The UK experienced very cold weather from 10th December, with snowfall across the country and disruption as schools and roads were closed. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.
Oracy
Here we go again – the first sight of snow and the whole country grinds to a halt. Isn’t it a bit feeble that a wealthy nation like ours struggles so much during cold weather? Shouldn’t we be better prepared for something which, let’s face it, happens every year? Or is it quite understandable when you consider that we don’t actually get nearly as much extreme cold weather as many other countries? What do you think?
Writing skills
Snowy or frosty weather can be beautiful but, in most parts of the UK at least, it soon turns into something slushy and miserable. Rewrite the words of the famous seasonal song Winter Wonderland to capture the the more typical damp drabness of a British December.
OR
Imagine you are an alien who is on a mission to planet Earth. You have been based in England since September and have noticed how humans behave in most weathers but this is the first time you’ve seen snow and the local people’s reaction to it. Write a brief report for your leaders back on your home planet summarising the strange things and weird behaviours you have noticed during this cold snap.
Investigate
Create a table showing the highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded for Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London. For each figure, give the date the measurement was taken. For an extra challenge write a sentence or two outlining anything you find interesting or surprising about the data you have found.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to The Week Junior website.