Language Arts

Rhyming words: As students listen to the CD, ask them to pick out the rhyming words. Discuss how some rhyming words are spelled differently, and how some words have the same spelling, but different beginning consonants.

Pick out two rhyming words that have the same endings. Show how these are word chunks or word families. Ex: name-game

Brainstorm with the students for other words that end with –ame: dame, fame, lame, etc.

Create a word family guide on chart paper. Invite the students to practice reading this list, reinforcing beginning letter sounds, and word chunk phonemic awareness.

Discuss the "ay" sound, and another chunk that is spelled differently, but as: ai. Have students in pairs make a list of words that have the "ai" spelling.

Discuss how sometimes rhyming words aren't spelled the same at all. Such as: bleachers-creatures. Make an overhead transparency of each page of the play. In pairs, have the students seek out the rhyming words that are spelled differently.

Discuss how different spellings are based upon different word origins, as English is a combination of Germanic, Old English, Greek, and Latin languages.

Meter: Discuss how some phrases have similar syllabic meter, allowing for the phrasing of rhyme. Discuss different kinds of meter: iambic pentameter, showing how rhyme and rhythm are connected.

Invite the students to create their own rhymes about favorite things.
Students can illustrate their rhymes and a class book can be created.

Vocabulary: Have students look up the definitions of words: era, reptile, keen, heed, tyke, herbivores, carnivore, omnivores.

Comprehension: Discuss how each word is used in the play and it's meaning.

Math/Science

When creating the props, such as, the dinosaur signs, explain how to use a ruler or yardstick. As different children create the various props in small groups, insist that they measure everything.

When creating the signs, be sure to use the precise measurement of a 2' x 3' rectangle. Explain how the symbol stands for feet.

Discuss the concepts of perimeter and area. (Perimeter = l x w)

Rhythm: Explain how rhythm is a mathematical concept. Practice clapping to the beat of each song. Explain that rhythm is just like fractions: some beats are longer, some beats are shorter, but they are all fractions (parts) of one musical phrase.

Have students research on the internet: the size and shapes of the dinosaurs, what their diets consisted of, and their habitats.

Compare sizes of the dinosaurs. Instruct them to make models of the dinosaurs using the best ratio as determined by research.

Have students create a diorama of a dinosaur habitat using a cardboard box. Have them create a booklet, scroll-a-rama (using paper towel rolls, shoebox, a roll of paper, markers, etc.) or computer generated project.

Science

Discuss the following terms: Mesozoic Era and the Jurassic Period. Determine what they mean in reference to the play.

Analyze the lyrics to the song, Herbivores and Carnivores.

Instruct the students to do a Venn diagram using cut out pictures from a magazine of different animals.

Social Studies

Discuss the atmosphere, climate, and habitat of our earth when dinosaurs roamed. Have students discuss how the present climate may or may not be conducive to dinosaurs living today.