Sample Unit - Year 3 "Land of the Giants"

Land of the Giants!

Inspiration Day: Create a dinosaur time line on the classroom wall. It should be big and have room for dinosaurs from all periods to be placed on it. This shouldn't be just a "line" with dates, but be a display board height and width picture sequence - with drawings and paintings made by children. If wished employ a visiting artist such as "Creaturama" from Kenilworth to come and make dinosaur models with the children – these are made using chicken wire and mod roc – some brought along by the artist are very large models and very impressive!

Mantle of the Expert:

Travel company arranging and promoting - "Visit the Past!"- The trip of a lifetime to the age of the dinosaur!.
Company to devise itineries, consider health and safety implications, produce advertising materials.

History

Chronology 1a,b; 2a,c; 3; 4a,b; 5a,b,c; 7 (if appropriate site);

Development of chronological understanding by putting the various periods of pre-history and history onto a timeline
On a timeline begin with Vendian period 600-540 million years ago and then go on to show when first dinosaurs appeared (Triassic period 248-208 mya)
Cover Jurassic period (208-146 mya) and Cretaceous period (146-65 mya)

Make clear that all dinosaur species were not on the earth at the same time.
What theories are there about the extinction of the dinosaurs?
When does man appear of the timeline?

Science

Sc2 - 1a,b,c; 4 Variation and Classification - a,b( not locally), c; 5a,b,c

Link study of Sc 2 to the lives of the dinosaurs. Classify them - officially they are archosaurs, like modern crocodiles but they can be grouped using criteria such as horned, winged etc as an introductory activity Firstly, explain classification of animals in relation to existing species and then go on to talk about the dinosaurs

NB: If food chains and other aspects of Sc2 are not to be studied elsewhere in KS2 then they should be taught too, but in relation to existing animals. (The theme could link geography to study of rocks and soils and separating materials)

Design and Technology

1a,b,c,d; 2a,b,c,d,e; 3a,b,c; 4a,b; 5a,b,c

QCA "Moving Monsters" unit - but adapted to fit with dinosaur theme OR unit on making a book using levers and linkages book to be on the theme of dinosaurs and to have moving parts such as jaws that open and necks that bend.

Geography

1a,b,c; 2a,c,d,e,f,g;3b,c,d,f,g; 4b;

Cover some aspects of geology - look at types of rocks and their whereabouts in Britain How were these rocks formed?

Locate parts of Britain where there have been significant fossil finds eg: Lyme Regis. Why have fossils been found here? What is significant about these areas? (type of rock being sedimentary – created during periods of higher sea levels) What part have rivers and seas played in forming this land?

PSHE and Citizenship

1a,b,c,2a related to MoE; 3- health and safety; 4a,b,f related to MoE

English/Drama

En1:1a,b,c,d,e,f;2a,b,c,d,e; 3a,b,c,d,e; 4a,c; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9;10;11a
En2: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8a,b;9b
En3: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9a,b,c; 10, 11, 12

narratives, reports, Speaking and listening, reading and writing related to cross curricular study of theme Produce non-chronological reports on particular dinosaurs Read stories on the theme from modern children's fiction or from long established children's fiction Produce own stories on the theme - meeting with a dinosaur etc

Art

1a,b,c; 2a,b,c; 3a,b; 4a,b,c - look at the work of sculptors; 5a,b,c,d

Be inspired by the theme to look at sculpture and to model dinosaurs either using clay or using modrock and wire frames - see Inspiration Day
Additionally there could be work in pastel or paint on the theme

Music

1,2,3,4,5a,b,c,d

There are lots of songs for children available on the theme of dinosaurs! Listen and perform Go on to compose their own group "songs" on the theme - focus on number of beats etc

ICT

1,2,3,4,5

ICT related to cross curricular study - research
Create timelines using ICT
Design a database collating information about people's favourite dinosaurs Produce posters for MoE - Travel to the Past - using text and images

Subjects not included: RE