If Teeth Could Talk

We can learn a lot about an animal by it’s skull What they eat How they survived Is it a predator or prey What senses are most important

Let’s look at some skulls! Teeth Eyes Nasal Passage Inner Ear (Auditory Bullae)

Teeth

Incisors Canines Molars Wolf skull

Note the lack of upper incissors

Bear skulls with relatively large incisors and canines

Eyes What do our teeth say about our diet? What can they show about our health?

Have students decide if carnivore, herbivore or omnivore for next three slides. Have students speculate on at least one feature of the teeth that would distinguish the category, ie. Large cannines

Nasal Passage Review the terms of predator and prey. Which types of animals are predator?

Inner Ear Which animals are both?

Depending on which skulls your class has, this mosaic represents the most of the mammals.

Now it’s your turn! Lets ID some skulls