January 6, 2011

• Dinosaur Days

  Joshua loves the American Museum of Natural History.  It  is his favorite place in the world.  When we do go, we spend 6-7 hours there at a minimum with most of that time in the Fossil Halls.  Joshua is amazing when it comes to dinosaurs, he's like a walking dino encyclopedia.   It is clearly his main passion  at the moment....although outer space and trains is in there too.  We are looking forward to meeting a young man next week who shares Joshua's passion.  They are meeting to discuss dinosaurs.  Joshua is very excited,  finally.....someone who shares his passion.  He has been working hard on his Dinosaur Field Guide.  He wants to share it with this young man.   I think he has drawn approximately 40 different dinosaurs.     My mom thought he was being creative and making up the names to all of these dinosaurs she had never heard of....nope they were real names.  That last time we were at the museum he spent some time with a "fossil volunteer"  they had some great conversations and he stumped her a few times with his questions.

  

  

  

  He's learning just how much of this dino exhibit is real and how much is plaster cast.  This particular dinosaur is mostly real.  We learned that 85% of the fossils displayed at the museum are real and not cast.  The museum lets you know what is cast.  We also learned that the basement is full of fossils.  The fossil volunteer said if Joshua wants to be a fossil volunteer when he's older,  he will  be able to see those stored fossils.  Oh boy,  was someone excited about that!  

  

  

  Joshua brought a note pad so he could do some sketches and study the fossils more.  Everyone walking by would stop and watch our little boy sitting there so intently studying the fossils and sketching them.  He didn't even notice the people stopping to watch him.

  

  

  We are looking forward to another day at the museum or the Yale Peabody museum to continue with Joshua's studies.

  • 8:43 am
  • 1 Comment