Activities
Support your teaching before and after a visit
Read
the story Issy the Ichthyosaur and the Leedsichthys.
- Make puppets of each of the characters and an underwater background.
- Retell the story with the puppets.
- Issy and Lenny go on another adventure… What would they see? Who would they meet
Compare
the warm, shallow Jurassic sea with a similar modern sea today.
- What creatures live in this sea?
- Where in the world is this sea?
- How are they different? How are they the same?
How Big
was the Leedsichthys fish? Answer: 9m x 3m
- Measure and mark the dimensions in the playground.
- How many children can you fit inside a Leedsichthys?
- Could the Leedsichthys fit in your classroom? School hall?
What Colour
was the Leedsichthys fish?
Answer: We don’t know! So we have to make a guess based on similar animals that exist today.
Maybe...
it was like the fin whale, with dark backs and lighter bellies. This countershading colouration helps the animal blend in with its surroundings.
Maybe...
it was like the banded butterflyfish with a stripy pattern. This disruptive colouration helps to break up the outline of its body, making it difficult for a predator to clearly see it.
Maybe...
it was like the clown triggerfish with bright colour markings. This warning colouration tells others that it could be harmful to potential predators and therefore STAY AWAY!
What do you think?
Colour in the Leedsichthys and his friends. Explain your reasoning behind the colours/patterns you chose.