Dinosaur Labelling Adventure

Subject: Geography

Year Group: Reception (Ages 4-5)

Time: 35 minutes

Class Size: 24 students

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Curriculum Area

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – Understanding the World (The Natural World)

• Objective: Children will develop an understanding of the past by exploring and describing dinosaurs.
• Development Matters Guidance:
  • Understand and use appropriate language to describe animals.
  • Show interest in different environments and creatures of the past.
  • Develop fine motor skills by engaging in a hands-on labelling activity.

National Curriculum Link (Key Stage 1 Foundation)

• Begin to identify features of animals and describe their key differences.
• Build vocabulary around physical characteristics of living beings.

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
✅ Identify and label key parts of a dinosaur (tail, nose, claws, legs, teeth).
✅ Use new words to describe different dinosaur features.
✅ Develop fine motor control by engaging in a hands-on cutting and labelling task.
✅ Demonstrate an early understanding of the natural world and animals from the past.

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Resources Needed

📌 A large A2-sized image of a Tyrannosaurus Rex on the board.
📌 Individual dinosaur cut-outs for each student.
📌 Pre-written word labels (tail, nose, claws, legs, teeth) with Velcro backing.
📌 Glue sticks, scissors and colouring pencils.
📌 A mystery fossil box (box filled with small rocks, shells, and plastic dinosaur “fossils”).

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Lesson Structure (35 Minutes)

1️⃣ Hook (5 Minutes – Engage) “Dinosaur Hunters!”

🎩 Teacher’s Role: Put on a safari hat and tell students they are palaeontologists for the day! Open a "mystery fossil box" and let students feel and guess what’s inside.
🔹 Key Questions:

• "What do you think these could be?"
• "Have you heard of dinosaurs before?"
• "What parts of the dinosaur did you notice?"

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2️⃣ Main Activity (15 Minutes – Explore & Label!)

a) Group Activity – Interactive Labelling (7 Mins)

🦖 Display the large T-Rex image on the board.
🟢 Call students up in pairs to stick the correct label onto the T-Rex (e.g., placing "tail" on the correct part).
🗣 Encourage Discussion:

• "Why do you think dinosaurs had sharp teeth?"
• "How do claws help dinosaurs?"

b) Individual Task – DIY Dinosaur Labelling (8 Mins)

📄 Provide each child with a blank dinosaur cut-out.
✂️ Students cut and stick the correct labels (tail, nose, claws, legs, teeth) onto their dinosaurs.
🎨 Extension: Early finishers can colour their dinosaurs and draw their favourite background (jungle, volcano, river).

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3️⃣ Plenary (5 Minutes – Recall & Move!) "Dinosaur Dance"

🔹 Game Time: "Dinosaur Simon Says" – Call out "Tail!" and students must wiggle their tails! Call out "Claws!" and they must make a claw shape!
🔹 Quick recap questions:

• "Who remembers where the claws go?"
• "Which part did you enjoy labelling the most?"

🏆 Reward: Give each child a special "Dinosaur Explorer" sticker for completing the activity!

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Assessment & Differentiation

🏅 Assessment

• Observe if children correctly place labels during group work.
• Listen for correct vocabulary usage (e.g., “claws,” “teeth”).
• Check individual cut-out work for understanding.

📊 Differentiation
🔹 For Support: Give simpler options. Provide a pre-cut dinosaur and help with placing labels.
🔹 For Challenge: Ask students to explain why each part is important. Provide an extra label option ("spikes") for advanced learners.

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Reflection for Next Lesson

• Which words did children struggle to identify?
• Did they engage well with the hands-on activity?
• Would they benefit from a follow-up outdoor "dinosaur hunt" next lesson?

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Teacher’s Final Words:

This lesson makes dinosaur learning exciting and hands-on while subtly building key locational and descriptive vocabulary for Geography. Expect lots of roars, giggles, and engaged faces! 🦖✨