scenery and background for the culminating presentation. In science, the Omega boys continue to build on their understanding of scientific content. They learn that dinosaur fossils are essential artifacts that give paleontologists clues and information about dinosaurs and the time periods in which they lived. The boys especially enjoy excavating fossils and analyzing their findings! To prepare for the culminating performance, the Omega boys work with the music teachers to learn several songs about dinosaurs. They have the chance to use their new knowledge to write their own versions of a new song! The dinosaur unit is also integrated into the social studies curriculum in several ways. The boys continue to investigate and inquire about fossils. Through books, discussions, and their own research, the boys discover that many dinosaur fossils have been found across the United States. The boys learn about the geography of the United States through the use of a map. This helps them gain a better understanding about where dinosaur fossils were found. The boys learn that the United States is made up of fifty states and that cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) can be used as a tool to locate where a state is on a map. In addition to geography, this unit exposes the boys to the different historical time
periods and environments in which the dinosaurs lived. They explore the Mesozoic Era with an in-depth study that homes in on the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous time periods. As the ideas of adaptation and evolution are introduced, the boys are able to make connections between the different time periods and see how dinosaurs were able to adjust to the changes in their environments over time. After six weeks, the Omega paleontologists have gained a deeper understanding about dinosaurs through their comprehensive study in all subject areas. They have acquired answers to all of their initial questions and learned even more than they had hoped to! These young experts are now ready and excited to share their new knowledge and love of dinosaurs with family, teachers, and peers. The dinosaur show is an opportunity for the boys to collaborate and confidently present all that they have learned. The dinosaur unit leaves a lasting imprint on Omega boys. Former students still remember it as the highlight of their Omega year.? M
Meghan Zuckerman and Kara Cohen teach K Omega at Saint David’s.
Opposite page: The dinosaur unit is covered in art classes, as boys use their knowledge of dinosaurs to create their own. Below: The Omega Dinosaur Presentation, May 2009.
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