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This Mary Anning KS1 planning pack takes your class on a journey back in time to explore the life of the famous fossil hunter and discover her incredible achievements through a range of engaging activities.
Over the course of five lessons, children will learn what life was like in Georgian Britain and compare it to their own lives today. They will explore Mary Anning’s childhood, her love of fossil hunting, and her most important discovery—the ichthyosaurus. Your class will find out what fossils are, how they are formed, and why Mary’s work helped scientists understand prehistoric life. Finally, children will explore how Mary Anning is remembered today, and celebrate her legacy as a pioneering woman in history.
Each lesson in this Mary Anning KS1 planning pack includes a detailed plan, a set of engaging and informative PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and a range of printable resources to support your class in their independent work.
A Knowledge Organiser is available to support the learning in this scheme. It is included in the Complete Series download or can be purchased individually.
Why not upgrade to our Dinosaurs Topic Bundle – perfect if you're looking for a cross-curricular approach to your teaching.
Lesson 1
Georgian Britain
In this first lesson, children will find out about the period in which Mary Anning was born.
They will use timelines to locate the 18th and 19th centuries, and the Georgian era. In their independent activities, children will compare and sort statements about daily life in the Georgian era and daily life now.
This Georgian Britain KS1 lesson pack includes an easy-to-follow plan, PDF slides for the teaching input, a range of activity ideas to suit the needs of different learners in your class, and printable resources.
What's included:
- Lesson plan
- Slides
- Activity ideas
- Differentiated worksheets
- Then and Now Cards
- Time Period Posters
- Statement Cards
Lesson 2
Mary Anning's Life and Achievements
In this lesson, children will look at important events in Mary Anning’s life, and find out how she played a big part in developing knowledge and understanding of fossils.
In their independent activities, children will sequence the events of Mary’s life, or in the alternative activity provided, decide whether statements about her life are true or false.
A detailed plan, a set of engaging and informative PDF slides, activity ideas and printable resources are all included in this Mary Anning KS1 lesson pack.
What's included:
- Lesson plan
- Slides
- Activity ideas
- Timeline Sheets
- Timeline Cards
- Information Sheet
- True or False? sheet
Lesson 3
The Ichthyosaurus Discovery
This lesson focuses on Mary’s amazing discovery of the Ichthyosaurus fossil.
As a class, children will read and discuss the events leading up to, and after, the discovery of the creature’s skull. In their independent activities, children will make their own books retelling the story. In the alternative activity, children imagine they are curators of a museum where the fossil is on display, and explain how it was found to visitors.
A detailed plan, a set of engaging and informative PDF slides, activity ideas and printable resources are all included in this ready-to-teach Mary Anning KS1 lesson pack.
What's included:
- Lesson plan
- Slides
- Activity ideas
- Book Pages
- Word Bank
- Ichthyosaurus Fossil Card
- Challenge Card
Lesson 4
How Mary Anning Helped Us Learn About Prehistoric Life
Children will first look at what a source is, before focusing on fossils as a source of information.
Your class will learn that Mary Anning’s discoveries played a part in developing our knowledge and understanding of fossils and dinosaurs today. In their independent activities, children will sequence important developments in our knowledge on a timeline.
Everything you need to teach this lesson is included in the downloadable pack: an easy-to-follow plan, a set of PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources.
What's included:
- Lesson plan
- Slides
- Activity ideas
- Differentiated worksheets
- Sequence Cards
- Event Cards
- Date Cards
- Teacher Notes
Lesson 5
How Mary Anning is Remembered Today
In this final lesson, children explore why Mary Anning wasn’t given credit for her discoveries at the time.
Your class will then find out how she is remembered and commemorated today. In their independent activities, children will either write a letter to Mary Anning, thanking her for her contribution to our knowledge of fossils, or, as a group, they will design a set of commemorative stamps in her honour.
This ready-to-teach Mary Anning KS1 pack includes a detailed lesson plan, an informative set of PDF slides for the teaching input, differentiated activity ideas and printable resources - everything you need for a successful lesson!
What's included:
- Lesson plan
- Slides
- Activity ideas
- Letter Templates
- Letter Prompt Card
- Stamp Templates
Mary Anning KS1 Knowledge Organiser
This Year 1/2 History Knowledge Organiser has been created to complement our Significant Individuals History strand. It is designed to support your children’s understanding of key vocabulary linked to this scheme of work. Enquiry questions have been included to encourage your children to think like a historian within this topic.