Dinosaur Workshops for Schools

Get ready to be a paleontologist! We have over 3000 fossils in our lab collection for children to examine. From dinosaur teeth and horns, crocodile vertebrae, and fossil faeces from a range of extinct reptiles and fish.

PalaeoLab's aim is to encourage a new generation of superb zoological, palaeontological and evolutionary scientists with an ability to think both creatively and critically about the world around us.

Through fossil searches, amber examinations, and engaging discussions, students will explore questions about dinosaur appearances, behaviors, and what led to their eventual extinction. This session isn't just about facts; it's about understanding how fossils reveal the secrets of our past. With topics ranging from the Stone Age to extinction, students will be inspired to think critically and creatively about the world around them.

Our dynamic workshop, spanning 1 to 2.5 hours, combines storytelling, puppetry, games, and songs centered around dinosaurs.

Each workshop will include a combination of the following activities:

Story and puppets:
Experience the "Forgetfulosuarus" as she seeks her identity, and help Terry Rex regain his voice in "The Dinosaur Who Couldn't Roar." Through interactive puppetry, children solve problems and craft happy endings for these charming characters.

Everyone's Dinosaur:
In "Everyone’s a dinosaur!" kids explore how different environments shaped dinosaur features, discovering what kind of *saurus they would be. "We’re going on a bone hunt" teaches teamwork in fossil discovery. Kids learn excavation skills and identify fossils, using their knowledge to classify dinosaurs and create their own.

One Red Raptor (Language, Movement and Dance):
In "One Red Raptor," kids create a counting rhyme with dinosaur names, followed by illustrations for a fun wall frieze or booklet. "Dancing Dinosaurs" inspires independent movement with contrasting sounds and language, culminating in a stomping Dino Dance crafted individually and i

Dinosaur Detectives:
Participants start with warm-up movements, followed by a dinosaur-themed adaptation of Julia Donaldson's 'Tyrannosaurus Drip' using shadow puppets. They then craft dinosaur fossils such as footprints, teeth, and claws. The session wraps up with a lively dinosaur song and dancing activity, with an optional activity of creating an erupting volcano if time permits.

Creating Dinosaurs:
Build gigantic dinosaurs, each at least 4 meters long, using recycled building plastics. These dinosaurs will look amazing and we can film them to show children how awesome they are.

A captivating workshop designed for Year 5/6 students to explore the world of Darwin covering curriculum subjects topics such as, evolution, and inheritance! 🌱🔬 Through engaging activities like fossil investigations and skeletal examinations, students will unravel the mysteries of evolution and natural selection.

Students will examine a diverse array of articulated mammal skeletons, discovering clues about shared ancestry among mammals. They'll explore Darwin's theory of natural selection, understanding its intricacies and how it shapes the animal kingdom. Dive into the groundbreaking discoveries of Darwin, revolutionizing modern science! Explore how natural selection drives animal adaptations, from polar bear fur to bat wings and beyond.

Through lively Q&A sessions and thought-provoking discussions. Topics covered include the last universal common ancestor, human evolution, and the future of our species. With 90 minutes of exploration, each session becomes a playground of ideas and discoveries. Facilitated discussions are tailored to student interests.