Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Exoskeleton Animals

An exoskeleton is a hard layer outside some creatures’ bodies. An exoskeleton is an ‘external skeleton,’ the opposite of an endoskeleton.

But invertebrate insects aren’t the only creatures with exoskeletons. Spiders, centipedes, crabs, snails, and lobsters all have a kind of external armor.

Some creatures can outgrow their exoskeletons – a rigid exoskeleton can prevent development, so some animals will shed their armor and grow it again. This process is called ecdysis, or ‘molting.’ After that, there’s a period when the new exoskeleton is soft and has to harden over time.

Creatures that outgrow their exoskeletons include:

• Hermit crabs
• Spiders
• Mayflies

Except for hermit crabs, creatures with shells do not generally outgrow and shed their exoskeletons. Instead, their bodies expand as they do.

Animals with expanding shells include:

• Clams
• Molluscs
• Snails

Changing state of matter is turning solid into gas or liquid, and vice versa. Everything we see, touch, or trim is made of matter. States of matter can not be destroyed but can be turned into another with the addition or removal of heat.

Examples of Changing States

Examples of matter changes are melting (changing from solid to liquid), freezing (changing to a solid from a liquid), evaporation (changing from liquid to gas), and condensation (changing from gas to a liquid).

Changing the State of Water’s Matter

The state of water at room temperature is liquid. However, we can change the state of its matter by changing the temperature. For example, cooling water to0ºC turns the water into ice, which is solid. Hence, it is called the freezing point.

Water can also be turned into vapor, or gas, by heating it to 100ºC. It is called the boiling point. Both boiling and freezing points come at different temperatures for different substances.

Examples of Gas to Solid

The changing of gas to solid is called deposition. Here are some examples of deposition.

• Water vapor to ice – fog transforms directly into ice without becoming a liquid. It sometimes happens on windows during winter.
• Physical vapor to film – thin layers of ‘film’ placed onto a surface using the vaporized film form.

Examples of Gas to Liquid

The changing state of gas to liquid is called condensation. Here are some examples of condensation.

• Water vapor to dew – steam turns from gas to liquid, like morning dew on the grass.
• Water Vapor to liquid water – vapor makes glasses foggy after moving into a warm room from the cold.

Examples of Liquid to Gas

The changing of a liquid to gas is called vaporization. Here are some examples of vaporization.

• Water to steam is vaporized after being boiled on a stove or kettle, forming thick vapor.
• Water evaporation – water evaporates from a pool or rain puddle during hot days.

Examples of Liquid to Solid Phase Transitioning

The changing of a liquid into a solid phase transition is called freezing. Here are some examples of changing the state of matter into a frozen material.

• Water to ice – when water becomes cold enough, it freezes and turns to ice. Almost every known liquid turns to ice when cold enough – except helium.
• Liquid to crystals – lots of liquids freeze during the process of crystallization. Liquid forms into what is called a ‘crystalline solid.’

Examples of Solid to Liquid

The changing of a solid into a liquid is called melting. Here are some examples of melting matter from a solid to a liquid.

• Rocks to lava – stones in volcanos can be heated until they become molten lava.
• Metal to molten liquid – metals can be molten down and reformed into solid.
• Ice to water – ice returns to its water form after being left in temperatures above freezing.

Examples of Solid to Gas

The changing of a solid to a gas is called sublimation. Here are some examples of sublimation.

• Dry ice sublimation – carbon dioxide is called ‘dry ice’ and sublimates at room temperature.
• Freeze-drying – water can be sublimated in food produced by using a vacuum to remove air particles.

Integer numbers are whole numbers that can be positive or negative but do not have fractions or decimals.

You can use the term “integer” to describe a whole number. It means a number without a fraction or a decimal.

Unlike whole numbers, integer numbers refer to negative numbers and positive amounts.

Is 0 an integer number?

However, different people define integers in different ways. For example, some people would argue that negative numbers are integer numbers, whereas others would claim that even 0 is not an integer.

Usually, though, 0 is an integer, as are 109, 7, -3, 8, and -28. But, again, these are whole numbers with no fractions or decimals.

Examples of numbers that aren’t integers are 0.7, 1/3, -10.56, pi, and root 3. Again, it is because they are not whole numbers.

So there are three types of integers:

• Positive numbers
• Negative numbers
• Zero

What are integers used for in everyday life?

Common sense sometimes tells you you need an integer to find the answer to a question. For example, if you’re painting a wall and need 2.3 tins to cover it, you’ll have to buy three tins. You can’t buy 0.3 tins of paint to get the exact amount you need. Sometimes, you have to round up to an integer.

However, you’ll see integers used everywhere in daily life. Everything from the calendar to the binary code uses integers to represent information.

That’s why getting a good understanding of them at a young age is so essential.

Role Models

Young people are impressionable and need role models around them to set a good example. Unfortunately, more often than not, their role models are sportsmen and superheroes.

But teachers can be excellent role models for children too. Especially in primary school, children need people who they can emulate in their values, attitudes, and actions.

Teachers can be role models for their students in many ways. People admire their role models and aspire to be like them, which is why teachers can be excellent role models for children. People may also look to their role models for advice and guidance, especially for children needing extra support. For some children, teachers may become some of the most influential people in their lives. Teachers also help their students through an essential stage of development.

Think about the positive ways that you can present yourself as a role model. You’re not just hired to pass on information and knowledge: the best teachers are people students aspire to be like.

Here are some tips on how a teacher can be an excellent role model:

• Motivate your students and promote positivity
• Be approachable
• Lead by example
• Be a mentor for children by listening, supporting, and giving reliable, neutral, and objective advice.
• Encourage your students to be ambitious and have dreams or aspirations
• Encourage the idea of fairness, equality, and equal opportunities for all in the classroom

Guidance

Teachers aren’t just there to help children improve academically. They also help children to grow in their personal lives.

Being a teacher is like having five jobs in one: you’re a teacher, mentor, therapist, and friend. When you spend hours a day with the same kids, you’re bound to get to know what they do outside of school too.

Teaching your students about science and maths is all good, but you also have an excellent purpose of guiding them through life. So it’s essential to remember that you can help them to thrive as people, not pupils.

Inspiration

We all had an uninteresting teacher who just read out of a textbook. But conversely, the best teachers go above and beyond to inspire children through learning.

Primary school is where many kids get an idea of how they want to spend their lives. Learning about the human body won’t just help them pass their SATs exams: it could also convince them to become doctors or scientists.

Teachers are essential in inspiring young people and showing them the value of their learning.

Shape The Future

Teachers have a unique position as they hold the future. They can mold and shape the values and attitudes of the next generation to create a fairer and more equal society.

By being a role model and inspiring your students, you’re setting up a vision for what you want the future to look like. Plant the seeds now, and a better world can grow.

New Ways Of Seeing

Many factors determine how children see the world: their family, cultural background, and class status. As teachers, it’s your role to open up their minds and help them to look beyond what they already know.

Being a teacher isn’t about upholding the status quo. Instead, it’s about showing children new ways of seeing, be it looking at a debate from a new perspective or offering them a culture they aren’t familiar with.

Bring Learning To Life

If all teachers did was pass on information, technology would make their jobs obsolete. But there’s a reason why robots aren’t taking over the profession.

Teachers are instrumental in bringing learning to life. In addition, teachers are essential in grounding learning in the real world by providing relatable examples and finding creative ways to teach the curriculum.

The Future Of Work

Getting a job is not the only reason children spend 18 years in education. Learning shouldn’t just be about completing an end goal, like good exam results or a shiny new job. It’s about how you guide students through the world.

Likewise, securing jobs for all your students is not your job. But you do play an essential role in preparing them for work. As they move from their early years to primary and secondary school, teachers play a huge role in preparing students for the ‘real’ world outside of the school bubble.

From exploring job opportunities to opening their eyes to the careers they can excel at, teachers are integral in building up their students to succeed.

In science, matter can exist in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. These three states have distinct properties that allow humans to identify them.

To support teaching your children about states of matter, look at this collection of helpful teaching resources.

Changing States of Matter

Changing state of matter is turning solid into gas or liquid, and vice versa. Everything we see is made of matter, and this matter can change state with the addition or removal of heat.

In KS2, children will learn about the different states of matter. This topic mainly explains how a material’s state of matter can change.

What are the 6 Changes of Matter?

Matter changes state in various ways:

• Melting – changing from solid to liquid
• Freezing – changing from a liquid to a solid
• Vaporization – changing from liquid to gas
• Condensation – changing from gas to a liquid
• Deposition – changing from gas to a solid
• Sublimation – changing from a solid to gas

These changing states of matter occur due to a temperature change. For example, ice (a solid) will melt when the temperature increases and return to the water (a liquid).

Why are There Different States of Matter?

All matter is made up of tiny particles, regardless of what state the matter is in. Every particle within these materials has a certain amount of kinetic energy that allows the particles to move. In a solid material, these particles are tightly bonded together, with minimal movement, to form a single unit that doesn’t change shape or size. However, heating the solid up gives the particles more energy that they can use to move, weakening the bonds between the particles and gradually allowing the solid to turn into a liquid.

In a liquid, the particles are still loosely bonded, but rather than being a rigid bond that holds all the particles within a fixed pattern like a solid, the bonds are much more flexible, allowing the liquid to change shape depending on what container it sits within. The bonds are still close enough that the liquid will retain the same volume, though – it can’t get any bigger or smaller, only change shape. Heating the liquid further still gives the particles enough energy to break the bonds between them almost entirely, allowing the liquid to become a gas.

In a gas, there are no bonds between the particles, so they can move freely, allowing the gas to change shape and volume depending on the available space. In many cases, their particles are so diffused that they’re invisible to the naked eye.

All these processes can be carried out in reverse, converting a gas into a liquid or a liquid into a solid. Throughout all of these changes, the particles in a substance are the same whether it’s in the solid, liquid, or gas state – the only thing that changes is the arrangement and movement of the particles.

Each of these states of matter can also be referred to as a Phase, with changes of state being referred to as phase changes.

What’s an excellent example of how this works in everyday life?

Water is one of the best materials you can use as an example of how changing states of matter work in everyday life. Below 0°C, water freezes and becomes a solid material, ice. Once the ice is brought back over 0°C, it melts, becomes liquid water, and can be heated up to 100°C. At 100°C, water boils and becomes a gas, water vapor.

Although water is effortless to observe, since it’s not too challenging to bring water both to the “boiling point,” where a liquid becomes a gas, and to the “freezing point,” where the liquid becomes a solid, most other materials also behave similarly. Almost every material has a freezing and boiling point the same way water does, but many of them, like most metals, have such a high freezing (or melting) point that it’s tough to get them hot enough to become a liquid. Metals are an excellent example of this – while industrial forges can get metal to melt, it’s not something that can be done without an incredibly intense heat that’s hard to find in the natural world.

Now that we’ve explored why matter exists in different states and how matter can change between them let’s focus on each state and how we can identify them in the world around us.

What are the Properties of Solid Materials?

The properties of solids include:

• Solids stay in one place and can be held.
• Solids keep their shape. They do not flow like liquids.
• Solids always take up the same amount of space. They do not spread out like gases.
• Solids can be cut or shaped.
• Even though they can be poured, sugar, salt, and flour are all solids. So each salt particle, for example, keeps the same shape and volume.

It is because of the way that the particles in a solid are bonded together. They’re very closely packed into a regular pattern, with rigid bonds that hold the particles into a tightly packed structure.

Since the particles can’t move, solid materials have a fixed shape and cannot flow (although materials like sand seem to flow, the individual sand grains can’t change shape or size like water can). It is also hard to compress something made of solid material: the particles are tightly packed together, so there’s no room for them to move into a different position and allow the solid to change shape. Solids will change state of matter when heat is present as the particles start to move.

Some examples of solids that we might find in the world around us are: ice, wood, sand, and metal

It is because of the way that the particles are bonded in a liquid. The particles in a liquid are closely related, but these bonds are looser and more flexible than in a solid, allowing the particles to slide and form random shapes within the mass of liquid. In contrast, solids have a regular, ordered structure of particles.

It is why liquids, unlike solids, can flow and change shape: although the particles are closely bonded together, they can move around within these bonds, allowing the liquid to shift to fill different shapes. The bonds are strong enough that the liquid can’t expand or shrink, however – while the shape of the liquid can change, and it might seem bigger or smaller depending on the container it’s currently held in, the volume of liquid will always stay the same.

These close bonds are also why liquids are extremely hard to compress: the particles are closely packed in, the same as solids, so if a liquid is in a container with a fixed shape so that it can’t further change shape, there isn’t enough space between the particles for them to be compressed further.

Some examples of liquids that we might find in everyday life are: water, milk, cooking oil, and honey

These properties are all caused by how the particles bond in a gas. Unlike in liquids and solids, the particles in a gas have fragile bonds to the extent that they’re barely bonded. It allows the particles to move freely in all directions, not held together in a homogenous mass like liquids and solids. As a result, gases flow like liquids and can expand or shrink to fill the space they currently occupy since the particles move around so freely that the mass becomes highly fluid.

It is also why gases can be compressed, unlike liquids and solids. Since the particles in gases naturally travel freely, when they aren’t compressed, they’ll expand to fill whatever space is available, with lots of space between the individual particles. It means that when placed under pressure, the particles have plenty of space left between them that can be removed as the space the gas fills is compressed.

Some examples of gases we might find worldwide are water vapor (steam), helium, nitrogen, and oxygen.

Changing States of Matter: Examples

Examples of Gas to Solid

The changing of gas to solid is called deposition. Here are some examples of deposition.

• Water vapor to ice – fog transforms directly into ice without becoming a liquid. It sometimes happens on windows during winter.
• Physical vapor to film – thin layers of ‘film’ placed onto a surface using the vaporized film form.

Examples of Gas to Liquid

The changing state of gas to liquid is called condensation. Here are some examples of condensation.

• Water vapor to dew – steam turns from gas to liquid, like morning dew on the grass.
• Water vapor to liquid water – fog makes glasses foggy after moving into a warm room from the cold.

Examples of Liquid to Gas

The changing of a liquid to gas is called vaporization. Here are some examples of vaporization.

• Water to steam is vaporized after being boiled on a stove or kettle, forming thick vapor.
• Water evaporation – water evaporates from a pool or rain puddle during hot days.

Examples of Liquid to Solid

The changing of a liquid into a solid phase transition is called freezing. Here are some examples of changing the state of matter into a frozen material.

• Water to ice – when water becomes cold enough, it freezes and turns to ice. Almost every known liquid turns to ice when cold enough – except helium.
• Liquid to crystals – lots of liquids freeze during the process of crystallization. Liquid forms into what is called a ‘crystalline solid.’

Examples of Solid to Liquid

The changing of a solid into a liquid is called melting. Here are some examples of melting matter from a solid to a liquid.

• Rocks to lava – stones in volcanos can be heated until they become molten lava.
• Metal to molten liquid – metals can be molten down and reformed into solid.
• Ice to water – ice returns to its water form after being left in temperatures above freezing.

Examples of Solid to Gas

The changing of a solid to a gas is called sublimation. Here are some examples of sublimation.

• Dry ice sublimation – carbon dioxide is called ‘dry ice’ and sublimates at room temperature.
• Freeze-drying – water can be sublimated in food produced by using a vacuum to remove air particles.

Are There Other States of Matter?

There is a fourth state of matter: plasma. Plasma is very similar to gas, but it’s made up of particles that are charged with energy that causes the particles to split and form a different configuration. Unlike the other three states of matter, it’s unclear what causes matter to transition into plasma, although we know it depends on positively charged particles. However, although we don’t fully understand plasma, it can be observed in the world around us.

Two examples where plasma is on show in everyday life are in neon lights and lightning, but in space, plasma’s most common because all the stars, including our sun, contain vast quantities of plasma. As a result, plasma is the most abundant form of ordinary matter in the universe, excluding dark matter and dark energy.

However, if you’re looking for a straightforward explanation for younger children, don’t panic! Most academic curriculums don’t cover plasma until university, so you don’t must worry about covering it with more youthful pupils.

What Determines a Material’s State of Matter?

While the primary determiner of a material’s state of matter is temperature, as we’ve already discussed, another significant factor we haven’t mentioned is pressure. Because humans can’t survive outside of a relatively narrow band of atmospheric pressures (between 0.0621 standard atmospheres and 30 standard atmospheres) without using specialized gear, it can be a little difficult to observe the role pressure can play in determining a material’s state of matter. Still, there are environments and conditions where it can be seen.

Generally speaking, when the pressure exerted on a substance increases, it can cause the substance to condense. Decreasing pressure can cause it to vaporize. For some types of rock, decreasing pressure can also cause them to melt.

It is most easily visible when we look at the water around hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the sea. Although the temperatures around these vents are incredibly high, reaching around 400°C, four times the boiling point of water, the pressure is so high that the water cannot vaporize and stays as a super-heated liquid!

Affect and Effect

Affect and effect are words that are often confused with one another. However, affect is a verb that means ‘to have an impact on something,’ while the effect is a noun referring to the result of an action. So, for instance, we’d say, ‘the crops were affected by rain’ and ‘the effects of rain on the crops.’

Throughout our helpful Twinkl guide, you’ll learn about the difference between the effect of the words and affect, how we use them, how they’re pronounced and how you can help learners to use them correctly!

What’s the difference between affect and effect?

Effect and affect are very similar-sounding words that get mixed up a lot. So much so that adults and children sometimes use the wrong word in their speech or writing. Although it’s an easy mistake to make, it’s also essential to learn the difference between the two so that our writing can have the right effect (not affect!) on the reader!

One essential thing to remember is that ‘effect’ and ‘affect’ belong to different classes of words. Affect is a verb, while effect is most commonly used as a noun. However, these words also have different meanings:

• Affect is a word that means to have an impact, or effect, on something else. While it can refer to many different things or subjects, we also use it to discuss an emotional wreck. So, for example, we might say, ‘they were affected by the heart-warming story.
• Effect, on the other hand, refers to the result of an action, change, or event. So, for instance, we might say that ‘eating healthy foods can have many positive effects.

The simplest way to understand this difference is that affect means to affect something, while effect means the result of something.

Are affect and effect homophones?

The words effect and affect aren’t quite homophones. Instead, they’re near homophones, where two words share similar pronunciation but different spellings and meanings.

Sometimes, people might accidentally pronounce effect and affect as homophones.

When do we use affect and effect?

To illustrate the difference a bit more clearly, let’s delve into how we might use affect and effect in our speech or writing. Of course, we’ll also provide plenty more helpful examples along the way.

As we mentioned before, affect is used as a verb that means to have an impact or effect on something. This impact may or may not be emotional:

“Going for a run three times a week positively affects my health.”

“The heavy rainfall affected food production in the region.”

“She was affected after hearing the sad news.”

However, affect can sometimes be used as a verb that means to fake something:

“Thomas tried to affect a cold to get out of going to school.”

As we’ve discovered, the effect is most commonly used as a noun to refer to a change or impact of an action or event:

“You can see the effects of the earthquake.”

“Healthy eating and exercise can have positive effects on your health.”

However, things can get tricky when ‘effect’ is used as a verb. The effect can be a verb that means ‘to cause something to happen or bring about a change. Fortunately, the effect isn’t commonly used in this way. Here’s an example to illustrate it:

“The government affected a change to existing laws to make them fairer.”

How do you remember affect and effect?

Now that we’ve outlined the essential differences between affect and effect, how can we commit this info to memory?

There are quite a few different memory tricks that we could use to help us remember the difference between these two similar-sounding words. Of course, you and your pupils can use whichever ones work for you, but here are a couple of handy ideas:

• Because affect starts with an ‘a’ and effect starts with an ‘e,’ affects comes first alphabetically. It might help you to remember that the affect refers to the action, while the effect is the result that comes after.
• Another way to remember it is to think about cause and effect. Because the effect comes after the cause, it is an excellent way to remember that it is the result of an action.

School report writing has two main components: an assessment component and an advice component.

The advice component takes the form of a progress report, but no one model or framework works for everybody.

If you have to write 50 school reports in two weeks, you might struggle to include individual, quality feedback.

A recent report from the Open University mentions using robotic assistants to answer student queries and help with assessment. It would, in theory, open up more time for teachers to give good feedback on school reports.

However, we’re not quite there yet! So, as we wait for robots to make their way into the classroom, here are some school report writing tips to help you improve your practice.

1. Use Simple, Jargon-Free Language

Parents and children must understand the report to understand their progress fully.

Here’s a jargon-heavy example: “Claire was enthusiastic about the new pedagogic tools we implemented last week and maneuvered the tools aptly.”

To compare, here’s a better example free of jargon: “Claire is starting to understand that hard work leads to success; she has a positive attitude and is taking increased ownership of her learning.”

See the difference? Making your writing easy to understand will ensure everyone can get as much helpful information from the report as possible.

2. Be Precise

Carefully chosen and precise feedback can be influential.

Statements like ‘she has done a good job’ are too vague. But, unfortunately, they’re unclear enough and don’t provide concrete ways to improve.

Instead, be specific, so parents and children know what to do next.

3. Use Examples

Another way to improve school report writing is to give examples.

Why is this beneficial?

It helps the student understand what worked and what didn’t.

The student will be able to remember the example, so they can help explain it to their parents.

It means the report is individual to each learner.

For example, you could write: “Claire is starting to understand that hard work leads to success. It can be evidenced by her essay on ‘Deforestation’ in which she has used the feedback from the last term to improve her grade this term.”

4. Share the Gradings and Provide a Model or Example

If you explain more about how children have been graded or scored, it’ll help learners and parents better understand what they’ve achieved and what is needed to reach the next level.

A model or example can also help with this. It puts the grade into practice and can inspire children to improve their work.

5. Sandwich Model

One model to be aware of is the ‘sandwich model.’ The Open University has credited this for its high student satisfaction scores in assessment and feedback.

The basic model is to provide constructive criticism sandwiched in between praise, like a slice of cheese between bread!

First, praise the student for something they’ve done well. Next, give them an example of where they haven’t met the expected outcome. Finally, finish with more praise.

It gives you a good balance between praising students, which ensures they keep up their excellent work and constructive feedback that helps them to understand any inaccuracies.

6. Refer to Guidelines

It’s worth checking school guidelines before you start writing your school reports.

For example, your school may want you to use the National Curricular statements for most of the report and devote only 10% to anecdotal evidence.

7. Feedforward 

It’s essential to remember that you must include concrete steps students must take.

It can be as simple as listing a step. For example, “learn a word a day to improve vocabulary.” Or you could point parents to a resource that might benefit the student.

8. Timely

School reports should be timely.

Feedback should be given as soon as possible; in theory, you shouldn’t wait for a report to provide feedback. Instead, the information should reinforce any feedback you’ve already given.

It’s also worth bearing in mind the pace of life for parents. For example, I used to send two significant reports yearly but found out that they’d only read them weeks after receiving them.

It often means there’s a delay in them carrying out the actions in the report.

Now, I send at least two other minor reports that alert the parents to what’s coming up and any actions they might take.

An example of a minor report could read something like this:

“Claire has been performing consistently in all her subjects. It would appear that she has acted on the feedback from my year-end report and made the necessary adjustments to her daily practices. I sincerely thank you for your support in helping Claire realize her potential. By the first week of July, I will send a detailed year-end report to articulate how well Claire has performed in her subjects in grade 8 about national standards and with peers from her class. If you would like to discuss any aspects of Claire’s progress, please reach out to me.”

9. Personalise It

It isn’t easy when you’re writing dozens of reports. But a few tweaks can go a long way.

Here’s a quick checklist:

	Done
Get the child’s name and pronoun correct.
Include an anecdotal sentence about the child’s behavior. For example, “Claire is always eager to help her peers, and she demonstrated this again when she helped her peers who were struggling with their science project.”
If the child has mentioned, they’re interested in something, mention that in the report.
Be honest. You don’t want to say that the child is good at reading when the parent knows they aren’t. It is inaccurate and suggests you don’t know the child well.

10. 
    Proofread

Ensure to proofread every report you write!

Attention to detail is essential. It shows parents that their child is receiving a quality education and reassures them that their children are in good hands.

Pride Flag

The pride rainbow flag is a flag that represents LGBTQ+ pride and social movements.

What is the Pride Rainbow Flag?

The pride flag, also known as the rainbow flag, gay pride flag, or LGBTQ+ pride flag, is a symbol that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender pride and LGBTQ+ social movements. In the past, it’s also been used as a symbol of peace.

The artist Gilbert Baker designed the flag for an openly gay man, partly in response to a challenge from significant gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Before its introduction, the Pink Triangle was used as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community. This symbol, however, had dark associations, as the Nazi regime initially used it to identify and discriminate against gay men. Although the LGBTQ+ community reclaimed the symbol, its unpleasant history was demonized, and the community sought a new, more positive symbol.

The rainbow design was introduced during the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade celebration on June 25, 1978. Baker explicitly chose its design as a symbol of hope that has been used throughout history. Commissioned by the then-fledgling Pride Committee, the first two flags were dyed and stitched by hand by 30 volunteers.

What is the Meaning Behind the Pride Flag?

The colors of the pride rainbow flag represent positivity, peace, pride, and diversity within the LGBTQ+ community, and the flag is most frequently used as a symbol of pride at LGBTQ+ pride marches and events. Each color of the pride flag has a different meaning. Red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony, and violet for spirit.

What are the Pride Flag Colors?

The most popular pride flag used today consists of the six colors of the rainbow. These are:

• red;
• orange;
• yellow;
• green;
• indigo;
• and violet.

People of Color Inclusive Pride Flag

This pride flag was created with two extra stripes to bring more attention to LGBTQ+ community members of color.

Lesbian Pride Flag

The lesbian pride flag represents lesbians, women who are attracted to women. In order, these pride flag colors symbolize:

gender non-conformity;

independence;

community;

unique relationships to womanhood;

serenity and peace;

love;

and femininity.

Bisexual Pride Flag

The bisexual pride flag represents bisexual people attracted to their gender and other genders. The flag overlaps the stereotypical colors for boys and girls, meeting in the middle to make purple.

Transgender Pride Flag

The transgender pride flag represents transgender people whose gender isn’t aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. The creator, Monica Helms (a transgender woman), noted that blue is the traditional color for boys and pink for girls, while the white in the middle represents those transitioning or those with a neutral or no gender.

The first design of the pride flag had eight colors. The additional pride flag colors were hot pink and turquoise, but they were eventually dropped from the flag because it was difficult to source fabrics in these colors.

It’s said that the pride flag’s design was inspired by the song, ‘Over the Rainbow!

LGBTQ+ Color Meanings

The pride flag’s LGBTQ+ colors have specific meanings. Each color represents and celebrates an aspect of LGBTQ+ pride.

• Red = life;
• Orange = healing;
• Yellow = sunlight;
• Green = nature;
• Indigo = harmony;
• Violet = spirit.

The rainbow flag has become the most widely recognized symbol of people who identify as LGBTQ+. It is because the colors’ meanings are synonymous with diversity, pride, and freedom.

What Other Pride Flags Are There?

Since the LGBTQ+ community is so diverse, more pride flags have been created to represent each identity better. Learn about all pride flags and their meanings below! Or, as a challenge, try to think of them all without looking and see how many you remember correctly.

Endangered animals are species where the number of animals living in the wild has been excellently reduced due to various reasons, such as deforestation or changing climate. It means they are at high risk of dying out shortly if we don’t take any steps to protect them.

Although extinction is a natural phenomenon, with between one and five species becoming extinct yearly, we are now losing dozens of species daily. One million species (including plants) will be estimated to be lost by 2050. Learning about endangered animals is the first step to raising awareness about this issue.

Endangered Animals For Kids: Facts

If you and your kids are learning about endangered animals in the classroom, you might want to learn some exciting facts for kids. For example:

1. There are only 350,000 elephants left in Africa. It indicates a dramatic drop from the approximately 7.5 million African elephants recorded in the 1930s.
2. The Red Panda is endangered because the trees they live in are cut down for wood. They are also hunted for their beautiful fur. Sometimes, they get caught in traps meant for other small animals.
3. Humans are responsible for 99% of the endangered species.
4. The Blue Whale is endangered because there are poisonous chemicals in the seas. As a result, they are sometimes hit by ships and can get injured so severely that they die. In addition, they can get caught in fishing equipment.
5. Extinction is a natural process in the wild. The standard rate is about five species per year. However, the current extinction rate is over 12 species a day. It means that if we continue in the same way,30%–50% of currently known species of animals will be extinct within the next 30 years.

What Causes Animals to Become Endangered?

Humans are the biggest threat to animals today for several reasons, including the introduction of invasive species. One example is the grey squirrel that was introduced to the UK from America in the 1800s, leading to a decline in red squirrel numbers. Find out more about the impact of humans on animal populations below.

1) Habitat destruction

Habitats such as rainforests are being destroyed on vast scales to make space for farmland, commercial logging, or human settlements. This scale of deforestation and the clearance of other habitats for agriculture means that wild animals are confined to smaller spaces, making it more difficult to find food and raise their young. In turn, this causes wildlife populations to decline.

2) Hunting and poaching

Hunting and poaching are also responsible for falling wildlife populations, as animals are killed so that people can sell their fur and horns.

3) Pollution and pesticides

Pollution comes in many forms, including pollution from rubbish, air and water pollution, noise and light pollution, and soil contamination. In addition, pesticides can wash into rivers, contaminating the water and harming more than just the bugs targeted on crops.

4) Global warming

Global warming is having a significant effect on the habitats of lots of different animals. For example, the sea ice that polar bears rely on is disappearing. Similarly, countless animals, such as the hawksbill turtle, depend on coral reefs. But warming water is causing bleaching of the coral, putting the survival of many species at risk.

Endangered Animals For Kids Species List & Pictures

Here’s a list of endangered animals for kids:

Tiger

Orangutan

Giant Panda

Blue Whale

Asian Elephant

Gorilla

Snow Leopard

Rhinoceros

Sea Turtle

Sea Otter

African Wild Dog

Amur Leopard

Asian Elephants

Axolotl

Black-footed Ferrets

Blue Whales

Chimpanzees

Galápagos Penguins

Golden Lion Tamarins

‘R’ blend words include a two-letter consonant blend where the second letter is ‘r.’ There are seven blends: ‘br,’ ‘cr,’ ‘dr,’ ‘fr,’ ‘gr,’ ‘pr,’ and ‘tr.’ Some common examples of ‘r’ blend words include ‘tree,’ ‘crab,’ and ‘drain.’

What is a consonant blend?

Before we explore consonant blends with ‘r’ in particular, let’s first find out what a consonant blend is.

A consonant blend, also known as a consonant cluster or a consonant sequence, is where two or more consonants are grouped with no vowels in between them. And more essentially, each consonant in a blend retains its sound.

We must be careful not to get blends mixed up with digraphs. While each consonant in a combination keeps its sound, a consonant digraph is where the consonants make up a single phoneme (such as ‘sh’). It can be tricky to tell if a group of consonants is a digraph or a cluster, and if you or your learners are ever in any doubt, it’s a good idea to try sounding it out.

What are ‘r’ blend words?

Now that we know what a consonant cluster is let’s explore some words with consonant blends with ‘r’ in them.

‘r’ blend words contain a consonant cluster in which ‘r’ is the second consonant. There are seven standard consonant blends with ‘r’: ‘br,’ ‘cr,’ ‘dr,’ ‘fr,’ ‘gr,’ ‘pr,’ and ‘str.’ These words include high-frequency ones we regularly use, like ‘tree’ and ‘grow.’

Below, we’ve put together a handy list of words that start with each of these different ‘r’ blends:

‘R’ blend words

/ br /

Let’s start with some words that contain the ‘br’ blend:

• brick
• brush
• braid
• brown
• brain
• bride
• bread
• bronze
• branch
• bridge
• broken
• broomstick
• brother
• brownie
• breakfast
• bright
• bracelet
• broccoli
• brisk
• brew

/ cr /

Next up, we have the ‘cr’ blend, which features a variety of different words:

• crab
• crack
• crib
• crumpet
• crane
• cram
• crisps
• crumbs
• crayon
• criminal
• cricket
• crocodile
• crumble
• crash
• crawl
• crime
• crown
• crush
• crows
• cross

/ dr /

Now that take a look at the standard ‘dr’ blend:

• drink
• drop
• drag
• dress
• drum
• drill
• dream
• drive
• dragon
• drawbridge
• droplet
• drift
• droop
• drain
• drool
• drama
• draft
• drowsy
• dramatic
• dread

/ fr /

Now that we’ve looked at ‘dr’ words, let’s read through some words with consonant blends with ‘r’ that have ‘f’ as the first consonant:

• frog
• frost
• fruit
• freeze
• fries
• friends
• frame
• fridge
• freckles
• fringe
• fractions
• fright
• front
• free
• fryer
• freshen
• fraud
• frayed
• frantic
• frown

/ gr /

Up next, we’ve got the ‘gr’ consonant blend:

• grin
• green
• grass
• gravel
• groan
• grill
• gran
• grapes
• grey
• graph
• grease
• groom
• ground
• gravy
• grew
• grate
• groggy
• greed
• group
• grade

/ pr /

Now let’s investigate the ‘pr’ consonant cluster:

• press
• present
• print
• pram
• prank
• prom
• prince
• pray
• problem
• prize
• proof
• prove
• property
• pretzel
• prime
• price
• prison
• prune
• prism
• pride

/ tr /

And last but not least, let’s read through some words that feature the ‘tr’ blend:

• tree
• tractor
• tram
• trap
• train
• trick
• trail
• triangle
• traffic
• trumpet
• triplets
• trophy
• training
• trace
• trust
• trolley
• trivial
• trousers
• trapeze
• tremble