Tri-Fold Poster Template Guide

📏 Poster Board Size & Setup

Standard Tri-fold Poster Board: 36" wide × 48" tall (when fully opened)

Each Panel: Approximately 12" wide × 48" tall

Setup: Place poster board horizontally (landscape orientation) so it's wider than it is tall

Note: The center panel will be your MAIN display area with the map. Side panels support with details.

🗺️ TRI-FOLD LAYOUT OVERVIEW

LEFT PANEL

Top Section:
TITLE & TIME PERIOD
(Large, bold letters)

Middle Section (KEY!):
WHAT TRIGGERED THIS ERA?
(Extinction event details, what caused period to begin)

Lower Section (KEY!):
CLIMATE DESCRIPTION
(Temperature, rainfall, key features)

CENTER PANEL (MAIN)

WORLD MAP

Draw the continents as they
looked during this period

(This is your focal point!)

Below Map (KEY!):
CLIMATE'S IMPACT ON EVOLUTION
How climate affected dinosaur size, diversity, where they lived

RIGHT PANEL

Top Section:
DINOSAURS!
(Draw 3-5 key dinosaurs with labels showing diversity)

Middle Section:
PLANTS & OTHER CREATURES
(What food was available? Other animals?)

Bottom Section:
SOURCES
(List your research sources)

📋 DETAILED SECTION-BY-SECTION GUIDE

1LEFT PANEL - Title & Climate

TOP: Title Section (Approx. 12" × 8")

What to include:
- Period name in LARGE letters: "THE TRIASSIC PERIOD"
- Time span: "252-201 Million Years Ago"
- Optional: Small decorative dinosaur silhouette
Design tips:
- Use bold, thick letters (at least 2-3 inches tall)
- Choose a color scheme for each period (Red for Triassic, Blue for Jurassic, Green for Cretaceous)
- Make it eye-catching!

MIDDLE: What Triggered This Era? (Approx. 12" × 12") - KEY SECTION!

This is one of your TWO MOST IMPORTANT sections!
What to include:
- Header: "WHAT TRIGGERED THIS ERA?" in bold letters
- Name of the extinction event or trigger
- Brief description of what happened
- How many species died (percentage)
- How this created opportunities for dinosaurs
Example for Triassic:
- "THE PERMIAN-TRIASSIC EXTINCTION"
- "Also called 'The Great Dying'"
- "96% of all species went extinct!"
- "Caused by massive volcanic eruptions"
- "This cleared the way for dinosaurs to evolve and spread"
- Optional: Draw a small volcano or extinction symbol
Example for Jurassic:
- "THE TRIASSIC-JURASSIC EXTINCTION"
- "About 80% of species died"
- "Many archosaurs and other reptiles disappeared"
- "Dinosaurs became the DOMINANT land animals"
Example for Cretaceous (at END):
- "THE CHICXULUB ASTEROID IMPACT"
- "10 km wide asteroid struck Mexico"
- "Created darkness, cold, killed plants"
- "Food chain collapsed - large animals died"
- "Opened opportunities for mammals to dominate"

LOWER LEFT: Climate Description (Approx. 12" × 12") - KEY SECTION!

What to include:
- Header: "CLIMATE"
- Temperature (Very hot? Warm? Mild?)
- Rainfall (Dry? Wet? Seasonal?)
- Special features (ice caps? deserts? high seas?)
- Visual: Thermometer, rain drops, sun symbols
Example for Triassic:
- "VERY HOT & DRY"
- "Huge deserts in center of Pangaea"
- "NO ice at North or South Poles"
- "Limited rainfall except near coasts"
- Draw: Large sun, desert dunes, cracks in dry earth

BOTTOM: Plants Section (Approx. 12" × 8")

What to include:
- Header: "PLANTS & VEGETATION"
- List or draw 3-5 types of plants
- Note if flowers existed yet
- Brief description of plant life
Example for Triassic:
- "No flowering plants yet!"
- Ferns (draw simple fern frond)
- Conifers (draw pine-like tree)
- Cycads (draw palm-like plant)
- Ginkgoes (draw fan-shaped leaves)

2CENTER PANEL - The Main Attraction!

WORLD MAP - Your Centerpiece! (Approx. 12" × 35")

This is THE most important part of your poster!
What to include:
- Large, clear map of how continents looked during this period
- Label major landmasses (Pangaea, Laurasia, Gondwana, etc.)
- Label oceans (Panthalassa, Tethys, etc.)
- Use different colors for land vs. water
- Optional: Show where specific dinosaurs were found

Step-by-Step Map Instructions:

Sketch in pencil first! Use reference images from your research
Draw the continents:
- Triassic: One big supercontinent (Pangaea)
- Jurassic: Pangaea splitting into Laurasia (north) and Gondwana (south)
- Cretaceous: Continents starting to look like modern map
Add water: Color oceans blue, leave land uncolored or use light colors
Label everything: Use clear, readable letters
Add a compass rose: Show North, South, East, West
Optional: Add small dinosaur silhouettes where they were found

BOTTOM CENTER: Climate's Impact on Evolution (Approx. 12" × 13") - KEY SECTION!

This is your SECOND MOST IMPORTANT section!
What to include:
- Header: "HOW CLIMATE AFFECTED DINOSAUR EVOLUTION"
- Explain the CONNECTION between climate and dinosaur characteristics
- Use arrows or diagrams to show cause and effect
- Include specific examples

Examples for Each Period:

TRIASSIC Example:

"HOW CLIMATE AFFECTED EVOLUTION:"

"Hot & Dry Climate → Limited Plant Growth"
"Limited Food → Dinosaurs Stayed SMALL"
"Harsh Deserts → Dinosaurs Only Near Coasts"
"Other Reptiles Dominated → Dinosaurs Not Yet #1"

JURASSIC Example:

"HOW CLIMATE AFFECTED EVOLUTION:"

"Warm & WET Climate → Abundant Plants Everywhere"
"More Food → GIANT Sauropods Could Evolve!"
"High Seas → Mild Coastal Climates → Wide Habitats"
"Continental Split → Different Species on Different Lands"

CRETACEOUS Example:

"HOW CLIMATE AFFECTED EVOLUTION:"

"WARMEST Period → No Ice ANYWHERE → Dinosaurs Lived Everywhere!"
"Flowering Plants → NEW Herbivore Adaptations (grinding teeth, beaks)"
"High Seas → Isolated Continents → MAXIMUM Diversity"
"Regional Climates → Specialized Dinosaurs (Arctic, Tropical, Desert)"
"Then: Asteroid → Climate Disaster → Large Dinosaurs Couldn't Survive"

Design Tips:

Use arrows (→) to show cause and effect
Keep text brief but clear
Add small illustrations (thermometer, plants, dinosaur size comparison)
This section should answer: "WHY did dinosaurs evolve THIS way in THIS period?"

3RIGHT PANEL - Dinosaurs & Details

TOP: Dinosaurs Section (Approx. 12" × 20")

What to include:
- Header: "DINOSAURS"
- Draw or paste 3-4 representative dinosaurs
- Label each with scientific name
- Add family name (e.g., "Herrerasaurus - Herrerasauridae")
- Include size comparison (vs. human, car, etc.)
Layout ideas:
- Stack them vertically with labels to the side
- Or create a grid with 2 on top, 2 on bottom
- Show diversity - include a theropod, sauropod, etc.

MIDDLE: Other Creatures (Approx. 12" × 18")

What to include:
- Header: "OTHER CREATURES"
- Draw or list non-dinosaur animals:
  - Pterosaurs (flying reptiles)
  - Marine reptiles (plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs)
  - Early mammals (if relevant to period)
  - Archosaurs (for Triassic)
  - First birds (for Jurassic/Cretaceous)
- Brief labels or descriptions

BOTTOM: Sources (Approx. 12" × 10")

What to include:
- Header: "SOURCES" or "REFERENCES"
- List 3-5 sources you used
- Use proper citation format
- Make text smaller but still readable
Example format:
- "Dinosaurs by Dr. Thomas Holtz Jr., 2007"
- "Smithsonian Museum - Triassic Period"
- "National Geographic Dinosaurs Encyclopedia"

🎨 STEP-BY-STEP POSTER CREATION PROCESS

Week 2: Adding Details & Color

Outline in marker - Go over pencil with black marker for key lines
Add color to map - Blue for oceans, green/brown for land
Color dinosaurs - Use realistic colors (greens, browns, grays)
Add text - Write all labels and descriptions neatly
Draw climate symbols - Sun, rain drops, thermometers, etc.

💡 DESIGN TIPS & TRICKS

Challenge	Solution
Map looks messy	Use simple shapes - continents don't have to be perfect! Use reference images and trace if needed.
Can't draw dinosaurs well	Use simple silhouettes or print and glue images. Focus on getting the right SHAPE and SIZE comparison.
Running out of space	Use smaller text, abbreviate where possible, or rearrange sections. The map is most important!
Text is hard to read	Use dark colors on light backgrounds. Make important text at least 1/2 inch tall.
Poster looks boring	Add color! Use different colors for each section. Add small decorative elements like footprints or fossils.

🌈 Color Scheme Suggestions

Triassic Poster: Red/orange theme (hot and dry)

Title: Bold red letters
Map: Orange/brown land, dark blue ocean
Accents: Red borders and decorations

Jurassic Poster: Blue/green theme (wet and lush)

Title: Deep blue letters
Map: Green land, bright blue ocean
Accents: Blue and teal borders

Cretaceous Poster: Green/purple theme (flowering plants!)

Title: Forest green letters
Map: Vibrant green land, turquoise ocean
Accents: Add small flowers, purple borders

✅ POSTER QUALITY CHECKLIST

Before You Say "I'm Done!"

✓	Check
☐	Title is large, clear, and at top of left panel
☐	Time span is included (e.g., "252-201 MYA")
☐	World map is in center panel and clearly labeled
☐	Climate section is complete with description
☐	Plants section lists at least 3 plant types
☐	At least 3-4 dinosaurs drawn and labeled with scientific names
☐	Dinosaur families are listed
☐	Other creatures section is included
☐	Sources are listed at bottom right
☐	All text is readable from 3 feet away
☐	Spelling has been checked (especially scientific names!)
☐	Poster is colorful and visually appealing
☐	Information is accurate based on research

🌟 Remember, Captain Lucasaurus!

Your poster is a visual representation of your research journey!

The goal is to create something that:

Shows what you learned
Helps you explain the period to others
Looks professional and organized
Makes people EXCITED about dinosaurs!

You've got this! 🦕🎨

🎨 TRI-FOLD POSTER TEMPLATE GUIDE 🎨

📏 Poster Board Size & Setup

🎒 Materials You'll Need

🗺️ TRI-FOLD LAYOUT OVERVIEW

📋 DETAILED SECTION-BY-SECTION GUIDE

1LEFT PANEL - Title & Climate

TOP: Title Section (Approx. 12" × 8")

MIDDLE: What Triggered This Era? (Approx. 12" × 12") - KEY SECTION!

LOWER LEFT: Climate Description (Approx. 12" × 12") - KEY SECTION!

BOTTOM: Plants Section (Approx. 12" × 8")

2CENTER PANEL - The Main Attraction!

WORLD MAP - Your Centerpiece! (Approx. 12" × 35")

Step-by-Step Map Instructions:

BOTTOM CENTER: Climate's Impact on Evolution (Approx. 12" × 13") - KEY SECTION!

Examples for Each Period:

3RIGHT PANEL - Dinosaurs & Details

TOP: Dinosaurs Section (Approx. 12" × 20")

MIDDLE: Other Creatures (Approx. 12" × 18")

BOTTOM: Sources (Approx. 12" × 10")

🎨 STEP-BY-STEP POSTER CREATION PROCESS

Week 1: Planning & Sketching

Week 2: Adding Details & Color

Final Touches

💡 DESIGN TIPS & TRICKS

🌈 Color Scheme Suggestions

✅ POSTER QUALITY CHECKLIST

Before You Say "I'm Done!"

🌟 Remember, Captain Lucasaurus!