MacKenzie Smiddy

LIS 60625
Mixed-Age Family Program

Dino Discoveries:
A Mixed-Age Family Program

A. Dino Discoveries is a station-based STEAM program that uses age-appropriate books, dramatic
play, sensory bins, and other activities to teach young children and caregivers all about
dinosaurs.
B. This program is best-suited for children ages 4-6. Registration for this program will be limited to
25 participants.
C. Due to the amount of set-up time and space required, this program will be held in the library’s
large auditorium.
D. Starting one month before the program, I will promote the program during monthly outreach
visits and in-branch preschool/family programs.
E. Goals & Objectives:
a. Program attendees will be able to identify a new species of dinosaur.
b. Program attendees will be able to define “fossil” and “paleontologist”.
c. Program attendees will be able to name one new dinosaur book.
F. I will ask the Communications Dept. to create signage one month prior to the program. I will
have the signage displayed in both the children’s area and entranceway bulletin board. The flyer
will also be posted to the library’s Facebook page and emailed to contacts as a PDF.
G. The promotional flyer is featured below:
MacKenzie Smiddy
LIS 60625
Mixed-Age Family Program

H. I will be responsible for presenting this program, but a volunteer or staff person will need to also
be in the room to assist program attendees.
I. Some materials for this program will need to be purchased using funds from the library’s youth
services budget. Others, like die-cuts, buttons, butcher paper, felt, sand, cups, play dough, etc.
are already available for use in the library’s craft closet.

Foam dinosaur masks = $10 Plastic dinosaurs = $16

Dinosaur skeletons = $8

Inch

Plastic plants = $10 Plaster of Paris = $8

cubes = $22

Approximate Cost: $74

J. No special materials or equipment will be needed.

K. Program Outline:

DINO DISCOVERIES

Program Length: Approximately 60 minutes

When families enter the room, I will hand caregivers a small dinosaur made of craft foam. These color-
coded dinosaurs will be used to split the families into small groups after our read-aloud session. I will
then welcome the attendees, introduce the topic with a dinosaur stuffed animal, and encourage the
children to share what they already know about dinosaurs. After sharing, I will introduce the read-aloud
book and participation song.

Book: Tadpole Rex by Kurt Cyrus

MacKenzie Smiddy
LIS 60625
Mixed-Age Family Program

Song: We Are the Dinosaurs by Laurie Berkner

I will then introduce the stations and assign families to their stations based on the color of their dinosaur
(Ex: red dinosaurs start at Station 1, blue at Station 2, etc). Once the families are stationed, they will
have approximately 10 minutes at each station before rotating to the next one. A one-minute warning
will be given prior to transitioning, and a bell will sound when it is time to rotate. Each station will
feature a “companion” book that supports the objective of that station. These same books and other
dinosaur-themed books will also be available at the reading nook station. It will be explained that the
reading nook is an open station that children and caregivers can visit any time during the program.

Station 1: Dinosaur Drama

Activity: Children and caregivers can engage in dinosaur-themed dramatic play using the sensory bin
and/or dinosaur masks. The station will feature a large, plastic container filled with sand, plastic plants,
different types of plastic dinosaurs, and some blue felt for water. Children and caregivers can engage in
free play, but I will also have laminated scenario cards for families who may need prompting. For
example, one of the cards will read, “Pretend that you and another dinosaur are thirsty. Stomp carefully
to the water hole – but watch out for the T-Rex!” Children and caregivers can also use the dinosaur
masks to dress up and act out the prompts.

Companion Book: I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur by Stella Blackstone

Station 2: Measuring Dino-Feet

Activity: I will have paper cutouts of ten different dinosaur footprints taped to the table and floor. They
will range in size from small to large. Children and caregivers will have several measuring tool options
such as inch-cubes, die-cuts of child-sized feet, rulers, or their own feet/bodies. They can measure each
dinosaur foot using the measurement tool of their choosing and record their findings on a chart
provided at the station.

Companion Book: How Big Were the Dinosaurs? by Bernard Most

Station 3: Fun with Fossils

Activity: At this station, children will create a fossil print using play dough and plaster of Paris. Each child
will roll a small piece of play dough into a ball and press it down into the bottom of a paper cup. Then,
they will take a plastic dinosaur skeleton and press it down into the play dough, leaving an imprint of the
skeleton behind. Then, the caregiver will help the child pour approximately 4 oz. of liquid plaster of Paris
into the cup. They will then put their child’s name on the cup and leave it by the auditorium sink to take
home after the program. Once the plaster dries at home, the cup and play dough can be peeled away to
reveal a beautiful dinosaur fossil!

Companion Book: Fossils Tell of Long Ago by Aliki

MacKenzie Smiddy
LIS 60625
Mixed-Age Family Program

Station 4: Dinosaur Hunt

Activity: Children and caregivers will be given a “field guide” featuring ten different dinosaurs hidden
around the room. The goal is to find each one, identify the species, and cross it off the list. Once all ten
dinosaurs have been found, the child/caregiver will receive a pin that reads “Future Paleontologist!”.

Companion Book: National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs by Catherine D. Hughes

For the remaining five minutes of the program, caregivers and children will complete a short survey. I will
also encourage families to select at least one dinosaur book to take home and read.

L. The following books will be used or made available during the program:

Fiction Dinosaur Books

Barton, Byron. Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs. HarperCollins. 1989.
Berkner, Laurie & Clanton, Ben. We Are the Dinosaurs. Simon & Schuster. 2017.
Blackstone, Stella & Beaton, Clara. I Dreamt I Was a Dinosaur. Barefoot Books. 2010.
Cyrus, Kurt. Tadpole Rex. Harcourt. 2008.
Joyce, William. Dinosaur Bob and His Adventures with the Family Lizardo. HarperCollins.
1997.
Most, Bernard. If the Dinosaurs Came Back. HMH Books for Young Readers. 1984.
Plourde, Lynn & Kendall, Gideon. Dino Pets. Dutton Children’s Books. 2007.
Stickland, Paul. Ten Terrible Dinosaurs. Puffin Books. 1997.
Stickland, Paul & Henrietta. Dinosaur Roar!. Puffin Books. 2009.
Yolen, Jane & Teague, Mark. How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?. The Blue Sky Press. 2009.
Willems, Mo. Edwina the Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct. Disney-Hyperion. 2006.

Nonfiction Dinosaur Books

Aliki. Digging Up Dinosaurs. HarperCollins. 1981.
Aliki. Fossils Tell of Long Ago. HarperCollins. 1972.
Berkowitz, Jacob & Mack, Steve. Jurassic Poop: What Dinosaurs (and Others) Left Behind. Kids
Can Press. 2006.
Hughes, Catherine & Tempesta, Franco. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of
Dinosaurs. National Geographic Children’s Books. 2011.
Jenkins, Steven. Prehistoric Actual Size. Houghton Mifflin Co. 2005.
Lach, William & Lambert, Johnny. I Am Not a Dinosaur. Sterling Children’s Books. 2016.
Most, Bernard. How Big Were the Dinosaurs?. HMH Books for Young Readers. 1994.
Priddy, Roger. Dinosaur A-Z. Priddy Books. 2004.
Priddy, Roger. My Big Dinosaur Book. Priddy Books. 2011.

A resource sheet featuring these 20 books, a list of preschool-friendly dinosaur websites, and a list of
STEAM resource books will be available for parents to pick up after the program.

Websites
http://www.kidsdinos.com/
http://discoverykids.com/category/dinosaurs/
MacKenzie Smiddy
LIS 60625
Mixed-Age Family Program

http://pbskids.org/games/dinosaur/
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/hubs/dinosaurs-and-prehistoric/

STEAM Resource Books

Carey, Anne. STEAM Kids: 50+ Science / Technology / Engineering / Art / Math Hands-On
Projects for Kids. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. 2016.
Citro, Asia. 150+ Screen-Free Activities for Kids: The Very Best and Easiest Playtime Activities
from FunAtHomeWithKids.com!. Adams Media. 2014.
Citro, Asia. The Curious Kid's Science Book: 100+ Creative Hands-On Activities for Ages 4-8.
The Innovative Press. 2015.
Moomaw, Sally. Teaching STEM in the Early Years: Activities for Integrating Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Redleaf Press. 2013.

M. I will evaluate the program by asking caregivers and children to fill out a simple, six-question
survey containing the following questions:
1. Did you enjoy today’s program?
2. Would you come to a similar program in the future?
3. Did you discover a new dinosaur today? If so, what was its name?
4. What is a fossil?
5. What does a paleontologist do?
6. Did you discover a new dinosaur book today? If so, what was the title?
N. Dino Discoveries is a one-time only program that is a part of the library’s monthly STEAM
programming series. Next month’s theme will focus on a different STEAM concept.