EYFSTopic: Dinosaurs

Enjoy becoming dinosaur experts! Be immersed in imaginative dinosaur learning.Investigate fossil evidence; create your own dinosaurs; explore dinosaur landscapes and write your own class dinosaur story poem and map.Be inspired by the subject of dinosaur eating and create your own healthy dinosaur feast; learn about fossilised dinosaur eggs; speculate about dinosaur families and their behaviour; consider ideas about dinosaur communication and sounds; be inspired to make some dinosaur inspired instruments and music; learn about fossilised footprints and their sizes; make dinosaur feet, masks and costumes; create dinosaur dances, movements and routines for a final Dinosaur Stomp!

This reception topic covers many of the key early learning goals as well as national curriculum objectives. It is suitable for early KS1 children and Reception.

Block / Key Early Learning Goals & NC Objectives / Main creative outcomes
Block A
Fossil Evidence
[3 sessions] / Main outcome:Science andUW (TW)
Other outcomes: History (TW),Art and EAD (BI)
  • Science: Sort and classify things according to whether they are living, dead or were never alive.
  • UW (TW):make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur; talk about changes.
  • History: Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative from the earliest times to the present day.
  • History: Develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
  • History: Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • UW (TW): Make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur; talk about changes.
  • Art: To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • Art: To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
  • Art: To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture line, shape, form and space.
  • EAD (BI):Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through art, music and role play.
/ Imagine what it would have been like to be one of the world’s first paleontologists! Immerse yourself in imaginative dinosaur learning as you go back in time and imagine the UK covered in forest, swamp, rivers and lakes. What do we know about dinosaurs and how do we know?
Block B
Dinosaur Hunt
[4 sessions] / Main outcome:CL English
Other outcomes: EAD (BI) Art andUW (TW) Science
  • CL (S):Children develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.
  • CL (S):Children express themselves effectively, showing awareness of listeners’ needs.
  • (U): They answer ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about their experiences and in response to stories or events.
  • L (W):Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds.
  • English:Use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesizing, imagining and exploring ideas, respond speedily with the correct sound to graphemes for all 40+ phonemes.
  • English:Apply simple spelling rules and guidance.
  • English:Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates.
  • EAD (BI): Children use what they have learnt about media and materials in original ways, thinking about uses and purposes. They represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through art, music and role play.
  • EAD (BI): Children represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through art, music, dance, role play and stories.
  • Art: use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
  • UW (TW):They make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.
  • Science:Observe closely, using simple equipment. Use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.
/ Go on a dinosaur hunt through a primitive landscape; explore and discover various dinosaurs; look carefully and build a rich bank of describing words that helps you to write your own class dinosaur story; be part of a spectacular performance with dinosaur sounds, stories and art.
Block C
Dinosaur Feast
[4 sessions] / Main outcome:UW (TW)Science
Other outcomes: History,D&T andPhysical Development (PD H&SC)
  • Science: Raise and answer questions that help them to become familiar with the life processes that are common to all living things.
  • Science: Find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
  • Science: Describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food and hygiene.
  • Science: Make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur and talk about changes.
  • History: Understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • DT:Use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes.
  • DT:Understand where food comes from.
Physical Development (PD H&SC):Know the importance for good health of physical exercise and a healthy diet. / Consider the diets of herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs and if any dinosaurs were omnivores; what is the evidence for these two sets of dinosaurs? Be inspired by the subject of dinosaur eating and think about healthy eating; create your own healthy dinosaur feast of Dinosaur savoury snacks and swamp smoothies for family members.
Block D
Dinosaur Families
[4 sessions] / Main outcome: UW (TW) Science History
Other outcomes: EAD (EUD&M), Music D&T
  • UW(TW): Children know about similarities and differences in relation to places, objects, materials and living things, they make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.
  • EAD (EUM&M):They safely use and explore a variety of materials, tools and techniques, experimenting with colour, design, texture, form and function.
  • EAD (BI): Use play experiences, knowledge of dinosaurs, to invent music and sounds.
  • Science:Notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults, be introduced to the processes of reproduction and growth in animals ( focus at this stage should be on growth).
  • History: Know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative from the earliest times to the present day, develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time, understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • D&T:Select from and use a range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [for example, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing.
  • Music: Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music. Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes.
/ Learn about fossilised dinosaur eggs; speculate about dinosaur families and their behaviour; consider ideas about dinosaur communication and sounds; make some dinosaur inspired instruments and music; record your ideas for the class website.
Block E
Dinosaur Stomp
[3 sessions] / Main outcome: EAD (BL)andPE
Other outcomes: UW (TW),History, CL (L&A)English andArt
  • UW(TW):Make observations of animals and plants and explain why some things occur, and talk about changes.
  • (M) SS&M: Use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems.
  • EAD (BI): Represent their own ideas, thoughts and feelings through design and technology, art, music, dance, role-play and stories.
  • CL(L&A): Listening and attention: Children listen attentively in a range of situations. They listen to stories, accurately anticipating key events, and respond to what they hear with relevant comments, questions or actions.
  • English:Give well-structured descriptions.
  • History: understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
  • Maths: Measure and begin to record the following: lengths and heights.
  • PE Perform dances using simple movement patterns.
  • Art: Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products, to use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
/ How did dinosaurs move? What is the evidence? Learn about fossilised footprints and their sizes; make dinosaur feet, masks and a cape; create dinosaur movements and routines for a final dinosaur stomp!
Block F
Dinosaur Maths
[4sessions] / Maths
Involves providing chn with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces and measures.
Numbers:
  • Count reliably with numbers from 1 to20.
  • Place numbers 1 to 20 in order.
  • Say which number is 1 more or 1 less than a given number.
  • Using quantities and objects, chn add and subtract 2 single-digit numbers, counting on or back to find the answer.
  • Solve problems, including doubling, halving and sharing.
Shape, space and measures:
  • Use everyday language to talk about size, weight, capacity, position, distance, time and money to compare quantities and objects and to solve problems.
  • Recognize, create and describe patterns.
  • Explore characteristics of everyday objects and shapes and use mathematical language to describe them.
/ Listen to the story of Harry and his bucketful of dinosaurs; spend time exploring all sorts of dinosaur maths including counting, measuring, weighing and sorting; learn dinosaur counting rhymes and make a class dinosaur inspired number line.