General Teaching

30 01, 2018

Foundation Stage 2 Children Write to Everything Dinosaur and Provide Beautiful Drawings

By Mike|2024-05-10T18:27:58+01:00January 30th, 2018|Early Years Foundation Reception, General Teaching|Comments Off on Foundation Stage 2 Children Write to Everything Dinosaur and Provide Beautiful Drawings

Reception Class Sends Letters and Dinosaur Drawings

Our thanks to the children in the Reception class at Egerton Primary School (Knutsford, Cheshire), who sent in dinosaur drawings and thank you letters after our dinosaur workshop conducted at their school recently. The children have been learning all about life in the past this term and they were enjoying studying dinosaurs and learning about famous fossil hunters such as Mary Anning. As part of an extension activity that we had agreed with the enthusiastic teaching team, we challenged the children to design their own dinosaur. We received some amazing prehistoric animal drawings plus some super thank you letters.

Children in Reception Class Write to Everything Dinosaur

'Reception class letters and dinosaur drawings. — *Dinosaur letters and drawings from the Reception class at Egerton Primary School.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Egerton Primary School

Sauropod Drawings and Mary Anning

Several of the children had been learning facts about long-necked dinosaurs. Brachiosaurus, a dinosaur known from the Upper Jurassic of the United States, was particularly popular amongst the young palaeontologists.

Brachiosaurus was a Particular Favourite Dinosaur

Long-necked dinosaur drawings from a Reception class. — *Super sauropod drawings from Egerton Primary School (Reception class).*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Egerton Primary School

Many of the colourful dinosaur drawings and letters have been posted up onto the walls of Everything Dinosaur’s warehouse.

The Reception Children Created Some Very Colourful Dinosaurs

Dinosaur themed letter (FS2). — *A letter to “Dinosaur Mike” from Reception class children at Egerton Primary School.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Egerton Primary School

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

19 01, 2018

Reception and Key Stage 1 Study Dinosaurs and Rare Fossils

By Mike|2024-05-10T18:17:27+01:00January 19th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Reception and Key Stage 1 Study Dinosaurs and Rare Fossils

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 Mike|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

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.

14 01, 2018

Giant Burrowing Bat from the Miocene Described in New Study

By Mike|2024-05-10T07:32:10+01:00January 14th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 3/4|Comments Off on Giant Burrowing Bat from the Miocene Described in New Study

Giant Burrowing Bat from New Zealand

A team of scientists from the University of South Wales, in collaboration with colleagues from Queensland University, Duke University, Canterbury Museum, and co-workers from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the American Museum of Natural History, have identified a new species of giant, burrowing, Miocene bat. Fossil bones and teeth of the extinct species, which was about three times the size of most extant non-fruit eating bats, were excavated from Miocene-aged deposits near to the town of St Bathans in central Otago (New Zealand, South Island).

An Artist’s Illustration of the New Species of Giant Burrowing Bat (Vulcanops jennyworthyae)

Vulcanops life reconstruction. — *Vulcanops illustration.*

Picture credit: Gavin Mouldey

Writing in the academic journal “Scientific Reports”, the scientists describe the new species, named Vulcanops jennyworthyae, as a cursorial species, as although they could fly, they were very confident on the forest floor, scurrying through the leaf litter searching for insects and other invertebrates. Today, burrowing bats are only found now in New Zealand, but they once also lived in Australia. It is thought that a lack of terrestrial predators in more isolated parts of the antipodes allowed bats to exploit a ground-dwelling niche without having to resort to the high energy requirements of constant flight.

A Giant Bat?

Described as a giant, might make readers think of some nightmarish beast, but with an estimated weight of just forty grammes, although larger than insectivorous bats around today, Vulcanops jennyworthyae weighed less than a golf ball. It would have posed no danger to larger animals or people had they been around some 19 to 16 million years ago when Vulcanops roamed. It is the first new bat species to be added to the list of New Zealand’s Chiroptera (bats) for more than 150 years.

The Miocene species has been named Vulcanops jennyworthyae, after team member Jenny Worthy who found the bat fossils and in recognition of her role in helping to reveal the unique St Bathans Miocene fauna, and after Vulcan, the mythological Roman god of volcanoes and fire.

It is likely that climate change leading to a period of general cooling and drying drove the overall loss in bat diversity in New Zealand, just two bat species today comprise the entire native land mammal fauna. All other modern land mammals in New Zealand have been introduced by people within the last 800 years.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

8 01, 2018

Schleich Extend Their Prehistoric Animal Model Range with New Figures

By Mike|2024-05-10T18:10:47+01:00January 8th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on Schleich Extend Their Prehistoric Animal Model Range with New Figures

New Prehistoric Animal Models from Schleich

Schleich, the Germany-based model and figure manufacturer have extended their range or prehistoric animal models by adding six new models to the “Conquering the Earth” range. All the dinosaurs and prehistoric animals are suitable for children from three years and upwards and they are designed to help encourage creative, imaginative play.

New for 2018 Prehistoric Animal Models from Schleich

New Schleich prehistoric animals (2018). — *New Schleich prehistoric animal models (2018).*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Familiar and Less Familiar Prehistoric Animals

One of the new additions is a model of the famous three-horned dinosaur Triceratops. This dinosaur tends to be well-represented in most prehistoric animal model ranges, but Schleich have branched out in recent years adding replicas of less well-known ancient animals, all of which come with a helpful booklet that provides a few details on the extinct creature that the figure represents. Take for example, the new for 2018 Tawa model (Tawa hallae), a model of a Triassic dinosaur that even the most ardent young dinosaur fan may struggle to know much about. Schleich have also introduced a number of feathered dinosaur models, the huge Therizinosaurus, the beautiful Oviraptor and the bristle-backed, plant-eater Psittacosaurus.

The New for 2018 Schleich Tawa hallae Dinosaur Model

The Schleich Tawa hallae dinosaur model. — *The new for 2018 Schleich Tawa dinosaur model (T. hallae).*

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Fossils of this fast-running dinosaur come from sedimentary deposits in New Mexico. These rocks have been dated to around 215 million years ago and Tawa hallae has helped palaeontologists to better understand the evolution of lizard-hipped dinosaurs and meat-eating dinosaurs in particular.

Schleich Prehistoric Animal Models – Detailed and Accurate

From the initial draft sketches through to the final decoration by hand, all the Schleich prehistoric animal figures are based on the fossil evidence helping young people to learn about life in the past. Schleich models allow children to play and to learn at the same time. These very tactile replicas are ideally suited to little hands and they help to encourage creativity and independence.

Not Just Dinosaurs – The Schleich Dinogorgon Figure

The design team at Schleich are keen to help children to broaden their horizons. They don’t just produce dinosaur models, for instance, new for 2018 is a beautiful model of a fearsome predator that lived long before the first dinosaur evolved. The Schleich Dinogorgon model (see above), is a representation of what was once termed a “mammal-like reptile”. Indeed, these creatures are more closely related to modern mammals than they are to dinosaurs. By creating replicas of some of the more unusual animals in the fossil record, Schleich helps young children to learn about the evolution of life on Earth.

To view the range of Schleich figures and replicas available from Everything Dinosaur: Schleich Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

25 12, 2017

Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur

By Mike|2023-08-27T10:14:10+01:00December 25th, 2017|General Teaching|Comments Off on Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur

Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur

Just time to say on behalf of everyone at Everything Dinosaur, a very Merry Christmas to all our dinosaurs for school blog readers. It has been a very busy autumn term, we have had the very great privilege of meeting and working with some fantastic teachers and super enthusiastic teaching assistants. We hope that everyone has a very happy Christmas and we look forward to an exciting spring term full of lots of amazing dinosaur and fossil themed workshops.

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

Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur team members wishing everyone a happy Christmas. — *Happy Christmas from Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur. Can you spot the flying reptile? How many prehistoric animals in the picture can you count?

For flying reptile figures and other prehistoric animal models: Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Models.

23 12, 2017

Big, Beautiful and Green Tyrannosaurus rex

By Mike|2024-05-10T07:31:25+01:00December 23rd, 2017|General Teaching|Comments Off on Big, Beautiful and Green Tyrannosaurus rex

Big, Green T. rex Drawing

A special thank you to Dionne, we found her fantastic big, green Tyrannosaurus rex drawing and thank you letter whilst we were sorting out one of the offices this morning. We had visited her school recently to deliver a dinosaur themed workshop and as part of the follow-up exercises we had received a set of wonderful thank you letters and drawings from the Year 5 class.

For dinosaur themed toys and gifts: Prehistoric Animal Toys and Gifts.

A Big, Green Tyrannosaurus rex

Dinosaur letter and drawing. — *Dinosaur letter and drawing sent in by Dionne in Year 5.*

Picture credit: Dionne (Year 5)

Green Tyrannosaurus rex Drawing

Dionne wrote thanking Everything Dinosaur for visiting her school. She commented that she enjoyed the dinosaur workshop and had been excited to hold the fossil teeth.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

We asked Dionne what was her favourite dinosaur? At the moment, it is definitely, her drawing of a big, green Tyrannosaurus rex!

21 12, 2017

Rare Australian Dinosaur Footprint Vandalised

By Mike|2024-05-10T09:50:38+01:00December 21st, 2017|General Teaching|Comments Off on Rare Australian Dinosaur Footprint Vandalised

Australian Dinosaur Footprint Deliberately Damaged

A three-toed dinosaur footprint that was created around 115 million years ago has been deliberately attacked and damaged by vandals. The track, which dates from the Early Cretaceous, was discovered in 2006 in the Bunurong Marine Park in the Australian state of Victoria. It is not known when the print was attacked, it was found damaged by members of a school tour party last week. A spokesperson for the Marine Park stated that the track seems to have been damaged by blows from a hammer, this was not an accident but an individual or individuals chose to smash the toe prints.

The Fossil Dinosaur Footprint (left undamaged and right damaged)

Vandalised dinosaur footprint. — *Theropod footprint vandalised in Australia.*

Picture credit: Parks Victoria

The picture on the left shows the undamaged footprint, whilst the right half of the image shows the vandalised track, note the left boot used to show scale.

Damaged Dinosaur Footprint

Fragments from the footprint have been found in the area, palaeontologists from Museums Victoria might be able to restore the print to some degree, but the repaired print will not be the same as the original.

A spokesperson from UK-based Everything Dinosaur commented:

“This is very sad news. When the footprint was found, it could have been removed to a museum for safe-keeping and study, but it was decided to leave the track in place so that everybody could enjoy it. We hope the authorities are able to apprehend the culprits.”

Parks Victoria have appealed for witnesses and requested assistance in the tracking down of the vandals responsible.

19 12, 2017

Exclusive Lesson Plans Sorted for Schools

By Mike|2024-05-10T09:52:29+01:00December 19th, 2017|General Teaching|Comments Off on Exclusive Lesson Plans Sorted for Schools

Teaching Assignments for Early January Planned

The lesson plans for the first dinosaur themed workshops of the New Year have all been written and emailed to the teaching teams. Everything Dinosaur team members have been busy finalising arrangements for the dinosaur workshops scheduled to take place in schools in the first four weeks of 2018. At this time of year, we know how hectic teachers can be, so we always try to ensure that workshops have been sorted prior to the end of the autumn term. This gives hard-pressed teachers and teaching assistants one less thing to worry about as the prepare for the start of the spring term.

Lesson Plans Sent Out

Key Stage 2 example lesson plan from Everything Dinosaur. — *Example lesson plan (Key Stage 2). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

In our emails to teachers, we provide suggestions and advice in order to help maximise the teaching time and to accommodate individual learning needs. In addition, we suggest that a member of staff has a camera, smart phone, or Ipad handy to take lots of photographs. These are very helpful when it comes to recall/recounting activities. We are also happy to discuss extension ideas.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

6 12, 2017

A Beautiful Plesiosaur Picture

By Mike|2024-05-10T06:58:39+01:00December 6th, 2017|General Teaching|Comments Off on A Beautiful Plesiosaur Picture

Plesiosaurus Picture

Our thanks to the young marine reptile fan who sent us a lovely thank you letter with a picture of a plesiosaur (Elasmosaurus). Everything Dinosaur had recently a school to spend a morning with the Year 5 children as the class was learning all about fossils and life in the past.

Plesiosaur Drawing

Thanks and Here is a Picture of a Plesiosaur (Elasmosaurus)

Elasmosaurus drawing. — *Reece and his Elasmosaur drawing.* Our thanks to Reece for his plesiosaur drawing.

Picture credit: Reece

For models and replicas of marine reptiles and other prehistoric animals: CollectA Prehistoric Life Models.

During the dinosaur workshop, we discussed the work of Mary Anning and we examined some of the fossils similar to those found by Mary on the beaches of Dorset. Mary Anning famously discovered marine reptile fossils. She did much to help Georgian and later, Victorian academics to understand the anatomy of these long extinct creatures.

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