support their reasoning. The illustrations, content, word and sentence level, and style of the book are all scrutinized to help students understand the nuances of different writing forms and purposes. This approach helps children develop critical thinking skills as they justify their conclusions about the book's target readership.

In addition to audience identification, the book offers a comparative study of writing styles. Alan Snow's informal tone in introducing dinosaurs is contrasted with a more formal exposition on the subject, allowing students to explore various linguistic features. For instance, they examine sentence structure and vocabulary choices, comparing informal phrases like "Dinosaurs were beasts of many shapes, sizes and types" with formal statements such as "Dinosaurs' upright posture meant...". This contrast not only aids in understanding the subject matter but also enhances the students' appreciation for different writing styles. Activities like creating a missing page in Snow's style or researching the contributions of historical figures like Mary Anning further enrich the learning experience, fostering creativity and research skills.