Earth Day, Dinosaurs, Awards and Ofsted

What a busy day for teachers, staff and children at Sandbrook Community Primary School.  The two Reception classes have started to learn all about animals and life in the past with a topic dedicated to all things dinosaur.  In addition, there was a special assembly at the busy Rochdale school where some of the hard working and enthusiastic pupils received certificates for the dinosaur footprints they had made.  On top of all this,  the Children’s Nursery is having an Ofsted inspection and it is Earth Day!  April 22nd is a very important date, events are held all over the world to demonstrate support for our planet and the environment.

There were some wonderful examples of recycling to see in the school and the well maintained garden and play areas certainly indicated that the children and staff at this “Eco-School” appreciate the environment.  Under the supervision of Mrs Beazley some of the Reception children had a go at making dinosaur footprints and of course, given the fact that it’s Earth Day, the dinosaur tracks had to be green.

Dinosaur Footprints on Display

Reception Class Make Dinosaur Footprints

Dinosaur footprints made by Reception class children.

Dinosaur footprints made by Reception class children. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Sandbrook Community Primary

For dinosaur and prehistoric animal themed toys and games: Dinosaur Themed Toys and Gifts.

Dinosaur Workshop for Reception Classes

The children learned all about a giant armoured dinosaur, how many tummies Tyrannosaurus rex had, what fossils feel like and how prehistoric ammonites caught their dinners.  There was lots of fossil handling and fun activities in the two workshops and the teaching assistants were on hand to provide plenty of support and to take plenty of pictures (useful in recall and recounting activities later on).  

Walking with Dinosaurs – Sandbrook Community Primary School

Reserved parking for Everything Dinosaur.

Reserved parking for Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Sandbrook Community Primary

Using a foam cut which had been dipped in paint, the children were able to walk along a strip of paper and produce some super dinosaur footprints.  Our fossil expert was allowed to pop into the spacious and well-appointed  Reception classroom whilst the children were having lunch and take some pictures of their handiwork, (should that be footwork)?

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

We set a few challenges to the children including producing a dinosaur drawing.  Could they label their dinosaur drawing, including pointing out where the skull was?  During our workshops we explained what skulls were and we also talked about dinosaur brains!

The teaching team and the children had a fantastic time exploring dinosaurs and after the footprints activity, if the colour of Mrs Beazley’s trousers are anything to go by, on today, Earth Day, this is one school that has definitely gone green.