Time for Stories: Dinosaurs Storytime Plan

2nd October 2007

posted in programming, picture books, children's literature, youth services, storytelling |

Theme: Dinosaurs
Planned by: Laura Baas
Ages: Preschool (adapt as necessary)
Length:30 minutes Created:09/20/07

Introduction and Song (5 minutes)
Introduction: What if dinosaurs still walked this earth? Can you imagine? Today we’ll look at some songs and stories where we can use our imaginations to think about dinosaurs and what they were like. Here we go…

Song and Rhyme:
Dinosaurs Walked this Earth (to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb, last verse is extra-interactive)
Dinosaurs walked on this Earth,
On this Earth, on this Earth.

Dinosaurs walked on this Earth,
A long, long time ago.
Tyrannosaurus Rex was the king,
Was the king, was the king.
Tyrannosaurus Rex was the king,
A long, long time ago.

Tyrannosaurus (child’s name) was the king,
Was the king, was the king.
Tyrannosaurus (child’s name) was the king,
A long, long time ago.

Dinosaurs lived long ago
Some walked
Stomp.
Some swam
Arms swim.
Some flew you know
Flap arms.
Some were big
Stretch up high.
Some were small
Crouch down low.
Some were gigantic don’t you know?
Stand tall, arms stretched wide.

Oh I Want to Be a Great Big Dinosaur
(Tune: “I Wish I Was an Oscar Meyer Wiener”)
Oh I want to be a great big dinosaur,
That is what I really want to be!
For if I were a great big dinosaur,
Everyone would run away from me…
Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!
Additional Verses:
Stomp away from me
Crawl away from me
Slither away from me

Books (20 minutes), Song inserted into middle:
Books (first three livelier and last three more reflective, select two of each):

Bus-A-Saurus Bop by Diane Z. Shore and David Clark Take kids for a hilarious ride by telling them about the bus-a-saurus, the bus that’s a cross between a bus and a dinosaur. Good starting school tale.
Dinasour Roar! By Paul Strickland
Uses dinosaurs in a fun way to teach antonyms.
Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp They rock and roll and twirl and tromp at the Dinosaur Stomp
Alternate Selection: Dinosaurumpus! (Hardcover) by Tony Mitton and Guy Parker-Rees

Song (between lively and quieter books):
Five Enormous Dinosaurs
5 enormous dinosaurs letting out a roar
(Roar.)
1 went away and then there were four.
4 enormous dinosaurs munching on a tree
(Munch up arms.)
1 went away and then there were three.
3 enormous dinosaurs didn’t know what to do
(Scratch head.)
1 went away and then there were two.
2 enormous dinosaurs having lots of fun
(Smile and laugh.)
1 went away and then there was one.
1 enormous dinosaur afraid to be a hero
(Hide face.)
He went away and then there were ZERO!

Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
Tells an enjoyable tale about acceptance of others who are different.
Danny and the Dinasour by Syd Hoff
Classic trip to the museum with a dinosaur story.
How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen and illus. by Mark Teague
Cute story teaching kids about bedtime routines; part of the mega-popular “How Do Dinosaurs…” series.

Option: Insert poems from Tyrannosaurus was a beast: dinosaur poems by Jack Prelutsky and illus. by Arnold Lobel instead of one or more of the above books.
Conclusion and Song (5 minutes):
Stomp, Stomp, Stomp
The first big dinosaur went stomp, stomp, stomp
I said to the first dinosaur, “Stop, stop, stop!”
The second big dinosaur went run, run, run,
I said to the second dinosaur, “Fun, fun, fun!”
The third big dinosaur went thump, thump, thump.
I said to the third dinosaur, “Jump, jump, jump!”
The fourth big dinosaur went whack, whack, whack
I said to the fourth dinosaur, “You stay back!”
The fifth big dinosaur went creep, creep, creep.
I said to the fifth dinosaur, “It’s time to sleep!”

Dinosaur Song (Sing to the tune of: “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear” but instead sing Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Turn Around, etc…)

Conclusion: Well, it might not be night-time yet, but it is time to say goodbye. Thanks for coming today. Please have fun using books for all kinds of learning and adventure. Don’t forget to check out some of these books or other ones on your way out. See you next time.

Time Fillers: Anything (book or song) not already used above OR

Tyrannosaurus was a beast: dinosaur poems by Jack Prelutsky and illus. by Arnold Lobel.

Craft: Search the web for a simple dinosaur such as the ones found at Activity Idea Place (Accessed: 09/20/07). Sample crafts from the site include: using pasta to make Dino Bones, using sponges for some Dinosaur Sponge Painting fun, creating Torn Paper Dino Pictures, and Sticker Art.

Books (Code: PB—picture book, BB—board book, ER—easy reader, CB—chapter book):

Bus-A-Saurus Bop by Diane Z. Shore and illus. David Clark (PB)
Flapdoodle Dinosaurs by David A. Carter (PB)
Ten Terrible Dinosaurs by Paul Strickland (PB)
Why the Banana Split by Rick Walton (PB)
Dinosaur Chase by Caroline Auto (PB)
Danny and the Dinasour by Syd Hoff (PB)
Tyrannosaurus was a beast: dinosaur poems by Jack Prelutsky and illus. by Arnold Lobel (PB)
Jane Yolen and Mark Teague’s How Do Dinosaurs… Series (PB)
Ian Whybrow’s Harry Harry and the Dinosaurs books (ER)
Byron Barton’s nonfiction dinosaur books (Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs; Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones) (PB)

Other Dinosaur Books to Display:

Detective Dinosaur by James Skofield (Author), R. W. Alley (Illustrator) (ER) (series)
Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Definitive Pop-Up by Robert Sabuda (Illustrator), Matthew Reinhart (Illustrator)
Magic Treehouse Dinosaur books (CB) series

Note: For more dinosaur books to display see Laura Baas’ WorldCat.org Dinosaurs–Juvenile Fiction list.