One of the best ways to come up with theme ideas is of course through the children. What are they interested in, talking about or playing with right now? If you can see a certain focus in one or all of your children, then what a great focus for a theme. Today's theme is based on something that you may notice your children interested in.
Dinosaur Fingerplay
The Dinosaurs
The dinosaurs lived long ago, when life on earth began.
(gesture palm up wave over your shoulder)
Some were tall (gesture high).
Some were small (gesture low).
Some liked water (gesture swimming).
Some liked land (gesture walking by alternating palms on your knees).
Pteranadons had leathery wings (gesture flying).
Brontausaurs, long necks (gesture to neck).
But the meanest dinosaur of all (gesture mean face).
Was Tyranosaurus Rex (gesture heavy stomping by alternating
palms on your knees).
Sensory Activity:
Dino Dig
Materials: Large plastic dinosaurs, paper cups, sand, plaster of paris, toothbrushes, small paint brushes or any item you can think of to brush off the sand.
Description: In advance, teachers fill paper cups about half way with damp sand. Using the large dinosaurs make impressions in the sand with the footprints of the dinosaurs. Pour the plaster of paris over each impression and let dry. When the plaster is dry peel off the paper cups. Place in a sensory table with more sand. It doesn't matter if sand is still connected to the plaster. Add brushes to the table so the children can brush the sand off the fossils.
Comments: It is fun if you can make enough for each child. They love showing their parents their dinosaur fossils and then taking them home.
Art/Craft
Playdough Dinosaurs
Materials: Playdough of different colors, different plastic dinosaurs and 5x7 piece of poster board.
Description: Playdough helps strengthen the muscles in children's hands and at the same time is very enjoyable for them to play with.
To start make several different colors of playdough out of a home made recipe. Before you start this project have the children sit down and draw their favorite dinosaur on paper. Already have discussed the different parts of a dinosaurs body: legs, head, neck, tail, spikes, horns, etc. Now we are ready for the fun part!
1. Put a plastic dinosaur in middle of each table.
2. Give each child a piece of poster board and let them pick out any color or colors of playdough. Provide enough playdough so that the children can easily shape at least three balls.
3. Tell the children to create their own dinosaur and name it.
4. Put the dinosaur on the poster board and write on it what the child named it. Also make sure the child's name is on it too.
Books: (we have these books in the office for providers to borrow)
Drumheller Dinosaur Dance
Written by Robert Heidbreder
Illustrated by Bill Slavin and Esperança Melo
By daylight, the Drumheller dinosaurs rest their ancient bones. But when the moon rises, so do these slumbering skeletons — ready to tango, fandango, shimmy and shake! This exuberant read-aloud imagines what the dinosaur skeletons of world-famous Drumheller, Alberta, get up to when everyone’s asleep. Kids will want to thumpity-thump along with these dynamic dinos as they dance across the dark, dusty Badlands.
Prehistoric Actual Size
by Steve Jenkins
How big were the dinosaurs? This book shows the actual size of the animals and you can even compare them to the children. (A great teaching tool!)
Dinosaurrumpus
By Tony Mitton
Where can you find a Deinosuchus that practically pirouettes on its tail and a T-Rex that bounds gracefully through the air? Between the pages of Tony Mitton's Dinosaurumpus, where dinosaurs run, boom, shake, and shudder their way to the "sludgy old swamp" and rock the night away. Mitton's delightful rhyme and Parker-Rees's whimsical illustrations will make children want to join in the dance while they learn about some of their favorite prehistoric pals. By the time the romp is over and the dinosaurs are fast asleep, kids won't be able to shake that jumping, thumping Dinosaurumpus beat!
Dinosaur Fingerplay
The Dinosaurs
The dinosaurs lived long ago, when life on earth began.
(gesture palm up wave over your shoulder)
Some were tall (gesture high).
Some were small (gesture low).
Some liked water (gesture swimming).
Some liked land (gesture walking by alternating palms on your knees).
Pteranadons had leathery wings (gesture flying).
Brontausaurs, long necks (gesture to neck).
But the meanest dinosaur of all (gesture mean face).
Was Tyranosaurus Rex (gesture heavy stomping by alternating
palms on your knees).
Sensory Activity:
Dino Dig
Materials: Large plastic dinosaurs, paper cups, sand, plaster of paris, toothbrushes, small paint brushes or any item you can think of to brush off the sand.
Description: In advance, teachers fill paper cups about half way with damp sand. Using the large dinosaurs make impressions in the sand with the footprints of the dinosaurs. Pour the plaster of paris over each impression and let dry. When the plaster is dry peel off the paper cups. Place in a sensory table with more sand. It doesn't matter if sand is still connected to the plaster. Add brushes to the table so the children can brush the sand off the fossils.
Comments: It is fun if you can make enough for each child. They love showing their parents their dinosaur fossils and then taking them home.
Art/Craft
Playdough Dinosaurs
Materials: Playdough of different colors, different plastic dinosaurs and 5x7 piece of poster board.
Description: Playdough helps strengthen the muscles in children's hands and at the same time is very enjoyable for them to play with.
To start make several different colors of playdough out of a home made recipe. Before you start this project have the children sit down and draw their favorite dinosaur on paper. Already have discussed the different parts of a dinosaurs body: legs, head, neck, tail, spikes, horns, etc. Now we are ready for the fun part!
1. Put a plastic dinosaur in middle of each table.
2. Give each child a piece of poster board and let them pick out any color or colors of playdough. Provide enough playdough so that the children can easily shape at least three balls.
3. Tell the children to create their own dinosaur and name it.
4. Put the dinosaur on the poster board and write on it what the child named it. Also make sure the child's name is on it too.
Books: (we have these books in the office for providers to borrow)
Drumheller Dinosaur Dance
Written by Robert Heidbreder
Illustrated by Bill Slavin and Esperança Melo
By daylight, the Drumheller dinosaurs rest their ancient bones. But when the moon rises, so do these slumbering skeletons — ready to tango, fandango, shimmy and shake! This exuberant read-aloud imagines what the dinosaur skeletons of world-famous Drumheller, Alberta, get up to when everyone’s asleep. Kids will want to thumpity-thump along with these dynamic dinos as they dance across the dark, dusty Badlands.
Prehistoric Actual Size
by Steve Jenkins
How big were the dinosaurs? This book shows the actual size of the animals and you can even compare them to the children. (A great teaching tool!)
Dinosaurrumpus
By Tony Mitton
Where can you find a Deinosuchus that practically pirouettes on its tail and a T-Rex that bounds gracefully through the air? Between the pages of Tony Mitton's Dinosaurumpus, where dinosaurs run, boom, shake, and shudder their way to the "sludgy old swamp" and rock the night away. Mitton's delightful rhyme and Parker-Rees's whimsical illustrations will make children want to join in the dance while they learn about some of their favorite prehistoric pals. By the time the romp is over and the dinosaurs are fast asleep, kids won't be able to shake that jumping, thumping Dinosaurumpus beat!
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