Whether you Celebrate Passover, Ramadan or Easter, We hope it brings you Peace. Maybe with Family, Friends or just some time out for Yourself or perhaps All of the Above! At the Park Sunday was a Fun Day. The weather was Great – Sunny with a Light Breeze.
Did you know there are Easter Dinosaurs? Really! The EasTer Rex, the EasteRaptor (or Easter Raptor depending on their location in the Prehistoric World), EasTerceratops and many other Eastersaurs. Many of these Eastersaurs live at the Park!
Even Xiuhcoatl, the Easter Dragon. I like to think of Dragons as “Undiscovered Dinosaurs”!
Millions of years ago a group of Dinosaurs met to improve relationships for All Prehistoric Animals. Gifts were brought to share with All. This led to an Annual Tradition for Celebrating Sharing and Friendship, which We Really Should Do Every Day! The Time of the Year All the Prehistoric Animals selected happens to be the same time many Humans Celebrate Easter. Today Eastersaurs deliver Chocolate & Colored Eggs, Chocolate Dinosaurs and of course Chocolate Bunnies. Even Carnivores Love Chocolate! You may be lucky enough to receive a visit by an Eastersaurus one year! Remember They are Very Rare.
While the Eastersaurs were spreading Happiness with Brightly Colored Eggs & Chocolate Dinosaurs, I attempted to sneak a treat. The baby brontosaurs flew their kites and I shared a book with Delores del Rio Dilophosaurus.
The large woven Basket from a Holiday Gift carries the colored Dinosaur Eggs I made with a Watercolor, Styrofoam and an empty dog biscuit box. “James Gurney The World of Dinosaurs: A North American Selection” by Michael K. Brett-Surman, PHD & Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. provided inspiration for my Dinosaur Egg Watercolor. See post April 11, 2020 “Easter Rex, Easter Raptor & other Eastersaurus!” for detailed steps. https://www.paulsprehistoricpark.com/?p=4672
The previous design made with Sharpies & Colored Paper containing Eggs & Chocolate Brontosaurs still looks good (held by the Easter Raptor).
Saturday was another Fun ReadingtoKids.org Event. The theme for this months is “The Wonders of Science & Technology”! Our book list Kindergarten: “Little People, Big Dreams: Marie Curie” by Isabel Sanchez Vegara, 1st Grade: “Your Fantastic Elastic Brian” by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D., 2nd Grade: “A Computer Called Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Helped put America on the Moon” by Suzanne Slade (A Wonderful True Story!), 3rd Grade: “Ada Lace, on the Case (An Ada Lace Adventure)” by Emily Calandrelli, 4th Grade: “Spaced Out (Moon Base Alpha)” by Stuart Gibbs, 5th Grade: “Ungifted” by Gordon Korman.
Our craft opportunities were Great with Easter, Earth Day and our book themes to inspire us. I read to the 5th Graders this month. However, I provided a Rocket Ship craft for the 2nd grades too. In Ungifted the students Science Project is making a Robot. I showed the kids how to make cool Robots from card stock construction paper. Of course, there is a Dinosaur Robot and even a couple of rabbit robots for Easter. Dinosaurs popping out of Easter Eggs also with the card stock construction paper.
The Rocketship body is the cardboard tube from a finished toilet paper roll. I used Red and a Metallic Blue spray paint on the tubes. A compass to make semi-circles that are rolled to make the cone tops on the Rockets. Use your imagination to design fins for your Rockets and attach them to the tubes with invisible tape. See above for finished Rocketships.
For the Robots I searched online for images to inspire. I used one of my Dinosaur models to Draw the T-Rex then added features that would make him look more mechanical. Extra lines around joints to look attached, the Eye design and additional lines around the neck back & tail to appear as coils of metal. I used a 2B pencil followed by an artist pen 0.5 then Sharpies for the Color Splashes. When I cut them out, I made sure to have a large enough piece of the card stock construction paper below the drawings to fold for a base. This will allow your Robot to stand on its own. I used the card stock, due to is thickness. Thinner colored paper isn’t strong enough for your artwork to stand on its own. The sharpies bleed through the paper enough to help you draw and color the reverse side as well. You can use the base to write your Robots name or something it might say. How is this for an inexpensive, unique and creative toy you can make at home?
The Dinosaur Easter Eggs are Really Fun! Depending on how you decorate or don’t decorate the Egg they can be an All Year Round Display. You can even attach several of them to a canvas covered frame or even a piece of cardboard and create a nest! You can decorate the canvas or cardboard to appear as the floor of a forest, bushes or grassy meadow to place your Dinosaur Eggs. There’s no limit to what your imagination can conceive! What a nice piece of art this can be for your paleontologists room! First choose the colored of construction paper you want for your egg. The Egg size is your choice, make many different sizes if you like. Then decide the design you wish for the separating of the egg into two parts and cut.
I decorated the two pieces separately after cutting them apart. Place the two pieces together on top of the Colored Construction you want to make your Dinosaur. Make and outline of the Egg and remove. Now you have the space for your dinosaur to occupy (or other animal if you choose). I drew only the part of the dinosaur that would be visible when the top part of the egg is removed. Again, starting with a 2B pencil and finalizing with the artist 0.5 pen. You can use Sharpies, Crayons or pieces of other colored paper to complete your dinosaur. I made the Raptor so part of his claw would show from the crack in the egg. Do You know what kind of Dinosaurs the other two are?
Stay Tuned for More Dinosaur Crafts & Fun Facts!
Here are 3 of my favorites Museums. Remember Social Distancing & Masks as appropriate to keep You & Others Safe while Everyone Enjoys Their Learning Experience. Consider a Membership with the Museum. In addition to Supporting Their Valuable Work there are Benefits to You. Special Preview Events for Members Only as well as Virtual Access Exclusive for Members. For more information and access to general public eLearning check out the links below.
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County www.nhm.org under Research & Collections / Digitized Collections will allow you to browse their Collections. Check out the latest Activities on their site.
The American Natural History Museum www.amnh.org You will find eLearning for Families, Students & Educators. Explore the Museum Virtually. Check Out SciCafe: Video Talks and Meet the Icons: Stories behind the Exhibits! There are Video Series covering Behind the Scenes at the Museum with Space & Dinosaur Explainers.
Chicago’s Field Museum www.fieldmuseum.org You can talk to “Maximo the Titanosaur” online, Yes Really! Visit Sue the largest T-Rex discovered! Check Out “Brain Scoop” and the Learning Resources – many are also in Spanish.
Check Out Your Libraries eBooks. My local Library has over 900 eBooks on Dinosaurs! Here are four books for Drawing Dinosaurs that you might find at your Library. Ask your Librarian about others.
1-2-3 Draw Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Animals A step by step guide by Freddie Levin (2001)
Draw 50 Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Animals by Lee J. Ames (1977)
Draw it Dinosaurs by Patricia Walsh (2006)
I Can Draw Dinosaurs by Terry Longhurst (2003)
Stay Safe & Well.
Please Remember to Wear Masks & Social Distance as Appropriate Not everyone has been Vaccinated. And even vaccinated many Young & Old have compromised immune systems. Protect Yourself, Friends, Family & Everyone You Pass!
Thank You!
I used watercolors to make Dinosaur Designs on my N95 Masks. I couldn’t get a yes or no from 3M regarding any impact this might have to the effectiveness of the mask. Many Museums sell Dinosaur Themed Masks Check them Out!
“Encouraging the Appreciation of Art and Education through the Inspiration of Dinosaurs”
Paul & Prehistoric Pals
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