Poems About Dinosaurs with Key Stages 1 and 2
A term topic about dinosaurs, rocks and fossils helps teachers to introduce elements of the science curriculum into the scheme of work for the class. However, with a little planning, this subject area, which generally has a very wide appeal to children, can help to provide support for other areas of teaching.
Dinosaur Poems
Take for example, vocabulary development, reading skills and the ability to write fluently. These are cornerstones of the curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 children and by Year 2 for example, teachers are required to continue the focus on establishing the accurate and rapid reading skills of their charges. They should also be ensuring that pupils listen to and discuss a wide range of stories, (fiction and non-fiction), poems, plays and information books.
One of the statements in the recently published Department of Education comprehensive guide to English programmes in these Key Stages explains:
“The sooner that pupils can read well and do so frequently, the sooner they will be able to increase their vocabulary, comprehension and knowledge across the wider curriculum.”
Dinosaur Workshop
Everything Dinosaur’s staff members provide a wide range of resources to support extension activities linked to the English component of the national curriculum. A visit to a school to conduct a dinosaur themed workshop provided the fossil expert with an opportunity to read some of the wonderful prehistoric animal themed poetry that the children had written. Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.
Plenty of Prehistoric Themed Poems on Display
Prehistoric animal poems on display. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Helping to Develop Vocabulary
In writing, pupils at the beginning of year 2 should be able to compose individual poems and with dinosaurs the children seemed to be up for the challenge, having to devise rhyming couplets for words such as Triceratops, dinosaur and reptile. All this creativity certainly helped this class cement their learning about literacy and different types of poem, we even saw some examples of Japanese Haiku poems in one school that was visited.
Writing poems about dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures can be a good way of helping Key Stage 1 and 2 children to extend their understanding of English. To learn more about how Everything Dinosaur helps to educate young people: Contact Everything Dinosaur.