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

Articles that focus on teaching ideas and activities aimed at Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

2 02, 2018

Key Stage 2 Showcase Their Science Skills

By |2023-09-16T06:08:57+01:00February 2nd, 2018|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Key Stage 2 Showcase Their Science Skills

Year 5/6 Showcase Their Science Skills

Children in Year 5 and Year 6 at Carlton Primary School in West Yorkshire were keen to show one of our team members their science displays.  Everything Dinosaur was visiting the well-appointed school to conduct a dinosaur workshop.  After a short meeting with the teachers to identify learning objectives, our fossil expert had the opportunity to admire some of the marvellous displays in the spacious corridors.  Year 6 children had been learning about evolution and the life of Charles Darwin and the scheme of work incorporated dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals to help provide a context for their studies.

Key Stage 2 Scientific Working

Scientific working as part of a dinosaur workshop.
Scientific working demonstrated by Year 6 pupils. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Dinosaur Workshop as Part of a Wider Term Topic

The topic permitted the children to indulge their non-fiction writing skills and the written work was supported by some excellent prehistoric animal illustrations.  Studying Darwinism, natural selection and evolution is a core element in the science curriculum for Upper Key Stage 2 and there was plenty of evidence of working scientifically posted up onto the walls of the corridors. Everything Dinosaur took time to admire the children’s work. The posters and illustration were extremely impressive.

Upper Key Stage 2 Showcase Their Artwork

Dinosaur workshop and dinosaur artwork on display.
Year 6 pupils demonstrate their art skills as part of a themed teaching project. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Three Dimensional Fossils

The Key Stage 2 classes had also created some three-dimensional fossils using various materials, the children had been exploring the properties of materials and considering the use of perspective in their prehistoric animal artwork.  Although the lesson plans were focused on science, the creative teaching team had incorporated a range of cross curricular activities. Our dinosaur workshop was incorporated into the scheme of work to provide more insight and teaching support.

Researching Tyrannosaurus rex

Researching T. rex as part of a dinosaur workshop.
Researching dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus rex. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Researching Tyrannosaurus rex

As part of a challenging and varied scheme of work the schoolchildren were asked to research Tyrannosaurus rex and to consider how this famous Late Cretaceous predator was adapted to its environment.  What were those tiny arms used for?  Could the Upper Key Stage 2 children formulate some theories?

It was great to see how the children in Year 5 and Year 6 at Carlton Primary School had studied dinosaurs as part of a wider scheme of work looking at the work of Charles Darwin and evolution. In addition, the artwork and posters produced brightened up the classroom.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Furthermore, for models and replicas of Tyrannosaurus rex, including feathered figures: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Models and Figures.

26 01, 2018

Year 1 at Green End Primary School (Dinosaurs)

By |2023-08-30T15:50:14+01:00January 26th, 2018|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Year 1 at Green End Primary School (Dinosaurs)

Classes 1EN and 1B Learn About Dinosaurs

Children in Year 1 at Green End Primary (Manchester), have embarked on a new topic for the rest of the Spring Term.  They are learning all about dinosaurs and fossils.  The eager young palaeontologists have already conducted some dinosaur themed research, learning about herbivores such as Brontosaurus, Diplodocus and Stegosaurus.  The children in classes 1EN and 1B have produced fact sheets all about the dinosaurs they have been studying.

Year 1 Children Write Fact Sheets About Plant-eating Dinosaurs

A Year 1 dinosaur display.
A horned dinosaur is at the centre of this Year 1 dinosaur display. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Green End Primary/Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaurs and Fossils

Some carnivorous dinosaurs have been studied too.  The teaching team are using different types of dinosaur to help support the children’s learning when it comes to considering simple food chains.

As part of a provocation to help enthuse the two classes, Everything Dinosaur was invited into the school to lead two dinosaur and fossil themed workshops, one for each of the classes.  These workshops were held in the superbly appointed communications room.  The children are really lucky to have such a well-resourced school.

The Communications Room Became a “Dino Den” for the Morning

Key Stage 1 children make salt dough fossils.
Salt dough fossils created by Year 1 children (class 1EN and 1B). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Green End Primary/Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaur Displays

The spacious classrooms already contained some wonderful dinosaur themed displays and plenty of evidence of the creative approach of the teaching team to this particular scheme of work.  It seems that the teachers, ably supported by the teaching assistants and learning support have designed a challenging scheme of work that appeals to a wide variety of learning styles.

A Dinosaur Display in a Year 1 Classroom at Green End Primary

Year 1 dinosaur display.
Year 1 children at Green End Primary have created a wonderful dinosaur display.

Picture credit: Green End Primary/Everything Dinosaur

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

The children will be learning all about the famous, British fossil hunter Mary Anning, our dinosaur expert ensured that Mary Anning was introduced during the dinosaur and fossil workshops.  In addition, we set the classes a number of challenges in the form of extension activities.  One of the teachers promised to send into our offices a picture of some of the children’s work to demonstrate how enthusiastically the children had responded to the morning of dinosaur themed workshops that we had conducted.

We are looking forward to seeing the children’s work.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

19 01, 2018

Reception and Key Stage 1 Study Dinosaurs

By |2023-08-30T14:23:58+01:00January 19th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Reception and Key Stage 1 Study Dinosaurs

Reception and Key Stage 1 Study Dinosaurs

Children at Hanging Heaton CE (VC) Junior and Infant School (West Yorkshire), had an exciting and very special Friday morning.  Class 1 and Class 2 are starting a topic all about dinosaurs, fossils and life in the past and to help start the term topic, Everything Dinosaur was invited into the school to deliver two dinosaur and fossil themed workshops.  An early morning start, to avoid the worst of the weather and traffic, permitted the Everything Dinosaur team member the chance to admire the tidy classrooms with their display boards ready to be adorned with various prehistoric animal facts, examples of writing and dinosaur inspired artwork.

Class 1 (Reception and Year 1) Have a Palaeontology Lab!

The FS2/Year 1 class have a palaeontology lab.
The FS2/Year 1 class have a palaeontology laboratory.

Picture credit: Hanging Heaton CE (VC) J & I School/Everything Dinosaur

Spacious and Tidy Classrooms

The spacious and well-appointed classrooms have lots of display boards, so that the children’s topic work can be highlighted.  Class 1, which consists of a mixed group of Reception and Year 1 children even have a part of the large classroom designated as a palaeontology lab, just the place to showcase all their dinosaur discoveries.

A Display Board in Class 2 Ready for Dinosaur Facts and Figures

A Key Stage 1 dinosaurs term topic display board - Dinosaurs!
Year 1/2 classroom ready for the dinosaurs term topic.

Picture credit: Hanging Heaton CE (VC) J & I School/Everything Dinosaur

Class 2 have a display board all ready to post up their dinosaur themed work.  The inflatable pterosaur makes a lovely addition, perhaps the children will learn about flying reptiles as part of their studies.  Prior to the two workshops, our dinosaur and fossil expert briefed the enthusiastic teaching team on how to maximise the learning from the sessions.  In addition, a number of extension resources were provided.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Over the course of the morning, there were lots of opportunities for the teaching team and the learning support assistants to take plenty of photographs, all very useful when it comes to recalling and recounting activities.

Once back in the office, the dinosaur expert sent over some additional teaching resources to help support the two classes with the scheme of work.  A challenge for the children was could they design their own dinosaur?  We look forward to seeing the results.

For further information on Everything Dinosaur’s work in schools: Contact Everything Dinosaur.

16 01, 2018

Dinosaurs a Roaring Success at Barford Primary School

By |2023-08-30T08:25:16+01:00January 16th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Dinosaurs a Roaring Success at Barford Primary School

Year 1 Pupils Study Dinosaurs at Barford Primary School

Children in Year 1 classes (1G and 1L) at Barford Primary (Ladywood, Birmingham), are spending part of the spring term learning all about dinosaurs, fossils and life in the past.  The enthusiastic teaching team have put together a diverse and challenging scheme of work and they have lots of exciting activities planned for the budding dinosaur experts in Key Stage 1.

Dinosaurs a Roaring Success

The well-maintained school buildings are adorned with amazing artwork, posters and display boards that showcase the children’s talents as well as providing inspiration and celebrating the rich culture and diversity of the local community.

In the small hall, in which Everything Dinosaur conducted their dinosaur themed workshops with the two classes, there stands a pair of prehistoric animal sculptures.  On one side of the hall is a colourful Tyrannosaurus rex and by the opposite wall a Stegosaurus can be seen.

The Beautiful Sculpture of a T. rex at Barford Primary School

Beautiful dinosaur models. A model of T. rex.

The Barford T. rex dinosaur model.

Picture credit: Barford Primary/Everything Dinosaur

For models and replicas of T. rex and other prehistoric animals: Papo Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Inspiring Artwork and Inspirational People

The culture of the local community is celebrated throughout the school with many inspirational figures depicted on the walls of the corridors linking the classrooms, famous figures from history such as Mary Seacole, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.  The Tyrannosaurus rex and the Stegosaurus sculptures are not the only animals in the school, there are several beautiful penguins and even a statue of a large deer, all helping to motivate the children.

The Stegosaurus Sculpture on Display at Barford Primary School

Beautiful model dinosaurs. A colourful Stegosaurus model.

A colourful Stegosaurus model.

Picture credit: Barford Primary/Everything Dinosaur

According to the last Ofsted inspection letter, more than half of the pupils at the school speak English as an additional language.  However, the teaching team with the support of the senior management, have devised effective policies to support these children.

Dinosaurs as a Term Topic

Dinosaurs as a term topic lends itself to all sorts of different learning, we are looking forward to seeing some of the children’s creations inspired by our design a dinosaur extension activity.   At the end of the topic, parents and guardians will be invited in to see some of the pupil’s work.  These events are very popular with the “grown-ups” eager to see what their charges have been up to.  Mary Anning will feature prominently in the term topic and we provided additional teaching resources including a “sea shells tongue twister” for the children to try.   Can they create their own poems about dinosaurs?

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Visit Everything Dinosaur.

15 01, 2018

Key Stage 1 Classes Study Mary Anning

By |2023-08-28T18:06:55+01:00January 15th, 2018|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Key Stage 1 Classes Study Mary Anning

Key Stage 1 Classes Study Mary Anning

Children in Year 1 and Year 2 at St John with St Mark Primary in Bury have been studying dinosaurs and fossils.  As part of a provocation to help enthuse the children, the classes were set some homework, could they write some facts about Mary Anning in their work books?

Learning About Mary Anning (Key Stage 1)

Mary Anning Poster
Helping children to learn about Mary Anning. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For educational dinosaur themed gifts and models of fossil animals found by Mary Anning: Prehistoric Animal Learning Materials and Gifts.

Enthusiastically Researching Mary Anning

The teaching team was very impressed with the research that the children had carried out.  When Everything Dinosaur’s fossil expert visited the school, he was shown some of the entries in the work books that the children had completed over the weekend.  The Key Stage 1 children had found out lots of amazing facts about this Georgian lady who became a famous fossil collector on the Dorset coast.

The dinosaurs and fossils term topic has got off to a fantastic start, well done to all the eager, budding palaeontologists in Year 1, Year 1/2 and Year 2.  During the workshops we conducted at the school, our dinosaur and fossil expert made sure to include lots of information about Mary Anning to help support the children’s learning.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

16 11, 2017

Workshop Inspires Dinosaur Poster

By |2023-08-25T09:46:32+01:00November 16th, 2017|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Workshop Inspires Dinosaur Poster

Dinosaur Poster Created After Dinosaur Workshop

Our thanks to the pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 at Streethouse Primary (West Yorkshire), who sent into Everything Dinosaur’s office a wonderful set of posters and thank you letters after our recent dinosaur and fossil workshop at the school.  There were some wonderful examples of cursive hand-writing amongst the letters and some stencil inspired prehistoric animal drawings.

Year 5 and Year 6 Pupils Inspired by Dinosaur Workshop

Beautiful dinosaur posters.
Amazing dinosaur posters from Year 5/6.

Picture credit: Streethouse Primary School

For prehistoric animal themed toys and games, perhaps inspiring dinosaur posters of your own: Prehistoric Animal Toys and Gifts.

Dinosaur Posters

Everything Dinosaur was invited into the school to work with the Key Stage 2 class for a morning.  The workshop provided a provocation for the term topic and during the morning, we challenged the children to have a go at a variety of extension activities.  It seems that our workshop was a great success, earning 5* stars from the teaching team and a comment on the poster, says it all, “it was awesome!”  The prehistoric animal stencils have helped produce a variety of posters and some stencils were even used to illustrate the thank you letters we received.

Examples of Posters and Letters Sent into Everything Dinosaur

Prehistoric animal themed letters.
A collection of correspondence from Year 5/6 pupils.

Picture credit: Streethouse Primary School

The photograph above shows just some of the fantastic collection of letters and posters created by pupils in Year 5/6.

We are glad to have helped inspire the children and we wish them and their dedicated teachers every success with the term topic.

Visit the award-winning and user-friendly Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

9 11, 2017

Streethouse School – Dinosaurs

By |2023-08-25T07:58:04+01:00November 9th, 2017|Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Streethouse School – Dinosaurs

Barbara Hepworth Class Study Dinosaurs and Fossils

Children in Barbara Hepworth class (Year 5/6), at Streethouse Junior, Infant and Nursery have been studying dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals this term.  As well as a challenging and enriching scheme of work built around English, maths and science, the teaching team have been inspired by Dame Hepworth and introduced a dinosaur sculpting challenge for the children.

Year 5/6 Pupils Make Clay Model Dinosaurs

Schoolchildren make clay models of dinosaurs.
Year 5/6 children make clay model dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For creative dinosaur themed toys and games: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

Barbara Hepworth was a celebrated English, 20th century, artist and sculptress who was one of the leading lights of modernism.  I am sure Dame Hepworth would have been most impressed with the clay models that the children produced.

Our dinosaur and fossil expert, who had visited the school to deliver a morning of teaching activities with the class, was given a guided tour of the clay model exhibits.  The budding artists were keen to demonstrate their knowledge by explaining what inspired them when it came to prehistoric animal model making.  The clay models make a fine display amongst all the excellent examples of handwriting that were pinned up onto the spacious classroom walls.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

6 11, 2017

Why Do Asteroids Always Land in Craters?

By |2023-08-24T14:34:16+01:00November 6th, 2017|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Why Do Asteroids Always Land in Craters?

Why Do Asteroids Always Land in Craters?

With the need to work scientifically being emphasised in the national curriculum for England (science syllabus), Everything Dinosaur team members have been busy supporting teaching teams with their schemes of work.  As well as providing all the usual assistance and support, staff at the Cheshire based company have just introduced a new pair of primary school lesson plan downloads to help support a dinosaur or space themed term topic.  The lesson plan is entitled “Why do asteroids always land in craters?”  The aim of this lesson plan is to challenge the Key Stage 1 children to create an experiment to test ideas about what happens when a space rock crashes.

Why Do Asteroids Always Land in Craters?

"Why do asteroids always land in craters?" Suggested resources.
Resources suggested for the “why do asteroids always land in craters?” A lesson plan.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Simple Experiment to Encourage Working Scientifically

Two downloads have been created, one aimed at KS1, the second targeted at KS2.  Both these lesson plans challenge children to work scientifically.  For example, the Key Stage 1 download focuses on exploring the physical properties of materials and encourages the use of simple, comparative tests, whilst the Key Stage 2 download challenges older children to devise a suitable experiment to test this idea about asteroid impacts.  A list of suggested resources is provided in both downloads and the photographs and bullet points provided help with tailoring the exercise to meet the specific learning needs of the class.

Free Download Linked to Space and Dinosaur Term Topics

Why do asteroids....? Lesson plan and teaching notes.
PDF download of teaching notes/lesson plan is available from Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Teaching Notes and Extension Activities

The downloads are available free from Everything Dinosaur.  These downloads are amongst a huge range of free dinosaur, fossil and prehistoric themed teaching resources available.  All these materials have been checked, tested and approved by our own teaching team.

To contact Everything Dinosaur about the company’s science outreach work: Email Everything Dinosaur.

The “why do asteroids…” lesson plan includes helpful teaching notes with suggestions as to how to deliver this exercise.  In addition, a series of extension ideas are listed, all designed to help teaching professionals differentiate and challenge more capable learners.

It seems when it comes to exploring how the dinosaurs died out, or learning about outer space, these handy downloads from Everything Dinosaur are going to have a big impact”.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

2 11, 2017

Spotting an Old Favourite

By |2023-08-24T12:09:58+01:00November 2nd, 2017|Early Years Foundation Reception, General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Spotting an Old Favourite

Important Reading for Budding Dinosaur Experts

Team members at Everything Dinosaur find some dinosaur books for children on a school visit.

One of our sharp-eyed team members spotted several dinosaur books whilst at a school delivering a dinosaur and fossil themed workshop with two classes of Year 1 children.  The teaching team had put together a collection of books in the school “dinosaur museum” area in a bid to enthuse and encourage young readers.

Dinosaurs Inspire Some Unusual Book Titles

Children Learn about the Stone Age.
“Stomp, stomp, roar”! Reception class make books about dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

We would like to congratulate the authors for their work. There are certainly some intriguing titles on display.

Dinosaur Books for Children

Whilst we would not like to comment too much about the scientific accuracy of these particular books, the teaching team with the help of the learning support assistant (LSA), had carefully compiled a range of fiction and non-fiction reading materials and allocated a quite area of the creative room at the school as a special reading area.  The large, inviting, colourful mat and plenty of comfortable chairs were bound to attract keen readers.  When we discussed these books with the teaching team, it turns out that one of these titles is an old favourite.  It is nearly as popular with the teachers as it is with the children.

We are confident that this unusual fictional storybook about dinosaurs will inspire plenty of young readers.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

27 10, 2017

Dinosaur Models A Set of Prehistoric Animals

By |2023-08-19T08:10:06+01:00October 27th, 2017|Early Years Foundation Reception, General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Dinosaur Models A Set of Prehistoric Animals

Prehistoric Animals Model Set – Large Dinosaur Models for School

Designed for robust, creative play, a set of twelve, super-sized prehistoric animal models which are ideal for school.  Due to popular demand from teachers, teaching assistants and home schoolers, Everything Dinosaur has added a set of twelve prehistoric animal models to its product portfolio.

Great for Imaginative, Creative Play a Set of 12 Different Prehistoric Animal Models

dinosaur models

Popular Christmas Gift – Dinosaurs in a Tin.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Tough, Plastic Dinosaur Models

This set of different dinosaur and prehistoric animal models make great teaching aids and props when introducing a term topic or scheme of work all about life in the past and dinosaurs.  The set consists of prehistoric animals that lived in the Permian, Triassic as well as the Jurassic and Cretaceous geological periods.  All the favourite dinosaurs have been included by the Everything Dinosaur team member, popular and well-known dinosaurs such as Diplodocus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.

To view the set of prehistoric animal models and other teaching resources available from Everything Dinosaur: Educational Dinosaur Toys and Models.

A Set of Prehistoric Animal Models

A set of prehistoric animal models.

Special “travel” dinosaurs. A set of prehistoric animal models. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture Credit: Everything Dinosaur

Prehistoric Animal Model Set Complete with Fact Sheets

The models are quite large, ranging in size from around 10 centimetres in length to more than 15 centimetres long.  The figures are designed for children from three years and upwards and the set is supplied with prehistoric animal fact sheets written by the fossil experts at Everything Dinosaur.

A spokesperson for the Cheshire-based dinosaur company explained:

“We do understand the plight of teachers and their support staff when it comes to a dinosaur themed term topic such as the “Jurassic Forest”.  Often the children can know more than the teachers, however, we supply this set with a fact sheet on every single prehistoric animal featured, we even provide a handy guide to pronunciation.  It’s all about making it easier for teachers.”

The set of twelve prehistoric animals includes – Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Dimetrodon, Diplodocus, Pachycephalosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Plateosaurus, Stegosaurus, Styracosaurus, Triceratops and T. rex.

Prehistoric Animal Models on Display in a School

School Dinosaur Museum

A dinosaur museum under construction.  Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

When it comes to supplying prehistoric animals, there are enough dinosaurs in this set for the classroom to be able to turn into the school’s very own “Jurassic Park”.

Visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Go to Top