1st Grade Dinosaur Unit: Finished!

This week we've finished up our dinosaur unit in 1st grade.  What's really great, is that next year, when the teachers are following the Core Knowledge curriculum for the Common Core listening strand, this will fit PERFECTLY for their last unit, which is about the history of the earth.  In that particular unit, students will be learning about the inside of earth, the outer layer of earth, rocks and minerals, and fossils and dinosaurs!

I've uploaded my unit, rubrics and power point onto the smARTteacher website, so feel free to pop over and check it out!

Anyways, I've already shared our finished fossils, but here are the other two projects we did.

After we created our fossils, we made a dinosaur quilt.  I demonstrated to students how to draw an up-close view of a dinosaur.  We looked at and discussed how to create the illusion of dinosaur skin texture in our drawings, which was the point of this particular project.  Here's one of our finished dinosaur quilts...the other one still needs to be put together.  I think I may keep this as an auction item for the end of the year...

Our final project was to draw a dinosaur world.  We spent a class period practicing drawing dinosaurs using shapes (which builds upon my shape animal unit) using these hand-outs I found via Pinterest.  (My packet of these are on smARTteacher.)  The requirements for the final drawing were as follows:
     1.  Draw at least 3 large dinosaurs with texture.
     2.  Create depth in your drawing (using multiple horizon lines).
     3.  Draw an appropriate environment for your dinosaurs (no grass, ferns, volcanoes, lakes, etc.)
     4.  Use good craftsmanship when coloring.

I must say that I am extremely happy with their drawings!  I think I have a pretty talented group of 1st graders this year and I can't wait to see their progress as they move up through 6th grade!

My display in my corner case...I threw in some seashells with the fossils.  If I had my own dinosaurs, I would have put them in the case too, but I borrowed the dinosaurs we used for the fossils from my principal's son...

1st Grade Fossils and Dinosaurs!

1st graders are currently working on a dinosaur unit in class, so I decided to do fossils and dinosaurs in art!  Since the NYSATA conference, it has been my goal to start doing at least one clay project per grade level each year.  I used to only do it with 3rd-6th, but I was inspired and learned some great techniques to teach the younger students with real clay, not the air dry stuff!

So, to kick off the dinosaur unit, I started off with fossils.  I also had my first formal observation this year during one of these classes.  (It went pretty well!)  Anyways, we talked about why fossils are important (because they help us understand about dinosaurs and the earth's climate way back when...), how they were made, and what they were of.  This is where I incorporated the clay....as seen on Pinterest!

Here's how the first day went:
     1. Viewed the power point together about fossils and discussed.
     2. Everyone sat in a circle on the floor while I demonstrated how to pass the clay from hand to hand to "wedge" it. (I had already pre-wedged the clay for them, but I wanted them to get a basic understanding of why we have to do it.)
     3. I flattened the clay with my palm, and carefully pressed dinosaurs and seashells into the clay.
     4. Everyone went back to their seats and got a piece of Manila paper to work on.
     5. We reviewed the process, and then together we "wedged" and flattened our pieces.
     6. I passed out trays with toy dinosaurs and seashells.  While students pressed into their clay, I went around and carved their initials into the clay with a needle tool.
     7. Students cleaned up, and then while we waited for everyone to dry their hands, I had them discuss in their groups at their tables a fact to share with the class about fossils.  This was their ticket to line up.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of them working...it was a tad bit hectic with their excitement.  After they are fired, we will paint them with watered down black tempera, and then wipe the extra paint off to make them look weathered.

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On the second day of this unit, we talked about the different kinds of dinosaurs and their characteristics, which they have been doing in class as well.  We looked at some fossil pictures of dinosaur skin and talked about texture as well.  I printed off some "how to draw" sheets for dinosaurs, and I had the students practice drawing them on their own for the rest of class.

Today was the third day of the unit for Class A, and we continued with the theme of texture on dinosaurs.  I had seen multiple posts on Pinterest of doing close-up drawings of animal eyes so I decided to alter it for 1st grade dinosaurs.  We reviewed texture and talked about how to draw the dinosaur/reptile texture using lines and shapes.  I told them I wanted them to choose one interesting part of a dinosaur to draw close-up.  I also showed them three examples I drew, since I knew this was a little bit of abstract thinking for their part.  (Next time, when I'm not behind on my school work, I'll have print-outs of dinosaurs and view finders for them to use.  Either way they did quite well with this concept anyways.)  We drew them with pencil first, outlined with black Sharpie, and then colored with crayon.  

I am punching a hole in each corner so that they can all be tied together in a "dinosaur quilt".  Here's our progress on these so far!