D is for Dinosaur

R learned about the letter "D" in school this week.  We are expanding upon the preschool theme with a few dinosaur books and crafts.

I cut dinosaur shapes (head, body, tail, and two legs) out of cardboard.  C and R painted their dinosaur parts; R chose pink, purple and a little yellow while C (the traditionalist!) chose green.

We used bendable straws and packaging tape to connect the legs and tail to the body, and used string to connect the head to the body.  Then we attached one long string to the head and one long string to the body to turn the dinosaurs into marionettes.  C and R also glued on googly eyes.

Now, on to the books we have been reading this week.

We are really enjoying How to Raise a Dinosaur by Natasha Wing.  C and R love all of the little details in the book, from the dinosaur bites on the pages to the surprises hiding under the flaps.  It's a fun book!

Dinorella by Pamela Duncan Edwards is a must read for the letter "D" if you are doing a letter based curriculum.  This is also a great book to teach alliteration.  The fractured fairy tale features Dinorella and her stepsisters, Doris and Dora. Dinorella attends the Dinosaur Dance at Duke Dudley's Den, compliments of a Fairydactyl, and comes upon the endangered Duke, about to be devoured by a dastardly deinonychus. Dinorella comes to the rescue and you can imagine the ending!

R has never had any interest in dinosaurs, but she really enjoyed both of these books.  C enjoyed both books too!  

The dinosaur craft idea came from DLTK-Kids.
I am linking this post to What My Child is Reading at Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns.