Dinosaur Train

Solar Train/Birdwatching

SOLAR TRAIN Our Pteranodon family accompanies Mr. Conductor to the Troodon Town Roundhouse to meet up with Thurston Troodon, the Rocket Train's conductor. They soon learn that Tricia Troodon actually invited everyone there to see her new train, the Solar Train, which is powered by the sun! To test the trains' performances, the three Conductors have a race to the Triassic between the Dinosaur Train, Thurston's Rocket Train and Tricia's new Solar Train! Educational Objective: Solar power is the harnessing of sunlight and turning it into electricity. Concentrated solar power uses mirrors or lenses. Panels can be used to absorb and store sunlight. The environmental advantages of solar power are numerous - less fuel used, less pollution generated, etc. BIRDWATCHING Buddy and Tiny give Elliot Enantiornithine, a first timer on the Dinosaur Train, a tour of the Train. When they go through Laura Giganotosaurus' car, she explains that today is her bird watching/drawing day, but she hasn't found a single bird to watch, so Elliot hams it up for Laura, who watches and draws him. This is so fun that Buddy and Tiny bring Laura to meet another bird friend-- Arlene Archeopteryx. Then Arlene and Elliot introduce the kids and Laura to a new bird named Peng Protopteryx! It's a successful birdwatching/drawing day as all three birds are delighted to show off their unique feathers. Educational Objective: Protopteryx was a starling-sized bird from the Cretaceous Period. Remains of the bird were found in China's Hebei Province. The most distinctive characteristics of Protopteryx were that it was extensively covered with feathers and could definitely fly. (30 minutes)