The Magic Tree House: Dinosaurs Before Dark

 


Dinosaurs Before Dark (1992) was written by Mary Pope Osborne.  I read this fictional text to my students during our dinosaur unit.  I read this to give my students an immersive experience of what it would be like to run with the dinosaurs.  The knowledge the students gained about the dinosaurs within the text helped fuel their desire to learn more as I read informational text throughout the week.  The students show a particular interest in T-Rexes.  This led me to be able to dive deeper into the difference between carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores.  The students loved getting to choose their favorite dinosaur out of the options given based on their classification.  I presented each student two options for each of the following categories: carnivore, herbivore, and herbivore.  The students then had a family involvement activity to draw their dinosaur and three facts about it.  My students absolutely loved this project!  

Comments

  1. Mrs. PlottNovember 11, 2023 at 11:09 AM

    I love this book! I read this book to my class every year. It is a great start to introduce them to chapter books and series of books to help plant the seed for a love of reading! Great pick!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ashley McCordNovember 12, 2023 at 8:57 PM

    Magic Treehouse books were one of my favorites as a kid. I have not tried reading them to my pre-k classroom but after reading your post, I will add them to my list. Thank you for the suggestion.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ms. JohnstonDecember 2, 2023 at 7:48 PM

    The book was my students' favorite from last year! I love your idea of using it to introduce science activities and family involvement.

    ReplyDelete

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