Art Center
Set out connect the dot dinosaurs. Have students trace the dots and color them in. Have students sound out the name of the dinosaur they are coloring.
// Lesson One
Alaska Long Ago
In this lesson about dinosaurs, children will learn about Alaska's dinosaurs and create a mural of what Alaska may have looked like in prehistoric times.
Objectives:
Children will know: Children will learn about Alaska’s dinosaurs.
Children will do: Children will create a mural of what Alaska looked like in prehistoric times.
Essential Questions:
- What is a dinosaur?
- What did Alaska look like long ago?
Alaska Native Values
Learning by doing, Respect for the environment
Standards — CHILD Partnership:
L10. Follows directions.
PSH6: Engages in play as a means of self-expression and creativity.
SSC1. Draws and constructs.
SSC 3. Describes changes in, makes predictions about, & describes relationships between living & non-living objects & natural events.
Promoting Culture Self Assessment
1. I display pictures, posters, and other materials that reflect the cultures and ethnic background of children and families served in my early childhood program or setting.
6. I encourage and provide opportunities and experiences for children that support Alaska Native culture.
Tawara D. Goode – National Center for Cultural Competence Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research & Service June 1989 – Revised 2002, 2004, 2005, & 2009.
Center Set Up
Whole Group:
Display essential questions. Display dinosaur figurines with their names. Display pictures of prehistoric Alaska.
Materials:
- Dinosaur laminated cutouts
- Construction paper
- Dry Erase Markers
- Green Streamers
- Stuffed Dinosaurs
- Model DInosaurs
- Picture of Prehistoric Alaska
- Fake plant
Lesson Activity
Engage
“When you think of what your village looks like what do you think of? Are there mountains or flat land? Are there rivers or lakes. Is it warm or cold? These are what our homes and villages look like now, but what do you think they looked like long long ago?” Show the picture of prehistoric Alaska. “This is what our homes looked like during the time of the dinosaurs. What are dinosaurs? Dinosaurs are animals that lived all over the world a long time ago, but have since died out, or became “extinct.” Place dinosaur models in front of students. “These are dinosaurs that used to live where we live now.” Show each dinosaur as you say it’s name. “Let’s work together to show what Alaska may have looked like millions of years ago.”
Explore
Activity – 15 minutes
Divide students into 5 groups. Have four groups color dinosaurs and the fifth one help set up the habitat. Direct dinosaur groups to use all sorts of different colors. Have the habitat group cut out streamers for vines and cut out large leaves out of construction paper. Have students work together to tape habitat elements and dinosaurs in a corner of the room. Place dinosaur figurines and stuffed dinosaurs in the setting as well.
Explain
“How is the dinosaur habitat from long ago different from where we live now? Even though it is the same place, plants and animals change over time. These Alaskan dinosaurs lived in a very different world than we live in now, but we can sometimes still see traces of that world in stones around our villages. These are clues that help us picture what the world used to look like. What do you think the world will look like in the future?”
Elaborate — Extension Activities
Evaluate
Emerging
Student does not participate.
Developing
Student participates in discussion but does not engage in activity.
Proficient
Student participates in discussion and engages in mural activity.
Advanced
Student participates in discussion, engages in mural activity, and shares a personal story.