Book 33, Question 23 · Video
Why did mammals get bigger and more varied after the dinosaurs?
For millions of years, most mammals were small. About 66 million years ago, the big dinosaurs disappeared, and many places opened up for new animals. Mammals took advantage. Over time, some grew large, some learned to swim, and some took to the air. Today there are tiny shrews and huge elephants. Open spaces gave mammals room to change.
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What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why did mammals get bigger and more varied after the dinosaurs?
The Big Idea
Mammals were small for millions of years. Then the dinosaurs disappeared! What happened next?
Small for Ages
Step one: Small for Ages. For millions of years, most mammals were small. Big dinosaurs filled most of the large-animal roles.
Dinosaurs Gone
Step two: Dinosaurs Gone. About 66 million years ago, the big dinosaurs disappeared, and many places opened up for new animals. Mammals took advantage.
Changing Shapes
Step three: Changing Shapes. Over time, some grew large, some learned to swim, and some took to the air. Today there are tiny shrews and huge elephants.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Elephants. Whales. Bats. Shrews.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Mammals went from mouse-size to giant in a few tens of millions of years. Big dinosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago. Some took to the sea. Some took to the air.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Draw a timeline on a long paper. Put a tiny mammal on one end. Put a huge elephant on the other. Fill in other mammals between. Add a whale and a bat.
Outro
For millions of years mammals stayed small. When the big dinosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago, open spaces let mammals change. Some grew huge, some swam, and some flew, giving us shrews, elephants, whales, and bats. Science is amazing! Remember, every big discovery starts with a small question. Keep looking, keep learning, and keep asking why! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!