Dinosaurs Fascinate Washington Second Graders
They disappeared 65 million years ago, but dinosaurs are still managed to fascinate a class of Washington Primary School second graders. The youngsters recently completed a unit that focused on the giant creatures that once roamed across the earth.
Teacher Patricia Maltempo's class participated in a multi-disciplinary activity that touched on science, English, math, history, art, music and even dance. Students used library materials to gather information about specific dinosaurs, their habitats, diets, physical characteristics, life spans and a variety of other interesting tidbits.
The experience helped the youngsters to increase their knowledge of science and gain a better understanding of general research techniques. Students used the results of their studies to develop projects on extinct animals, ultimately producing written reports and appealing dioramas.
After students put the finishing touches on their work last week, the class held a public exhibition. A crowd of parents, grandparents and family members turned out to view the display. Mrs. Maltempo's faculty colleagues brought their classes through the exhibit, too.
"It was exciting to watch the second graders recite stories about their projects," Mrs. Maltempo said. "They were very happy to discuss facts and figures and answer questions. It was a great experience for them and required them to think fast on their feet."
The youngsters worked in cooperative groups (carnivores, herbivores, flying and swimming and plated, spiked and horned) during the research phase and created volcanoes, fossils, dioramas, dinosaur landscapes, fact sheets and small books.
"The projects were very well-done," Principal Marsha Neville said. "The displays required a great deal of hard work. Everyone who viewed the exhibit was impressed."
What led to the extinction of the dinosaurs? Was it a giant asteroid strike or some other natural catastrophe? It was a question that was energetically debated by the second graders with a handful of theories being kicked around.
"The whole class had a lot of fun with this unit," Mrs. Maltempo said. "It's nice to see how proud they are of what they were able to create. I'm really proud of them, too."