Nature Series

Nature Series: Dinosaurs is a British TV series possibly produced by the Longman Group Ltd. in 1982 and looped at the Ulster Museum and/or Dorchester Dinosaur Museum. All the North American tapes are marked as having been produced by Diamond Entertainment in 1993, but the boxes, especially the backs, resemble the ones for the "Educational Favorites" series released by Trans Atlantic Video in 1990.

 

Nature Series: Tyrannosaurus Rex

Released 2003 to 2006 / 30 min / Diamond Entertainment

The first eight minutes are taken up by the 1930s loony toons cartoon, Daffy Duck and the Dinosaur, followed by footage of crocodiles and a narrator explaining how dinosaurs are similar to reptiles. Next they explain how dinosaurs are not similar to reptiles, the difference between carnivores and herbivores, and some true/false trivia. Several minutes of Godzilla footage with someone making silly reaction noises are followed by an educational segment on fossilization, collection and display, and theories behind the dinosaur's extinction.

It's very dry and uses a lot of old back and white footage. Some of the information is incorrect even for its time, such as using images of a Dimetrodon to demonstrate that dinosaurs could have fins, which is true, but Dimetrodon are mammal-like reptiles (Pelycosaurs) and not dinosaurs.

 

Nature Series: Dinosaurs, Fun, Facts and Fantasy Volume One

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Covers timeline, continental drift, animals like crocodiles co-existing with dinosaurs, and highlights the largest and smallest dinosaurs using 'kid-friendly' groupings: plodding (Brachiosaurus and Thecodontosaurus), bird-footed (Shantungosaurus and micropachycephalosaurus), fighting (tyrannosaurus and Compsognathus), armored (stegosaurus and Struthiosaurus), and last survivors (Triceratops and Microceratus). An educational segment recounts the story of Mary Ann Mantell finding the first Iguanodon fossils by the side of a road (this story is disputed; some believe they were purchased from quarry-men). Mary Anning finding the first ichthyosaur and the difficulties of piecing a skeleton together. Next they explain the history of the "bone wars" between Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh.

This one is much more likley to hold a child's attention thanks to the use of clay-mation, puppets, color footage, cheery music, and lively demonstrations.

 

Nature Series: Dinosaurs, Fun, Facts and Fantasy Volume Two

Released 2006 / 30 min / Diamond Entertainment

This is the second part of a two parter. Covers how dinosaurs did not walk with sprawled legs like reptiles, and the three major time periods: Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. Followed by what came after, how birds are descended from dinosaurs, and ends on a puppet show quiz.