Our class has been obsessed with a book called Extinct Animals A-Z, so today we made a giant ruler to see how long these creatures were in real life. First, we rolled out a long piece of paper and marked one-foot increments along it. Then, I called out different numbers for the students to find and stand near. For each number, I would then reveal which creature had been that long or tall. We held hands in a line to see how many of us would fit inside the wingspan of the ancient pterosaur Quetzocoatlus—turns out, all 9 of us fit inside this 36 foot wingspan!

Math

• The students learned about measurement and length by marking one-foot increments on a long piece of paper.
• They practiced counting and identifying numbers by finding and standing near the marked numbers on the ruler.
• They developed an understanding of comparison and size by learning the lengths of different extinct animals and comparing them to their own heights.
• The concept of division and fractions was introduced as they discovered that all 9 of them could fit inside the 36-foot wingspan of the pterosaur Quetzocoatlus.

Continued development can include exploring more extinct animals and their sizes, creating a size comparison chart, or engaging in activities involving addition and subtraction with the measurements.

Book Recommendations

• Extinct Animals A-Z by Dougal Dixon: This book offers a comprehensive collection of extinct animals with detailed descriptions and illustrations. It's a perfect match for the class's current interest.
• Dinosaurumpus! by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees: This fun and rhythmic book introduces various types of dinosaurs through an entertaining story, capturing the imagination of young readers.
• How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague: This heartwarming book showcases the bedtime routines of different dinosaurs, blending humor and valuable lessons about behavior and manners.