Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Mood Definition In Literature

In literature, the mood is the emotional response a writer wants to give the reader in a creative, persuasive, or personal piece of writing. It’s all about feeling and is strangely hard to put into words for that reason. However, it creates an atmosphere and tells the reader how to feel about what they are reading.

It should not be confused with grammatical moods,  a technical writing feature in English rather than English literature.

What are examples of moods in literature?

The mood definition in literature can be pretty hard to grasp, as moods vary excellently between stories. You could even say that each text has an attitude that is unique to it. Here are some examples of moods that you might find while reading:

• Calm and tranquil
• Eerie and uncanny
• Light-hearted
• Tense and anxious
• Rebellious
• Farcical
• Optimistic
• Sentimental

As you can tell, the best way to describe moods is to be very specific with our language. When writing a book review, any note on the mood of a story should try to be as detailed as possible for the reasons given above.

What kinds of literature use mood?

Every text has a mood of some kind! Short stories and poetry will often have a consistent mood throughout, thanks to the short length. On the other hand, novels can include several moods because of their longer length.

Personal stories such as recounts can also have a specific mood dependent on the writer’s tone of voice. For example, if someone looks back on time as one of the most critical moments in their life, they would write with a mood reflecting this.

Persuasive writing can also use mood to evoke strong feelings in the listener or reader. For example, if a writer wants to convince you that animals should not be eaten, then a solemn mood would help get this across.

It’s worth noting that mood is different from the tone of voice. The tone of voice is how the author sounds in our head. Mood can be affected by the tone of voice, but it is more about the general feeling a text gives us when taking every element in.

How do you create a mood in literature?

The mood within the literature will depend on different variables. However, here are some to consider before diving into the topic:

• Genre. Horrors have very different moods to dramas, but each mess can establish a different mood. ‘Dracula’ doesn’t read like ‘Coraline,’ for example.
• Plot. The events in a story will impact how we react, but mood can make these moments read very differently. Roald Dahl is famous for undercutting dark material with humor.
• Point-of-view. The personal voice of a character will affect how we read a story.
• Sentence structure. Short, bare sentences can feel different from long, flowery ones.
• Length. A paragraph summary will feel different from an epic journey.
• Figurative Language. Techniques like metaphors, alliteration, and personification play a role here.
• Vocabulary. The specific words that we use affect how something reads. It is the difference between saying ‘beautiful,’ ‘lovely,’ and ‘alluring,’ for example.
• Setting. How a writer describes the setting will allow the reader to soak in the atmosphere, creating the most apparent use of mood in a story.

Christmas traditions, activities, and events can differ excellently between cultures in more ways than you might think. France is no exception to this – there are lots of traditions that are specific to the festive French season.

Here are ten facts about Christmas in France that you may not have known:

The traditional Christmas meal eaten on Christmas Eve can last up to 6 hours

Many French people would traditionally eat the feast known as ‘Le Réveillon’ after attending midnight mass at church. Even in less religious households, this meal is still enjoyed on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

There is a lot of food and talking, making the meal last as long as 6 hours!

Some French people enjoy 13 desserts after their main meal

One Christmas tradition specific to Provence’s region is ‘Les Treize.’ It involves eating 13 different desserts after having eaten the main meal.

These 13 desserts are meant to represent Jesus and his 12 disciples.

The Eve of St. Nicholas is celebrated on 5th December

St. Nicholas is celebrated as the protector of children and bringer of gifts by some French families. That’s why, before his arrival on the 6th, children leave out their shoes by the entrance to their home, along with treats for St. Nicholas’ nonessential.

The next day, they will find gifts and delicious treats in their shoes. Sometimes, this celebration can be the principal celebration of Christmas for some French families in the north.

Saint Nicholas has a helper who decides who’s been naughty and nice

Père Fouettard is the name of Saint Nicholas’ helper, who decides which children have been good and deserve gifts and which children have been wrong and get nothing.

His name translates as ‘Father Spanker’ because he traditionally would punish naughty children by spanking them.

Many families go to the circus around Christmas

A lot of French families go to festive circuses at Christmas. They are especially loved by children and are similar to Pantomime performances.

People exchange chocolates with messages inside

Wrapped chocolates or candied fruit are given to each other and are known as ‘Les Papillotes.’ Inside of them is a little note, a little bit like a fortune cookie.

These can be compared to the tradition of Christmas crackers, although these are not used in France.

Christmas markets are trendy

Christmas markets, otherwise known as ‘Les Marchés de Nöel,’ are top-rated festive attractions across France, although this was not originally a French tradition.

The most popular Christmas markets are near the German border, where the tradition arrived in France. Strasbourg and the Alsace region are top-rated locations for Christmas markets.

Many French households make their own Christmas models

‘La Crèche’ is a clay model scene that many French families like to make and then put on display. It consists of miniature figurines and clay buildings.

It depicts the birth of Jesus and is very similar to our model Nativity scenes.

Mistletoe is found hanging from many doorways

One classic French tradition is to hang mistletoe in doorways in the house. It is a tradition that we might recognize from other cultures too.

Unlike in our tradition, mistletoe is not for kissing underneath. Instead, it is meant to bring good fortune.

Christmas trees are decorated a little differently

Having a decorated Christmas tree in your home has long been a Christmas tradition in France. However, they tend to decorate their trees slightly differently from us.

Their trees were often decorated with ribbon, paper flowers, and apples. Although, in modern times, most people now opt for baubles over apples.

A reversible change is a chemical change where no new materials are created, and the original material can be recovered. Examples include freezing water to make ice or melting chocolate.

What’s the difference between a reversible change and an irreversible change?

The essential difference between a reversible change and an irreversible one lies in whether the chemical properties involved change – in a reversible one, they stay the same, whereas, in an irreversible one, they change.

Typically, if a material physically changes, it is reversible, whereas if it changes chemically, it is not.

It can be hard to tell the difference between a physical change and a chemical one sometimes – when boiling water to turn it into water vapor, it certainly looks like the water has become something else entirely. However, if you zoom in closer, you can see what’s happening.

Using the example of water, if you had the technology to zoom in on a block of ice small enough to see the particles, you’d be able to see that water particles are made up of two elements, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. Tiny particles of Hydrogen and Oxygen called atoms are bonded together in water to form a particular type of particle called a molecule, which occurs when two or more elements become bonded together to form larger particles. It makes water a compound, like many other earth materials.

When we heat ice to melt it into the water, the bonds between the water particles are weakened and change, allowing the ice to go from a solid to a liquid. However, the bonds between the atoms inside the water molecules don’t break, so the particles don’t change. It means that whatever state the water is in, whether it’s ice, water, or water vapor, it’s still water, and the change can be reversed.

In an irreversible change, it works a bit differently. For example, suppose you mix vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to make a model volcanic eruption. When these two chemicals are combined, the particles they’re made up of break down and recombine to make completely different materials. After the change has occurred, you can’t turn the bubbles of gas and the liquid left behind back into vinegar and bicarbonate of soda because the mixture of particles left behind by the reaction has changed.

Why are reversible changes essential to learn about?

As with all chemical reactions, reversible changes help to explain some of the things we see happening in the world around us.

Every time children melt, freeze, or (in later life) boil something, they will be able to recognize to some degree what processes are allowing it to happen.

As well as developing their scientific knowledge, it is also fascinating to learn about.

What are some interesting facts about Hinduism?

If you’ve enjoyed reading about Hinduism, why not use this handy Hinduism fact file to learn some fun facts about Hinduism? Then, see how many Hindu facts you can memorize and impress your family and friends!

1. To kick off our Hinduism fun facts, did you know Hinduism is the world’s third-largest religion after Christianity and Islam?
2. Another exciting fact about Hinduism, 90% of Hindus live in India!
3. Two other religions have originated from Hinduism: Sikhism and Buddhism.
4. Worldwide, over 1.1 billion Hindus are around 16% of the global population!
5. Nature is essential to Hindus; many believe that some rivers are sacred and can help you wash away sins. For example, the River Ganges is a river in India that many Hindus believe is sacred.
6. Most Hindus are vegetarian because it minimizes the harm caused to other life forms. Some Hindus also believe a vegetarian diet purifies the body and mind.
7. While there are Hindu temples, many Hindu households have an area of their house that they also worship; this is known as a ‘shrine.’ Hindu places of worship are called mandir.
8. In 2013, 30 million Hindus celebrated Kumbh Mela,  a special pilgrimage that only happens every 12 years. It meant it was the largest gathering of humans ever witnessed!
9. Unlike Christianity and Islam, Hinduism doesn’t have a particularholy book but instead has many ancient texts and scriptures.
10. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world – some Hindu traditions started over 3000 years ago!
11. In Hinduism, the supreme God is called the ‘Brahman.’ All other gods worshipped by Hindus are believed to be a different part of Brahman.
12. A mooo-st know a fun fact about Hinduism – cows are considered sacred by Hindus.
13. Hindu temples around the world always have an orange flag outside, even if they look slightly different.
14. In Hinduism, worship is called Puja.
15. Ganesh is a good luck symbol for Hindus; he is a god with the body of a man and the head of an elephant; this is because so many Hindus will pray to Ganesh when they’re starting something new!
16. Because the Hindu religion is so old, people aren’t sure of its origins or who started it!
17. Many Hindus believe in something called karma; this is the belief that everything a person experiences in their current life is because of their actions in a past life.
18. an important symbol in Hinduism is the ‘Om’ or ‘Aum.’ It is also said by some Hindus three times before chanting prayers.
19. Only a few Hindusim facts are left! Hindus refer to their religion as Sanātana Dharma which means ‘the eternal law’ or ‘eternal teaching.’
20. During Diwali, Hindus draw beautiful patterns called ‘rangoli.’ Rangoli are made using powders made from colorful flowers, and Hindus place them at the entrance of their homes to welcome gods and bring good luck.

Are you looking for MORE facts about Hinduism?

Hinduism is a super exciting religion to learn about; there’s certainly no end to exciting facts about Hinduism! So if you’re hungry for even more Hindu facts, how about ten facts about Hindu gods for your Hinduism fact file?

10 Facts About Hinduism’s Gods and Goddesses

1. Brahma, the Creator. Brahma is the first of three gods known as the Hindu Trinity. He is also known as ‘the Creator’ because Hindus believe he creates everything in the universe.
2. The second member of the Hindu Trinity, Vishnu is the second member of the Hindu Trinity. Vishnu keeps harmony in the universe between Brahma and Shiva.
3. Shiva is the third member of the Hindu Trinity. He is also known as ‘the Destroyer,’ which sounds worrying but is part of the regeneration cycle that Hindus believe in. Shiva must destroy for things to renew or grow. So as Brahma creates, Shiva destroys, and vice versa, in a cycle that Vishnu keeps harmony over.
4. Another name Hindus have for gods and goddesses is deva, meaning “heavenly” or “divine.”  Deva is the masculine name; the feminine name is Devi.
5. What about some fun facts about Hindu goddesses? Saraswati is the wife of Brahma and the goddess of many beautiful things, such as knowledge, wisdom, music, and art. How does she have the time for all of these things? She has four arms to help her!
6. Another famous Hindu goddess is Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth, power, beauty, and general prosperity. She is married to Vishnu.
7. Lakshmi’s image has been found across many remains of ancient civilizations, on coins and statues, supporting the idea that Hinduism is an ancient religion, even if we don’t know how old!
8. A third Hindu goddess is Parvati, the goddess of harmony, devotion, and motherhood. She is married to Shiva and is the mother of Ganesh.
9. Along with Lakshmi and Sarawati, Parvati is part of another Hindu trinity called the ‘Tridevi,’ similar to the Hindu Trinity of their husbands, Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu.
10. It might take a long time to learn about all the Hindu gods and goddesses – there are approximately 33 million in total!

Plot

The plot is the main event(s) of a play, novel, film, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as a complementary sequence. Read through this wiki page to learn the different stages of a plot and how to make a plot graph for a story.

Definition of Plot and Structure

The plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. The structure, also known as the narrative structure, is the overall layout of a story.

While plot and story are often used interchangeably, there are several differences between the two. First, the action picks up on an intentional cause-and-effect relationship between a sequence of events in the narrative. A strong, engaging plot tends to focus on one crucial moment, a disruption of pattern, an emotional turning point, and an action. All these things raise a dramatic question that is answered throughout the story.

Keep reading to learn how to create a plot graph for a story.

What Is Plot Structure?

An essential feature of a plot is that it must follow a logical structure with a starting, middle, and end. It is the basics of a plot structure, but it is more complicated than that. Every plot must contain these five elements in this exact order:

1. Exposition or Introduction
2. Rising action
3. Climax or Turning point
4. Falling action
5. Resolution or Dénouement

Let’s dive deeper into what each of these five plot elements means.

• Exposition or Introduction

The first part of the plot is the introduction, also known as the exposition. This part of the plot is responsible for introducing and establishing the story’s main characters and setting. It is essential for the reader’s understanding of the story.

As part of the exposition, the reader is shown what ‘normal’ looks like for each main character to give context for their actions later in the story. The reader is also given a detailed description of where the story takes place. It helps create a vivid mental image of the story for the reader.

The exposition, or introduction, is also the part of the story where the primary conflict or tension is introduced. Introducing the conflict that the story will revolve around this early on helps to set up the course of events that will lead to that point. It also gives the reader plenty of time to get invested in this tension, making it more impactful when it happens later on in the story.

• Rising Action

If the primary conflict is not introduced in the exposition stage, it is presented in the rising action part of the plot. On the other hand, if the conflict has already been submitted, it is built upon in this rising action stage to create tension within the story and the reader.

The author must convey clearly what the stakes of this primary conflict are. It means that the reader will fully understand the consequences of the main characters’ success or failure in achieving their goal; this gives the reader more incentive to root for the main characters.

The rising action part of the plot is the section where the rest is put into motion. Everything from this point on builds up to the story’s climax.

• Climax or Turning point

The climax is the part of the plot that everything has been building towards. The plot’s climax or turning point is often the story’s most exciting and essential part. The choices and events in this part of the plot will affect how the rest of the story plays out.

It is also the part of the plot where the primary conflict in the story will be addressed. It is where the reader will find out what decisions the characters make and what will happen as a consequence. The point in the story where the tension is at its highest.

• Falling Action

The falling action is the part of the plot that follows the climax. At this point in the story, the tension decreases after the central conflict has been addressed. The reader knows the results and consequences of the climax, so many of the story’s big, looming questions have been answered.

The falling action is also the point in the story when the author ties up any loose ends surrounding the main plot and the various subplots.

• Resolution or Dénouement

The resolution or dénouement is the final stage in the plot; everything in the story is wrapped up, and a new sense of normalcy is established for the characters. At this point in the story, the primary conflict has been fully resolved, the loose ends have been tied up, and the reader is given closure about the narrative.

An instance where the author may not include this sense of finality in the resolution stage of the plot is if they intend to write a sequel. In this case, the author will want to conclude their story to encourage the reader to feel they have to know what happens next.

The resolution does not have to be a long section in the narrative. It can just be a short paragraph or even an epilogue. An epilogue tends to take place after some time has passed since the story’s main plot.

What Is a Plot Graph for a Story?

A plot graph for a story is a helpful way for authors to visualize their story’s plot definition and structure. A basic plot graph for a story will look like a triangle with a straight line on either side.

Example of a plot graph for a story:

The triangle section of the plot graph is used to indicate the rising and falling of tension in the plot. The flat line at the start of the graph, which is for exposition, suggests a lack of tension as this is where characters are usually in the most ‘normal’ circumstances.

The triangle then forms after this flat line, indicating a rise in tensions, which coincides with the rising action section of the plot. The rising action is placed on an upward line, which demonstrates that tension is progressively being built. This tension is built up to the climax of the story, which indicates that this is the peak point of tension.

Following the climax or turning point of the plot, the line slopes downwards, which shows that tension slowly decreases from this point onwards. It also points out that the main story and the subplots will start to be wrapped up at this stage. You will find the ‘falling action’ stage along this downwards-sloping line.

The last stage in a plot graph for a story is the flat line, along which is the resolution stage. Like the chart’s start, the flat line indicates a lack of tension because the story is coming to a close, and the characters have often reached a new sense of normalcy.

Drawing up a plot graph before you start writing your story is an excellent way of ensuring that you have all of your significant plot points in place.

An irreversible change is when something cannot be changed back to its original form. In many irreversible changes, new materials and substances are formed.

What Is An Example Of An Irreversible Change?

Burning – Once something is burnt, it can’t be reverted to its original form. Likewise, it can’t become unburnt. So, for example, once a piece of paper has been burnt, it can’t be used to write or read anymore.

Cooking – Cooking changes the chemical composition of a substance. Once eggs or meat become cooked, it will never be raw again. Likewise, once a cake is baked, it won’t ever become milk and flour again.

Rusting – Once Iron is oxidized, it cannot become unrusted. The rusted part can be sanded off, and the underside can be re-shined, but the iron will eventually thin out if this continues.

Mixing – Mixing some substances can cause an irreversible change to create a new substance, for example, cement, vinegar, and bicarbonate of soda, to produce carbon dioxide.

What Is A Reversible Change?

A reversible change is often a physical change that can be reversed. It can include freezing water (which can be thawed back into the water) or melting chocolate (which can then be frozen back into a bar).

Why Is It Essential To Learn About Irreversible Changes?

Irreversible changes happen around us all the time. Children can understand how and why these changes occur and develop scientific knowledge.

Aesop’s Fables is a collection of fables written by ancient enslaved Greek and storyteller Aesop in the 5th century BCE. Aesop and his fables are known to us due to their mentioning by ancient Greek philosophers and historians, such as Herodotus. In addition, tales credited to Aesop have been gathered across the centuries in various languages, such as Greek and Latin.

An observer of animals and people, Aesop’s Fables include talking animals and plants with human characteristics. Aesop’s Fables have a solid moral message at the core. His stories have been taught to children to teach them ethical and moral behavior.

Who was Aesop?

Aesop was an Ancient Greek fabulist and storyteller famous for writing a collection of fables known as Aesop’s Fables.

It isn’t easy to gather information about Aesop’s biography and facts about him. His life is a bit of an enigma, and there isn’t enough concrete evidence to suggest he was even a natural person! Some believe another writer may have just used his name. Despite this mystery, there is mention of Aesop throughout Greece’s history, which has allowed historians to build a somewhat fragmented biography.

It’s believed Aesop lived between 620 and 560 BC, but there are disputing records about where he came from.

Facts about Aesop

While we don’t have a complete picture of Aesop’s life, historians have managed to discover some facts about him:

1. Aesop’s Fables may not be Aesop’s Fables! That’s right, while most historians accept there was most probably a man named Aesop who wrote most of the fables, some scholars argue that he didn’t write a lot of the fables attributed to Aesop. Sumerian proverbs tended to follow the same structure and story of Aesop’s Fables, so much so that it may be the case he didn’t write the sayings.
2. He was an enslaved person who was supposedly let go by his second master because he was so intelligent and witty!
3. It’s theorized that he featured talking animals in his fables because he had difficulty speaking but could speak freely through his anthropomorphized animals.

What are fables?

Fables feature animals, plants, legendary creatures, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized (given human qualities). Fables always have an underlying moral lesson learned through reading the story. The importance of fables is not the story itself but the moral learned.

Fables are told to children all around the world. Their simple themes make them easy to understand and help teach valuable life lessons.

Here is a list of Aesop’s Fables:

• The Bear and the Bees
• The Boy Who Cried, Wolf
• The Boys and the Frogs
• The Cat and the Rooster
• The Cat, the Rooster, and the Young Mouse
• The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
• A Council of Mice
• The Dog and His Reflection
• The Nonessential and His Master
• The Fox and the Lion
• The Fox and the Crow
• The Fox and the Mask
• The Frog and the Ox
• The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Lion’s Share
• The Man and His Two Wives
• The Peacock’s Complaint
• The Rooster and the Fox
• The Rooster and the Jewel
• Sour Grapes
• The Tiger and the Crane
• The Tortoise and the Hare
• Two Men and the Bear
• The Wind and the Sun
• The Wolf and the Crane
• The Wolf and the Goat

Many of Aesop’s Fables have sparked famous sayings that are used today. Some of these include:

• ‘Beauty is only skin deep.’
• ‘Choose the lesser of two evils.’
• ‘Every man for himself.’
• ‘Slow but steady wins the race.’
• ‘Think before you act.’
• ‘You cannot escape your fate.’

Aesop’s Fables – Morals

Every single one of Aesop’s Fables has a moral from which we can learn something. Here, we’ll review some of the most famous fables and their morals.

What Does Flammable Mean?

The word ‘flammable’ applies to any substance, material, or object that burns quickly. While almost every material on earth will burn if it gets hot enough, many objects, like most types of metal, can’t be made hot sufficiently by everyday means of ignition. Flammable materials are particularly vulnerable because of the types of particles that they’re made up of. Fire needs three things to start and to keep burning: heat, fuel, and oxygen (which can be found in the air), which are commonly referred to as the Fire Triangle. Most flammable materials contain carbon particles, which is a perfect fuel for fires because it degrades when exposed to heat. As the material is heated, the carbon ignites and becomes fuel for the fire, spreading further through the material, getting hotter and more prominent as it goes until it is completely consumed.

How can fires be stopped?

If a fire runs out of either fuel or oxygen or is cooled down, it’ll go out, so modern firefighters have developed many techniques for putting out fires that take away one or both of these essential resources. Water reduces the temperature of some fires to a level where the chemical reactions of burning or combustion can’t occur. Fire extinguishers release a directed jet of Carbon Dioxide, helping to lower the Oxygen level in the air around the fire and starving it of the oxygen it needs to burn. Fire blankets work similarly, blocking the fire and preventing it from consuming oxygen in the air outside the veil. However, sometimes the only way to stop a fire is by removing fuel. During the Excellent Fire of London in 1666, the fire was so vast and hot that the only way to stop it was to starve it of more fuel. People used massive hooks to tear down wooden houses in the crowded streets or even used gunpowder to blow up homes in the middle of long rows of houses. Although it seemed like a crazy idea because the fire couldn’t cross the gaps where the homes used to be, it was unable to spread further, and after it had consumed entirely the homes that were already on fire, it had no more fuel and gradually went out. It’s hard to say, but these desperate measures likely prevented the fire from destroying the entire city! m

What’s the Difference Between Flammable and Inflammable?

Contrary to popular opinion, there is no difference between flammable and inflammable. Both words derive from the Latin inflammable, meaning “to cause to catch fire.” Instead of invalidating the subject word as it does in English (insufficient, inadequate), in Latin, the -in prefix means ‘to cause.’ So, rather than the strangers some people take them for, the words flammable and inflammable are non-identical twins.

Objects that are incapable of burning are known as ‘non-flammable.’

10 Examples of Flammable Materials at Home

Although the risk of fires caused by flammable materials at home can be dangerous, we also need them for a wide range of different reasons, from cooking our food to fuelling our cars and lighting up our cities! Here’s a list of some of the most common flammable materials that you can find in and around the home:

• Deodorant – while stick deodorant is relatively stable, spray-on deodorant is highly flammable for a few reasons. First, the can uses compressed gas to disperse the particles of deodorant so all the particles are very close together, making it easy for a fire to spread between them. Secondly, the gas carries thousands of tiny particles – while each particle will burn up extremely fast, there are so many of them that it can still cause a big fire. Finally, most spray-on deodorants have alcohol as an ingredient, so the particles are ideal fuel. Because of this, even a tiny spark near a freshly sprayed cloud of deodorant can set off a massive firey explosion.
• Paper – paper is made up of compressed and dried tree pulp. Wood, the root material, is full of carbon particles, making it an excellent fuel for the fire, and paper has even less water in it to slow the combustion rate, so it’s very explosive.
• Petrol – although this one might seem a little strange, cars run on combustion engines that work by slowing burning petrol in a controlled way to release energy that powers the movement. So not only is petrol extremely flammable, we need it to be!
• Cooking Oil – cooking oil contains a lot of carbon from the seeds or vegetables that were crushed to release the substance, so it includes a lot of fuel that ignites easily when directly exposed to heat.
• Laundry Detergent – powder-based laundry detergent can be flammable due to the easy dispersal of powder into the air and volatile chemical particles in the powder.
• Hand Sanitizer – hand sanitizer is primarily made of alcohol since it kills germs very effectively, but it’s also very flammable if exposed to intense heat or a direct flame.
• Nail Polish – nail polish contains a highly reactive chemical called acetone that contains many fuel-rich particles. However, it’s only dangerous when wet; the acetone dissolves once the nail polish has dried, so it’s perfectly safe to use nail polish as long as you’re careful where you store the bottles!
• Plastic – although it’s not extremely easy to get plastics hot enough to burn, they’re made up of carbon-rich particles, so when they catch fire, they can be very dangerous. They also release carbon-rich gases as they burn, helping to sustain and spread the fire even further.
• Cotton – cotton is flammable for the same reason as paper: it’s made up of compressed and dried-out plant matter, so it contains a lot of carbon-rich fuel for fire.
• Alcohol – alcohol can be found in various household products, ranging from cleaning products to drinks. This group of chemicals releases hydrocarbon vapors that are ideal fuel for fires, so when allowed to mix with the air and exposed to heat, they can burn very intensely. In addition, the more “pure” alcohol in the product, the more explosive the product becomes – beer is far less flammable than alcohol-based disinfectants, for example.

3 Things You Wouldn’t Expect to Be Flammable

• Flour. It’s hard to believe, but that bag of flour at the back of your cupboard harbors a dark secret. When flour escapes and hangs in the air – even in small quantities – it becomes flammable. The minuscule grains burn when exposed to an ignition source and are more than capable of igniting others around them in a chain reaction that can be incredibly dangerous. For example, in 1878, 14 people were killed by a large flour dust explosion at a Minnesota flour mill.
• Oranges. Orange peel contains a highly flammable natural oil called Limonene. This substance gives the rind its distinctive bitter taste and protects the fruit from insects and mold. But, when exposed to a flame, it will ignite.
• Ping Pong Balls. Ping-pong balls are made of concentrated celluloid, which is highly flammable. So, think twice next time you’re ready to unleash that backhand; the slightest spark could see that little white ball go up in smoke!

An omnivore is an animal that eats both plant and meat-based food.

The Basics

Omnivores are some of the most successful animals in existence. Because they have a wide-ranging diet, they can find food in most environments.

Humans are perhaps the best example of this. One of the main reasons for human dominance in the natural world (aside from being able to use tools) is that we can eat both meat and plant-based foods. As a result, animals that rely on meat (carnivores) or just plants (herbivores) usually face an increased risk of starvation.

Omnivores are spread across nearly every continent and a range of different species. Most omnivores are mammals – animals that (typically) produce live offspring, are warm-blooded, and raise their babies by producing milk. However, there are certain reptiles, birds, and fish that we also class as omnivorous.

How do we tell the difference between animals?

Herbivores

Compared to carnivores and omnivores, herbivores have much flatter and less sharp teeth, including broad, spade-shaped incisors and short, blunted canines. Some herbivores have no canine teeth at all.

Big molar teeth are used to grind down plant materials for easier digestion. Herbivores use enzymes created while chewing their food to digest tough plant matter. Enzymes are chemicals used by animals and humans in their bodily processes.

Cows have a strong sense of smell. They can smell things up to 6 miles away!

Carnivores

Carnivores are famous for having enlarged and incredibly sharp canines. These are designed to tear apart meat. In addition, carnivore molars and incisors are far more jagged and pointed than those found in herbivores.

In addition, their molars have jagged edges, and their incisors have short pointed ridges that help to grasp and shred flesh. Finally, the nails of carnivores are often long and sharp. We call these claws.

Lions have some of the most prominent canine teeth of any predator.

Omnivores

Omnivores have teeth similar to both herbivores and carnivores. They have grinding molars for chewing and sharp canines and incisors for eating meat.

Omnivores share more similarities with carnivores in their teeth; however, unlike carnivores, they chew their food before swallowing it.

Humans use their teeth to chew and tear food, breaking it down before swallowing.

Ordering decimals is a process of arranging them in a specific order.

Read on to find out how to order decimals and an example of ordering decimals.

Steps of ordering decimals

1. Use a table to line up the decimal points and compare the decimals.
2. Fill in all of the numbers that you want to compare.
3. If empty squares are at the end of the decimal, fill them in with zeroes.
4. Start comparing the size of the decimal.
5. Start on the left and keep moving across to the right.

Different types of ordering

There are different ways to order decimals, just like other types of ordering for all numbers.

If you are ordering decimals in ascending order, the smallest goes first, and the numbers get bigger.

If you are descending in descending order, the most significant decimal goes first, and the numbers get smaller until you reach the smallest.

Ordering decimals: example

Now we know a bit more about ordering, let’s look at an example of ordering decimals.

Put these decimals in ascending order: 1.73, 1.073, 0.86, 0.806.

We know that ascending order means the smallest number goes first, so bear that in mind as we go through.

1. Let’s start by arranging them on a table and filling empty squares with zeroes.

1	.	7	3	0
1	.	0	7	3
0	.	8	6	0
0	.	8	0	6

2. 
   Compare the first (left) column.

In this case, you can see that two numbers start with 1, which we can ignore for now because we are looking for the smallest number.

Two numbers start with 0, so let’s move across and look at the tenth column.

3. Compare the tenth column.

We can ignore the 7 in the tenth column because it belongs to 1.73.

There are two 8s in the tenth column, which means we must move across again and see which decimal is the smallest.

4. Compare the hundredths column.

In the hundredths column, we can ignore 3 and 7 because they belong to 1.73 and 1.073.

There is a 6, which is more significant than 0. So we know that 0.86 isn’t the smallest number. So this means that 0.806 is the smallest number.

Now that we know the smallest number, we can work our way back up to the biggest.

5. Start listing the numbers from smallest to biggest.

We know that 0.806 is the smallest number and that 0.86 is the following most significant number.

So now we must look at 1.73 and 1.073 to see which comes next in the sequence. We can see that 1.73 is the biggest because it has the most significant number in the tenth column.

It allows us to slot the remaining numbers in place.

Our answer is 0.806, 0.86, 1.073, and 1.73.