About this course: Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology is a 12-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of non-avian dinosaurs. Topics covered: anatomy, eating, locomotion, growth, environmental and behavioral adaptations, origins and extinction. Lessons are delivered from museums, fossil-preparation labs and dig sites. Estimated workload: 3-5 hrs/week.
Created by: University of Alberta
Taught by: Philip John Currie, PhD, Professor and Canada Research Chair, Dinosaur Paleobiology
Department of Biological Sciences
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 12 weeks of study, 1-2 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Italian, German, French |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Appearance and Anatomy
This lesson covers the diversity in dinosaur appearances, and will be able to identify major features of the major groups of dinosaurs.
7 videos, 4 readings
- Reading: Instructional Staff
- Reading: Meet Your Presenter: Betsy Kruk
- Reading: Course Glossary
- Reading: Lesson 1 Course Notes
- Video: Introduction
- Video: Size
- Video: Skeleton
- Video: Saurischians
- Video: Ornithischians
- Video: Appearance
- Video: Muscles
Graded: Appearance and Anatomy
WEEK 2
Death and Fossilization
This module describes how fossils form, how we interpret the taphonomy of skeletons and bonebeds, and looks at the possible biases taphonomic events may create in the fossil record.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 2 Course Notes
- Video: Taphonomy
- Video: Fossilization
- Video: Field Work
Graded: Death and Fossilization
WEEK 3
Eating
This module looks at the variety of food types, feeding habits, and feeding adaptations amongst the major groups of dinosaurs.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 3 Course Notes
- Video: Types of Eaters
- Video: Teeth
- Video: Claws
- Video: Determining Diet
Graded: Lesson 3
WEEK 4
Moving Around
This module helps students understand the general modes and styles of locomotion in the major dinosaur groups. It also describes general methods of evaluating hypotheses on locomotion.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 4 Course Notes
- Video: Stance
- Video: Limbs
- Video: Trackways
- Video: Metabolism
Graded: Lesson 4
WEEK 5
Birth, Growth and Reproduction
This module provides a generalized life history of a dinosaur, from birth through adulthood, including reproduction. The student will be able to describe major techniques of evaluating growth stages and rates in dinosaurs.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 5 Course Notes
- Video: Eggs
- Video: Young Dinosaurs
- Video: Males & Females
Graded: Lesson 5
WEEK 6
Attack and Defense
Examines the behaviours and structures that may have served for attack or defence through the lifetime of a dinosaur.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 6 Course Notes
- Video: Defensive Adaptations
- Video: Offensive Adaptations
- Video: Intraspecific Interactions
Graded: Lesson 6
WEEK 7
What is a Species?
This module will teach the different ways of defining what a species is. Students will be able to compare the strengths and weaknesses of different species concepts for different situations.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 7 Course Notes
- Video: Naming Species
- Video: Holotype
- Video: Differentiating Species
Graded: Lesson 7
WEEK 8
Evolution
This module will describe the basic theories of speciation, and discusses how how these different methods of speciation may have occurred, including both hypothetical and empirical examples.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 8 Course Notes
- Video: Clades
- Video: Convergence
- Video: Birds
Graded: Lesson 8
WEEK 9
Stratigraphy and Geologic Time
This method provides basic stratigraphic concepts and the scale of earth history. Students will understand the evolution of dinosaurs through time, including which groups evolved when and where.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 9 Course Notes
- Video: Deep Time
- Video: Stratigraphy
- Video: The Age of Dinosaurs
Graded: Lesson 9
WEEK 10
Paleogeography and Plate Tectonics
This module presents the basic concepts in plate tectonics and the evolution of the earth’s surface.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 10 Course Notes
- Video: Paleogeography
- Video: Continental Movement
- Video: Paleoclimates
- Video: Dinosaur Diversity
Graded: Lesson 10
WEEK 11
Dinosaur Origins
This module will look at the evolution of dinosaurs from non-dinosaurian archosaurs.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 11 Course Notes
- Video: Origins
- Video: Diapsids
- Video: Rise of the Dinosaurs
Graded: Lesson 11
WEEK 12
Dinosaur Extinction
The module will examine the end-Cretaceous extinction event, and provide examples of vertebrate groups that both persisted and died out during the event.
4 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Lesson 12 Course Notes
- Video: Extinction
- Video: Causes of Extinction
- Video: Chicxulub Impactor
- Video: Resurrecting Dinosaurs
Graded: Lesson 12
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Ratings and Reviews
A wonderful, in-depth yet not overwhelming intro course for anyone interested in paleontology!
This course was absolutely incredible. I learned so much in only 12 weeks, which seemed to fly by!!!
This was a really fun and interesting course to audit!
10/10 I love dinos and I am Dr. Currie's new biggest fan.
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DB
I enjoyed Dinosaur 101. It was informative, well organized, well presented, and done at the right level of difficulty for someone with little knowledge of the subject. I enjoyed Betsy's quizzes and her explanations after each quiz.