Dinos, Dinos, and More Dinos

We have been consumed with dinos and have learned SO MUCH about prehistoric time.

Students have been working in a dino book and recording facts they have learned about each dino after finishing a dino map.

Here are some pics!!

Kolton came in wearing the most fitting shirt when we began learning about them.

We also learned about paleontologist and the work they do.  They completed the poster below by adding items Pete the Paleontologist would need in order to do his job.

Dino Work and Pigeon Work

We've finished up our dino work and have moved on to chicks!!  We're patiently awaiting the arrival of our eggs so we can get them in the incubator.  Here's our dino work.

We've also been reading many of Mo Willem's books.  The kids have been loving these books.  The kids wrote their opinions on if they'd let the pigeon drive the bus or not!

Rawr...Dino Time

I ABSOLUTELY love teaching about dinos!!  I know it's because when I was in first grade I was 100% sure I was going to be a paleontologist when I grew up.  Yes, I could say that word and knew what one was. I had dino posters up in my bedroom and could name many of them. I even thought that I'd find a NEW dino and it would be named after me.  Big dreams, I know!

There was something exciting to me about being out on site digging for fossils.  I guess teaching students about them is a close second for a career...right?  I'm not sure if it sounds as appealing now that I'm no longer a 6 year old little girl.

We've been learning about many types of dinosaurs and they've been writing facts in their informational books.  After read alouds, we create a Dino Character Map.  I had a brilliant moment this year too.  Making each poster doesn't take me that long but coloring them can get tedious so I now have two students in the morning color.  This saves me time and they absolutely love it.  Plus, it's exciting to see what they'll look like when complete.  Who knows...maybe dinosaurs were really tye dye!

Here are few we've learned about.

Click to enlarge.

Big Old Bones: A Dinosaur Tale

Have you checked this book out?  A first grade teacher showed me this book a few years ago and the activity she completes with it.  My students LOVE it every year.

After we learn what a paleontologist is, the tools they use, and how they do their job I read this book. I hide bones (paper pieces) around the room and have them go on a fossil hunt.  

Once they've all been found each student decorates a piece, just like the fabric in the book.

Working as a team, they have to fit the bones back together to create the dino.  This week they made T-Rex.

Next week, they'll try to put Triceratops together.

More Dino Work

We're wrapping up our Dino Unit.  Here are a few more pics of what we've learned.

Dino Learning

We've been learning A LOT about dinosaurs.  I enjoy teaching this unit because I absolutely LOVED dinos growing up.  In first grade, I was sure I'd be a paleontologist one day!  Who wouldn't want to spend the day digging up dino bones?

Students have been listening to read alouds, exploring books, and writing dinosaur facts.  After we learn about each one we create a Dino Map.  Kids list important facts and then go to writing.

They each have a Dino Fact book where they have to write 3 new facts.  Here are a couple of examples.  More to come this week.

Big Ol' Bones

We finished up our Dino Unit.  We ended with this read aloud.

I made a Triceratops and T-Rex and cut them into puzzle pieces.  The kids picked a piece to decorate.  Working as paleontologist they had to piece the dino back together. Look at these bright, beautiful, dinos!

More Dino Work

It's almost 10:30 and I'm blogging.  There's so much to share that I decided to start now.

First up, we finished up our Informational Dino books.  Our last dino was this guy below...

We've also been learning about paleontologist (the job I wanted when I was a child).  Say that three times fast!!  I did enjoy hearing the kids saying it over and over again.  We brainstormed a list of items a paleontologist would need in order to do his/her job.  Students picked an item to draw, color, and add to the chart.

Devin's mom sent in some fun activities.  The kids dug for bones and rocks!

They also got a dino egg and cracked it opened!  Thanks for sending in the GREAT activities.

More Dino Work

Here are the two dinos we learned about.  The kids wrote facts in their Informational Dino Books.

Kids had the option last week to create an oviparous animal. Here's an example.

RAWR...Dino Time

If you haven't checked out Mrs. Jump's Blog on how she introduces dinos you NEED to!!  I've been introducing them this way for the last couple of years and it creates such excitement in the class.

First, I bring in this HUGE egg and I tell the kiddos my dog Lily found it while out for a walk.  We learn about making inferences and complete the poster below together.

Soon, the egg hatches and this little guy appears!

We've also been learning about dinos.  As we learn about each one we complete a dino map and write in our informational books.

Dino Number Stories

Here are a few examples of the Dino Number Stories the kiddos completed.

Dino Time Periods

The kids learned about the different periods dinosaurs lived in.  They worked in groups to create the environment for each period.  Here's their  work.

Big Ol' Bones

We've been learning A LOT about paleontologist.  I read Big Old Bones.  This book has a surprise ending and the wife has helped to create quite a piece of art!

I traced and cut large dino puzzle pieces (a Triceratops and T-Rex) out.  The kids had to decorate a piece and then work as a team to put their dino together.

Compsognathus

Check out our work on Compsognathus!

More DINO Maps

Here are a few more of the Dino Maps we've done together.

More Dino Work!

The kids have LOVED learning about dinos and I can admit when I was little I did too.  I had posters on my wall and could name them all.  My dream was even to be a paleontologist.

We've learned about Stegosaurus and Allosaurus this week.  Here's their work!

Fossil Making

Next week our focus will be what a paleontologist does and fossils.  We made our fossils today so the plaster can dry over the weekend.

Kids were given magic model clay and a small dino.  Of course they had the chance to play with it a bit before they had to put their dino in the clay.  I filled the top with kid safe plaster.  Next week they'll look at the results.