
Article. An article is a brief nonfiction work on a specific topic. Preview the introductory paragraph, visuals, and captions in the article. What is the topic of the article? Skim the article. What is the article telling you about the topic? Then read the article thoroughly, taking notes about important concepts and theories it mentions.
Thesis. A thesis is a main idea in a work of nonfiction such as an essay. As you preview and skim the article, try to determine the thesis. As you read, look for data that backs up the thesis. You may want to use a graphic organizer like the one on the right to organize your ideas about the thesis.
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- Science Connection. Rocks can reveal much information about what happened on Earth millions of years ago. Certain discoveries of rock formations have led geologists to form profound theories on how life on this planet has changed over time.
- Based on fossil evidence, scientists believe that many species became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago. Among the species that died out were the many that we know collectively as dinosaurs. There has been much debate about what caused such widespread extinction.

Why do you think dinosaurs disappeared from Earth?
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