Washington Second Graders
Love Dinosaurs
What youngster isn't fascinated by dinosaurs? The creatures seem to interest kids of all ages. Washington Primary School second graders are no different than their peers across the world. A recent unit at the school proved the point.
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 grow in their knowledge of science and gain a better understanding of general research techniques. Students took the results of their research to develop projects on extinct animals, ultimately producing written reports and dioramas.
After students put the finishing touches on their work, 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 to the exhibit, too.
"It was fun to watch the second graders recite stories about their projects," Mrs. Maltempo said. "They enjoyed discussing facts and figures and answering questions. It was a great experience for them and made them 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 interesting and well-done," Principal Marsha Neville said. "It was obvious that a great deal of hard work went into each of them. Everyone who viewed the exhibit was impressed."
What caused the dinosaurs to become extinct? It was a question that was excitedly debated by the second graders with four different theories being kicked around.
"The class had a lot of fun with this unit," Mrs. Maltempo said. "The kids were proud of what they created. I'm proud of them, too."