Teaching - Part 14

18 02, 2019

Wonderful Armoured Dinosaur Illustration by Young Dinosaur Fan

By Mike|2023-11-23T07:03:18+00:00February 18th, 2019|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Wonderful Armoured Dinosaur Illustration by Young Dinosaur Fan

Illustrating Armoured Dinosaurs

At Everything Dinosaur, we enjoy receiving lots of letters, cards, emails and drawings from young (and not so young), fans of dinosaurs. A few years ago, a budding young palaeoartist called Caldey sent into us her drawing of the armoured dinosaur Ankylosaurus. It was a splendid drawing and Caldey’s mum explained that Caldey loved drawing prehistoric animals and one day, she might want to illustrate dinosaurs as a full-time job.

An Amazing Drawing of an Armoured Dinosaur

An illustration of an Ankylosaurus. — *A drawing of the Rebor Ankylosaurus model “War Pig” – colour variant – “plain”.*

Picture credit: Caldey

The Role of Scientific Illustration

When it comes to publishing scientific papers, particularly those that describe a long extinct creature that is new to science, an illustrator is often employed to work with the researchers to produce a scientifically accurate life reconstruction based on the known fossil material. In May 2017, Everything Dinosaur team members reported upon the discovery of a new species of armoured dinosaur from Montana (United States), the new dinosaur named over 100 years after Ankylosaurus was first described, was called Zuul crurivastator, (pronounced Zoo-ul cruh-uh-vass-tate-or).

The renowned palaeoartist Danielle Dufault was commissioned to produce an illustration of this new Late Cretaceous armoured giant.

An Illustration of Zuul crurivastator

An ankylosaurid - Zuul crurivastator. — *Life restoration of Zuul crurivastator (Danielle Dufault).*

Picture credit: Danielle Dufault

The stunning life reconstruction of the heavily protected head of Z. crurivastator inspired young Caldey to have a go at reproducing an illustration of an ankylosaur. We think she has done a rather splendid job. Well done Caldey.

A Scale Drawing of the Recently Described Armoured Dinosaur Zuul crurivastator

Zuul scale drawing. — *Everything Dinosaur’s scale drawing of the armoured dinosaur Zuul. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

As Caldey has got a little older, her drawing skills have matured. Perhaps, she will one day be making a contribution to scientific illustration and palaeoart on behalf of a major museum or a prestigious university. We wish all budding young artists every success – keep chasing your dreams.

A Model of the Recently Described Armoured Dinosaur Zuul crurivastator

Wild Safari Prehistoric World Zuul — *The new Safari Ltd Zuul dinosaur model. A fantastic replica of a North American, Late Cretaceous ankylosaurid dinosaur.*

The picture (above) shows the recently introduced Zuul dinosaur model by Safari Ltd.

To view this model range: Wild Safari Prehistoric World Figures.

11 02, 2019

Everything Dinosaur Team Members Win a Top Award

By Mike|2023-11-22T10:55:40+00:00February 11th, 2019|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Everything Dinosaur Team Members Win a Top Award

Top Marks to Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur team members have been awarded top marks by Feefo, an independent customer service ratings company. The company has won, for the second year in a row, the prestigious Gold Trusted Service Award from Feefo.

Everything Dinosaur gets Top Marks for Customer Service

Gold Trusted Service Award to Everything Dinosaur. — *Feefo awards top marks to Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Feefo/Everything Dinosaur

Congratulations to Everything Dinosaur

Over the last twelve months, Everything Dinosaur met the strict criteria laid down by Feefo and the company’s consistently high customer service in 2018 has led to the Cheshire-based dinosaur business being awarded top marks for the second year in a row.

A spokesperson for the teaching team at Everything Dinosaur commented:

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award from Feefo. It recognises how hard we’ve been working to give great experiences to all our customers, who are the most important judges of what we do. Feefo enabled us to consistently achieve high standards over the last twelve months and now we’re looking forward to another successful spring and summer term.”

Praised by Feefo

Praising Everything Dinosaur staff for winning this year’s award, Matt West, Chief Executive Officer at Feefo, added:

“The Trusted Service award has always been about recognising those companies that excel beyond the norm. This year we’ve seen many remarkable businesses leveraging the full potential of Feefo to provide outstanding levels of experience for their customers – and rightly being awarded our most prestigious accreditation.”

Feefo is a customer insight technology company that provides organisations with the ability to collect genuine customer feedback and reviews. Feefo ensures that all feedback is authentic, by matching it to a legitimate transaction, in order to increase consumer confidence and enable businesses to make smarter, focused business decisions.

Looks like Everything Dinosaur is a roaring success!

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

23 01, 2019

Excited Nursery Class Make Fossils

By Mike|2023-11-20T15:45:42+00:00January 23rd, 2019|Categories: Early Years Foundation Reception|Comments Off on Excited Nursery Class Make Fossils

Nursery Class Make Fossils

The children in the Nursery Class at Hilton Lane Primary (Worsley, Manchester), are learning all about dinosaurs and fossils along with the Reception-aged children at this “good school” as officially rated by Ofsted. One of Everything Dinosaur’s experts was invited along to meet the children and following a workshop with the Reception class in the school’s spacious and well-appointed hall, he was invited to visit the Nursery located on nearby Prescott street. The Nursery class were keen to show their visitor the clay dinosaur fossils that they had made.

The Nursery Class at Hilton Lane Primary School Have Been Busy Making Fossils

*Dinosaur fossils on display at a nursery. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Clay Dinosaur Fossils and Exploring Materials

Under the expert tutelage of Miss Bolton and with the support of the teaching assistant Miss Wall, the enthusiastic, young palaeontologists were keen to show what they had made. Making clay fossils is a great way for the children to learn about the properties of materials. This exercise forms part of a diverse and challenging scheme of work that the teaching team had prepared.

In the recent Ofsted report the quality of the teaching was described as “consistently good” and the progress made by the pupils was commented upon. The Ofsted report also highlighted the careful planning conducted by the teaching team. Teachers know in detail what pupils already know and can do, they take this into account when devising their lessons.

Clay Fossils Created by the Nursery Class

Dinosaur fossils created by a nursery class. — *Dinosaur fossil created by Hilton Lane Primary Nursery class. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Confident Learners, Attentive Listeners and Lots of Pre-knowledge

The children confidently explained about herbivores and carnivores and enjoyed handling the dinosaur plant food that had been brought along. Fossils felt cold and they were very hard, just like a stone. They were as hard as the hard hat that one of the children wore when the clothing of a palaeontologist was explored. The Nursery children have their very own soft toy Triceratops to look after. She is called Trudy and we think Trudy would be most impressed by the knowledge about dinosaurs demonstrated by the children.

Looks like the Foundation Stage classes at Hilton Lane Primary are going to have a great time learning all about dinosaurs this term.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

22 01, 2019

Dinosaurs with Foundation Stage Children

By Mike|2023-11-20T15:24:32+00:00January 22nd, 2019|Categories: Educational Activities, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Dinosaurs with Foundation Stage Children

Over the last few days, the teaching team at Everything Dinosaur have been out and about visiting lots of schools to work with Foundation Stage children. We have met some very enthusiastic and eager young palaeontologists and conducted several workshops with Reception and Nursery classes. We have seen fossils, dinosaur drawings, prehistoric animal skeletons made from pasta shapes and even a few flying reptiles dangling from a classroom ceiling. One class of Nursery children (Foundation Stage 1), have been helping “Trudy the Triceratops” build a nest and each weekend one of the children gets to take “Trudy” home and to look after the dinosaur for a couple of days.

“Trudy the Triceratops” – Helping with a Dinosaur Term Topic with a Nursery Class

Triceratops soft toy. — *A soft toy Triceratops like “Trudy the Triceratops”.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Dinosaur Soft Toys

The picture (above) shows a soft toy Triceratops. This piece of prehistoric plush is very cute and cuddly.

To view the range of prehistoric animal soft toys in stock at Everything Dinosaur: Dinosaur Soft Toys.

Trudy loves adventures and she will have a diary with her so that parents and children can record what Trudy gets up to whilst she is away from the school. On the Monday, following Trudy’s visit, the child will be given the opportunity to tell the class what Trudy has been up to over the weekend.

Explaining about Trudy’s adventures will help improve the children’s communication skills and help develop confidence.

Labelling a Triceratops

To help support the teaching team’s scheme of work we provide extra resources and teaching materials. At one school we learned that the Nursery class teacher had a favourite dinosaur. It was Triceratops, so we sent an illustration of what palaeontologists think Triceratops actually looked like. We suggested that if the teacher blanked out our labels, then the children could write in their own labels and name the various parts of the body.

Can You Label a Dinosaur?

Labelling a Triceratops. — *Can you label a dinosaur?* *Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

The image (above) shows a Triceratops model. This is the 1:15 scale CollectA Deluxe Triceratops figure.

To view the range of CollectA Deluxe models: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric Life Models.

Can the children label the dinosaur? A good exercise in helping with vocabulary development and writing, some words might be spelt correctly whilst others could be phonetically plausible.

Hatching Dinosaur Eggs

During our visits we saw lots of dinosaur eggs and nests. We suggested that an extension activity to accompany the discovery of a dinosaur egg in the classroom would be to challenge the children to think of materials that might help to keep the egg safe and warm. What sort of materials should we use to make a nest for a dinosaur? This activity supports the concept of learning through play and exploration. The children can look at the properties of materials and think through their own ideas, making links between ideas and developing strategies for achieving outcomes.

A Dinosaur Egg About to Hatch in a Reception Classroom

A dinosaur egg is about to hatch. — *A hatching dinosaur egg spotted in a Foundation Stage (Reception) classroom.*

Picture credit: Lum Head Primary/Everything Dinosaur

The children in the Reception class at Lum Head Primary had decided to wrap their dinosaur egg in a blanket to help keep the egg safe and warm. A dinosaur had been added by the children to help keep the baby dinosaur company when it hatched.

For information about Everything Dinosaur’s work in schools and outreach work: Email Everything Dinosaur.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

20 01, 2019

A Hatching Dinosaur Egg Spotted in a Reception Classroom

By Mike|2023-11-20T06:24:34+00:00January 20th, 2019|Categories: Early Years Foundation Reception, General Teaching|Comments Off on A Hatching Dinosaur Egg Spotted in a Reception Classroom

Reception Class Have a Dinosaur Egg

The children in the Reception classes at Lum Head Primary (Cheshire), have been busy looking after two dinosaur eggs. The topic for the spring term is focused around dinosaurs and entitled “We are explorers an egg-citing discovery!” The enthusiastic teaching team with the support of the dedicated learning support providers, have developed a rich and engaging scheme of work centred around the discovery of a dinosaur egg in each classroom.

The Dinosaur Egg is About to Hatch!

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

Dinosaur Workshop with Reception Classes

Children in the two Reception classes at Lum Head Primary have been waiting for their two dinosaur eggs to hatch. They have built a nest and worked out what the baby dinosaur needs to keep it safe and warm. Our dinosaur expert visited the school to deliver two workshops helping to kick-off this exciting topic.

The teacher who organised the visit from Everything Dinosaur emailed to thank us for our efforts, she wrote:

“Thank you for today. The children absolutely loved it and were buzzing all day!! Thanks too for all the additional resources you left us – we will definitely be using them”.

To learn about Everything Dinosaur’s fossil and dinosaur themed workshops in school, and about our outreach work: simply drop us an email: Email Everything Dinosaur.

18 01, 2019

Celebrating the Role of Women in Science with a Special Event

By Mike|2024-05-10T18:47:12+01:00January 18th, 2019|Categories: Educational Activities, Famous Figures, Main Page, Teaching|0 Comments

Supporting Women in Science

Whilst preparing to undertake a dinosaur and fossil workshop with a year 1 class, one of our team members spotted a superb display in the school hall, highlighting the role of women in science. The concept of working scientifically is one of the key elements of the new national teaching curriculum that has been introduced. It is wonderful to see the role of women in science being showcased to children at primary schools in this way.

Celebrating the Role of Women in Science

School poster acknowledges the role of women in science. — *Celebrating the role of women in science. A school poster showcases some of the leading female scientists and their contribution to building a better understanding about our world.*

Picture Credit: Ilderton Primary/Everything Dinosaur

Women in Science – Chien-Shiung Wu, Hedy Lamarr, Sandra Faber and Rosalind Franklin

The poster explains some of the principles required to be a scientist such as gathering and recording data, making observations and devising experiments. The work of four women are highlighted on this prominent poster. Firstly, there is the physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, who worked on the Manhattan Project and become the first female tutor at the prestigious physics department at Princeton University in America.

Hedy Lamarr, perhaps better known for her acting career but also an accomplished mathematician and inventor is also featured. She helped pave the way for today’s wireless technology. During World War II, Hedy Lamarr worked on a radio guidance system which was more robust and difficult to jam and distort. The principles of her work helped to lead to the development of today’s Bluetooth technology.

The poster also features Englishwoman Rosalind Franklin, a biophysicist who pioneered X-ray crystallography (XRC), a method by which the atomic and molecular structure of an object can be determined. Her work helped to reveal the internal structures of complex minerals and most famously DNA.

A Poster in the Hall of a Primary School Celebrates the Work of Biophysicist Rosalind Franklin

The double helix of DNA. — *Rosalind Franklin helped to unravel the structure of the double helix of DNA.*

Last but least, the display poster features the work of astronomer Sandra Faber. Sandra Faber has been instrumental in the Hubble Telescope programme helping to provide some of the most detailed images of the universe ever recorded.

Everything Dinosaur Comments

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“It is great to see the work of famous women scientists highlighted in this way. During our dinosaur and fossil themed workshops, we explore the contribution made to palaeontology by Mary Anning, who during her lifetime was given very little credit for her discoveries, but now is regarded as one of the pioneers of the Earth sciences. Let’s hope the poster helps to inspire girls to think more seriously about a career in the sciences.”

Providing such positive role models to young girls may help encourage them with their own experiments in the school science classes. It is important to highlight and celebrate diversity, helping to inspire and motivate the next generation of scientists.

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

16 01, 2019

Year 1 Children Prepare Questions About Dinosaurs

By Mike|2023-11-19T16:44:33+00:00January 16th, 2019|Categories: Educational Activities, Main Page, Photos/Schools, Teaching|0 Comments

Dinosaur Questions from Year 1 at Barford Primary

Children in Year 1 at Barford Primary (Ladywood, Birmingham), have embarked on a new term topic. Under the enthusiastic and expert guidance of their teachers, the children are learning all about dinosaurs, fossils and life in the past. One of Everything Dinosaur’s dinosaur and fossil experts was dispatched to the school to visit 1G and 1L to help kick-off the dinosaur themed topic in style.

Dinosaur Workshop

Prior to delivering the two workshops (one workshop for each Year 1 class), our team member was given the chance to discuss learning objectives and outcomes with the class teachers in a spacious and very tidy Year 1 classroom.

The children had been thinking of questions that they would like to know the answer to, a start had been made on one of the classroom display boards and some questions had already been posted up.

Children at Barford Primary School (Year 1) Prepare Questions About Prehistoric Animals and Fossils

Questions about dinosaurs from Year 1 (Barford Primary)

Barford Primary – dinosaur questions. The two classes of Year 1 children had been preparing questions about dinosaurs and life in the past.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Barford Primary

Learning About Fossils

During the workshop, the children were able to handle the same sort of fossils that Mary Anning, the famous fossil hunter from Dorset would have discovered on the beach at Lyme Regis. Mary Anning makes a fine role model for children in Key Stage 1, as she was not much older when she found the fossilised remains of a huge marine reptile (ichthyosaur) eroding out of the cliffs close to her home town.

For models and replicas of ichthyosaurs and other prehistoric animals: CollectA Age of Dinosaurs Popular Models.

Questions About Dinosaurs

One of the questions asked by the pupils was “how is a fossil made?” Using simple language and terms our dinosaur expert leading the workshop was able to explain how most fossils are formed and that it is because we have fossils, such as bones, teeth and footprints that palaeontologists have been able to demonstrate that millions of years ago giant reptiles roamed the Earth. All very helpful with the scheme of work for the Year 1 children as another question asked by a budding, young scientist was “how do we know that dinosaurs existed?”

Fossils Help Scientists to Learn About Life in the Past

Gorgosaurus fossil display. Fossils help scientists to learn about life in the past.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Manchester University

Populating a Prehistoric Scene

One of the questions that our staff member spotted whilst visiting the Year 1 children (1G and 1L), was “what killed the dinosaurs”? The children were keen to demonstrate their pre-knowledge and provided very confident answers, in the challenging and engaging scheme of work prepared for the term topic. The question concerning what caused the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs will be thoroughly researched and explored. One theory that has been proposed is that a long period of volcanism caused global climate change, this volcanism in conjunction with an extra-terrestrial impact event led to the extinction of around seventy percent of all life on land, including the non-avian dinosaurs.

Volcanic Eruptions Could Have Played a Role in the Extinction of the Dinosaurs

Barford Primary (Year 1) design a prehistoric scene.

Primary school children design their own dinosaur landscape. Volcanic eruptions could have been a factor in the extinction of the dinosaurs.

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Barford Primary

Visit Everything Dinosaur’s website: Everything Dinosaur.

16 01, 2019

School Poster Promotes the Role of Women in Science

By Mike|2023-11-19T16:43:29+00:00January 16th, 2019|Categories: General Teaching, Key Stage 1/2|Comments Off on School Poster Promotes the Role of Women in Science

School Poster Promotes the Role of Women in Science

Whilst working at a primary school in London, one of our dinosaur experts spotted this wonderful poster on display promoting the role of women in science. Our team member was in the school hall preparing to deliver a dinosaur and fossil themed workshop to a class of Year 1 children, but prior to the session starting, he took the opportunity to take a picture of the inspirational poster.

Helping to Promote the Role of Women in Science

Celebrating women in science. International women's day. — *A collection of women scientists part of a poster montage spotted during a school visit. Celebrating International Women’s Day. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

Famous Female Scientists

The poster features four famous and influential female scientists, Rosalind Franklin who helped work out the structure of DNA, physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, astronomer Sandra Faber and Hedy Lamarr, perhaps more famous as an actress but also an accomplished inventor who helped pioneer today’s Bluetooth technology.

The poster also explains some of the key skills required to be a good scientist such as making true and fair tests, observing and predicting as well as gathering data.

A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:

“This poster is a really good way of getting over to primary school girls that there are some amazing career opportunities in science. It celebrates the role of women in the sciences and hopefully, it will encourage and inspire the next generation. When we deliver our dinosaur and fossil themed workshops in schools, we often introduce the work of Mary Anning, who did so much to improve our understanding about life in the past. Mary Anning is a fantastic role model for primary school children, as she was finding hugely significant fossils on the beach at Lyme Regis when she was about the same age as the schoolchildren.”

Visit the Everything Dinosaur website: Everything Dinosaur.

1 01, 2019

Happy New Year from Everything Dinosaur

By Mike|2023-11-18T14:42:53+00:00January 1st, 2019|Categories: General Teaching|Comments Off on Happy New Year from Everything Dinosaur

Happy New Year from Everything Dinosaur

Team members at Everything Dinosaur wish all teachers, teaching assistants and learning support providers a happy New Year. The holiday season is nearly over and we know that dedicated teaching teams will be working hard over the next few days to finalise plans for the Spring Term.

Happy New Year from all the Staff at Everything Dinosaur

Everything Dinosaur wishes everyone a Happy New Year. — *Happy New Year from Everything Dinosaur. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.*

Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur

For many schools in the UK, the Spring Term starts on or around January 8th, we wish all teaching assistants, administrators, learning support providers and teachers a peaceful and prosperous 2019.

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

25 12, 2018

Merry Christmas from Everything Dinosaur

By Mike|2023-11-14T12:01:20+00:00December 25th, 2018|Categories: 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

Everything Dinosaur team members wishing everyone a happy Christmas. — *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.

Merry Christmas!

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