Dinosaurs A to ZLearning Goals: To help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth.

What You Need:26 index cards (4x6 or 5x7)Thick markerCrayonsLyrics to "Dinosaurs A to Z" songPrintable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song

Link to “Dinosaurs A to Z” music video:http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dinosaursatoz.html

What to Do:1. Have your child brainstorm a list of all the kinds of dinosaurs he knows. Make a list of all guesses. (Don’t worry about spelling!) Then ask: How many different kinds of dinosaurs were there millions of years ago? Reveal the answer: No one knows. No people were around back then to see the dinosaurs, take pictures of them, write books on them (or make TV shows about them). But scientists have found fossils and other clues to know about hundreds of different dinosaurs. And there are more dinosaur fossils discovered every year. There were probably many more. You might tell your child that the word "species" means "kind of animal." To get practice with this word, you could ask your child, "How many dinosaur species do you know?" and respond accordingly.

2. Announce that you are going to play a game with a song about 26 kinds of dinosaurs. The song is called "Dinosaurs A to Z." Have your child watch video clip of the Conductor singing the song "Dinosaurs A to Z" (link above). Then show them the printable page of all 26 dinosaurs.

3. Write each letter of the alphabet on an index card. Use capital letters, and hold the cards horizontally, so they resemble the cars of a train. Say the name of each letter aloud as you write it. (If your child is older, he can write these letter cards himself.) If desired, your child can decorate each of these cards, being careful not to obscure the letter. Put a tape loop on the back of each card, and then tape them in a long line on a blank wall. Point out that the letters are like the cars on a train.

4. Play the "Dinosaur A to Z" game. The rules are simple. Your child stands in front of the letter "A" as the Conductor sings the song. Your child needs to point to each letter as the Conductor says it. For older children, try the "Challenge Round" of this game. Switch around the order of the letters (slightly), and see if your child can still point to the cards) as the conductor sings.

Extensions:• Have your child draw each of the 26 dinosaurs from the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song on index cards.• Have your child make their own Animal Alphabet Book, putting a large letter on each page and coloring a picture of an animal that is alive today (example: Ant, Baboon, Catfish).

Learning Goals: To help your child practice the letters of the alphabet while learning about the diversity of dinosaurs that once lived on Earth.

What You Need:26 index cards (4x6 or 5x7)Thick markerCrayonsLyrics to "Dinosaurs A to Z" songPrintable page of all 26 dinosaurs in the song

Link to “Dinosaurs A to Z” music video:http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/handson/dinosaursatoz.html

What to Do:1. Have your child brainstorm a list of all the kinds of dinosaurs he knows. Make a list of all guesses. (Don’t worry about spelling!) Then ask: How many different kinds of dinosaurs were there millions of years ago? Reveal the answer: No one knows. No people were around back then to see the dinosaurs, take pictures of them, write books on them (or make TV shows about them). But scientists have found fossils and other clues to know about hundreds of different dinosaurs. And there are more dinosaur fossils discovered every year. There were probably many more. You might tell your child that the word "species" means "kind of animal." To get practice with this word, you could ask your child, "How many dinosaur species do you know?" and respond accordingly.

2. Announce that you are going to play a game with a song about 26 kinds of dinosaurs. The song is called "Dinosaurs A to Z." Have your child watch video clip of the Conductor singing the song "Dinosaurs A to Z" (link above). Then show them the printable page of all 26 dinosaurs.

3. Write each letter of the alphabet on an index card. Use capital letters, and hold the cards horizontally, so they resemble the cars of a train. Say the name of each letter aloud as you write it. (If your child is older, he can write these letter cards himself.) If desired, your child can decorate each of these cards, being careful not to obscure the letter. Put a tape loop on the back of each card, and then tape them in a long line on a blank wall. Point out that the letters are like the cars on a train.

4. Play the "Dinosaur A to Z" game. The rules are simple. Your child stands in front of the letter "A" as the Conductor sings the song. Your child needs to point to each letter as the Conductor says it. For older children, try the "Challenge Round" of this game. Switch around the order of the letters (slightly), and see if your child can still point to the cards) as the conductor sings.

Extensions:• Have your child draw each of the 26 dinosaurs from the "Dinosaurs A to Z" song on index cards.• Have your child make their own Animal Alphabet Book, putting a large letter on each page and coloring a picture of an animal that is alive today (example: Ant, Baboon, Catfish).