Hi Darren & Jackie
Once again, we want to thank you for coming to us on Thursday and bringing along your amazing collection of dinosaur exhibits. Children and adults found the whole experience educational, exciting, intriguing, and, above all, fun. From the moment you started unloading the exhibits to the time the certificates were handed out, the children were absorbed and engaged. The hands-on and interactive opportunities enabled the children to extend their own knowledge as well as discovering new and fascinating facts
We highly recommend your services to other early childhood centres and kindergartens and would be more than happy to be used as a reference.
Dinosaurly yours,
Lyn, Jo, and Frances.
Maungaraki Kindergarten
Dear Darren & Jackie
We would all like to thank you for your informative and fun filled session that you shared with the children. The children are already asking when you will be back!
The variety of experiences you shared proved a hit with every one, from art activities, information group time, inflatable outside dinosaurs, and being able to look at, and touch all the precious artifacts. There was no pressure on time and everyone was able to explore the resources at their own pace.
Our parents also benefited from your vast knowledge, wonderful resources and the apparent enjoyment, you showed for your job.
Many thanks.
Diane, Andrew and Christine
Ascot Park Kindergarten
Dinosaur Rock NZ Visit
Pencarrow Kindergarten,Wainuiomata
1 December 2004
It was to be an interactive fun filled morning for the children. It was much more than that. And it all started when Dinosaurs Rock pulled up in their wagon. They passed over the fence to the children the ‘mini’ dinosaurs – they were much bigger than the ones that we have, some of the children were able to name them. While the children were playing with these they set up their display inside. The last thing to be unpacked was the blow up dinosaur.
It was huge, taller than the outside swings. The children were able to measure themselves against it to see how big some dinosaurs actually were. It was a pleasure for the children to be able to play with the mini dinosaurs anywhere – inside or out; it was a definite hands-on experience.
After everything was finally set up inside the children came in for a mat-time where Darren and Jackie then explained to the children all about dinosaurs, the different types of fossils – trace fossils and body fossils.
The children were invited to take part in the presentation and to interact by comparing their bodies against the dinosaur bones and fossils. Darren told stories to the children about how dinosaurs would capture their prey; he pretended to use a child as ‘bait’- comparing the dinosaurs jawbone size to that of a child’s head. He also showed how the dinosaurs would have used their claws to grab hold of what they wanted to eat; again he used a child as ‘bait’.
This was followed by the children painting a plaster mould of a dinosaurs ‘trace fossil/foot print. Some children did dinosaur sponge painting others drew pictures. All the children were then able to touch, hold and feel the dinosaur items on display. Several children were able to sit on top of the three foot high T-Rex.
At the end of the session Jackie called each child’s name and Darren officially shook their hand and presented them with a certificate, which they were immensely proud to receive.
Pencarrow Kindergarten
Learning Outcomes
Belonging
The children develop an interest and pleasure in discovering an unfamiliar wider world.
Contribution
Children develop a perception of themselves as capable of acquiring new interests.
- The children will now take a deeper interest in dinosaurs because they have had an Opportunity to have a hands-on experience.
Communication
Children develop an opportunity to extend their language, their vocabulary.
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The children have had an opportunity to learn new words or the opportunity to reinforce Others. Example – Herbivore, Carnivore, fossil, trace fossil, body fossil.
Exploration
The children develop their ability to explore and modify their own working theories about the natural world.
- After listening to Darren the children have learnt that the most well known dinosaur the T-Rex was in actual fact a ‘scavenger’ and probably ate kills left over from other dinosaurs.
