How can you tell they’ve got it: Dinosaur Hip Groups?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Name the two major dinosaur groups: Saurischia and Ornithischia; Explain the difference is based on hip bone structure (lizard-hipped vs bird-hipped); Correctly classify at least two dinosaurs into each group (e.g. T. rex = Saurischia, Triceratops = Ornithischia). Or just try it together: Can your child explain that scientists divide dinosaurs into two big groups based on their hip bones — and tell you which group includes T. rex?

Science Dinosaurs & Paleontology Ages 9–11

Dinosaur Hip Groups

Your child knows scientists split dinosaurs into two groups by their hip bones: lizard-hipped and bird-hipped. T. rex is in the lizard-hipped group.

In curriculum terms

Classify dinosaurs into the two major groups based on hip structure: Saurischia (lizard-hipped, including theropods and sauropods) and Ornithischia (bird-hipped, including Triceratops and Stegosaurus)

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Name the two major dinosaur groups: Saurischia and Ornithischia
Explain the difference is based on hip bone structure (lizard-hipped vs bird-hipped)
Correctly classify at least two dinosaurs into each group (e.g. T. rex = Saurischia, Triceratops = Ornithischia)

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Try this together

Can your child explain that scientists divide dinosaurs into two big groups based on their hip bones — and tell you which group includes T. rex?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Famous Dinosaur Speciesages 5–7Must know common species before classifying them into Saurischia and Ornithischia

Plant-Eaters vs Meat-Eatersages 5–7Must understand basic diet classification before advancing to anatomical classification

Dinosaur Hip Groupsthis skill · ages 9–11

Unlocks

Birds Evolved from Dinosaursages 9–11Must understand theropods as a group before learning birds evolved from them

Reading Cladogramsages 9–11Must understand dinosaur classification before creating cladograms showing relationships

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Birds Evolved from Dinosaursages 9–11 Changing Scientific Knowledgeages 9–11 How Palaeontologists Workages 9–11 Palaeoart & Speculationages 9–11

All Dinosaurs & Paleontology skills →