Signature Assignment

ECD 460
Fresno Pacific University
Stephanie Wagerer, Nikki Martinez, Tiffany Laygo

Group Theme-Dinosaurs

Unit Focus: Algebra and Functions 1.0 Children

expand their understanding of sorting and
classifying objects in their everyday environment.

Individual Unit Topic-Art

Dinosaur Feet Collage
Standard to be addressed: Visual Art 2.4 Use paper and other materials to make
a two- and three-dimensional assembled works.
Title: Dinosaur Feet Collage
Small Group focus: 4 students maximum
Objective: Children will understand the use of materials to create a two- or threedimensional project using a variety of materials to create a collage of different
dinosaur tracks. The collage will also help children understand classification as
they observe the differences between carnivores and herbivores.

Materials Needed
Stiff Cardboard
Glue
Cotton balls or pom-poms
Stamp pads
Sponge stamps cut in a variety of dinosaur footprints
Silk leaves
Crayons
Air Dry Clay
Construction Paper

Procedure:
Review: Children will be familiar with dinosaurs as well as the individual art supplies.
Overview: Children will be presented with the idea of creating a prehistoric scene where dinosaurs have
walked.
Presentation: At the art center, children will be presented with a variety of materials to create an art collage
centered on dinosaur feet. The sponge stamps will be cut into a variety of dinosaur tracks which the children are
familiar with. Using the stamps on the cardboard, the children can create several different tracks belonging to
different dinosaurs. Using the clay, leaves, paper, and crayons, they can complete the scene to add trees, rocks, or
rivers as well.
Differentiated Instruction: The lesson focuses primarily on the preference for tactile learning. The materials used
offer a wide variety of tactile experiences including soft, rough, sticky, squishy, hard, and smooth.
Discussion Questions:
Do all the dinosaurs have the same type of footprint?
What do the footprints have in common?
Who are there no more dinosaurs on the earth?
If you were a dinosaur, what would your footprint look like?
What animals are distant relatives of dinosaurs?

Evidence of Learning: Students will meet the objective by using three or more materials to create a two- or threedimensional collage. One of the materials they must use are the sponge stampers and stamp pad.
Next Steps: If the student is unable to meet the objective, they will be allowed to explore the art materials and
create an art project that is meaningful to the lesson.
Home Extension Activity: Dinosaur footprints in the dirt. Children and their parents can create dinosaur tracks
in the dirt with their feet. They can compare sizes of individual footprints as well as try to see if they can make a
smaller or bigger dinosaur track with their feet. The activity helps reinforce non-standard measurements, size
comparison, and art using natural materials.

Individual Unit Topic-Math

Dino-size
Standard to be addressed: Measurement (1.1 ) Compare two objects by length,
weight, or capacity directly (California Preschool Foundations, 2008, p. 155).
Title: Dino-size
Small Group focus: 3-5 children
Objective: Students will be able to measure and compare and contrast the
measurements of their feet with the dinosaur foot. Students will be able to arrange
the cutouts of their feet by size.

Materials Needed
Book How Big Were Dinosaurs by Lita Judge
3-5 pieces of construction paper
2-3 scissors
2-3 pencils or pens
1 large cutout of a dinosaur foot (made from a green poster board)
1 chart that lists all of the childrens names with a blank space next to it

Procedure:
Review Children should have background knowledge of basic numbers and counting. Children
should also be familiar with the term measure.
Overview Explain to the children that they are going to be working with a dinosaur foot and
measurements. Students will be given materials that will motivate them to want to measure.
Presentation Read the book How Big Were Dinosaurs by Lita Judge. Pause on pages and have the
children describe the size of the dinosaurs. Each child will receive one piece of construction paper. Have
each child stand on the construction paper and help them trace their foot. Have students cut out the
outline of their foot. The students will then count how many of their feet it takes to make one dinosaur
foot. After they are finished measuring, have the children arrange their cutouts from largest to smallest
with the dinosaur foot first. Discuss their findings. Record their answers using a chart. Have the children
sit in a circle and give them the opportunity to share their work.
Differentiated Instruction: The lesson addresses multisensory learning (visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic). The children learn from hearing the story and seeing the pictures. The activity itself is
designed for kinesthetic learners as the students are physically carrying out the activity and learning
hands on.

Discussion Questions:
1.

Which foot was bigger, the dinosaur foot or yours?

2.

How many of your feet did it take to make one dinosaur foot?

3.

Why are your answers different?

4.

Which of you could fit the most amount of feet in the dinosaur foot? Why?

5.
Which of you could fit the least amount of feet in the dinosaur foot? Why?
Evidence of Learning: Students will be able to measure the dinosaur foot using the cutouts of their feet. Students will be
able to communicate how many feet it took to make one dinosaur foot. Students will be able to accurately sort their feet
from smallest to largest.
Next Steps: If the students did show evidence of meeting the objective, I will introduce new objects to measure. If the
students show evidence of meeting this objective, I would incorporate actual measurements using a ruler. If the students
did not show evidence of meeting the objective, I will revisit the assignment. I will provide more individualized attention.
Home Extension Activity: Children and their parents can incorporate the dinosaur foot into the measurements. Children
will be able to compare the size of the dinosaur foot to the size of larger objects in the home- such as a table, bathtub, etc.
Children can create a chart with their parents that lists the largest objects to the smallest objects.

Individual Unit Topic- Language and Literacy

Dinosaur Comparing
Standard to be addressed: Comprehension and analysis of age-appropriate text 4.2: Use information
from informational text in variety of ways, including describing, relating, categorizing, or comparing and
contrasting.
Title: Dinosaur Comparing
Small Group focus: Group project. Whole class would be ideal so children can be exposed to new
vocabulary, ideas, and concepts.
Objective: Students will be able to compare and contrast dinosaurs, describe dinosaurs using descriptive
words, and use new vocabulary.

Materials Needed
-

The Greatest Dinosaur Ever by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Venn-diagram (on whiteboard or big piece of paper)

Procedure:
Review: Children must know that dinosaurs no longer exist. Children must also know what compare
and contrast means.
Overview: I will show children a venn-diagram and explain each part of the diagram. I will also show them
the cover of the book, The Greatest DInosaur Ever by Brenda Z. Guiberson.
Presentation:
Show children the venn-diagram and explain how it works.
Tell children to listen to the story and be thinking of ways each dinosaur in the book is different and the
same as the next dinosaur.
Read The Greatest Dinosaur Ever to the class.
Call on children and have them describe the dinosaurs in the book.
Next, have the children compare and contrast each dinosaur and write their answers in the venn-diagram.
Review the diagram once completed and post on wall so children can go back and visually see the text.

Differentiated Instruction: This lesson covers two learning styles. Children who are auditory learners
will be able to hear the book and their classmates answers. They will be able to gain new knowledge
through conversations. Children who are visual learners will be able to see the pictures from the book
and the text in the venn-diagram.
Discussion Questions:
How are the Tyrannosaurus rex and Therizinosaurus alike and different?
How did the dinosaurs in the book survive?
What would happen if dinosaurs did not become extinct?
What was the first dinosaur mentioned in the book?
What type of dinosaurs were found in the book?
Evidence of learning:
I will know that children understand compare and contrast if they can give me examples explaining why
certain dinosaurs are alike and different.
Children will be able to use new vocabulary words in the correct content.
Children will be able to use descriptive words to describe the dinosaurs found in the book.

Next Steps:
If children can compare and contrast the dinosaurs in this book, I will have them compare and contrast
two different books. For children who are grasping the compare and contrast concept, I will have them
start comparing and contrasting things in their everyday life.
If children are not getting the compare and contrast concept, I will have children sort colored dinosaurs
by color. I will ask children to explain how they sorted the dinosaurs and explain how the dinosaurs are
alike(comparing) and how they are different (contrasting).
Home Extension Activity:
I will send a venn-diagram home with each student. I will have the children compare two objects,
books, people, cartoon, etc. that they find at home.
Over the next few days, I will call on each student to explain their venn-diagram to their classmates.

Individual unit topic-Music

Standard to be Addressed: Music 1.2 Demonstrate more complex repeating
melody and rhythm patterns
Title: Dinosaur Song
Small group focus: whole group circle time
Objective: Students will be able to sing along to a song about a baby, mama, and
daddy dinosaur. They will be able to distinguish small, quiet, medium, regular,
large, and loud.

Materials Needed
Children
Voices
Hands

Procedure:
Review: Children are familiar with dinosaurs and the sounds they make.
Overview: Before the song children will be reminded that baby dinosaur uses a quiet voice, mama uses a
regular voice, and daddy uses a loud voice.
Presentation: sing the song with hand motions.
Here he comes, from afar, (hold fingertips together and walk quietly like tiptoe with hands onlegs)
That little baby dinosaur,
Earth quakes, trees shake, (tap hands on legs repeatedly for quake, shake hands in fists for trees)
Listen to the sound he makes (hold hands up like claws and say rawr)
(Baby is soft, mama is regular, daddy is loud. All hand motions and voices reflect that)

Differentiated Instruction: The song focuses on auditory discrimination between sounds that
both singing and hand motions make. The song also focuses on a kinesthetic approach by
allowing children to use their whole bodies to perform the motions in the song.
Discussion Questions:
-

Why does baby use a soft voice, but daddy uses a loud voice?

How many dinosaurs do we sing about?

Are there other dinosaurs that we could sing about? Do the dinosaurs have family
members?

If you were a dinosaur, what sound would you make?

Could we sing this song about our class? What would happen if we did?

Evidence of Learning: Children will be able to sing along, and talk about the differences in volume between the
three dinosaurs.
Next Steps: If children are not able to follow the song the first time, they will be given ample opportunity to
continue to sing and practice.
Home Extension Activity: At home, find a favorite item or animal, and make up a silly song about it and what it is
doing.

References
California Preschool Learning Foundations (Vol. 1). (2010). Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.
California Preschool Learning Foundations (Vol. 2). (2010). Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.