This week we began our dinosaur unit!  The kids were excited to dive into the sensory table taking on the role as paleontologists. Also, we explored a variety of dinosaur stories and stretched our minds learning new dino facts!

Morning Meeting

We read a variety of non-fiction and fiction texts about dinosaurs.  We focused on the T-Rex and described the characteristics of this dinosaur compared to other animals.  We talked about what dinosaurs eat and their daily life.  Also, we saw a few videos from the program BrainPopJr.  The kids are always captivated by these videos because the narrator is a robot and takes them back in time when dinosaurs roamed the earth! 

Centers

In Language Arts I read a dinosaur poem and the kids found letters and sight words. Next, they drew a dinosaur of their own to create a story. In math the kids used a variety of foam shapes to build their own dinosaur. They were so imaginative about what their dinosaur looked like and even created their own name. They presented their pictures to the class during circle time. The pictures are displayed on the bulletin board inside the classroom. In the fine motor center the kids used scissors to cut out 10 strips of a puzzle. There were numbers and pictures on the puzzle to guide them in putting it together. They did this independently! 

Small groups

In reading groups the kids read an emergent reader about fossils.  They circled letters and sight words.  Also, they played a game called ‘Roar’ to help identify letter sounds.  In journals this week, the kids drew a picture of a dinosaur in their habitat. I am stretching many of them to label their drawings with words. In the independent center the kiddos played with the big blocks and dinosaurs and explored the sensory table.

Reading Buddies

We always love catching up with our sixth grade friends!

Next week we will continue our dinosaur unit!