Dinosaur Science Ideas
Dusting for Dinosaur Bones
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.
Dinosaur Bubbles
Use flexible wire
or wire coat hangers to make
dinosaur size bubble-blowing wands.
Playdough
Fossils
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.
Dinosaur Bones Project
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.
Dino Sorting
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.
A Land Long Ago
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.
Make a Fossil
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).
A Dinner Fit for a Dinosaur
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?
Match skeletons to the pictures of
dinosaurs.
Herbivore or Carnivore?
Sort animals by
herbivores or carnivores.
Great opportunity to learn some fun words.
Unearthing Dinosaurs
Bury a
variety of plastic dinosaurs, lizards, plastic eggs, etc. in the sand
table. Explain how paleontologists unearth dinosaurs and gently restore
them for people to look at. Provide a table with trays, dry
paintbrushes
and magnifying glasses where they can work on their 'discoveries'
after finding them in the sand.
Pre-K Fun Theme Pages are
for educational reference only!
No copyright infringement is intended.
I do not claim any of these as my own ideas.
They are shared from friends and fellow group
members.
Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!
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