Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘turtle’

We’re an office of animal lovers here and so it’s hard not to recognise an awareness day such as World Turtle Day! World Turtle Day aims to increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive. Given that turtles have been on Earth for more than 200 million years and evolved before mammals, birds, crocodiles, snakes and even lizards, it would be horrendous to think that our actions led to their extinction.

Education is key to helping turtles avoid extinction and we can all do our bit to prevent this. They may not be cute and cuddly, although I’m sure my daughter would do her best to cuddle a turtle whether it wanted it or not, but they still need our help. So in support of World Turtle Day I entered ‘turtle’ into Espresso and it came up with 22 resources.

Wheel-y fast turtle, news 1, my first news, design

After experiencing a nasty accident with a lawn mower, this turtle’s future was in serious doubt. A broken spine meant that he was unable to move until an ingenious vet came up with an inventive way of attaching what can only be described as stabilisers to his shell. He’s now able to move around whilst he recovers after which he’ll be released back into the wild. A good news story if ever I heard one!

Espresso zoo, science 1, espresso zoo, module

Not only does this resource help pupils learn about turtles, but it also introduces them to some of the turtles’ sea dwelling friends such as mackerels, dolphins and sharks. As part of the Espresso Zoo, pupils also have the opportunity to explore mini-beasts, pond animals, farm animals and birds.

It’s their world too, news, assemblies, video, assembly

This resource aims to help you provide an assembly based on animals that are facing extinction and how we can help to ensure their survival. Ask your pupils to watch the video of the loggerhead turtles which are facing extinction due to the ongoing destruction of their breeding grounds. It’s a great way to start a discussion about the importance of protecting animals.

Old toys return, history 2, news, articles

So let’s end on a lighter note with this article concerning the expected return to favour of Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles! Although they weren’t quite my thing, I did have two younger brothers obsessed with them and I defy anyone of a certain age not to be able to name all four. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michaelangelo! A bonus point for anyone that can name their arch nemesis… anyone?

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘orange’

I’m feeling really sorry for myself today. This awful wet weather has left me with a stinking cold. I’m dosed up with cold & flu remedies, smell of vapour rub and my nose wouldn’t look out of place on a certain infamous reindeer. I also have the required bottle of orange juice on the go, desperately trying to combat the cold with a healthy dose of vitamin C. But a colleague has just informed me that actually guava has a much higher concentration of the cold-battling vitamin. However, between you and me I have absolutely no idea what a guava looks like let alone tastes like, so I’ll be sticking with my OJ!

It’s Fruity Friday this Friday, an annual awareness campaign run by World Cancer Research Fund to improve people’s health by getting them to eat just one more piece of fruit a day. So to recognise this great campaign and to celebrate my favourite fruit I entered the humble ‘orange’ into Espresso and it brought up 66 resources.

Design a Fruit Salad: Spanish, Spanish 2, vamos a continuar, activities

A great way to get children to enjoy fruit is to let them create and prepare their own fruit salads. This resource not only gets children thinking about a variety of different fruits they might try, but it also teaches them the names of different fruits in Spanish.

Orange for Orangutan Day, foundation, news, animals, video

Orangutans have to be one of my all time favourite animals and so I was thrilled to discover this video which discusses Orange for Orangutans Day. It’s part of a weeklong awareness to draw attention to the challenges faced by wild orangutans and their rainforest home and to highlight how ordinary people can help both, including by fund-raising.

Oranges and Lemons Day, news 1, my first newspaper, special days, article

Did you know that there’s an Oranges & Lemons Day which takes place in London in March? On this day, the bells of St Clement Danes Church plays the rhyme “Oranges & Lemons” and local school children attend a special service at the Church, after which they’re given an orange and a lemon.

Colour Crazy Snap, French 2, en famille, activity

Who doesn’t love a game of snap! My four year old daughter certainly does, but this resource is snap with a difference. Pupils win by matching the colour to its French name, providing a really fun way of introducing younger pupils to French vocabulary.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘sister’

My family is made up of me, my husband, my daughter and a host of her imaginary friends. There’s Jessica, her imaginary sister; Elizabeth, her imaginary baby; and Belle, her imaginary hamster. I myself have never had any imaginary friends and so I’ll be honest, I was a little bit freaked out when Jessica first entered our lives! But I’ve since been assured that it’s a sign of a healthy and creative imagination. When people realise she’s talking to her imaginary friends, the first thing they say is that she’s in dire need of a sibling. Well, that maybe the case, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!

It’s International Day of Families next Tuesday, and to celebrate the role of the family in today’s world and my daughter’s need for a sibling I entered ‘sister’ into Espresso and it brought up 37 resources.

Families through the ages, PSHE 2, families, photos

This is a fascinating resource featuring a collection of photographs of families through the ages. Starting with an image of a typical Egyptian family, the images demonstrate not only how families have changed throughout the years, but also how peoples’ perceptions of families have changed.

Ash and his family, foundation, PSED, ourselves, about me, big book, photos

Learn all about Espresso’s very own Ash and his family. Ash is very lucky to have a three year old sister called Meena who I’m sure get’s up to all sorts of mischief with her older brother.

Family thoughts, PSHE 2, families, activities

Using this resource,ask your pupils to study the images of the families in different situations and add thoughts or speech bubbles to the pictures. It’s a great way to encourage children to talk about their own feelings.

Family tree is now a beanpole, PSHE & citizenship 2, news, articles

Families used to grow outwards with lots of branches in the form of uncles, aunts and cousins, and the shape of the family looked a bit like a tree. This article discusses how today, family trees look more like beanpoles because people are living longer and women are having fewer children. It’s a great article to start a discussion on what pupils think families will look like in the future.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘firefighter’

Whilst growing up I wanted to be one of those backing dancers on Top of the Pops, but my friend Mark had a more realistic ambition to be a firefighter! He thought that there could be no greater job in the world than one that let you drive fast around town in a bright red fire engine, climb the tallest buildings and use a hose to squirt as much water as you wanted without your Mum telling you off!

I don’t know if Mark ever became a firefighter, but I certainly never got my five minutes of fame on Top of the Pops. It’s International Firefighters Day on Friday; a chance to honor and support firefighters who risk their lives every day to help their communities and so to celebrate this we entered ‘firefighter’ into Espresso and it brought up 21 hot resources.

People who help us (News, Videos, Assemblies)

Did you want to be a doctor when you grew up? Well this is a great resource that lets children explore the different types of people who help us in our everyday lives, like firefighters and doctors. The videos show people working at eight different jobs, asking children to think about which jobs they might like to do when they get older. They might even want to role play some jobs together in a group.

News Bite: Obama visits Ground Zero (PSHE & Citizenship 2, News, Video)

No doubt you remember where you were on September 11th, yet most primary schools pupils weren’t even born when the twin towers came crashing down. This clip shows President Obama visiting Ground Zero, and provides interesting food for thought on a discussion around terrorism, and the job that firefighters did to help rescue the injured (343 firefighters and paramedics died in 9/11).

Sydney bushfire diary from the frontline (English 2 – News – Articles)

Charlie and Annette Wickens and their four children live in Woodford, a small town west of Sydney, Australia. For the last week they have been living next to Sydney’s worst bushfire in living history. Armed with a garden hose and buckets of water, the family decided to stay and protect their home. This article tells the story in diary format. It’s perfect for encouraging children to write their own diaries about a particularly exciting time, or to debate whether the family should have stayed in the house with the fire next door. I don’t think I’d have wanted to!

Fighting fire (Science 2, News, Video)

We know from years of watching Fireman Sam, ‘the hero next door’, that firefighters remain composed in an emergency and unfailingly offers assistance to all those in need (just like Sam)! But how do they actually contain the flames? This clip shows different ways in which firefighters tackle a blaze, for example, using a fan to help them see more clearly.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘penguin’

What is black, white and red all over? A sunburnt penguin! Yes, I’m ashamed to say that was one of my favourite jokes as a child and it still makes me giggle. Penguins are a great favourite in our office, with one of our colleagues having had a penguin-themed wedding last year…yes, really! So it’s with great delight that we’re celebrating World Penguin Day today.

It’s particularly appropriate given that we’re also welcoming the safe return of Dirk, the fairy penguin that was stolen from a theme park in Queensland Australia. The poor little guy was taken by a couple of ‘gentlemen’ as a prank but has now been safely returned to his girlfriend, Peaches. So to celebrate everything penguin related, we entered ‘penguin’ into Espresso and it brought up 40 resources.

Prehistoric penguin, science 2, news, articles

I always feel like I learn something new when I write the Wednesday Word of the Week blog posts and this week has certainly been no different. Did you know for example that penguins have only relatively recently become black and white? According to this article, a fossil found a number of years ago of an ancient relative of today’s penguin demonstrated that not only was it a reddish brown colour, but that it was also five feet tall!

Marine animals, creative, foundation, animal moves, activities

Give your pupils the opportunity to learn more about marine animals such as sharks, dolphins, jelly fish and of course penguins. This resource allows pupils to create their own book of pictures and drag relevant words onto the page. It even gives them the opportunity to type their own descriptive words for each picture. The whole thing can then be printed and shared with the class.

What is Antarctica like, geography 2, passport, factfile

Yet another thing I’ve learned today is that there are actually two active volcanoes in Antarctica, home to many penguins. This factfile teaches students all about Antarctica, the coldest and windiest of the continents.

Operation penguin, geography 2, news, video

In a terrible accident, a trawler off the coast of South Africa spilt its oil putting thousands of penguins at risk. Each bird had to be cleaned and transported 10 miles along the coast. It would then take them approximately 10 days to swim back to their home area, by which time the oil should have cleared and they’ll be safe once again. This video shows the transportation of the penguins and their release back into the sea.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘hamster’

National Pet Month is well underway, working to promote responsible pet ownership. My daughter is desperate for what she describes as a ‘proper pet’. Apparently poor old Patch the goldfish doesn’t quite cut the mustard. People in the office are trying to persuade me to buy her a dog, a cat or a rabbit – but I’m not keen. Looking after pets takes hard work, commitment and time.

I myself don’t have a good track record with childhood pets, just ask Dinky the hamster. So, in loving memory of Dinky and to help National Pet Month raise awareness of the benefits of caring for pets I entered ‘hamster’ and it brought up 28 resources.

Hamster caught speeding in the M6 motorway, PSHE & citizenship 2, news, articles

This is just the kind of story that you couldn’t make up! A motorist driving down the M6 noticed a hamster running alongside the motorway in a plastic ball. Nicknamed ‘Roly’ by his rescuer, he was rescued by the RSPCA who believe he’d been thrown from a car.

Hamster with a bus pass, foundation, big books

Here’s a great resource for encouraging creative thought and writing. The story starts with poor Sweep the hamster being stopped from getting on the bus as his owner doesn’t have enough money for a ticket for him. Upset at the way Sweep has been treated they lodge a complaint with the bus company and he receives his very own bus pass which gives him the freedom to travel wherever he wants to. Why not ask your pupils where they think Sweep will go first?

Pets, Spanish talking dictionary, Spanish 2, vamos a continuar, talking dictionary

Did you know that hamster in Spanish is un hámster? No I didn’t either, but I could probably have guessed. With this resource you can find out how to speak about a variety of animals in Spanish. Use it to discover what un lagarto, un cobaya, un gato or un conejo is. Not quite so easy as un hámster!

Hamster and snake, news, photo gallery

Here’s an interesting picture of a snake and a hamster, although how those two came to be in a box together I’m really not sure. How about challenging your pupils to come up with speech bubbles containing what they may be saying to each other – you could receive some very funny results!

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘clock’

One of my worst nightmares became a reality on Sunday morning. I turned up for my regular Zumba class to find out that I was the only one that had! Yes, that’s right, just me, a super fit instructor and a very empty studio. Just him, me, and no place to hide! Cringe…

Bless him though, seeing the horror on my face he did suggest that to make me feel more comfortable we could just face each other rather than the mirrors. Nope! That was not going to make me any more comfortable. Luckily, just as we’re about to warm up and I’m considering the best way to fake some kind of sudden medical condition to get me out of there, two women dash in apologising for being late as they’d forgotten to turn back their clocks! It turns out they weren’t the only ones as we were quickly joined by another two women running late. As for the others, I can only assume that the lure of a gorgeous sunny day was too much of a temptation.

Whilst causing chaos for those that don’t remember, turning the clocks back gives us those sociable light evenings we associate with spring and summer. So, trying to forget my near-miss nightmare, I entered ‘clock’ into Espresso as this week’s Wednesday Word of the Week and it brought up 113 resources.

Spring forward, fall back, news 1, my first newspaper, special days, article

Here’s a great resource for explaining to pupils the reason we move the clocks back and forward throughout the year. Originally it was done to give farmers more time to harvest their crops. Did you know that time officially changes at 1am?

Telling the time, maths 1, time, learning path

Learning how to tell the time comes so easily to some, but not others. This learning path gives pupils videos to watch and activities to complete to help them understand how to tell time on a variety of different clocks in a really fun way.

 

Time zones, science 2, earth, moon and sun, factfile

This factfile explains how the different time zones throughout the world are calculated using the Meridian Line, an imaginary line which joins the North and South Pole running through Greenwich. Perhaps encourage pupils to think about what children in other parts of the world are doing as they’re in class? Could they be fast asleep? Eating breakfast? Or perhaps getting ready for bed?

Big Ben under repair, D&T 2, news, video

Perhaps the famous clock of all is the Big Ben clock in London. More than 150 years old, the clock obviously requires regular repairs and maintenance to keep it in good condition. This video follows the month long repair work that took place recently – quite a job! It also meant that for the first time Big Ben didn’t chime at either quarter past or quarter to the hour, so the MPs in Westminster had to rely on their own watches to keep time.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘bicycle’

It may have been more years ago than I care to disclose, but I still remember clearly my cycling proficiency test; taken in the final year of Primary School after being tutored by the local policeman, PC Weatherall. I can’t believe I can still remember his name! He was at least 6 foot 3 inches, with the shiniest shoes I have ever seen.

I loved my bike and considered myself an excellent cyclist – until I was asked to cycle around the cones and then take my hand off the handlebars and precariously stick it out to my left or right to indicate my intended direction. All of a sudden, I wasn’t the confident rider who could easily be dared to perform wheelies or skids; I was quite frankly a wobbly mess. However after some tutoring from PC Weatherall I passed! So even if you are not a Lance Armstrong cycling is an excellent way to enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise. This week is National Bike to School Week and so I entered ‘bicycle’ into Espresso and it brought up 63 items and here are the ones I’ve chosen to share.

Underwater bicycle, news 2, photo gallery, photo

This picture really made me smile. As if a lady on a bicycle underwater in what looks like her pyjamas wasn’t disturbing enough, can you see the danger lurking in the top corner? I’d get pedalling quickly if I was her!

England cycles into future, geography 2, news, what do you think?

Here’s a great resource to get pupils thinking about how your local area can be improved to cater for cyclists. Encourage debate about whether they think we should be investing in cycling for the future, or perhaps they have different ideas about how we’ll be travelling in the future?

Cycle helmets rule, my first news, keeping safe, video 

This video reports on the law change in Jersey which means that anyone under the age of 18 years old must wear a cycle helmet following an incident in which a young boy was badly hurt. Cycle helmets were distinctly ‘uncool’ when I was at school but I’m delighted to see that so many children these days wear them as a matter of course. Perhaps encourage your pupils to discuss what other things they can do to keep themselves safe when cycling.

Across the world by cycle and sea, geography 2, news, articles

This article concerns a truly inspirational story about two British brothers who completed a 17,000-mile journey by cycle and sea kayak.  Arriving in Sydney, they described their adventure which included being shipwrecked and shot at, surviving a cyclone and narrowly escaping being thrown in jail. That’s quite some story they’ll have to tell their grandchildren!

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘potatoes’

This weekend it’s a double celebration! I’m hoping that I won’t be suffering too much from the exhaustion of St Patrick’s Day celebrations on the Saturday, so that I can enjoy being taken out for lunch on Mothering Sunday. St Patrick’s day isn’t normally a day of celebration for me, but we have a strong Irish contingent in the office planning a shindig so it would be rude not to join in!

Ireland’s a beautiful country and I have fond memories of when I visited and kissed the Blarney Stone. Anyone who’s been there will know that that’s no mean feat! I also enjoyed what had to be the most amazing colcannon, a potato dish made with onions and butter. I had no idea that potatoes could actually be so tasty and so to celebrate the upcoming St Patrick’s day I entered ‘Potatoes’ into Espresso and here are some of the 21 resources that came up.

Potato’s ancestors explored, science 2, news, video

There’s a wide variety of potatoes available and the type you choose depends on how you want to cook them. Boiled, mashed, roasted or baked – there’s a special potato for each one. This resource looks at the Mayan Gold Potato which is said to taste just like the original potato presented to the Queen by Sir Walter Raleigh. But what particularly interests me is the fact that it takes just half the time to roast – making the traditional Sunday roast a little easier.

St David’s Day leek and potato soup, D&T 2, news, articles

Although this recipe celebrates the patron Saint of Wales rather than Ireland, this is definitely one to get the taste buds going. Follow the recipe to make a simple yet delicious leek and potato soup. Perhaps ask your pupils to think about other ideas to turn the simple spud into a tasty meal!

Teeth and eating: photos index, science 2, teeth and eating, photo

Do you remember when Jamie Oliver first embarked on his campaign for healthy school meals? One of the first experiments he conducted was to see which vegetables children would recognise in their original form, as opposed to how many logos of fast food outlets they’d recognise. The shocking truth was that most children could recognise a McDonalds logo, but few could recognise rhubarb! Use this resource which features pictures of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables including the everyday potato, carrots and bananas to the most exotic lychees, artichokes and kolokasi. No, I didn’t recognise that last one either!

Too many couch potatoes, news 1, my first news, ourselves, video

Here’s a video to get your pupils thinking about how much exercise they get to stop them becoming couch potatoes. According to research, three quarters of children don’t get the recommended hour of exercise per day which is essential in maintaining health and fighting obesity. Use this video to encourage children to think about what they do to stay active, and ask them to offer ideas to the whole class about how everyone can incorporate more activity into their day.

Wednesday Word of the Week – ‘women’

As a mother to a young daughter I’m always telling her that the world is her oyster and that when she grows up she can be whatever she wants to be. Although I have to confess that it’s currently proving difficult as her ambition is to become a mermaid…I’m hoping it’s a phase! But mythical sea creatures aside, I do think it’s important for girls and boys to believe that they can achieve their dreams.

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and events throughout the world will be campaigning to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding. Events are arranged around the world and so to celebrate the achievements of women I entered the word ‘women’ into Espresso and it brought up 97 resources, many featuring some truly inspirational women.

Mary Seacole, topics 1, Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, article

We’ve all heard of Florence Nightingale and the brave work that she undertook, but here’s an introduction to her lesser known contemporary, Mary Seacole. Mary nursed sick soldiers in the Crimean War and also set up a hospital and paid for all the medicine herself. Remembered for her courage and hard work, she wrote a book about her life entitled, “The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands”.

Women carrying water in Pakistan, news 2, photo gallery, photo

Next time you head to the water cooler for a drink think of the women who have to trek miles each day carrying heavy loads of clean water for their families. This is a powerful image to demonstrate to pupils the difficulties that people in other countries have with the simple necessities we so often take for granted.

North pole trek, geography 2, news, video

Inspirational or just crazy? You decide as you watch this video which follows a group of three women as they set out to become the first female team to reach both the North and South Poles. Watch them saying goodbye to their family at the airport as they set off for a trek of 800km in treacherous conditions. And look out for the little girl who won’t be following in her Mum’s footsteps as it’s just “too cold”

Persuasive writing: women’s football, PSHE & citizenship 2, find out more, things to do

Encourage healthy debate in your class with this resource which supports pupils in undertaking persuasive writing. Should women play football professionally? And if so, why? This resource takes them through each side of the argument step by step and enables them to present a coherent argument for whichever side they happen to be on. Could lead to some interesting classroom discussions!