School pre k presentation

[laticauda]

In a couple of weeks I am going to speaking with pre k students about dinosaurs and collecting.  Anyone have any ideas on what I should present to the kids? The presentation is supposed to be about 15 min long. 

[PumperKrickel]

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[CityRaptor]

I think it is a good idea to avoid Grant's speech about Velociraptors, even if you update it. You know, the whole eating their prey alive thing is probably going to upset them.

[Neosodon]

I'd go over the different kinds of dinosaurs like therapods, ceratopsians, saurapods, etc and about collecting you could talk about the different brands and which ones are scientifically accurate and affordable. You could talk about how they're made and distributed but that may be to complicated for pre k.

[BlueKrono]

And be sure to mention collectibles' evolutionary regression, using Schleich's 2017 Acrocanthosaurus as an example.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

In a couple of weeks I am going to speaking with pre k students about dinosaurs and collecting.  Anyone have any ideas on what I should present to the kids? The presentation is supposed to be about 15 min long.

Some things I'm considering for my eventual Dinosaur Memorabilia and Art Museum ,  use various T-Rex models from different times to show the changing view of dinosaurs.  Also show them ones from when you were younger and compare to popular toys for their age group,  Dinosaur Train, DinoTrux, Jurassic Park.  Kids also love seeing how BIG dinos are, you can also compare them to sharks, a close second to dinos with many kids.  Add a few replicas of dinosaur fossils, teeth/skin and you should be able to wrap it up well bud.

[laticauda]

In a couple of weeks I am going to speaking with pre k students about dinosaurs and collecting.  Anyone have any ideas on what I should present to the kids? The presentation is supposed to be about 15 min long.

Well, I´m sure some of them will be surprised that adults can not only be interested in dinosaurs, but also collect toys. So, I´d start with a personal story that made you interested in dinosaur figures. Then I´d simply show off models of interesting species´, or maybe one species and how their depiction in toy form has changed over the years in relation to our better understanding of the species. Tyrannosaurus Rex would be a good, interesting pick. It´s always a good idea to keep kids that age involved in what you´re doing. For example, you could let them try to describe the differences between the models, instead of simply telling them.

Thanks for the ideas.  I agree, I should do with a quick personal background and use a couple of my Carnegies. 

I'd go over the different kinds of dinosaurs like therapods, ceratopsians, saurapods, etc and about collecting you could talk about the different brands and which ones are scientifically accurate and affordable. You could talk about how they're made and distributed but that may be to complicated for pre k.

Great suggestion on the different types of dinosaurs.  The different brands would probably go over their head.

And be sure to mention collectibles' evolutionary regression, using Schleich's 2017 Acrocanthosaurus as an example.

  I do not think they will care.



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Some things I'm considering for my eventual Dinosaur Memorabilia and Art Museum ,  use various T-Rex models from different times to show the changing view of dinosaurs.  Also show them ones from when you were younger and compare to popular toys for their age group,  Dinosaur Train, DinoTrux, Jurassic Park.  Kids also love seeing how BIG dinos are, you can also compare them to sharks, a close second to dinos with many kids.  Add a few replicas of dinosaur fossils, teeth/skin and you should be able to wrap it up well bud.
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Thanks for the ideas.  I am not sure about the sharks but I'm thinking that I should talk about birds being dinosaurs and feathering on dinosaurs.  Good point on size, I am thinking about bringing some of my sauropod toys.   

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I just meant in relation to age/size when compared with dinos. I get a lot of kids here asking where our Megalodon replica is..lol  I've also had the odd shark toys and books in the gift shop and they always sale.  Shows kids really like them if only 2nd to dinos.   No need to lecture on it, a single toy or a fossil tooth might help keep more attention .

If your doing a feather talk be sure to have some nicely feathered versions of toys like the Safari and CollectA pieces the more avian looking the better. I did a couple talks with kids and I laid out feathered dinos, a crocodile, an eagle and for fun a plesiosaur.  I them which ones were dinosaurs? Then we discussed their choices.

[Libraraptor]

What does pre k mean?

[CityRaptor]

Pre-Kindergarten. So we are dealing with children under 5 years here.

[laticauda]

What does pre k mean?

The students are 4 and 5 years old. 

[GasmaskMax]

I would suggest only discussing popular dinosaurs, because as I know personally, they will not hear dinosaur names they did not learn their self. So dont discuss cladistics, or things we think are popular like apatosaurus, diplodocus, spinosaurus, allosaurus, or styracosaurus, because believe me, NONE of them will so much as recognize any of those. Maybe mention that "pterodactyls" are not dinosaurs and that they are called pterosaurs, but that might be a stretch.

[PumperKrickel]

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[GasmaskMax]

I would suggest only discussing popular dinosaurs, because as I know personally, they will not hear dinosaur names they did not learn their self. So dont discuss cladistics, or things we think are popular like apatosaurus, diplodocus, spinosaurus, allosaurus, or styracosaurus, because believe me, NONE of them will so much as recognize any of those. Maybe mention that "pterodactyls" are not dinosaurs and that they are called pterosaurs, but that might be a stretch.

You just have to compare new dinosaurs with old ones. If he told them that Giganotosaurus was larger (and therefore obviously more dangerous) than T. Rex, it would instantly be their new favourite dinosaur. Or if he told them that Styracosaurus was basically a Triceratops with more horns (and therefore obviously more dangerous), they would remember it´s name. As long as you present exciting facts, that the children can relate to, it shouldn´t be a problem.

Thanks for the tip! 

[laticauda]

I think I'll buy a mini toob and pass out one animal to each kid.  A fun little send off at the end of my presentation.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I think I'll buy a mini toob and pass out one animal to each kid.  A fun little send off at the end of my presentation.

That could be fun! Double check with the teachers though, maybe a swallowing concern or a latex/rubber allergy...sad to say this my life..second guessing every cool idea I get thanks to experience. 

[BlueKrono]

Good call. Don't want anyone getting sued over a Leedsichys lodged in the throat.

[Lanthanotus]

I think I'll buy a mini toob and pass out one animal to each kid.  A fun little send off at the end of my presentation.

Good idea, would recommend though either to hand them out via letting the kids grab the figure blind from a bag or to have multiples of just one dinosaur model to avoid arguing about who get's which one. If you do not mind the extra work, you could equip every dino with a small tag with its name on it, era, plant/meat eater etc., so the kids can tell/discuss the figure later with their educators or parents if they want to.

[CityRaptor]

Yes, I agree. Some figures are more popular than others, if museum shops that sell single figures are anything to go by. Maybe get one of those bags:

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Good call. Don't want anyone getting sued over a Leedsichys lodged in the throat.

yeah but i hate being a downer..it's done to me every day here.  Just the other day posted i was looking for a donation of rubber mulch, researched materuials for days, supposed to be recommended for playgrounds and approved,  no wire, ect in it...then a lady made a huge fuss because she didnt want her kid developing a latex allergy by being exposed to it while playing here...no allergy but he might develop one..people make me want to give up sometimes.