Materials needed:
Chicken bones (washed and sterilized)
Shallow dishpan or sturdy aluminum baking pan
Paint brushes
Plaster of paris

Preparation:
In dishpan or baking pan, mix plaster according to box directions. Place
 chicken bones on top of plaster and slightly submerge. When plaster
 has set, cover loosely with sand or dirt. Carrying out the activity: Give
 each child a paintbrush. Have the children use their
 paintbrushes to uncover the "dinosaur" bones.

Use flexible wire or wire coat hangers to make
 dinosaur size bubble-blowing wands.

Make gray playdough by adding a small amount of powdered black
 tempera paint to your regular recipe.  Set the playdough and some
 plastic dinosaurs on the table.  Let the children make "fossils"
 by pressing the dinosaurs into the playdough and then
 carefully removing them to see the imprints left behind.

Take some long drawing paper on a large roll & draw a simple dinosaur.
 Label the dinosaur. Then take 1/2 box of craft wooden sticks & hide them
 in sandbox or sensory table filled with sand. While the children find the
 craft sticks that represent bones, cover the dinosaur with glue. The
 children stick on the pretend bones to the dinosaur drawing. 

Variation: You can also do this same idea using a simple outline
 of a dinosaur that fits a regular size paper or you can use a detailed
 print. Allow the children to apply glue & use spaghetti as the bones.
 They just break the pasta to fit the area on the dinosaur.

Collect an assortment of animal pictures. Cut out the pictures and
 cover with contact paper. Let the children sort them into
 piles of dinosaurs or not -or- living or extinct.

Children can work independently to make their own dioramas
 of the dinosaur era, or they can work cooperatively to make
 a large -museum display. Discuss how the earth appeared
 millions of years ago: more water, larger and denser
 growth of plants, active volcanoes, swamps, etc. Have each
 child bring in a shoebox, or gather several large packing boxes
 (without lids) for small groups of children to construct their dioramas
 in.  Provide the following materials: blue and brown tempera paint
 and brushes, glue, sand, soil, bits of branches, small leaves and
 stones, construction paper volcano shapes, cotton balls for clouds,
 blue cellophane for lakes and oceans, and a collection of plastic
 dinosaurs. You may want to go on a "collecting walk" with the children
 to gather some of the items. Have the children construct prehistoric scenes.

Note: The following is a suggested construction sequence over several days:
 paint sky; paint ground; add sand or soil to ground; add clouds, lakes, and
 volcanoes; stand branches up in small bits of self-hardening clay.
 When the scenery is complete, let the children
 introduce the dinosaurs to their new homes.

Fossils are animal, plant, and insect remains or evidence that has been
 turned into rock. Paleontologists study fossils to learn about dinosaurs
 and the world they inhabited.

Make fossils with your students. You'll need self-hardening clay,
 small plastic dinosaurs, ferns or leaves with well-defined veins,
 small clean chicken bones, and plastic insects available from toy
 stores. Give each child a small amount of clay. Have her pat and
 flatten it out to approximately a quarter of an inch thick. Use a rolling
 pin to smooth out the top surface. Let the child choose one of the above
 items, such as a leaf, and gently press it into the clay. Then have her
carefully peel it off. Allow the clay to dry. Be prepared for the children to
 make several different fossils for their collection. Note: The clay can be
 pressed into plastic lids for greater durability. The fossils can be
 glazed with a watered-down white glue mixture when they are dry.
 Read "Fossils Tell of Long Ago" by Aliki (Harper & Row, 1972).

Simple Meat-eaters' and Plant-eaters' Snacks:
Children can help wash, dry, and cut up the ingredients for a plant-eaters' fruit
 salad. Or have the children cut up vegetables and make a simple dip to go with
 them. Follow the directions on a packaged soup or salad dressing mix for a
 quick and easy one. You can serve hard-boiled egg halves
 and cocktail hot dogs for the meat- eaters' entree.

Hearty Dinosaur Soup:
Have children help you mix up a batch of your favorite meatball recipe
 (about 1 or 1 1/2 pounds of meat should provide a meatball per child
 for a class of approximately 20 children), or mix it up ahead of time and
 let them help you form the miniature meatballs. Consider using ground
 turkey instead of ground beef. Saute the meatballs in margarine in an
 electric skillet until nicely browned. Drain and set aside. Have the children
 help cut up one cup each of celery, peeled carrots, and potatoes.
 Add the vegetables and four bouillon cubes or one package of dry
 onion soup mix to two quarts of water. Cover and simmer for
 approximately 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add
 meatballs for the last 5-10 minutes to heat them through.

Note: Before beginning food preparation activities, it is essential that
children wash their hands thoroughly. As with any cooking activity
involving young children, be sure to have adequate adult supervision.

Which Skeleton is Mine?