Dino-mite!

I’m sorry.
I know I said I would post regularly and then…I didn’t.

I’m sorry.

I caught some kind of ridiculous bug last week.  I cycled through fevers and chills….and while I was sick I thought it would be a good idea to read up on all the crazy nonsense that’s in our food (pesticides, hormones, etc.).  That fed into my abnormal anxiety…so now I think I’ve got some crazy chicken hormone growing inside of me…and I haven’t been able to eat normal food…making me feel not like myself at all…

So I’m sorry for my absence…I’ve just been a little loopy.  But to make up for it…I brought gifts.

There are quite a few things I geek out about.  Here they are in no particular order.
1) Reality shows
2) Doctor Who
3) Texas
4) Space
5) Dinosaurs
6) Purple
7) Ice cream

I could go on.
This week and next week we are learning about DINOSAURS!  I’m so excited to teach my darlings about dinosaurs.  There’s so much information and fun stuff to do!
One year, I had an amazing student teacher.  She was teaching the kids about fossils and found/came up with an amazing activity to do with them to create their own fossils frozen in amber.  She mixed clear liquid glue and yellow food coloring together.  Next, she placed dragonfly buttons at the bottom of a plastic cup and poured the “amber” (glue mix) over it, until the amber fully engulfed the button.  The mix had to dry for a few days…but when they did, each kid had their very own amber disk!  It was so cool and the kids loved it.  So of course I wanted to try/steal the project with my darlings.  I searched everywhere for some kind of insect button or small toy to place in the amber…but came up short.  So instead I spent this weekend creating some adorable activities for my kiddos to work on during the upcoming weeks.

 I bought this game years ago at the Discovery store.  I think those stores are now closed but they had the best games!  This is a Dino Excavation game.  It’s just like Operation…and the kids pull out different bones from the T-Rex.  If you touch the sides…it roars!

 I created a game I call Dino Sight Word Search.  There are pictures of different fossils with sight words on them.  Then, I put some sand in a box and threw the cards in.  I explained to my kiddos that they needed to use their brush to carefully uncover the different fossils.  Each time they found a sight word, they wrote it down on the recording sheet (below).  This was the first time we used sand in our room…the kids did such a great job! They were so delicate and patient as they unearthed their fossils.  

                                                        

 This is a simple Bump It! game.  It just features dinosaurs.  My kids LOVE the various Bump It! games.  Such a great addition fact practice.

We’ve only got 11 more days left! This dinosaur unit is a great way to keep them excited and engaged while we wind down the year.  I’ve got a few more things to add before this unit is up on TpT…but in the meantime, please enjoy these freebies!

I’m trying out a new feature on my Facebook page…This Dino bump game is featured as a freebie..But you have to like my page…Click the picture to take you there!

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5 Comments

  1. Unknown
    May 31, 2013 / 7:26 pm

    Great post! I love the excavating game and would have loved to have that for a few of my boys this year–they were all about dinosaurs and just discovered what it means to excavate. :0) Love the excavating activity you created as well. I just found your blog and am a new follower! I will be back to read future posts…

    Smiles,
    Sarah @ Hoots N Hollers

  2. Andrea
    June 6, 2013 / 5:00 am

    I love the idea of putting sight words into the sand and sending the students on an excavation. I think I will try this with my daughter this summer. I enjoyed reading it. I am your newest follower.

    Andrea

  3. Katie Orr (Mind Sparks)
    June 11, 2013 / 1:39 am

    I am your newest follower! I found you via Miss V's Busy Bee's blog giveaway!!

    Katie
    Mind Sparks

  4. Mrs. Phillips
    June 12, 2013 / 3:26 am

    So cute! I want to do your sight word search next year when we study dinosaurs. Thanks!
    Linda
    PS I'm your newest follower.
    Kindergartendoodles.blogspot.com

  5. vicky1970
    June 13, 2013 / 4:27 pm

    Hi Vera,
    Learning about dinosaurs is so engaging for the students, I bet they had a blast. Looks like fun!
    Vicky
    Traditions, Laughter and Happily Ever After