All about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals by Everything Dinosaur team members.
10 08, 2016

Why Would a Dinosaur Not Make a Good Pet?

By | August 10th, 2016|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Why Would a Dinosaur Not Make a Good Pet?

Why Would a Dinosaur Not Make a Good Pet?

Around the country lots of teachers are busy organising their next scheme of work in conjunction with the national curriculum.  With the autumn term fast approaching, Everything Dinosaur takes time out to consider one of the term topic themes that has been proposed in support of the science element of the national curriculum in England.  It is important with a subject like science to try and start from a concept that appeals to the child, dinosaurs and fossils tend to be very popular and most teachers find a ready, eager and very enthusiastic audience when prehistoric life is part of the teaching programme.

Studying Dinosaurs Helps to Enthuse Young Learners

Dinosaur toys encourage play.

Children playing with dinosaur and prehistoric animal models.

Picture credit: Schleich

The models in the image are from Schleich.

To view the range of Schleich prehistoric animal figures: Schleich Dinosaur Models.

Foundation Stage Through to Upper Key Stage 2

Learning about life in the past and fossils intersects with the learning programmes of many Year groups within the new curriculum.  For example, Year 3 children have the opportunity to learn about rocks and fossils and Year 6 pupils are challenged to study natural selection, adaptation and evolution.  For younger children, building a term topic with a science theme can start with asking an intriguing question posed from the child’s point of view (the child’s context).  An example of this is the question why would a dinosaur not make a good pet?

Dinosaurs as Pets

Ironically, as birds are technically dinosaurs, many dinosaurs make excellent pets, just ask a pigeon fancier, but that’s not quite the point.  Although we, at Everything Dinosaur do build in the dinosaur/bird link into our workshop activities, feathers and all.  The question can form the basis of a varied and exciting programme of discovery that links nicely across the curriculum.  Many teaching teams use the “learning challenge” method, whereby, a different question related to the term topic is explored each week.  For example:

Term Topic Question – Why Would a Dinosaur not Make a Good Pet?

  • Week 1 question – What is a dinosaur?
  • 2 question – When did dinosaurs live?
  • 3 question – How do we know about dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals?
  • 4 question – What does a palaeontologist do?
  • 5 question – What happened to the dinosaurs?
  • Week 6 summation – Would a dinosaur make a good pet?

Lots of Links to Literacy, Numeracy, History, Geography and Other Curriculum Elements

Lots of dinosaur and prehistoric animal facts on a poster.

Dinosaur facts compiled by Year 1 children.

Dinosaur Fascination

Children are fascinated with dinosaurs.  Learning about dinosaurs can provide a teaching team with lots of lesson plan ideas.  Lesson plans can be tailored to support literacy and numeracy.

To learn more about Everything Dinosaur: About Everything Dinosaur.

With Key Stage 1 children in particular, every opportunity should be taken when it comes to engaging the children and developing literacy and numeracy themes.  However, children whatever their age, if they can be enthused and inspired by a topic then they will quickly pick up and cement life-long learning skills.

Visit the child-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

10 08, 2016

New Schleich Dinosaurs for 2017 (Part 2)

By | August 10th, 2016|Dinosaur Fans, Everything Dinosaur Products, Main Page, Press Releases|0 Comments

New from Schleich Early 2017 More Dinosaur Models

Yesterday, Everything Dinosaur team members provided information on the first of the new for 2017 Schleich prehistoric animal models.  In today’s article, we conclude our look at the new 2017 Schleich dinosaurs (yes, all models announced so far are members of the Dinosauria), by looking at the other, smaller models that the Germany-based manufacturer will be introducing into their prehistoric animal replica range next year.

Schleich Dinosaur Models

Let’s jump straight in by looking at the new mini dinosaur models.

Four New Mini Dinosaur Models Available from Schleich in Early 2017

New mini dinosaurs (Schleich) 2017.

New mini dinosaurs from Schleich for early 2017.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

It’s no surprise but Schleich will be adding four new prehistoric animal models to their range of “dinosaur minis” in 2017.  Clockwise from top right we have a colour variant of the Spinosaurus model, a new figure, a feathered, mini Utahraptor (expect more news about “raptors” below).  Next there is a colour variant of the Velociraptor mini dinosaur figure.  If our calculations are correct, this is the third colour variant of a Velociraptor to become available in the Schleich minis range, perhaps the German manufacturer is trying to encourage collectors to build up their own “raptor pack”!

Schleich T. rex and Spinosaurus Models

Last but not least we have a new Tyrannosaurus rex mini dinosaur model in a changed pose.  The new for 2017 Schleich mini T. rex reminds us of the Papo mini T. rex dinosaur model in the model dinosaur set that was introduced last year.  Expect these new replicas to be available sometime in quarter one of next year.

To view the range of mini  dinosaurs and prehistoric animals available: Schleich Prehistoric Animal Models.

A New Predator Box Set for 2017 from Schleich

New dinosaur box set (Schleich 2017)

A Spinosaurus and a new painted version of T. rex in the box set.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

Schleich will be adding to their small dinosaur boxed play sets early next year by bringing out a new, very colourful Spinosaurus sculpt to accompany a repaint of the small Tyrannosaurus rex model.  Expect each replica to measure around fifteen centimetres in length (although the Spinosaurus may be a little bigger).  This box set is scheduled for a January 2017 release.  As far as we at Everything Dinosaur know, Schleich have no plans to sell these two carnivore models separately.

To view Everything Dinosaur’s current range of small Schleich models: Schleich Dinosaur Models.

A New “Raptor Squad” from Schleich

Feathered “Raptors” Are Coming!

Schleich "raptor" set.

Three model “raptors” from Schleich in early 2017.

Picture credit: Schleich/Everything Dinosaur

A set of three, feathered “raptors” will also be introduced.  The biggest model  in the picture above is a colour variant of the large Utahraptor model.  This colour variant will also have an articulated lower jaw and poseable forelimbs.  Like its more colourful counterpart, this Utahraptor will measure twenty-one centimetres in length.  The medium sized dinosaur is a new model of a Velociraptor.  The smallest “raptor” in this trio is a model of Microraptor, a re-painted version of a Microraptor model introduced by Schleich in their cave play set.

This set of three dinosaur models will be available early in quarter one of next year and they will not be sold separately.

No News of Schleich Dinosaur Jigsaws

To date, Everything Dinosaur has not received news regarding the release of any new mini dinosaur themed jigsaws.  However, Schleich will be making new model announcements in due course and Everything Dinosaur team members will be doing their best to ensure dinosaur fans and model collectors are kept informed via this blog and our social media pages.

To read yesterday’s article about the larger Schleich model introductions for 2017: New Schleich Dinosaurs for 2017 (Part 1).

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