General Teaching

18 06, 2018

Praising the Museum of Natural History in Oxford

By Mike|2023-10-16T07:42:39+01:00June 18th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Praising the Museum of Natural History in Oxford

In Praise of the Museum of Natural History (Oxford)

Oxford as the county town of Oxfordshire (England), has many attractions. It is of course, famous for its distinguished and highly respected university. It is one of the oldest seats of learning (alongside Paris and Bologna), in the western world. The Victorian poet Matthew Arnold (1822-1888), coined the phrase “the city of dreaming spires”, it is indeed a very awe-inspiring place with its beautiful architecture and stunning university colleges and buildings.

Oxford Museum of Natural History

However, Oxford should not necessarily just be the haunt of academics and students. For families, there is much to see and do in this historic part of England. Take for example, the Museum of Natural History, it is free to enter (donations are suggested) and it provides a fantastic day out for young and old alike.

A View of the Ground Floor of the Natural History Museum (Oxford)

Two marine reptile fossils on display. — *Plesiosauria fossils on display at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows marine reptile fossils on display.

For models and replicas of marine reptiles and other prehistoric creatures: Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Oxford Stunning Architecture

The museum acts as a centre for scientific study for the University of Oxford. It houses the University’s collection of palaeontological, geological and zoological specimens, including some of the very first dinosaur bones to be scientifically studied. This collection is housed in a stunning example of neo-Gothic architecture, the ornate columns and use of copious amounts of glass provides a wonderfully spacious and well-lit learning area. With visitor numbers estimated to be around 700,000 people a year, this well-laid out and beautifully appointed museum can get quite busy at times, but please note, the Natural History Museum (London), attracts approximately 5,000,000 visitors per annum. The London museum can get extremely congested, in contrast, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH), especially shortly after opening at 10 am tends to be much quieter.

Founded in 1860

Founded in 1860, that’s twenty-one years before the Natural History Museum (London) opened its doors, the OUMNH has maintained its strong tradition to inform and educate and helps to underpin a varied programme of scientific research as well as playing a significant role in teaching. The Museum provides an extensive array of family orientated activities and if over the course of the summer holidays, you have a few hours to spare this museum is well-worth a visit.

Look out for the cast of a male Tyrannosaurus rex, a life-sized model of a Coelacanth, some amazing fossil specimens, live insects and of course, arguably the OUMNH’s most famous resident – the remains of a Dodo.

In the meantime, visit the award-winning Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

14 06, 2018

Teaching Early Years Foundation Stage

By Mike|2023-10-14T18:57:11+01:00June 14th, 2018|Categories: Early Years Foundation Reception, General Teaching|Comments Off on Teaching Early Years Foundation Stage

Dinosaurs with Early Years Foundation Stage

Another busy day for Everything Dinosaur’s teaching team. One of our dinosaur and fossil experts had been invited to a school in south Yorkshire to help the Nursery and Reception classes kick-start their term topic learning all about prehistoric animals. The enthusiastic children enjoyed the workshops and had fun handling the fossils, several of them talked excitedly about it for the rest of the day.

We were given the spacious hall to set up in and we noted that on one of the walls, there was a display of prehistoric animals that had been created by some of the children at the school.

Prehistoric Animals on Display at the Primary School

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Extension Resources

Prior to the start of our workshops we were briefed on the learning needs of the children by one of the teachers. The classes had only been studying dinosaurs for a week, but they had prepared some amazing questions for our dinosaur expert to tackle. As well as delivering four workshops throughout the day, we donated some dinosaur books to the school library and provided some additional teaching resources to help support the scheme of work for the school term.

We are confident that our “dinosaur hokey cokey” will be well received by the eager, young palaeontologists.

We were also able to email over some dinosaur fact sheets and additional drawing materials to help support the Reception classes with a little challenge that we had set them.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

12 06, 2018

The Prehistoric Animals that Feature in “Fallen Kingdom”

By Mike|2023-10-14T18:40:17+01:00June 12th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on The Prehistoric Animals that Feature in “Fallen Kingdom”

“Fallen Kingdom” – Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Animals

In response to the numerous requests from young dinosaur fans who have seen the latest instalment in the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” film franchise – “Fallen Kingdom”, here is a list of the prehistoric animals that we spotted in the movie. In total, Everything Dinosaur team members spotted seventeen different prehistoric animals, how many did you see?

Hitting our Cinema Screens at Present – “Fallen Kingdom”

Fallen Kingdom prehistoric animals. — *The movie poster features a Mosasaurus.*

Everything Dinosaur’s List of the Prehistoric Animals in “Fallen Kingdom”

Allosaurus – a big, carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Late Jurassic.
Ankylosaurus – an armoured dinosaur, a herbivore from the Late Cretaceous of North America.
Apatosaurus/Brontosaurus – a giant, long-necked plant-eating dinosaur from the Late Jurassic.
Baryonyx – a carnivorous dinosaur that may have specialised in catching fish, the first fossils of which were found in southern England. Baryonyx lived during the Early Cretaceous of Europe.
Brachiosaurus – an enormous, plant-eating, long-necked dinosaur from the Late Jurassic.
Carnotaurus – a predatory dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of South America.
Compsognathus – at around a metre in length, the smallest non-avian dinosaur inhabitant of Isla Nublar. This little dinosaur lived in Europe during the Late Jurassic.
Gallimimus – a fast-running, “ostrich mimic” dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous.
Mosasaurus – not a dinosaur, but a marine reptile that belongs to the same group of reptiles as lizards and snakes. These predators lived during the Cretaceous.
Pteranodon – also not a dinosaur, but a flying reptile from the Late Cretaceous, a pterosaur. Pteranodon fossils have been found in North America, England and Asia.
Sinoceratops – a member of the horned dinosaur group, it roamed China towards the end of the “Age of Dinosaurs”.
Stegosaurus – “roof lizard”, a herbivore from the Late Jurassic of America.
Stygimoloch – a “bone-headed” dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous of North America which was good at knocking down walls if the movie is to be believed!
Triceratops – one of the most famous of all the plant-eating dinosaurs. Triceratops lived at the very end of the Cretaceous. Its fossils have been found in North America.
Tyrannosaurus rex – no dinosaur film would be complete without an appearance of T. rex. The “king of the tyrant lizards”, lived in North America and its fossils are associated with Upper Cretaceous sedimentary deposits.
Velociraptor – The “raptor” called Blue which was reared and brought up by animal trainer Owen Grady (played by Chris Pratt). Velociraptor lived during the Late Cretaceous of Asia.

A Model of a Blue Velociraptor

Papo dinosaur model - blue Velociraptor. — Papo Velociraptor dinosaur model.

The model (above) is a Papo Velociraptor model.

To view the range of Papo prehistoric animal models: Papo Prehistoric Animal Models and Figures.

Last But Not Least – Indoraptor

Last but not least, comes Indoraptor, a dinosaur created from the DNA from Indominus rex – the monstrous carnivore from the previous film in the franchise – “Jurassic World” and Velociraptor.

Look out for the sequel which is scheduled for release in June 2021. What dinosaurs do you think should be in this film?

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

6 06, 2018

Giant Ammonites – Potentially Under Your Feet

By Mike|2023-10-14T15:42:41+01:00June 6th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Giant Ammonites – Potentially Under Your Feet

Giant Ammonites – Potentially Under Your Feet

Ammonites are closely related to extant squids and octopi (cephalopods). Ammonite fossils can be collected from many sites around the world, including numerous locations in the UK. Often, an ammonite fossil shell is the first discovery of a young fossil hunter, a find that can lead to a lifetime of fossil collecting.

The Simple Pleasure of Finding an Ammonite Fossil

An ammonite fossil find. — *An ammonite partially eroded out of a nodule. We think this is an example of Dactylioceras commune*.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Titanites giganteus

Whilst on a visit to the Grant Museum of Zoology and Comparative Anatomy (London), a team member of Everything Dinosaur took a photograph of a giant ammonite fossil (Titanites giganteus) in one of the glass display cases.

A Giant Ammonite Specimen at the Museum

A beautiful ammonite fossil on display. — *A stunning fossil of a Jurassic ammonite on display at the London Natural History Museum. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

This is a relatively small specimen, measuring around forty centimetres in diameter. The biggest specimens of this ammonite species have shells more than a metre across. University College London is built from Portland Stone, a limestone formed in tropical seas in the Late Jurassic around 146 million years ago. This stone is quarried from the Isle of Portland in Dorset and is used all over the world for building projects. Some of the ammonite specimens that have been collected were huge, with shells much bigger than the one in the Grant Museum.

The one photographed by an Everything Dinosaur team member, could represent a relatively young animal or perhaps a male (female ammonites are believed to have been much larger than males).

Giant Ammonites on Display

The helpful information in the display case explains that visitors to London can see a rare example of a fossil Titanites ammonite in building stones outside the Slade School of Fine Art in the University’s Main Quad. In the paving are slices of preserved whorls, each one is a slice through the same fossil. Hundreds of people walk over this fossil every day, we wonder how many of them notice?

For models and replicas of ammonites and other iconic fossil animals: Models of Iconic Fossil Animals.

Stepping Over a Giant Ammonite

Titanites giganteus. — *Preserved in the pavement an ammonite (Titanites giganteus). Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

5 06, 2018

Acknowledging the Importance of World Environment Day

By Mike|2024-05-11T05:59:47+01:00June 5th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Acknowledging the Importance of World Environment Day

World Environment Day

Today, June 5th is World Environment Day. This annual event organised by the United Nations aims to raise awareness of the environment and specific issues caused by human activity that are threatening our planet’s ecosystems and habitats. This day, sometimes referred to as “World Eco Day”, was established in principle in 1972 and the first commemorative events took place two years later. We commemorate this important date by posting up an image of giant tortoise model.

A 1:6 Scale Replica of the Pinta Island Giant Tortoise (Extinct)

Rebor "Lonesome George" the Pinta Island replica. — *The Rebor 1:6 scale Pinta Island tortoise “Lonesome George” in lateral view. The model measures 30 cm long and stands 20 cm high. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The picture (above) shows the Rebor Pinta Island tortoise model.

To view the Rebor model range: Rebor Models and Figures.

Giant Tortoise Model

The last Pinta Island giant tortoise (Lonesome George) died on the 24th of June 2012. It was the last known individual of the sub species Chelonoidis niger abingdonii.

So, it seems fitting that today, World Environment Day, we remember the now extinct Pinta Island giant tortoise. The last of the Pinta Island tortoises was named “Lonesome George”. Researchers are hoping to resurrect the lineage using a controlled breeding programme involving other tortoise sub-species.

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

4 06, 2018

A Beautiful Linheraptor – Dinosaur Drawing

By Mike|2024-05-11T06:00:15+01:00June 4th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on A Beautiful Linheraptor – Dinosaur Drawing

Linheraptor exquisitus by Caldey

Our thanks to young Caldey for sending in her picture of the “raptor” called Linheraptor (Linheraptor exquisitus). Most people might be familiar with dinosaurs such as Velociraptor, made famous from the “Jurassic Park/Jurassic World” film franchise, but in truth, there were a large number of “raptor-like” dinosaurs and they were all (very probably), feathered and potentially quite colourful creatures too.

A Drawing of the “Raptor” Linheraptor (L. exquisitus) by Caldey

Picture credit: Caldey

To view models of Linheraptor and other feathered dinosaurs: Beasts of the Mesozoic Models and Figures.

The Dromaeosauridae (Linheraptor exquisitus)

Dinosaurs like Velociraptor and Linheraptor are members of the Dromaeosauridae family. The Dromaeosauridae are very geographically diverse, bird-like dinosaurs that were particularly abundant during the Late Cretaceous. Linheraptor was named relatively recently, (2010), the first of dromaeosaurid was named in 1922 (Dromaeosaurus). Like many of its kind, the fossils of Linheraptor come from Asia.

Our thanks to Caldey for sending in her super illustration.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

31 05, 2018

A Fabulous and Rare Fossil

By Mike|2024-05-11T06:06:35+01:00May 31st, 2018|Categories: Adobe CS5, General Teaching, Main Page, Photos/Pictures of Fossils|Comments Off on A Fabulous and Rare Fossil

A fabulous pair of eurypterid fossils photographed in the London Natural History Museum.

Spotted in the British Museum (London), two beautifully preserved sea scorpion fossils. The picture (below) shows a wonderful example of what looks like a fossilised, giant woodlice. However, all is not as it seems.

Sea Scorpion Fossil Specimens

A splendid pair of sea scorpion fossils on display. Museum fossil on display. — *A pair of eurypterid fossil specimens on display at the London Natural History Museum. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Woodlice are isopods and members of the Arthropoda Phylum. Eurypterids are arthropods too. Both have segmented bodies and share several anatomical characteristics, but they are only distantly related.

Probably originating during the Ordovician, eurypterids persisted until the Permian. Both marine and freshwater forms evolved. Some marine eurypterids represent the largest arthropods known to science. The largest described to date is Jaekelopterus rhenaniae. Based on a forty-six-centimetre claw fossil, palaeontologists have suggested that J. rhenaniae reached a length of 2.5 metres or more.

To read an article about this giant, Devonian sea scorpion: Claws! The Giant Jaekelopterus rhenaniae.

Eurypterid Fossil Specimens

Although the eurypterid fossils on display are not as large as the biggest species of Jaekelopterus (pronounced Yay-kel-op-ter-us), they are still impressive.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented on the details preserved within the fossil specimens and stated:

“When you see up close stunning eurypterid fossils, you gain an appreciation of the diversity and variety of life on Earth. It is hard to believe, but for more than 150 million years these amazing arthropods thrived, outcompeting vertebrates. Many forms evolved to become apex predators.”

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

20 05, 2018

Dinosaur Food Webs a Helpful Explanation

By Mike|2024-05-11T05:53:35+01:00May 20th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on Dinosaur Food Webs a Helpful Explanation

Dinosaur Food Webs

Team members at Everything Dinosaur help school pupils to understand prehistoric animal food webs.

The national curriculum of England science programme outlines the fundamental topics to be taught to various age groups to provide a broad foundation for future scientific study. Key elements include providing a basis for making sense of our planet (understanding our world) and developing the rational required to examine problems, look for evidence and to test via experimentation (scientific working).

In Key Stage 1, children are expected to be able to distinguish between carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. In addition, they will be expected to identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.

Prehistoric Animal Food Webs

A term topic on dinosaurs helps to reinforce and support this learning. At Everything Dinosaur, we have been asked to provide simple food webs to help get some of these fundamental points about ecosystems across. After all, for most children, learning about what Tyrannosaurus rex ate can enthuse even the most reluctant biologist.

A Simplified Dinosaur Themed Food Web

Araripe Basin (lagoon) prehistoric animal food web. — *Proposed food chain showing LPP-PV-0042 as apex predator. A diagram showing a prehistoric animal food web.*

Picture credit: Cretaceous Research

Basic Food Chain Principles

Children in Year 2 for example, will be required to explain how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food web. They will be expected to identify and name different sources of food.

Food chains show the feeding relationships between animals, plants and other organisms. Whether it is examining the biota of the Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Montana, the Savannah of Africa or the school pond, the principles regarding food webs still apply. Food chains tend to be roughly triangular in shape with the greater amount of biomass to be found at the lower levels. The amount of material and energy decreases from one level to the next. Food production is much more efficient if the food chain is short.

Energy is transferred along food chains from one level to the next. Not all of the energy available to organisms at one level can be absorbed by organisms at the next level up. Arrows tend to show the direction of energy flows in a food chain. At the base of most food chains is the sun, as it is sunlight that plays a role in photosynthesis, allowing plants to grow.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

1 05, 2018

Fake Reviews and Feedback Some Important News

By Mike|2024-05-10T21:19:33+01:00May 1st, 2018|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Fake Reviews and Feedback Some Important News

Fake Reviews and Feedback

Genuine teaching reviews posted up on Everything Dinosaur’s websites.

In the UK at the moment, there is a lot of media coverage about fake reviews. A BBC investigation has found that fake on-line reviews are being openly traded on the worldwide web. In a radio programme broadcast on BBC 5 live, an investigator was able to purchase a false, 5-star recommendation placed on one of the world’s leading review websites, Trustpilot. The BBC programme also uncovered on-line forums and closed groups where Amazon shoppers are offered full refunds in exchange for product reviews. Both Trustpilot and Amazon have stated that they do not tolerate false reviews.

Genuine Teaching Reviews

At Everything Dinosaur, we know how many customers rely on the information contained within testimonials and reviews before opting to either make a purchase or to use the company’s services. Every single review either posted onto our website, or on our Feefo account and shown on our website, or a dinosaur workshop review posted up here on this site, is genuine. We have never indulged in such practices, trying to mislead potential customers by purchasing fake reviews.

Visit Everything Dinosaur: Everything Dinosaur.

Everything Dinosaur has never purchased Facebook “likes”, Google reviews or undertaken any form of unscrupulous practice in a bid to boost our profile and ratings. We pride ourselves in being an honest and ethical team that does all it can to help and support our customers.

The Latest Dinosaur Workshop Reviews – All Genuine from Teachers and Teaching Assistants Who Have Witnessed our Work

Teaching Feedback. — *Five stars for Everything Dinosaur! Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Let our Service and Products Speak for Themselves

Currently, at the time of writing, Everything Dinosaur has 489 verified Feefo reviews posted up onto its main website: Everything Dinosaur in addition, we have over 1,685 comments and reviews posted by customers on this website too, a total of over 2,170, genuine customer reviews and comments. We have a 5-star rating with Feefo and have earned the prestigious Gold Trusted Service Award from that company.

Genuine Reviews from Real People

Top marks from Feefo for Everything Dinosaur. — *Everything Dinosaur 5-stars on Feefo. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Our thanks to all those educationalists who posted up helpful and informative teaching reviews.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:

“Feedback, customer comments and reviews are very important to us. We use this information to help improve our customer service and the various workshops that we deliver in schools. We do all we can to help our customers and the schools that we work with and we are immensely proud of our consistently high ratings for customer satisfaction and service. Our reviews, just like our company can be trusted.”

Visit the award-winning toys and games section of the company website: Everything Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

30 04, 2018

A Mini Dinosaur World Created in a Box

By Mike|2023-10-10T14:30:40+01:00April 30th, 2018|Categories: General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on A Mini Dinosaur World Created in a Box

A Mini Dinosaur World Created in a Box

One enterprising Year 2 pupil showed us their mini “Jurassic Park” that they had created for a school project all about dinosaurs, fossils and prehistoric animals. The child had made their own mini dinosaur world using a cardboard box, some paints, tissue paper, small sticks and gravel.

A Mini Dinosaur and Prehistoric Animal Theme Park

"Jurassic World" created by Year 4 children. — *Dinosaur dioramas created by children at Langley Hall Primary Academy. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

A Dinosaur World

The dinosaurs look very much at home in this scene, there is a river with a waterfall, the effect of the foaming water being created by scrunching up some tissue paper. The designer has provided the dinosaurs with a stone bridge so that they can cross safely to the other side of the river and reach the dinosaur nest composed of small sticks. The nest contains some yellow dinosaur eggs, which are being guarded by a meat-eating dinosaur.

For dinosaur themed models, toys and games: Dinosaur Toys and Gifts.

A large, herbivorous dinosaur, a long-necked sauropod browses nearby and our dinosaur and fossil experts really liked the model tree complete with purple fruits that had been added to the diorama. In the background a volcano is erupting. The green tissue paper gives the impression of prehistoric vegetation. The plant-eating dinosaurs have lots of food to eat.

Our congratulations to the young model maker for building such a clever and colourful dinosaur diorama.

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