The Dinosaur Box

I told you last week how I much I enjoyed the two-story education store I came across.  The top story was all bargain-priced items.  I spent most of my time up there.  My cousin was with me.  Because he is such a good listener, he remembered me mentioning that we are starting a Dinosaur unit study this week.  He found "The Dinosaur Box", a box of fifty index cards with dinosaur information and activities.  I was hesitant to agree that it was worthy of my purchase, seeing that it was published in 1980.  He pointed out that it was a bargain price of two dollars, so I put it in the basket.

I spent a few hours this past Friday planning our Dinosaur education, and I am telling you, this Dinosaur Box is awesome!  I am using it as the basis for our unit study.  We're doing 50 Days of Dinosaurs.  Each card inspires our information and activity for the day.  It made my planning so much easier and purposeful.  Of course, I'm supplementing with other resources, but this $2 bargain has turned out to be a priceless commodity for me.

Today we are being introduced to the study with "Myths About Dinosaurs".  Tomorrow we'll talk about "How Fossils Are Made".  Wednesday we'll learn "How Fossils Are Found".  We'll even find a fossil of our own.  Thursday we'll discuss "The Early Finds", when the first dinosaur bones were discovered. 

If you haven't noticed, I am super-excited, not only about the incredible deal my cousin found for me in this Dinosaur Box.  I'm also excited because I have two boys, ages 7 and 9.  Let's face it, boys LOVE dinosaurs.  So they are going to LOVE school (and their teacher), at least for the next fifty days.  For our field trips, we're going to visit various museums and the dinosaur exhibit at the zoo as well. 

My husband questioned the fifty-day-unit-study, with dinosaurs being extinct and not quite as relevant to us today as math and reading.  I gave him the look that says, "I'm the teacher!  How dare you question my methods!"  I don't think that eased his concern, but he'll see.  There is much to be learned from dinosaurs.  A unit study on dinosaurs is not just about dinosaurs.  It's about fossils and reptiles, exploring and discovering, imagining and creating.  My boys are going to enjoy reading, drawing, and writing about dinosaurs, more than any other topic we've explored. 

I'm quite certain this will be the greatest 50 days of homeschool we've experienced thus far.  WooHoo!  Happy Homeschooling to me!

The Dinosaur Box
written by Nancy Hathaway
Illustrated by Eric Alley
Educational Insights, Compton, CA 90220
(c) 1980