Title page

dinos
Dynamic Dinos
Unit

dinos

Goals and Objectives

Schedule

Lesson Plans

Graphic Organizer

Links and References

Circle Time

Why did we choose dinosaurs as our unit?

We chose the topic of dinosaurs as our unit because some of us have planned and carried out lessons with young children focused around dinosaurs. The children really seemed to enjoy the lessons.
We also chose dinosaurs because there are many subtopics under the umbrella of dinosaurs.

The included lessons were planned to be included in a classroom theme lasting one week.

Goals and objectives: Theme

To educate students on various types of dinosaurs

Discuss various sources of food for each type
Discuss various environmental habitats

Develop knowledge of the variety of dinosaurs
Develop knowledge of how large dinosaurs were
Learn how to tell different types of dinosaurs apart

To educate students on occupations relating to dinosaurs and/ or other extinct animals

Briefly discuss the definition of possible theories of extinction
Discuss paleontology, fossils, museums

Goals and objectives: Skills

To educate students on various types of dinosaurs

Implement various activities and lessons to differentiate the various types of dinosaurs

To educate students on occupations relating to dinosaurs and/ or other extinct animals
Learn names of different dinosaurs
Learn how to measure how long a dinosaur was
Learn how long different dinosaurs were
Differentiate between herbivores, carnivores and omnivores by looking at the shape of teeth

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Schedule

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00	Arrival/centers	Arrival/centers	Arrival/centers	Arrival/centers	Arrival/centers
8:30	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time	Circle Time
9:00	Dino Habitat	Dino Masks	Treasure Stones	Fantasy Fossils	Dino Dig
9:30	Dino Habitat	Dino Masks	Treasure Stones	Fantasy Fossils	Dino Dig
10:00	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack
10:30
11:00
11:30	Departure	Departure	Departure	Departure	Departure

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Lesson Plans

flying dino

Dinosaur Masks

Topic of Lesson: Making Dinosaur Masks

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Concepts/Objectives: Students will demonstrate their understanding of the differences of teeth between carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores

Teacher Background: Teacher will need to be familiar with the different types of dinosaurs and what kind of teeth each have.

Preparation: Gather materials for masks as well as books with pictures of dinosaur teeth. Make example for those children who may need to see an end product in order to understand what to do.

Materials:      Dinosaur books
                        Paper plates
                        Colored construction paper
                        Yarn
                        Markers/crayons/colored pencils
                        Scissors/Hole punch
                        Glue/Tape

Procedures: Discuss with the children the classification of different types of dinosaurs based on what dinosaurs ate. Explain the differences between carnivores (meat eaters), herbivores (plant eaters), and omnivores (meat and plant eaters). Show examples of different shaped teeth and ask which teeth would be useful for what. Allow children to look in mirrors to see what kinds of teeth they have.

Next, explain to the children they will be making dinosaur masks. Ask which children are going to be carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores. Ask them what shape the teeth are going to be. Perhaps show the teacher example and ask the children to identify which type of dinosaur it is. Allow the children to be creative in what colors they make their masks and how they decorate them. The teacher can explain that no one really knows what colors dinosaurs actually were since bones are all paleontologists (scientists who study dinosaurs) study.

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Fantasy Fossils

Topic of lesson: Science and math lesson- Dinosaur Theme

Grade level: Kindergarten

Concept/ Objectives: This is a great activity for children to be able to see what a real fossil may look like. They have the opportunity to create a fossil of their own.

Teacher Background: The teacher should have knowledge and information on fossils. Information should include what fossils are, where they are found, etc. The teacher also needs to be familiar with using plaster

Preparation: Gather the needed materials. Try to create a fossil of your own prior to using the lesson in class. This will give an idea of any alterations that may need to be made. Also, it may help to gain a sense of the types of adaptations that could be made for students.

Materials: *Quick-setting Plaster of Paris (2 cups)

*Water (1 cup)

*Sand

Procedure: 1. Fill a pan, bowl, or other small container with sand. Sprinkle the sand lightly with water until it is moist enough to hold an impression.

2. Make an impression in the sand, using hard objects such as a shell, a rubber dinosaur, or another object such as a plastic toy tree.

3. Mix water and quick-setting plaster together in a small bowl.

4. Immediately pour the plaster mixture into the sand impression. Be careful not to let the plaster touch the edge of the container or the fossil may be difficult to remove.

5. Let the plaster dry for 35-45 minutes or until hard.

6. Remove fossil from sand.

Accommodations: A child with a visual impairment may have a difficult time with this activity. Someone can help them to pour the plaster. The child would be able to feel the texture and patterns of the fossil after it had dried.

Assessment: Assessment for this activity would come with listening. The teacher would judge understanding of directions. This is also a good project to use with math. The children could help to measure the ingredients.

Extensions: Create color-tinted fossils by mixing 1 Tbs. of powdered tempera paint to the plaster before adding water

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Treasure Stones

Topic of lesson: Science and math lesson- Dinosaur Theme

Grade level: Kindergarten

Concept/ Objectives: Children will develop knowledge of how dinosaurs hatched. Children will develop knowledge of how to follow a recipe/ written instructions.

Teacher Background: Background knowledge of what real dinosaur eggs may have been like.

Preparation: Gather the needed materials. Create a stone of your own in order to have knowledge and first-hand experience of how the project works.

Materials:

* 1 cup Flour
* 1 cup used coffee grounds
* 1/2 cup salt

* 1/4 cup sand
* 3/4 cup water

Preparation:

1. Discuss with children how dinosaurs were hatched from eggs long ago.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Slowly add water and knead until the mixture is the consistency of bread dough.
4. Break off a piece of dough and roll it into the size of a baseball.
5. Make a hole in the center of the ball big enough to hide treasures in.
6. Fill the hole with treasures (plastic or rubber dinosaur?) and seal with some extra dough.
7. Let your treasure stone air dry for 2-3 days or until hard or bake in the oven on a cookie sheet at 150º for 15-20 minutes.

Accommodations: Have a table low enough for a child using a wheelchair.

Assessment: Through observation

Extensions: The teacher could bake the stones prior to class. The students could then have time and each open a stone and discover their treasure. For a dinosaur theme, plastic dinosaurs could be the treasures. The students would get to see what kind of dinosaur they each get.

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Dino Habitat

Topic of Lesson: Science/Dinosaurs

Grade level: Kindergarten

Concepts/Objectives:
Students will learn the meaning of carnivores, omnivores, and
herbivores, and the names of different dinosaurs. Students will be
able to recognize a stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, and a
apatosaurus by sight and be able to classify them as an omnivore,
carnivore, or herbivore by making a habitat for dinosaur models.

Teacher Background: Teacher must have knowledge of subject and must understand how
to present the different kinds of dinosaurs and their habitat.

Preparation: A drawings of a stegosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, and apatosaurus.
Also have extra help in the room at time of lesson plan.

Materials:

* Large sheet of cardboard
* Colored construction paper
* Scissors
* Tape
* Glue

* Brown clay
* Baking soda
* Red food coloring
* Vinegar
* Models of 3 dinosaurs

Procedures:

1. Show one picture of a dinosaur at a time. Have children practice saying the name of the dinosaur. Write it on the board so that they can sound it out.
2. Talk about the features of each dinosaur and how that may affect the dinosaur (an apatosaurus' long neck helps it eat leaves from tall trees, a tyrannosaurus rex has lots of teeth and a big jaw for killing animals, a stegosaurus has lots of plates and spines to defend itself).
3. Define omnivore, herbivore, and carnivore. Ask students to guess what each dinosaur is. Classify the dinosaurs on a chalk board so they can see the words.
4. Explain that the students will make a habitat for the dinosaurs.
5. Have them brainstorm what the habitat will need (tall trees for the apatosaurus, low plants for the stegosaurus, animals for the t. rex) for the dinosaurs to eat/drink.
6. Pass out materials and let the students create their habitat together. As an addition that the kids love, add a volcano. Form the clay into a mound and put a hole in the center. Fill it with baking soda and red food coloring. When the habitat is finished, put the volcano into it and pour a little vinegar into the top of your volcano so students can watch it erupt.

Accommodations:
If students have troubles allow other students to make suggestions.
For a child who is disabled have other options or helpers to help
them complete and understand the process.

Assessment:
Follow up lessons with asking students to name dinosaurs from
pictures shown to them. Ask them what
herbivore/omnivore/carnivore mean.

Extensions:
Add more dinosaurs and more kinds of habitats that they could
possibly live in or have kids find a dinosaur they are interested in
and have them make their own habitat and have them explain it to
the class.

Technology:
Could have them find other information about dinosaurs online and
their habitat.

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Dino Dig

Topic of Lesson: Dino dig

Grade Level: Kindergarten to 3^rd grade

Concepts/Objectives:
Students will gain knowledge of what happened to all of the bones of the dinosaurs
Students will gain knowledge about what a paleontologist does
Students will work on their fine and gross motor skills during the dig

Teacher Background:
The teacher should get some resources about paleontologists and dino history so they will be able to answer any and all questions and also allow the children to look at the resources.

Preparation:
1. Gather animal bones, parts from toy dinosaur skeletons, arrowheads, etc.
2. Gather books and other resources about paleontologists and other dino books
3. Hide the bones and etc. in the sand on the playground or sand box

Materials :

Animal bones, parts from toy dinosaur skeletons, arrowheads, etc.
Shovels, rakes, large paint brushes and other things for the students to use while digging

Procedure:
1. Introduce the students to paleontologist and dino digs a couple of days before the digs.
2. Hide the bones the morning of the dig.
3. Show the students how to use the digging materials properly.
4. Organize the students into groups of 3 or 4 and give them an area to dig.
5. After the students have found the buried objects, let them share what they found and how they think their findings are important to the dinosaur era.

Assessment: Observe the students during the activity as to how well they can use the digging materials and how well they understand what and why a paleontologist does his/her job.

Extensions: During snack time, have applesauce with goldfish or gummy dinos buried in the applesauce. Then let the kids find the snacks in the applesauce.

Technology: Create a digital movie of the children digging for dinosaurs.

Circle Time
The following rhyme can be used to transition between activities and also used during circle time with a flip chart.
Dinosaurs Five enormous dinosaurs Letting out a roar-- One went away, and Then there were four. Four enormous dinosaurs Crashing down a tree-- One went away, and Then there were three. Three enormous dinosaurs Eating tiger stew-- One went away, and Then there were two. Two enormous dinosaurs Trying to run-- One ran away, and Then there was one. One enormous dinosaur, Afraid to be a hero-- He went away, and Then there was zero.