In an experimental course on the biology of dinosaurs (Dinosaurs: The Course), we had our students test Alexander's (1976) model that the velocity of a bipedal dinosaur is a function of stride length and hip height:

thus, V = 0.7826 (S+1.67) (H-1.17); where, S = stride length in meters, and H = hip height in meters.

To do this our students measured their Foot length (F) and Leg length at the hip (H) and examined that data to test Alexander's assumption that 4F is a good approximation of H, at least for humans. The students then became dinosaurs and made trackways on rolls of newsprint of at least 20 meters long. Dinosaur velocity along the trackway (V) was independently determined, and from that data and data extracted from the trackway (S) the students tested Alexander's model. This lab exercise worked well and probably has many applications from high school through college. Besides a special class such as ours, other that might make use of this include courses in general biology for major or non-majors, biostatistics, human and vertebrate anatomy, and paleontology. However, based on experience, we recommend that the trackway be made in a warm hallway rather than a large, poorly heated gymnasium.