Step back to an era before humans existed – between 250 million and 60 million years ago. This vast expanse of time begins just after the Permian Extinction, a dramatic event that killed up to 90% of the Earth’s species. After this point came the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods of the Mesozoic era, during which our planet was dominated by dinosaurs, until the next mass extinction event approximately 66 million years ago.

What strange creatures roamed the Earth in the distant past? What features did the world’s landscapes share with the present day, and what has changed beyond recognition? Guide your students into the distant past to find out.