Photograph courtesy Atlantic Productions and ZOO
National Geographic Entertainment’s Flying Monsters 3D sets out to uncover the truth about the dinosaur cousin, the pterosaur, with a wingspan of approximately 12 meters (40 feet) and equal to that of a modern-day jet plane. Flying Monsters 3D features one of the greatest mysteries in paleontology: how and why did pterosaurs fly? How did creatures the size of giraffes defy gravity and soar through prehistoric skies?
The education resources on this page invite you to connect biology and Earth science instruction with pterosaur species investigations using film clips, illustrations, and hands-on activities. Flying Monsters 3D, in theaters now, will inspire and intrigue, sparking students’ imaginations and showing that science is dynamic and happening not too far from our own backyards.
Activities for Grades K-8
Interactive Whiteboard Content
Animals that Fly
Use multimedia to explore characteristics of flying and gliding in this Grade 3-8 interactive activity for Promethean whiteboards from NG Education.
Meet our Explorers!
Paleontologist: Bolortsetseg Minjin
Bolortsetseg Minjin is the director of the Institute for the Study of Mongolian Dinosaurs.
Paleontologist: Jorn Hurum
Jorn Hurum is a science educator and paleontologist who studies fossils found in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, north of the Arctic Circle.
Activities for Grades 9-12
Observations and Hypotheses
Students differentiate between observations and hypotheses in an article about pterosaurs. They then consider how challenging and further testing hypotheses is part of the nature of science.
Exploring Vertebrate Classification
Students group vertebrates and share their reasoning in classifying them. They compare their approach to Linnaean and modern systems in order to explore evolutionary relationships and the dynamic nature of classification.
Examining Convergent Evolution
Students examine animals that are examples of convergent evolution. They then analyze wings of bats, birds, and pterosaurs to see why these animals are not closely related.
Adaptive Radiation
Students analyze characteristics of six pterosaurs to determine the role of adaptive radiation in their evolution from a common ancestor.
See the Film
Flying Monsters 3D
In theaters now!
View the Trailer
See pterosaurs come to life in this film that The Daily Mail called "Jurassic fantastic"!
The Prehistoric World
Nat Geo Wild
Find facts, media, and features about prehistoric animals from Nat Geo Wild.
Phenomena: Laelaps
Follow the Phenomena Blog for up-to-date science articles, news and media.
More from National Geographic
All About Dinosaurs
Dinosaur Burrow
Dig up data on Oryctodromeus, a burrowing dinosaur from Big Sky Country.
Flapling Fossil
Fast facts about pterodactyls.
Adventure Science
Paleontologist Paul Sereno travels the world to uncover and identify fossils.
Dig Deeper
Learn more about paleontology, the study of ancient life on Earth, through reference content such as encyclopedic entries and collections.
paleontology
Paleontology is the study of the history of life on Earth as based on fossils. Fossils are the remains of plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, and single-celled living things that have been replaced by rock material or impressions of organisms preserved in rock.
fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains, or traces of remains, of ancient animals and plants
paleontology
This collection contains a selection of content from NG Education about paleontology. Use search to find more.