D is for Dancing Dinosaur

Daily Question: "Dd" Do you like Dinosaurs? Almost everyone does.

Toys: Dinosaurs, Dinosaur puzzles, Dolls, Doll Clothes and Disney Dolls

The students asked to play with the "Disney" dolls.  The Belle doll has a small storybook that comes with her.  It was cute to look up and see all the students gathered around the book.

Most of the students had fun putting a dinosaur puzzle together. We were excited about our upcoming field trip to BYU's Museum of Paleontology (Formerly know as the "Dinosaur Museum.").

After it was put together, we spied things about the Dinosaurs to talk about in Circle Time. Chloe pointed out a carnivorous dinosaur. (An animal that eats meat.)  We found our canine (sharp, pointed teeth) inside our mouths and talked about "why we have sharp teeth?"

Eva is pointing at her sharp canine tooth.

Carter is showing us his back molars which are flat teeth.  Herbivores eat plants.  Their flat teeth allow them to chew and grind grasses and leaves.

Snacks: Pretzels and apple slices.

We read How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?

We listened to a song about D the Dinosaur dancing disco in her father's diner until she is called to dinner. "D-d-d" is the sound her foot makes dancing.  Students tap heel on the ground and say, "D(ah) d(ah), d(ah)."

The children shouted out "D" words, such as duck, daisy, doll, dino, dragon, dancing, dominoes, dog, Dalmatian,*day, dishes, dress-ups, dot, and do. They had fun putting the sound "duh duh duh" and coming up with words that began with that sound.

* I showed them a picture of a "black and white spotted breed of dog" to have them guess Dalmatian.
Carter raised his hand and said, "I have a dalmatian cat!" 

Chloe mentioned,"The leaves are turning red, yellow, and brown!" Impromptu, we sang the song we learned last Tuesday--It's Autumn Time!

I am excited that the children now know the long and short A sounds, B, C, and D sounds which will help them to sound out simple words like: D-a-d, b-a-d, c-a-b, a-d-d, etc.

We looked through a fun book and talked about the characteristics of the different dinosaurs we saw. After, we talked about how the bones and shape of the dinosaurs teeth help us to know if they are flesh or plant eaters. (Pointed teeth are for ripping and tearing flesh, flat teeth are for grinding and chewing plants).  Fun to see children feel their canine teeth and their molars and guess what the different shaped teeth are for.

We then pondered the question, "What happened to the dinosaurs?" We read the book Whatever happened to the Dinosaurs and talked about how dinosaurs are now extinct. We looked at a picture of dinosaur bones and learned about fossils.

Recess: Leaf Hunt!

We went on a leaf hunt for recess. We found all kinds of different sizes and shapes of leaves! We "cut" them off the trees with our scissor hand motion like "C the Caterpillar." We then came inside and did a leaf rubbing.

Recess: Our Leaf Hunt and finishing up C the Caterpillar Leaf Rubbing Page.

Meeting our class TURTLE "Buddy," a stinky, five-year-old adopted turtle of unknown variety.

Dinosaur Books:

Ten Little Dinosaurs by Pattie Schnetzler, Ill. by Jim Harris (An Eyeball Animation Book)
My Tall Book of Dinosaurs (Preschool Press)

Encylopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart (Pop-up Book)How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? By Jane Yolen and Mark Teague
Time Flies by Eric Rohmann (Caldecott Honor Book) Illustrated (no words)
Happy Holidaysaurus! by Bernard Most
Dinosaurs, Learn About Books by Brimax, 4-7 years
A Book to Begin on Dinosaurs by Eunice Holsaert and Robert Gartland
Dinosaurs; Over 100 Questions and Answers to Things You Want to Know by Dan Abnett and Nik Vincent
Dinosaurs Are Different by Aliki, Let's-Read-And-Find-Out-Science (Harper Collins)
Dinosaurs Magazine; Made for Kids! (World Color Press) Sept./Oct. 1997.
Dinosaur Dream by Dennis Nolan
James Gurney's Dinotopia Pop-up Book (Turner Publishing)
Dinotopia by James Gurney
Dinotopia; The World Beneath by James Gurney
Dinosaur Time by Peggy Parish and Arnold Lobel (An I Can Read Book)*
The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Dinosailors by Deb Lund and Howard Fine
Whatever Happened to the Dinosaurs? By Bernhard Most