Dinosaurs Around the World · Drawing 40 of 40
A Skeleton and a Reconstruction
Fossils and Science
At museums, scientists gather clues to reconstruct an animal. Missing parts are compared with those of its relatives.
Did you know?
A displayed skeleton can include casts and restored parts.
Look together
What would you ask about the bones in a displayed skeleton?
An idea to try
Discuss with an adult which clues this picture helps you explore.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The scene evokes a museum visit, not an inventory of identified original bones. Read display labels: they may distinguish original fossils, casts and reconstructed parts. New discoveries allow models to be revised; a colour chosen in this book remains a creative choice.
Look together: What would you ask about the bones in a displayed skeleton? Discuss with an adult which clues this picture helps you explore.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Simplified reconstruction. Pose, unpreserved tissues and setting are interpreted. Choose your own colours; animals are not to one scale.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Natural History Museum: A Skeleton and a ReconstructionCompare fossil evidence with a reconstruction and recognize uncertainty.
- Natural History Museum: A Skeleton and a ReconstructionCompare fossil evidence with a reconstruction and recognize uncertainty.
Source review: 2026-10-03. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
