The only issue is the subject they chose this time. DINOSAURS.
They have been asking to do this for a while. Every year when we have our brainstorm on which themes they would love to learn about, dinosaurs have always been on the list. I have been very hesitant to even add it to mine for a very simple reason:
As a Bible-believing Christian, I firmly believe in Creation. As most of you are aware, almost every single bit of literature and information on dinosaurs is peppered with the concept that they lived MILLIONS of YEARS ago, and that different species of the ones discussed in said literature have evolved from other species. And also that they became extinct MILLIONS of YEARS before man evolved from apes...
This type of info is very hard for anyone to get around. It is somewhat evident that the theory of evolution was formed and then the scientist started fitting the evidence they found into the theory, as opposed to finding evidence and forming a theory to fit what they found. We have so much of the facts of what was actually found blended into supposition and theory that is also stated as fact, it's too hard to sort through the two and find the truth.
I have lived my life seeing VERY strong evidence that God not only exists, but also loves me very personally and speaks directly to my own heart, proving Himself to me on more occasions than I can count. I know that He is real, because of the evidence. I want my kids to know that, too. On very personal levels.
Since I know God is real, and the Bible is real, I know that whatever evidence we find of dinosaurs will have truths and when we see that, we can be sure of it. The only problem is finding fact about what we do and can know about the bones and fossils we have found, and what their remains can tell us, using all the modern info and technology we have, that has not been littered with suppositions and guesses fitting into the evolution theory and stated as fact along with the actual facts.
Really tough to find, folks. So, because of that, I have not taken this project on until now.
So, where to start? First of all, I googled.
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| I like this one the best :) |
I looked up the key words Dinosaurs and the Bible. There were several very informative websites right at the beginning of the search. I stuck with those after reading through them a few. I just knew I couldn't have been the only one searching for truths amidst the myths. If this subject interests you, here are some of the websites listed:
www.AnswersInGenesis.org/articles/1999/11/05/dinosaurs-and-the-bible
www.clarifyingChristianity.com/dinos.shtml
www.angelfire.com/mi/dinosaurs/behemoth.html
www.dinosaursinthebible.com
The main info I got is:
1) That there are dinosaur fossils and evidence.
2)They did become extinct at some point.
3) According to the Bible, God created the whole earth and everything in it in 6 days and rested on the 7th. And that He created animals and man on the same day, the 6th. So from this we know that man and dinosaurs must have roamed the earth at the same time.
4) That the name 'dinosaur' was not given by Adam, but coined in 1841 by Dr. Richard Owen. So obviously we would not find the term "dinosaur" in the Bible.
But since they did exist and we know this from the evidence, there must have been something about them, being so big and all, written somewhere in history, right? That's when they get into the creatures referred to as Behemoths in Job.
I thought I would start teaching the kids the difference between the stuff we can know from the evidence as fact, the stuff we can suppose, based on likelihood from the stuff we do know, and the other stuff the scientist say they know, like exactly how old the dinosaurs and earth are, and how long the eras were, etc. and simply state as fact. That way I can read through the science books from the library and just skim over the suppositions.
Then I got a lot of stories that are cute, fun, kids stories that include dinosaurs but aren't factual, just fiction fun. They can either read them to each other or I can read them aloud and show them the pictures. Stories like "How Does a Dinosaur Say Goodnight?" by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague,
and "Saturday Night at The Dinosaur Stomp" by Carol Diggory Shields & illustrated by Scott Nash.
The fun of these books is that they name certain dinosaurs and with the color illustrations, I thought it would be a fun way to introduce the species. And help the kids with reading and vocabulary.
The next part is "Hands-on".
(Side note: I have these great art devices called Bendaroos.
Brightly colored, wax-coated string that sticks to itself, but can easily come apart for reuse, and sticks to surfaces but come off easily without residue. They can be bent into any shape. It's better than play-dough, people. Get some! That is, if you wanna...)
Each day I encourage the kids (including the toddlers/ preschoolers in this part) to create or explore with hands-on play. Some days it's play-dough and they have to make dinos and their nests, some days it's dino stickers, some days we have a big tub of rice and bury toy dinos in there, and they have to uncover them, like real paleontologists do. I also had them try to make skeletons out of either Q-tips or craft sticks. Fun.
I can use this pattern and have them build onto it with the craft sticks, and glue.
Another hands-on activity is getting leaves and other things, and doing rubbings on paper with them, to replicate fossils.
I also like to do a memory verse a week in my class. Not every time I have picked verses have I related them to the unit subject, but in this case, I thought it would be very appropriate to include versed that back up the creation-based truths we need to remember when reading about dinosaurs. The first verse of week one in January was Exodus 20:11
" For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy."
Other things I do with the dinosaur subject is incorporate it into math, spelling and vocabulary and penmanship (all in one), and science and history.
I read the science books that have historical facts about what and when certain fossils were discovered and by whom and quiz the kids. I have them repeat a word they don't recognize and I give them the meaning, write it and the meaning out on the grease-board, have them copy it in their notebooks and then rewrite it in their best handwriting, then quiz them on the spelling.
Math is more creative. But I found a website that I became a member of that allows you to print out worksheets that incorporate themes, and they have dinosaurs as one of their themes. I can choose the grade level (up to 3rd) and which worksheets to print out. Works out really well. It is called www.learningpage.com and you go under theme sheets and pick the theme from the six themes they have. Then click the 'funsheets' tab and choose your grade level and subject.
I also have them act out stories of the dinosaurs in the puppetshow theater. They didn't make puppets, just used toy dinos. But a fun way to use their imaginations.
I really like teaching in this format. It evokes a lot more cooperation from my lovely students. And I get to be way more creative. And I learn as well. I try to keep my kids' learning styles in mind as I go, breaking up writing with active stuff and reading with hands-on stuff, letting my son recite and memorize things while standing and marching, etc... This works out the best.
There you have my unit on dinosaurs. Next month we'll just have to see how it goes...Stay tuned.
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| I thought this was cute, and kinda funny. |
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