By Mike|2023-11-14T12:01:20+00:00December 25th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur
Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur
Just time this morning to wish all teachers, teaching assistants, learning support providers and educationalists the compliments of the season. It has been a long, hard autumn term with lots of teaching assignments undertaken. However, with the end of one term, we then start planning for the next, all the schools with dinosaur and fossil themed workshops booked for January 2019 have been sent proposed lesson plans and information about how to get the most out of a visit from Everything Dinosaur.
Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur
Happy Christmas from Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit; Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
The autumn term has certainly been very busy. The start of the academic year is a hectic time for everyone involved in education. However, given all the workshops that we have booked, there will not be any let up over the course of the spring and summer terms. We look forward to meeting lots of eager, young learners in 2019.
By Mike|2023-11-12T07:16:33+00:00December 14th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on Preparing Free Dinosaur Fact Sheets
Preparing Fact Sheets about Dinosaurs
With the end of the autumn term nearly upon us, it is time for Everything Dinosaur team members to undertake a review of all the fact sheets on dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals that the company sends out to schools, home educators, museum staff and young dinosaur fans. For the vast majority of the prehistoric animal models that the UK-based company sells, a fact sheet about that creature is commissioned. Having a fact sheet about a dinosaur for example, is our way of helping to educate and inform people about life in the past.
Prehistoric Animal Fact Sheets from Everything Dinosaur
A collection of Beasts of the Mesozoic fact sheets created by Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Dinosaur Fact Sheets – Helping to Educate and Inform
Everything Dinosaur’s fact sheets and other teaching resources are available free on request. Team members are happy to email them out to schools, other institutions and interested parties. Simply, drop us an email stating what you would like and our dedicated staff will do all they can to assist you and supply your needs.
From Acheroraptor to Zuniceratops, Everything Dinosaur has hundreds of prehistoric animal data sheets. Each one has a scale drawing which shows the estimated size of the animal. More fact sheets are added each year, the company has plans to commission another thirty in 2019. Researching, writing and producing these fact sheets is quite an undertaking, fortunately, team members can call upon the expertise of their palaeontologist chums to assist them in their compilation.
All the Fact Sheets Contain Scale Drawings
A scale drawing of Brontosaurus. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“At the moment, team members are busy compiling prehistoric animal fact sheets to help support the work of schools, home educators and other institutions. It’s our way of helping to educate and inform people about life in the past.”
During our travels visiting schools, we get to meet lots of eager, young, enthusiastic learners and their equally enthusiastic teachers. We are always amazed at the carefully crafted and challenging schemes of work that have been devised for the children. All sorts of learning styles are catered for including visual and kinaesthetic learning styles. Whilst on one visit to a school to deliver a dinosaur and fossil themed workshop to a Reception class, we commented on the use of stencils that had helped the budding, young palaeontologists draw prehistoric animals. One of the members of the senior leadership team arranged for some examples of the children’s work to be posted to our offices.
Drawing Dinosaurs Using Stencils
The children created lots of colourful dinosaur stencil drawings. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Colourful Prehistoric Animal Drawings in the Classroom
The large and spacious Foundation Stage 2 classroom had some beautiful dinosaur themed displays. There was even a volcano made from tissue paper on one side of the room. The children were eager to show our dinosaur expert their drawings. The stencils had certainly helped and the pupils demonstrated their learning by confidently naming each dinosaur that the stencils represented. They even told us what each dinosaur ate (herbivore or carnivore) and when the dinosaur lived (Jurassic or Cretaceous).
A Bright, Colourful Volcano
Reception classes learn about volcanoes and dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Helping to Develop Motor Skills
Simple art and craft lesson plans can help young learners gain confidence and improve their motor skills. By drawing dinosaurs, children can practice their fine motor skills, essential when it comes to manipulating a pen, aiding the development of confident writers. We even saw some examples of the children’s hand-writing on display.
We hope the tridactyl dinosaur footprints we provided encourage the children to write their own names in the dinosaur track.
By Mike|2024-05-11T06:32:47+01:00November 7th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on New Flip Facts “Dino Record Breakers”
Flip Facts “Dinosaur Record Breakers”
Here’s a great little book all about dinosaurs, the biggest, fastest, most heavily armoured and so forth. The book entitled “Dino Record Breakers”, consists of sixty, tough, wipe clean pages in a flip chart format that provides lots of amazing facts about dinosaurs.
“Dino Record Breakers”
The Front Cover of “Dino Record Breakers”
The front cover of the recently published book “Dinosaur Record Breakers”.
Amazing Dinosaur Facts
Children enjoy learning lots of facts about dinosaurs and prehistoric animals and this little book caters for their needs providing details on the biggest predator, which dinosaur had the strongest bite and which was the “fuzziest” dinosaur. The most popular dinosaurs such as Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex are featured along with some of the more obscure ones such as Pentaceratops, Edmontonia and Pelecanimimus. Produced by Carlton Books, this publication has been written by the renowned English palaeontologist Darren Naish, so you can expect the information contained therein to be accurate.
The text is written in a child-friendly format with lots of short sentences, interspersed with diagrams, fact files and clever illustrations to help inform and to educate.
The book does not just feature dinosaurs, members of the Pterosauria such as Quetzalcoatlus and the huge marine reptile (Pliosauridae), Liopleurodon are included too.
Dinky Dinosaurs – Fruitadens – The Smallest Plant-eater
An illustration of perhaps the smallest dinosaur known Fruitadens.
Picture credit: D. Trankina/NHMLAC
This colourful book makes a great Christmas gift for a budding palaeontologist and a super resource for use in schools to help educate and inform children when it comes to conducting independent research on dinosaurs and compiling non-chronological reports.
Written by the famous English palaeontologist Darren Naish, Flip Facts “Dino Record Breakers” is crammed full of super dinosaur and prehistoric animal facts and information.
By Mike|2024-03-14T09:24:12+00:00November 2nd, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on A Rare Ammonite Model is in Stock
Ammonite Model is in Stock at Everything Dinosaur
At popular request, Everything Dinosaur has brought back into stock the ammonite model. This robust replica of an ammonite is ideal for schools and it has been used as a teaching resource in topic areas such as Year 3 (fossils, rocks and soils) and learning about Mary Anning (the famous fossil seashell collector from Lyme Regis in Dorset), in a dinosaur and fossil related term topic.
The Ammonite Replica – Model of an Ammonite
The Bullyland ammonite model is often used in museum displays to depict the living animal next to fossil material. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Ideal for creative play, school or home study, the ammonite model measures 17 cm long from the end of the shell to the tips of the tentacles and the shell has a diameter of 9 cm. The model has been specially designed to be handled by children from three years and upwards. A spokesperson from the teaching team at Everything Dinosaur commented:
“Ironically, models of ammonites tend to be more difficult to find than fossils of ammonites. Children can learn about the fossil shells, but they do not know what the actual animal that lived in the shell looked like. This child-friendly model helps young learners to appreciate that the fossils they are looking at represent the remains of living creatures that once swam in our seas and oceans. The model helps children to understand that whilst ammonites are extinct, they are very similar to animals living in the sea today, creatures like squid, cuttlefish and octopi for example.”
The ammonite model has a 5-star rating on Everything Dinosaur’s website, a typical review for this replica: “Very accurate model, impressive size.”
An Ammonite Model Used in Museum Displays
Everything Dinosaur also supplies this model to museums and other educational institutions. It can often be found in display cases showing a collection of ammonite fossils.
Everything Dinosaur’s Ammonite Model on Display at a Museum
A Bullyland ammonite model is used to help illustrate a display of ammonite fossils. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Helping to Bring Science Alive
The picture (above) shows an ammonite model next to a fossil of a Jurassic ammonite on display in a museum. The replica demonstrates what the living creature looked like and helps to bring the study of science alive and brings learning about fossils into context.
By Mike|2024-05-11T06:43:29+01:00October 24th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on An Amazing Dinosaur Beginning with “Z”
A Dinosaur Beginning with “Z” – Zhejiangosaurus
At Everything Dinosaur, we tend to get emails sent in by teachers, teaching assistants and pupils from all over the world. Take for example, a request received in the early hours of yesterday morning from a teacher based in Australia. The children in the teacher’s class had been learning all about dinosaurs and their focus had been on dinosaurs that lived in Australia and Asia. The email requested that we provide some information on Asian and Australian members of the Dinosauria and our helpful team members were happy to oblige.
Specifically, we were asked to help furnish the classroom “Wow Wall” with a dinosaur beginning with the letter “Z”, as the teacher could not think of one.
We were able to send out some information and drawings on a number of dinosaurs that begin with the last letter of the alphabet – there are more than you might think!
An Asian Armoured Dinosaur Beginning with the Letter “Z”
The armoured dinosaur Zhejiangosaurus illusrated.
Zhejiangosaurus
Zhejiangosaurus (pronounced Zay-gee-an-go-sore-us), is an armoured dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of China. It is known from only fragmentary remains and scientists are not sure just how big this “walking tank” was. It was named and described back in 2007 and it is one of a number of members of the Dinosauria that begin with the letter “Z”.
Our team members were happy to help out the antipodean teaching team. After all, dinosaurs existed all over the world during the Mesozoic, their living relatives, the birds are very widespread today. It looks like children learning about dinosaurs is a global phenomenon too.
By Mike|2024-05-11T16:36:34+01:00October 5th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on Spotting Beautiful Limestone Outcrops
Touring the Geology of the British Isles
One of the many joys of visiting schools to conduct dinosaur and fossil themed workshops, is travelling through the Great British countryside. Early starts in order to arrive at the school in plenty of time prior to beginning of the school day means that we don’t often see a lot when driving along. Scenic views tend to be obscured at this time of year, especially as many of our trips start at 5am or thereabouts*. However, on the way back can be a different story.
Spotting Limestone Outcrops
Whilst travelling through Derbyshire we were able to stop and take some photographs of the stunning scenery. We like to take pictures highlighting the geology of an area. The outcrops of limestone we encountered on our route through the stunning Peak District National Park were well worth photographing.
* We do appreciate how busy teachers are and how stressful it can be when a school visitor turns up late. At Everything Dinosaur, we try our best to arrive nice and early at a school. Arriving early will give our dinosaur and fossil expert plenty of opportunity to sign in, meet the teaching/support staff, provide disclosure information, to unload the vehicle and to get settled before too many of the pupils arrive. It also helps, as we can then have a few minutes of the teaching team’s time to be briefed on any additional needs that we ought to be aware of.
A Pleasant Journey Through Amazing Geology of the British Isles
Hall Dale Quarry (Derbyshire). A famous limestone outcrop. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
It certainly is a real pleasure when visiting schools to take photos of the stunning geology of the British countryside.
By Mike|2023-10-30T11:55:08+00:00September 28th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on Working Scientifically – A Short Explanation
Explaining the Idea of Working Scientifically
The national school curriculum for England was revised five years ago. This set out the programme of study and expectations for attainment in all subject areas for local-authority-maintained schools. There remained an emphasis on teaching science subjects, but the revised curriculum placed a much greater focus on the concept of “working scientifically”, but what does this all-embracing term actually mean?
Working Scientifically – Practical Tests are Key in Helping Young Learners to Explore Science Subjects
Scientific working demonstrated by Year 6 pupils. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Working Scientifically
With Key Stage 1 and 2, the new curriculum places a greater emphasis on working scientifically. Essentially, this involves the children using scientific methods to answer questions about the world around them. The emphasis is on a range of enquiries from using observation over time, identifying patterns and classifying and grouping using common traits and characteristics.
There is still a focus on making comparative and fair tests but the concept of scientific working underpins all the science subject elements. There is a need to learn about a variety of animals and plants which links to a stronger focus on biology and the natural world. Learning about dinosaurs and life in the past helps to link these areas and dove-tails nicely into a Year 3 topic area which is fossils, rocks and soils. Children in Year 6 are expected to grasp the fundamentals of evolution and inheritance, which links strongly into the genetics focus which is prominent in the Year 7 syllabus.
Eureka! Creating a Dinosaur Mind Map
Mind map features dinosaurs. A dinosaur-themed mind map was spotted during a school visit by a team member from Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Pupils should be encouraged to seek answers to questions through the collection and analysis of data. How to present findings is also an important topic area. Working scientifically will be further developed as the young learners progress through Key Stages 3 and 4. One of the key requirements of the scheme of work in primary schools is to help pupils to build up an understanding of science so that they can engage meaningfully in more sophisticated and complex areas such as experiment design and control as they progress through their school career. Everything Dinosaur team members have advised teaching teams about working scientifically.
By Mike|2023-10-30T08:38:13+00:00September 15th, 2018|General Teaching|Comments Off on A Beautiful Marine Reptile Model
Wonderful Model of a Pliosaurus
Our thanks to the model collector and prehistoric animal fan who sent in a picture of a wonderful marine reptile diorama. The figure in question is a model of the fearsome, carnivore Pliosaurus. The artist (Martin Garratt), has done a splendid job in making a prehistoric animal model that costs just a few pounds into something truly unique and spectacular.
Prehistoric Pliosaurus Model Display Piece
A customised CollectA Pliosaurus scale model.
Collecta Deluxe Pliosaurus
The image (above) shows the figure. It is a customised CollectA Deluxe Pliosaurus. It has been used to make an amazing marine reptile diorama.
To help depict the model in a dynamic swimming pose, the sculptor moulded a support and incorporated this into the base by making it look like an irregular section of the sandy seabed the marine reptile was cruising past. The fine details on this display piece help to reflect the quality of the craftsmanship involved. The sculptor has even created a coiled ammonite shell and added it to the seabed.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“We enjoy seeing pictures of prehistoric animal dioramas and we get lots sent into our offices. We look at every one, pictures of dinosaur models created by children as well as museum quality dioramas such as this one created by a professional artist.”
By Mike|2024-05-11T16:33:19+01:00September 9th, 2018|General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Getting to Grips with an Amazing K-W-L Strategy
Everything Dinosaur Helps Out Primary School with K-W-L Strategy
Team members at Everything Dinosaur have been approached by a primary school teacher to help her introduce a term topic all about dinosaurs for her Year 1 class. The teacher wants to utilise a K-W-L strategy to establish the topic and to identify what the children already know about prehistoric animals and to use the results to direct learning over the coming weeks.
The Use of a K-W-L Strategy in the Classroom
At the start of the dinosaur topic the Year 1 children recorded what they know about dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Defining a K-W-L Strategy
A K-W-L strategy is essentially a tabular method of assessing the level of knowledge that children have at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of a period of work. It can be implemented over a term topic such as “Dinosaur Planet” or “Jurassic Forest” or it can be used at the individual lesson level.
K-W-L – examines:
What the children know = K
What the children would like to learn about = W
What the children have learned = L
A Three-part Strategy for Learning
This teaching tool gives pupils an opportunity to make connections between different topic areas, it appeals to visual learners and allows the teaching team to shape the subject to suit the needs and requirements of the class. It allows the teacher to identify what prior subject knowledge the children possess, in the case of dinosaurs, it is surprising how much information the children know and are very enthusiastic to divulge. The K-W-L strategy can help to guide lesson planning and to focus on appropriate teaching strategies to address the lack of knowledge uncovered during the mapping exercise.
Mind Maps Can Support a K-W-L Strategy
Using the KWL technique to start a term topic all about dinosaurs. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Everything Dinosaur Answering Questions
In order to help support the teacher, Everything Dinosaur team members have promised to answer emails from the children in support of their enquiries about dinosaurs and life in the past.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The teacher can include the children emailing our dinosaur and fossil experts within their lesson planning. The use of email to answer the children’s questions can help incorporate and develop the ICT element of the curriculum.”
