Using the words below, the students create a new species of dinosaur or
other prehistoric beast, and write a description of their discovery.
Drawings are encouraged!

A little background information:
A proper scientific name consists of a first name (Genus) and a surname (Species).
The genus is more generic and includes other related organisms, the species name is
more specific and applies to only one type of organism. The genus name is usually
the most familiar. ("Family" is actually the next level above genus.)

For example, let's look at "Tyrannosaurus rex".
Tyrannosaurus is the genus, and includes several closely related dinosaurs.
Rex is the species and includes only one type of Tyrannosaur, the "King"!
Barnum Brown named T. rex in 1908 after he discovered the first bones of the "Tyrant Lizard King".
When writing the names, the first letter of the genus is capitalized while the first letter of the species is not.
Both genus and species names are italicized.

Looking at T. rex, you can easily understand why he named it the way he did.
Yet, he didn't have to, he could just as easily named it after himself, or where
he discovered it, or even after his friends or family.

Have fun naming your dinosaurs!

Examples:
Protoavis = first bird (This is a real fossil.)
Archiphilanas = primitive loving duck (A made up fossil! - Sorry no picture available.)

      agilis -- nimble
      akro -- high
      allos -- other
      alti -- tall
      anas -- duck
      anchi -- near
      archi -- primitive
      aqua -- water
      astro -- star
      avis -- bird
      baros -- heavy
      brachio -- arm
      brevi -- short
      bronte -- thunder
      carnis -- flesh
      cephalic -- head
      coel -- hollow
      cory -- helmet
      di -- two
      dienos -- terror
      drypto -- tear
      dapletos -- frightful
      dino -- terrible
      derma -- skin
    diplo -- double
    gnathus -- jaw
    glyco -- sweet
    infra -- below
    hetero -- different
    hexa -- six
    leuco -- white
    lopho -- crest
    macro -- large
    micro -- small
    mimus -- imitator
    mono -- one
    kentron -- sharp
    keras -- horn
    hoplon -- weapon
    kerat -- horned
    maia -- good mother
    mono -- one
    myo -- muscle
    nodo -- knot
    octa -- eight
    optic -- eye
    orni -- bird
    ops -- face
    odon -- tooth
    onux -- claw
    ovi -- egg
    ops -- face
    pachy -- thick
    phil -- loving
    phobo -- fear
    platy -- flat
    pyro -- fire
    ped -- foot
    poly -- many
    pteryg -- wing
    proto -- first
    phyto -- plant
    raptor -- thief
    saurus -- lizard
    super -- above
    terra -- land
    tri -- three
    titan -- giant
    tauros -- bull
    trachy -- rough
    veloci -- speedy
    xeno -- strange
The above list is far from complete, but is intended to give examples only.
A greek or latin dictionary opens up many other possibilities.