To prepare for the workshop, it would be very helpful if you could do all the following before the visit:

1. Fill in the two forms - one is to say which children will be painting which fossil, and the other is to say which children will be making which part of the skeleton. The tasks are listed according to difficulty level.

2. Arrange the tables around the outside of the classroom, on 3 sides, with a space for the children to sit on the carpet in the middle and a table at the front for me, under the whiteboard. There should still be enough space around the tables that the children can sit down to paint the fossils after morning break.

3. The tables should be cleared completely before I arrive, as I will need to set out the fossils for the name the fossil game, before I start the workshop. I will arrive about 9.15am to set up, so I will need the children to be on the carpet (or out of the room if there is no floor space) until about 9.30, when I should be ready to start the workshop.

4. I will need your interactive whiteboard for my photos so please have it up and running.

5. Please make sure there is space on the side of the room, for storing or displaying the fossils which the children will paint, and also for me to set out the fossils which they can buy at lunch.

6. If possible, please have an extra adult or two to help children with the fossil game, the fossil painting, and the skeleton making. The younger the children the more important this is.

7. Please provide the following items in the morning for the fossil painting:

·         1 thick paintbrush per child

·         1 paint palette per 4 children

·         1 pot of water per 4 children

·         1 paper towel per child

·         Covers for the tables and art overalls. I will set out the painting materials over morning break and would like 2 or 3 children (or adults) to help.

I will provide paint and thin brushes for painting the detailed parts of the fossils.

8. Over lunch I will have fossils for sale, at very low prices - mostly 10 or 20p, plus some higher quality fossils for 50p. The 'shop' will be open for the first 10 minutes of lunch (or the last 10 minutes if children eat straight away). During lunch I will need 6 children to help me cut out the background shapes for the dinosaur skeleton. This is difficult, so talented and mature children are preferable. This will take about 30 minutes.

9. For the skeleton making in the afternoon please provide the following materials:

·         1 sharp pencil per child                

·         1 pair of scissors per child                    

·         A few erasers

·         1 Pritt stick per pair of children (I will bring some of my own glue sticks too)

10. From about 40 minutes after the start of the afternoon session we will need the school hall, so please make sure it is reserved. If the hall is unavailable we will need 2 classrooms.

11. At the end of the day I can help you attach the skeleton/skulls to the wall of the school hall (or some other space, but please note the T rex is 12m long by 4m high, and the Triceratops is 8m long by 3m high). For this we will need stepladders, and at least 1 adult to assist me (or 2 to do it yourselves). Please be aware that 4m is quite high, and anyone climbing up stepladders to attach the skeleton faces the risk of fall and injury.

12. As this is a new workshop, with your permission I would like to take photos of the fossil painting and the dinosaur making for my website and advertising. I will make sure no child's face appears in a photo (unless permission has been granted). I would also welcome any comments you have on the workshop.

13. You can pay me on the day with a cheque to Time Trips for £179 per day or £95 for a half day, or post it to my home address (this will be on the invoice).

I look forward to working with you and your children.