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Ages 8–10 · Est. 35–50 minutes · 2–6 players

Dinosaur Nest Census

A nest census must be used to choose a shelter, floor, water source, food and approach. Work together to build the surveyed nest model.

6 clues, gradual hints and a complete paper finish. Choose a reader, a recorder and a checker, then work through the mission together.

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See every player clue ↓

Dinosaur Nest Census: Use only the fictional food-web rules printed here. Start with the food available now. A creature becomes available when its food rule is met. Find which named visitor can live here; a loop cannot create its own first food.

Your mission

Work together to build the surveyed nest model.

Welcome to the dinosaur nest survey. A nest census must be used to choose a shelter, floor, water source, food and approach. Your team has the original records on the table. First recover five pieces of information, then use the final plan to build the surveyed nest model. Keep every result beside its badge so another teammate can check your reasoning.

How your team will think

Use fictional field observations, resource needs and food-web relationships.

Use the game’s printed relationship rules. Keep each clue result with its label, then check how the chosen elements fit together on the final sheet.

Set up in one room

  1. Print the six player sheets and two record sheets for each team. Keep answers and hints with the host.
  2. Lay out Fictional food-web rules, Fictional field cards, the remaining clue sheets and the final plan. All task records are printed inside the sheets; no extra prop is needed.
  3. After each clue, pass roles one seat clockwise. With two players, combine Reader with Recorder and Checker with Builder. With five or six, add a second checker and a source finder; everyone explains one decision.

Bring to the table

  • One complete player set and record set per team
  • One pencil per child
  • One adult host with the answer and hint pages

Print and sorting checklist · Plan the player roles

Ages and durations are design estimates. Choose the pace and reading support that suit your group.

Look before you print

See all 6 player clues

These are the actual figures and instructions from the player pack. Read the final page’s rule along with the earlier clues.

Clue 1 of 6

Food

Use only the fictional food-web rules printed here. Start with the food available now. A creature becomes available when its food rule is met. Find which named visitor can live here; a loop cannot create its own first food.

Dinosaur Nest Census: Use only the fictional food-web rules printed here. Start with the food available now. A creature becomes available when its food rule is met. Find which named visitor can live here; a loop cannot create its own first food.
Read this clue in text

Fictional food-web rules NIB needs LEAF PEEP needs SEED MOTH needs NIB OR PEEP GLIM needs NIB AND PEEP LOOP needs TWIN TWIN needs LOOP Starting conditions Available now: SEED. A result becomes available when its needs are met. Which of MOTH, GLIM, LOOP becomes available?

Clue 2 of 6

Habitat

These are fictional field cards for a paper model. Compare all the recorded conditions with the habitat requirements. A card that passes only one rule is not enough. Report the one card that meets every rule.

Dinosaur Nest Census: These are fictional field cards for a paper model. Compare all the recorded conditions with the habitat requirements. A card that passes only one rule is not enough. Report the one card that meets every rule.
Read this clue in text

Fictional field cards FERN: light=shade; floor=dry; entry=wide MOSS: light=sun; floor=damp; entry=narrow REED: light=shade; floor=damp; entry=wide Required features light must not be shade. entry must be narrow. Report the one matching card ID.

Clue 3 of 6

Survey

Survey desk: Combine every BEFORE rule to order the four actions. Write positions on the whole-sheet cards. Read position 3.

Dinosaur Nest Census: Survey desk: Combine every BEFORE rule to order the four actions. Write positions on the whole-sheet cards. Read position 3.
Read this clue in text

Cards: Check nest [4]; File census [8]; Record marks [6]; Read chart [2]. Rules: Read chart BEFORE Record marks; Check nest BEFORE File census; Record marks BEFORE File census; Read chart BEFORE Check nest; Check nest BEFORE Record marks. Read card position 3.

Clue 4 of 6

Nest

Nest desk: Find the exact word NEST, reading RIGHT only. Reject near matches and reversed words. Copy the digit immediately after it.

Dinosaur Nest Census: Nest desk: Find the exact word NEST, reading RIGHT only. Reject near matches and reversed words. Copy the digit immediately after it.
Read this clue in text

Find NEST; only read to the RIGHT. N E S X 8 A B C T S E N 2 A B C N E S T 5 D E F C A M P 9 S U N Answer = digit in the next square after the word.

Clue 5 of 6

Point

Point desk: Start at S. Follow EVERY arrow one square, including revisited cells. Record only the endpoint digit.

Dinosaur Nest Census: Point desk: Start at S. Follow EVERY arrow one square, including revisited cells. Record only the endpoint digit.
Read this clue in text

Grid rows: 5, 7, 9, 1 / 8, 0, 2, 4 / 1, 3, 5, 7. Start row 1, column 1. Moves: right, down, right, up, left, down, right, down; one square per move.

Clue 6 of 6

Final

Recover one requirement for each habitat layer from its named result. Choose a matching roof, floor, water source, food and entry. Write the five part IDs in the printed layer order, then point to the evidence supporting each choice.

Dinosaur Nest Census: Recover one requirement for each habitat layer from its named result. Choose a matching roof, floor, water source, food and entry. Write the five part IDs in the printed layer order, then point to the evidence supporting each choice.
Read this clue in text

Habitat construction key Roof (Food): GLIM=shade; MOTH=sun Floor (Habitat): MOSS=dry; FERN=damp Water (Survey): 4=still; 6=flow Food (Nest): 5=leaf; 8=seed Entry (Point): 5=narrow; 7=wide Parts (one per layer, top to bottom) Roof: R2=sun; R1=shade Floor: F1=dry; F2=damp Water: W2=flow; W1=still Food: D1=leaf; D2=seed Entry: E2=narrow; E1=wide Build rule Choose each part meeting its recovered requirement. Report five part IDs top to bottom, with hyphens.

Start after: Food, Habitat, Survey, Nest, Point

A different kind of mystery next

Keep the habit of sharing evidence and try a new reasoning task.