First-graders at Washington Elementary School roared as loud as they could Tuesday to convince Arrow the Velociraptor that they’re all velociraptors, too. It was all part of a Dino in Ohio program sponsored by the PTO. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)

When you’re in first grade, there’s probably no better way to learn about dinosaurs than to have them roar at you and startle you just a teensy bit because you’re not ready.

Then, by golly, you just hook your fingers into dangerous-looking claws, fire up the mean looks and screech right back at them.

Tuesday, in Washington Elementary School’s gym, that’s just what the first-graders did. They picked up on the clawing and screeching bit in record time and were on their way to adventures with Baby Brutus the Brachiosaurus, Patchy the Pachycephalosaurus, Arrow the Velociraptor and Fern the T-Rex.

Through the sponsorship of the school’s PTO, three programs from Dino in Ohio were given for kindergarteners, first-graders and the older elementary students. Dino is part of Imaginos Productions in Medina, a source of interactive costumed entertainment for children.

PTO President Rachel Collyer and Vice President Jessica Klein were at the first-graders’ session with their cameras Tuesday. Collyer, who has twins in second grade, had seen Dino in Ohio at a local library program. Klein, with a daughter in first grade, saw the Dino at a Sternwheeler Festival. It just seemed like a great idea for the Washington students, they said.

James Tetley pointed out the head of Patchy the Pachycephalosaurus. This dinosaur uses its heavy skull to butt another dinosaur in the hip when necessary. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)

The dinosaur “handlers” Tuesday were James Tetley and Jacob Whitson, two young men with a great dialogue, good rapport with children and seemingly rubber limbs. Their presentation was comedy/suspense/slapstick with a big sprinkling of actual dinosaur facts slipped in without the students noticing too much.

In the confines of the gym space, each of the first three dinosaurs made its appearance as a large, elaborate puppet anchored on the hand and arm of Tetley or Whitson. But Fern the T-Rex? She wasn’t full size, or her head would have hit the gym ceiling. She was more like a “teenager,” still growing, the handlers explained. But really, she was quite large enough — and had enough of a build-up from the two handlers — to send a few of the first-graders to the back of the gym to cling to the wall where the cafeteria tables fold up.

Were they scared, or just being drama llamas? You’d have to ask them. And while you’re at it, you may want to discuss herbivore and carnivore choices at the dinner table tonight. Your Washington first graders know about that stuff, too.

One of the many brave first-graders at Washington Elementary took a turn petting Fern the T-Rex to make sure she stayed calm. “You kids are really enthusiastic about danger,” one of the dinosaur handlers told them. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)