Early Childhood

Artists use their imagination and are curious about the past.

How can we imagine dinosaurs existing in the world today?

Students will create a landscape with dinosaurs by using at least three types of shapes and lines.

• paper
• colored construction paper scraps
• glue
• scissors
• pencils
• black markers
• crayons
• If the Dinosaurs Came Back (Clarion Books, 1984)
• reference images of cityscapes and dinosaurs

Step 1
Read the story If the Dinosaurs Came Back by Bernard Most. Prompt students by asking, “What do you think dinosaurs would do if they existed today?” Allow time for discussion and responses.

Step 2
Show examples of cityscapes. Ask students to identify different lines and shapes they see in the buildings, windows, and details. Then show different photos of dinosaurs and ask students what shapes make up the dinosaurs. Allow time for student responses.

Step 3
Demonstrate how to draw a simple cityscape such as a road, different shaped buildings, and details such as clouds and cars. Trace the drawing with black marker and have students repeat the steps.

Step 4
Show students how to use scraps of construction paper to create dinosaurs by using rectangles or ovals for the body and squares for legs, cutting and gluing them on paper. If time permits, students may color their cityscape with crayons.

Did students create a landscape by using different types of shapes and lines? Did they cut and glue shapes to create and layer dinosaurs on top of their landscape?

Emily Thaler is an art teacher at Bannockburn Elementary School in Bethesda, Maryland.