Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Mirror writing, also known as reverse writing or letter reversal, is when children write certain letters or numbers backward or upside down.

Why is your child mirror writing?

Mirror writing is a typical developmental behavior that many children display around the ages of 3 and 7. This is very common. Children with excellent fine motor skills may struggle to reverse letters and numbers. But why is your child mirror writing? To begin, it’s essential to understand how a child’s brain works. You can start developing this understanding by carefully observing their writing.

Many children may struggle with reverse letters and mirror writing from a poor understanding of correctly forming letters.

Mirror writing can also be a standard indicator of dyslexia in students. However, it is essential to know that not all students with dyslexia struggle with mirror writing.

Another possible cause is visual processing issues. In this case, a child might have trouble identifying how images are different (visual discrimination) or which direction they face (visual directionality).

Is mirror writing rarely?

Not at all! It is widespread for young children to demonstrate mirror writing in their early education. However, with the right teacher and home support, children should be able to correct these mistakes consistently.

While mirroring writing errors are common in young children, it is rare for adults to demonstrate mirror writing consistently. Habitual mirror writers are scarce. Most students will outgrow reversing as they get more potent at reading and writing.

Did you know that perhaps Leonardo da Vinci’s is the only recognized example of mirror writing?

Mirror Writing Examples

One of the most common letter reversals in children is ‘b’ and ‘d’. Since the letters are so similar, when a child means to write ‘b,’ they may write ‘d’ instead, and vice versa.

Confusing ‘p’ and ‘q’ is also common, as well as ‘m’ and ‘n’ or ‘m’ and ‘w’ when writing upside down.

Other common examples of mirror writing include reversing numbers and even whole sentences.

Some children may write the first sentence forwards, reach the edge of their paper, and continue writing right under where they left off: this means their following sentence is backward.

Another typical example is writing singular words backward. This can often happen when children learn to write their names for the first time, and they write them in reverse.

Why do children mirror letters?

There are many reasons why a child may be writing in reverse. It’s a misconception that any child who mirrors their letters has dyslexia. While some children with dyslexia can struggle with forming letters correctly, mirror writing is not always a sign of this.

Some children may mirror write because they find it difficult to remember how to form the letters in the first place. For example, they may have a general idea of the shape of the letter, but they’ve forgotten how it’s supposed to face. In these cases, it can be pretty simple to fix with extra support and guidance.

On the other hand, some children may show signs of letter reversal if they have visual processing issues. This means they struggle to identify how and when images are different or which way they should face them. This becomes difficult when children try to differentiate between similar letters like ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘p’ and ‘q,’ and so on.

How to test children’s mirror writing?

There are several strategies and activities that you can try out to assess whether your students are mirror writing. For example:

• Give children activity sheets that ask students to copy out the alphabet in order. This can help you spot which letters children are struggling with.
• Observe before you act. Try to let students write independently without interruptions. This will show you how they naturally write. Are they reversing any particular letters? Do they start writing from the wrong side of the page?
• Watch out for students who hesitate when they are forming letters. For example, when writing letters with a circle, such as an ad, students may write a few circles over and over while trying to work out which side the ‘stick’ goes on.

How can I correct mirror writing?

Many children naturally grow out of reverse writing as they grow and develop their handwriting skills, usually at around seven years old. So reversing letters is pretty standard up until this age.

This is because children are just beginning their journey into reading and writing. As adults, we can easily differentiate between letters like ‘p’ and ‘q’ because we know their differences already. However, children are just learning this, so sometimes they’re expected to confuse them.

As children become more experienced readers and writers, they’ll develop their knowledge and begin to understand the differences between similar letters for themselves. This means they’ll be able to make the correct decision when deciding which way the letter ‘b’ should face.

Some children may need extra support and guidance when correcting their letters. If you have an older child in your class or at home who still struggles with differentiating notes, there are ways to help them. Take a look at these ideas:

1. Dot the starting point.

For children who write entire sentences in reverse, simply marking the paper with a dot to show the starting point will help them remember where they should begin to write their sentences.

2. Trace over letters.

The physical movement of tracing over letters helps to build muscle memory. The more children trace over each letter, the more likely they will remember how to write it in the future – without even having to think about it.

3. Work on one letter at a time.

If the child is confusing two letters, it’s best to focus on one at a time. This will help them to master that letter first, so when it comes to the following letter, they’ll know which way not to face it.

4. Write with fun materials.

Having fun while practicing can change a child’s attitude. Try writing in gel pens or something messy if you’re brave.

5. Try a multisensory approach.

Engage more than just one sense – we have five at our disposal, after all. For example, encourage children to write out the letter or word and say it aloud simultaneously.

What is the International Day of Families?

Held on 15th May every year, the International Day of Families was established by the United Nations in 1993 to raise awareness of families’ worldwide issues.

The UN also uses the International Day of Families to recognize that family structures have undergone many changes due to social, economic, and demographic factors. The annual event provides a way to highlight families’ vital role in communities and raises issues that may affect families.

How is the International Day of Families observed? The UN organizes and promotes various activities, workshops, newspaper articles, and television programming for International Family Day. Schools and educational establishments are also encouraged to get involved and observe the day.

Definition of visual impairment and disability

Visual impairment/disability is a broad term for people with less vision than usual. Visual impairments can vary from person to person and can differ in severity too. However, visual impairment and visual disability are both the same.

Minor visual impairments can often be treated with different treatments like eye drops. However, more severe cases may need invasive action; unfortunately, some can’t be treated.

A visual disability/impairment can’t be treated with glasses or contact lenses. The definition of visual disability/impairment includes people who are completely blind or people with reduced vision.

Some visual impairments/disabilities can be considered invisible or hidden disabilities because it is not apparent to someone else that they have a disability. For example, you wouldn’t know if someone was blind solely based on their appearance unless they told you or were walking with a guide dog.

Some people may be able to receive help with living with the condition.

Visual impairment examples

There are lots of different types of visual impairments/disabilities. They all affect people in different ways and can differ in severity too. Read below for visual impairment examples and how they can impact people.

Night blindness

This visual impairment/disability means that people with it struggle to see at night. This also applies to dimly lit rooms like the cinema. People with this may also have trouble adjusting from bright to dark areas. Night blindness can be helped by prescribing specific glasses or contact lenses for help with night vision.

Albinism

This is a condition that affects the skin, hair, and eyes. People with albinism have a reduced amount of melanin, which affects their coloring and eyesight. As a result, people with this condition often have light hair color and pale skin.

Albinism can cause poor eyesight, light sensitivity, nystagmus, and a squint. Unfortunately, there is no treatment for poor eyesight, but having glasses can improve vision. Children with this may also need extra support in school.

People with this visual impairment may also find it helpful to wear sunglasses in brightly-lit areas to help with light sensitivity.

Blurred vision

This can affect how people see close up or far away. Glasses can be prescribed to help with blurred vision, but they don’t always stop it. Blurred vision can appear in one or both eyes.

Loss of peripheral vision

Peripheral vision is your more expansive field; peripheral vision isn’t straight in front of you but what you can see around you without turning your head. Loss of peripheral vision means you can only see right in front of you. This is sometimes also called ‘tunnel vision.’

Loss of peripheral vision can be caused by glaucoma. This is a group of eye disorders that can damage the optic nerve, which then results in poor vision. Unfortunately, no guaranteed treatments will fix the loss of peripheral vision. Still, if you have glaucoma, you can prevent this from happening by taking medication such as eye drops.

A particular lens type can be fitted on to your glasses to help with peripheral vision loss, but it doesn’t always work.

Loss of central vision

This type of visual impairment/disability causes blurs or blind spots in your vision. It usually starts with a small blind spot that gets bigger over time. Loss of central vision can deteriorate very quickly.

This can be caused by age-related macular degeneration, but it can also be caused by diabetes if the diabetes is left untreated. Macular degeneration can be treated by taking eye drops, which can stop your vision from getting worse.

To prevent loss of central vision caused by diabetes, make sure you control your blood sugar levels and attend diabetic eye-screening appointments. These appointments can pick up on anything wrong early on, so you can start treatment earlier.

Nystagmus

This is a condition where the eye moves involuntarily up and down or side to side constantly. Typically, people with this condition can’t see the movement, and others may find it hard to notice. It can result in poor vision, such as not being able to see things far away, and it can get worse when the person is stressed or upset.

People with this visual impairment/disability usually develop it during early childhood, but it can create later on in life. For people who grow it later on in life, it can take a while to get used to because of the constant eye movement you have never experienced before. It can also make it harder to see and make you feel sick and dizzy. However, it is a condition you can live with, and most people can live a whole and independent life.

You may also need longer to read if you have this condition because the constant eye movement can make it difficult to focus on words. Children in school with nystagmus may need extra support, for example, being seated near the front of the class if they can’t see far away or giving them longer to read.

Color blindness

This is the inability to see specific colors. People who are color blind can see some colors, but not all of them. Not being able to see any colors at all is very rare. The most common way to notice color blindness in others is their inability to know the difference between some colors. The most common deficiencies in color blindness are red and green, which can happen with other colors.

Color blindness is a genetic condition that is passed on from parents. However, it can sometimes develop later on in life.

Color blindness is something that can be lived with. However, some children may struggle with certain school activities involving colors. In addition, people who are color blind may also have trouble identifying safety or warning signs because of their color.

There are things you can do to help someone with color blindness. Often settings on computers and phones support you to use them more accessible. There are also some apps you can use to identify different colors. You can also wear tinted glasses that allow you to see colors better; however, these only work for some people.

Signs of Visual Impairments

Now that you know some visual impairment examples read on to find out some signs of visual impairment.

You must know the signs of a visual impairment/disability. If you notice a child with any visible impairment/disability symptoms, you should notify their parents/guardians, so they can get the help they need. Some signs of visual impairments include:

• Their eyes move from side to side or up and down involuntarily. This can get worse if they are upset or concentrating hard. These are signs of Nystagmus.
• They don’t follow objects in front of their face. So, for example, your hands move in front of them.
• They hold objects or text close to their face to see better.
• They squint at objects that are far away from them. This could also cause headaches.
• They might turn or tilt their head to see better.
• They might seem clumsy, e.g., walking into things or tripping over a lot.
• They might not be able to recognize some colors.
• They might react more to bright lights or go from a dimly lit room to a bright one.
• Poor hand-eye coordination

This is not an exhaustive list; if a child has some of these signs, it could be because of something else. However, it is always a good idea to report any concerns to their parents/guardians. Then, if they have a visual impairment/disability that they are unaware of, they can get professional help for the child. Even if it just means wearing glasses, it can make a massive difference to a child’s learning.

There is lots of support for people with visual impairments/disabilities, and some people can live a whole and independent life. However, taking that first step to getting help is essential because it can make a massive difference in your day-to-day life. The same goes for children. If you notice anything out of the ordinary with their eyes or vision, it is essential to help and support them.

Without the proper support, children’s education will suffer. They won’t be able to learn as well as the other children because of the visual barrier that they face. However, with the right help and possibly treatment, they will have every opportunity to learn just like everyone else.

Raising awareness is a great way to support children with visual impairments/disabilities. The more people know about it, the more help can be provided.

What is a half?

First, let’s start with what half means. A half is two equal parts of one whole.

This is easier to understand when talking about halving shapes or real-life objects. For example, let’s imagine you have a whole pizza. To cut your pizza into halves, you must cut it into two equal pieces. Each piece is one-half of the pizza.

Finding half of an amount

We can use this concept to find half of an amount. Another way to think about halving is sharing equally between 2 people. An easy way to understand how to do this is by using physical materials you can touch, pick up and move around. For example:

Can you share four cubes equally between 2 people?

This is the same as finding half of 4 and is an easier way to learn how to halve numbers. Using physical cubes, you can share them between two people by giving one cube to each person until you run out of cubes. Count how many each person has, and there’s your answer!

You can do this with several objects lying around the house or classroom to practice halving. For example, why not use counters, books, pencils, or even yummy sweets? Remember, to halve means to share equally between 2.

Moving on from using physical manipulatives, you can use a whiteboard or pencil and paper to calculate half. Do you want to find half of the 12 bananas? Then draw out two circles to represent the two groups, and draw one banana inside each ring until you have none left. How many bananas are in each group?

How to halve numbers:

Half is the same as the fraction ½. This means that to find half of a number; we can divide it by 2. To divide by 2, split the total number into two equal parts. For example:

To calculate half of 6, we can divide it by 2. We can write this calculation as six ÷ 2.

This calculation gives us the answer 3. We can check this is the correct answer by adding it by itself (3+3) and making sure it is equal to 6, which it is. We can also check that our solution is correct by multiplying our answer by 2 (3 x 2), which equals 6. And there you go, you’ve learned how to halve numbers!

How to halve large numbers:

This is easier to do with smaller numbers, but when we try to calculate half of the large numbers, it can be tricky to divide the total number by 2. We can make this simpler by using partitioning. This is where we split the number into tens and ones to make it easier to halve.

Let’s take the number 86, for example. This would be tricky to halve quickly in our heads by diving by 2. So instead, split the number into tens and ones like this:

Half the tens first (half of 80), which is 40. Then, half the ones (half of 6), which is 3. Finally, add your two numbers together to get the answer. In this case, the answer would be 43!

You can also halve even more significant numbers using this partitioning strategy. Split the number into thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones, and calculate half using the same method above.

A curriculum is a framework for what students will learn each year they’re at school. An activity-based curriculum centers around active learning and presenting information to your students in a fun and interactive way. It’s a method of teaching that can be used with students in EYFS, KS1, or KS2.

An activity-based curriculum teaches students skills and knowledge through creative tasks and activities. Rather than passively listening to a teacher, students will complete assignments that practice vital skills and allow them to absorb information actively.

Benefits of an Activity-Based Curriculum

1. They develop creative thinking skills. Using problem-solving games and activities is a great way to get children to think outside the box. Building these creative and reasoning skills is essential as children progress through school.
2. They’re student-led. The focus in activity-based learning is on the student rather than the teacher. It engages children and gives them the tools to work things out themselves.
3. It’s more fun! Games and activities are guaranteed to bring some fun into the classroom. Children will be developing skills without feeling like they’re learning.
4. They can improve teamwork skills and help children feel included. Putting children into small groups for projects can be beneficial as it encourages them to be confident and makes everyone in the class feel like their contributions are essential.
5. Children can remember critical information better. However, not all children learn best from simply writing down information. Activity-based learning engages children with many different learning styles, benefitting visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.

There are two main types of marine plants: seagrasses and algae. Like plants on land, most plants under the sea need sunlight for photosynthesis. This means that they usually live in the top-most layers of the ocean. However, some marine plants, such as kelp and coralline algae, are adapted to live in deeper waters. Unlike terrestrial (land) plants, aquatic plants get their nutrients from the water around them, not through their roots. Instead, their hearts are used to anchor them to the seafloor and stop them from floating away.

Why are marine plants important?

Plants are essential to all aquatic ecosystems, providing fish and other marine life with food and shelter. The carbohydrates produced by plants under the sea form the basis of the entire marine food web, supporting everything from tiny zooplankton to giant whales. In addition, aquatic plants and algae provide over half the oxygen you breathe as they photosynthesize in the ocean.

Seagrasses

Seagrasses evolved 100 million years ago and got their name from their long, grass-like leaves. Around 72 species can be found in many parts of the world, living in shallow, salty, brackish waters. Like flowering plants that you can find on land, they have roots, stems, and leaves and even produce flowers and seeds. In addition, they provide food and shelter

Algae

The term ‘algae’ refers to many organisms that can produce oxygen through photosynthesis. With about 27,000 different species, ranging from single-celled to multicellular organisms, algae (singular ‘alga’) is the primary source of food for fish and other aquatic life. Because it forms the foundation of the food chain and can be found in both saltwater and freshwater, it is essential for balanced ecosystems.

Seaweed and kelp

Seaweed and kelp are more significant marine algae that are made up of many cells. They all contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis, but some types of seaweed can look brown or red, not green. This is because they have extra pigments that give them a different color. Kelp grows in cold seas worldwide and can form substantial underwater forests that provide a habitat for snails, sea urchins, seals, and sea otters.

Phytoplankton

Although too small to see with the naked eye, these tiny single-cell organisms clump together to form visible groups floating on the ocean’s top. This microscopic marine algae can be found in all water environments. They can multiply quickly in the right conditions, making the water green or red. Phytoplankton is an essential food source for almost all marine life, so it’s an integral part of the food web.

Are corals animals or plants?

Corals ‘take root’ as plants do but cannot make their food, unlike plants. Instead, they have tiny, tentacle-like arms to catch their nutrition from the water. But unlike a typical animal, they don’t have a face or body parts. So are corals plants or animals?

Well, coral is a sessile animal (an animal that is rooted to the spot). It comprises tiny polyps that secrete a hard, outer limestone skeleton that attaches to a rock or the dead skeletons of other polyps. But here’s where it gets exciting. A type of algae called zooxanthellae resides in many kinds of coral tissue. This alga uses the coral’s waste products for photosynthesis, while the coral benefits from the oxygen and organic products produced due to this photosynthesis. This helps the coral to thrive and grow. In this sense, corals comprise a unique partnership that benefits marine plants and animals.

Facts about plants under the sea

Did you know

• Seagrasses can form huge underwater meadows, the largest of which can be seen from space.
• All land plants evolved from algae just under a billion years ago.
• Giant kelp can reach up to 60 meters from the sea floor to the ocean’s surface. It can be used for human food or as a fertilizer.

Neptune has more mass than its nearest gas giant neighbor, Uranus. However, Neptune is physically smaller than Uranus because its group also makes it very dense. In addition, Neptune’s gravity squeezes the planet’s atmosphere, so it fits more mass into a smaller space.

Neptune orbits the Sun once every 164.8 years, meaning one Neptunian year is nearly 165 times longer than an Earth year. On the other hand, Neptune rotates once every 16 hours, so a day on Neptune is 8 hours shorter than Earth’s.

Which is the planet farthest from the Sun?

Neptune is the farthest planet from the Sun! However, there are several dwarf planets, the most notable of which is Pluto. This is why people sometimes get confused and think Pluto is the farthest planet from the Sun. Pluto’s orbit is much more elongated than those of the other planets. This means it is closer to the Sun for 20 years of Pluto’s 249-year orbit than Neptune. There are dwarf planets beyond Pluto, also. Currently, the farthest dwarf planet from the Sun is called Eris.

90377 Sedna, also known as just Sedna, is a large planetoid in the solar system’s outer reaches. Sedna is currently recognized as a potential dwarf planet. Scientists have estimated that it takes over 11,000 years for Sedna to orbit the sun.

Neptune’s distance from the Sun

As previously mentioned, Neptune is the furthest planet from the Sun, but how far is it? Neptune’s distance from the Sun is approximately 2.8 billion miles or 4.5 billion kilometers. Another way of looking at this is that Neptune is a distance of 30 astronomical units away from the Sun. To put this into perspective, the Earth is one astronomical unit away from the Sun. Due to the sheer size of Neptune’s distance from the Sun, it takes sunlight a whopping 4 hours to travel from the Sun to the planet.

Neptune’s Stats

Formation

Neptune formed along with the rest of the solar system around 4.5 billion years ago. At this time, gravity pulled together a bunch of gas and dust to form the vast planet that we now call Neptune. Like Uranus, Neptune is believed to have originated closer to the Sun but moved to the outer solar system around 4 billion years ago.

Structure

Neptune is one of two substantial ice giants in the outer solar system. The other ice giant is Neptune’s neighbor, Uranus. So, what is Neptune made of that makes it an ice giant?

Neptune primarily consists of a hot dense fluid of ‘icy’ materials, including water, methane, and ammonia. These are positioned above a small, rocky core. Neptune has a rank structure out of all the giant planets in the solar system.

Fun Fact: Scientists believe that Neptune may have its ocean. This ocean is made of boiling water and is located beneath Neptune’s cold clouds. The sea does not boil away due to the high pressure that keeps it trapped inside.

Surface

While we may think of planets as solid bodies, this is not always the case. Neptune, for instance, does not have a solid surface. Instead, its atmosphere, consisting mainly of hydrogen, helium, and methane, stretched deep into the planet. As a result, the atmosphere gradually merges into the water and other melted ice over the solid, rocky core of the world, with pretty much the same mass as Earth.

Atmosphere

As briefly mentioned above, the atmosphere on Neptune is made up primarily of hydrogen and helium, with a hint of methane. As a result, Uranus, positioned next to Neptune in the solar system, has a distinct blue-green color due to the methane in its atmosphere. However, even though Neptune’s atmosphere also contains methane, it has a very different color. Neptune is, instead, a much more vivid blue color. This has led scientists to conclude that there must be an unknown component of Neptune’s atmosphere that causes its vibrant color.

Interestingly, Neptune is the windiest planet in our solar system. Despite Neptune’s distance from the Sun and general low energy input from the Sun, Neptune’s wind is super strong. The wind on Neptune can get up to three times stronger than Jupiter’s and a whopping nine times more potent than Earth’s wind. These insanely windy conditions sweep clouds of frozen methane across the planet at over 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) per hour. To put this into perspective, the most powerful wind on Earth would only be able to reach a speed of around 250 miles (400 kilometers) per hour.

Much like the Great Red Spot found on Jupiter, Neptune has its storm, which has been called the Great Dark Spot. This storm, which is oval and discovered not that long ago in 1989, is so massive that it could contain the entirety of Earth. The storm, located initially in Neptune’s Southern Hemisphere, has since disappeared, but the planet is not storm-free as various new ones have appeared in different areas.

Potential for life

The one question that people always want to know when discussing the solar system is, ‘Could there be life on other planets?’ For some of the planets in our solar system, the atmosphere is such that humans could survive there, although they might be a bit uncomfortable. Neptune, however, is not one of these planets.

As far as we know, Neptune’s environment is incompatible with human life. This results from various factors, including the planet’s temperature, pressure, and materials. These features of Neptune would be much too extreme and volatile for humans to adapt to, making human life impossible on earth.

The Pluto problem

Since its discovery in 1930, Pluto has been regarded as one of the planets in our Solar System. However, in 2006, this all changed. The International Astronomical Union altered its definition of a planet; consequently, Pluto’s status was demoted to that of a dwarf planet. This gave way to Neptune becoming the farthest planet from the Sun.

Pluto’s orbit

It would be reasonable to assume that Pluto was the farthest planet from the Sun for the 76 years between its discovery and its demotion to a dwarf planet. However, a unique aspect of Pluto’s orbit meant this wasn’t the case.

On the 21st of January 1979, Pluto moved inside Neptune’s orbit, officially making Neptune the farthest planet from the Sun. Then, in February 1999, Pluto moved again beyond Neptune’s orbit. This meant that Pluto, then, became the most distant planet from the Sun. Pluto crosses this line, moving in and out of Neptune’s orbit for 20 years out of its 249-year-long revolution around the Sun. Pluto’s strange movement in the Solar System is its elliptical orbit. This orbit takes Pluto closer to the Sun than Neptune for 20 years out of its revolution around the Sun. This means that, at its closest distance to the Sun, Pluto is more intimate than Neptune.

Periodic comets

Planets are not the only thing in our Solar System; there is a range of other objects in space, including periodic comets. Likewise, there are lots of periodic comets that are known to have orbits within the planetary system. The most famous of these is probably Halley’s comet.

Where do comets come from?

Astronomers theorize that there is a belt of icy objects beyond Neptune, where several dark comets orbit the Sun in the realm of Pluto. From time to time, gravity pushes these objects into orbits, which brings them closer to the Sun. These become what are known as short-period comets. These comets take under 200 years to orbit around the Sun and are much more predictable than long-period comets. Many long-period comets come from the Oort Cloud, a cloud of millions of objects in circular orbits around the Sun. These long-period Oort Cloud comets take much longer to orbit the Sun than short-period comets. Long-period comets can take up to 30 million years to complete just one revolution around the Sun.

What is a comet?

Each comet contains something called a nucleus. This nucleus is a small, frozen section in a comet, typically just a few kilometers long. Inside the nucleus are icy chunks and frozen gases, which are embedded with pieces of dust.

Something interesting about comets is that they get warmer as they get closer to the Sun and also develop an atmosphere. The heat of the Sun is enough to cause the ice within comets to change into gases. This causes the atmosphere to grow in size. As a result, a comet’s atmosphere can reach enormous heights, spanning hundreds of thousands of kilometers. What’s more, the pressure of the sunlight and high-speed solar particles can blow the dust and gas from the comet’s atmosphere away from the Sun. This process can cause a comet’s signature ‘tail’ to form. In reality, comets have two tails, a dust tail, and a gas tail.

The majority of comets travel at a safe distance from the Sun. However, there are several comets, widely known as sungrazers, that crash directly into the Sun or get so close that they break apart and evaporate.

Does Neptune have rings?

Neptune does have a ring system, but it is not as visible as the rings of Saturn. Neptune has six rings made of ice particles; some are reddish. The rings were first discovered in 1968, and the Voyager 2 probe took pictures of them when it passed Neptune on its journey to the edge of the Solar System. Unfortunately, Neptune’s rings seem more unstable than Saturn’s rings, and it is thought that they may eventually disappear.

Does Neptune have any moons?

Neptune has 14 moons, but many are small and not spherical. The largest moon of Neptune is Triton, which is the only one that is a sphere. The rest are all small asteroid-like moons, some of which orbit within Neptune’s rings.

Triton is the only moon in the Solar System that orbits its parent planet in the opposite direction to the planet’s spin. This is known as a ‘retrograde’ orbit. This fact has led scientists to believe that Triton was not formed with Neptune and was caught in its orbit.

When was Neptune discovered?

Technically, the astronomer, Galileo, is responsible for the discovery of Neptune. Some of the earliest-ever recorded observations made through a telescope belong to Galileo. These observations, recorded between the end of 1612 and the beginning of 1613, have been found to show records of the planet Neptune. While he recorded it, Galileo did not know it was a planet at the time. Instead, he is believed to have mistaken it for a fixed star. For this reason, he is not officially recognized as the person who discovered Neptune.

It was not until 1821 that French astronomer Alexis Bouvard first hinted at the existence of another planet beyond Uranus, as he published his records of Uranus’ orbit that showed an unusual movement that suggested that there was another planet even further away.

A British astronomer John Couch Adams studied Bouvard’s work and estimated that the other planet was affecting Uranus’ orbit. Then, using only mathematics, another French astronomer called Urbain Le Verrier predicted the location of Neptune.

The actual discovery of Neptune, then, is accredited to Urbain Le Verrier, John Couch Adams, and Johann Galle in September 1846.

At first, Le Verrier wanted to name the planet Le Verrier after himself. Finally, however, the planet was named Neptune, after the Roman god of the sea. This was in keeping with the names of all the other planets in the Solar System, which are named after Greek or Roman gods.

Is Neptune’s gravity the same as Earth’s gravity?

Neptune’s gravity is 110% of the gravity on Earth. This means that something that weighs 10 kg on Earth will weigh 11 kg on Neptune. Even though Neptune is so much larger than Earth, its gravity is very similar. Neptune is a gas giant, while Earth is a rocky planet.

Can we breathe on Neptune?

Humans need oxygen to breathe, and there is almost no oxygen in Neptune’s atmosphere. Neptune’s atmosphere is mostly hydrogen, with some helium and a small amount of methane. This means that Humans would not be able to breathe on Neptune.

Are there storms on Neptune?

As a gas giant, Neptune has powerful winds, and it is one of the stormiest planets in the Solar System. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists have discovered many dark spots on Neptune’s surface, similar to the Great Red Spot found on Jupiter.

These spots are enormous storms, some of which continue for many years. The wind speed near these storms has been measured as between 700 and 1200 miles per hour (ca. 1,931 km/h).

Identifying the painted lady butterfly

Painted lady butterflies have a pale orange background on the upper side of their wings. The front wings, also known as the forewings, have black tips with white spots. The back wings, or hindwings, are covered with black holes.

Underneath their wings, these beautiful butterflies are pale brown with light blue eyespots. This might help them to blend in with their surroundings as a type of camouflage. Their wingspan is about 5cm, about the same length as your little finger.

They lay small, green eggs, and their caterpillars are black with a sprinkling of white spots. They have a funky yellow stripe down each side and are covered in small protective spines.

The painted lady butterfly looks quite similar to the monarch butterfly. Both are orange and black, with some white spots on their wings. To tell the difference, look at the edges of the butterfly’s wings. The painted lady butterfly has wings with scalloped edges, which look like a little wave pattern. The monarch butterfly has wings with smooth edges.

Six painted lady butterfly facts to amaze your friends

1. The Vanessa Cardui butterfly can be found on every continent except Australia, where it is too hot, and Antarctica, where it is too cold. As such, they are the most widely spread species of butterfly.
2. Painted lady butterflies can fly more than 100 miles daily while migrating. They can fly at nearly 30mph! That’s about the same speed as a car traveling through a town or city.
3. Painted lady caterpillars build their tents from silk. They weave little silk tents to protect them while they form their chrysalis. You can even see these tents on thistle plants.
4. They are also known as thistle or cosmopolitan butterflies because they love thistles for nectar and are globetrotters.
5. Butterflies are solar-powered! Well, almost. Their wings have heat sensors, meaning they can’t fly if it is too cold. This is why you only really see butterflies during the day. They are diurnal.
6. Since the 1970s, the amount of painted lady butterflies in the world has increased by 32%! So there are lots more of these beautiful creatures that you might be able to spot in parks and gardens.

What do painted lady butterflies eat?

The painted lady butterfly isn’t a fussy eater. During part of the painted lady butterfly’s life cycle, it lays its eggs on more than 100 different plants, including thistles, hollyhocks, and legumes, so that the caterpillars can eat these plants when they hatch.

The adult-painted lady butterfly sips nectar from many flowers, including thistles and asters.

Painted lady butterfly life cycle

The painted lady butterfly’s life cycle is called complete metamorphosis. It has four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Below, you can read more about the different stages of the painted lady butterfly’s life cycle.

Stage 1: Egg

The female-painted lady butterfly lays lots of green eggs on a leaf. This is so that the baby caterpillars have a ready-made food source when they hatch.

It usually takes seven days for the eggs to hatch. After that, the baby caterpillars eat their way out of the egg to escape.

Stage 2: Larva

The caterpillar eats a considerable amount of food. As it grows, it sheds its old skin like a snake. It spins a silk thread to help it stay attached to the leaves without falling off.

After two weeks of being a caterpillar, it is time for the next stage of the painted lady butterfly life cycle.

Stage 3: Pupa

The caterpillar creates a pupa, like a sleeping bag, for them to finish growing into butterflies. It doesn’t move for a week while it is hanging inside the pupa, but a lot is happening that we can’t see!

Stage 4: Adult

After a week in the pupa, a beautiful painted lady butterfly emerges. It has to wait a little while for its wings to dry out. But after an hour or so, it can fly.

Where can I find the painted lady butterfly?

These beautiful painted ladies usually migrate to and from northern Africa instead of hibernating in Britain. They can’t survive the cold of a British winter, so they typically arrive back in Britain in the spring. May and June are the most common months for them to make their way back to Britain.

They mostly live in the south of Britain, in Wales and England. However, some make their way to Scotland and even the Scottish islands!

Painted lady butterflies prefer well-lit, open spaces like fields and meadows. However, they can also be found on dunes and in marshes. Like most butterflies, they love buddleia because of its sweet nectar. You can plant this pretty flower to attract butterflies, including the painted lady, to your garden.

The female-painted ladies like to lay their eggs on nettles and thistles, where the caterpillars can eat the leaves once they hatch. When the caterpillars form a chrysalis, they hide in a tent constructed of leaves. Then, the new adults emerge from their chrysalises in August and September.

A semicolon is a punctuation mark commonly used in English to punctuate complex sentences. It looks like this:

;

We might use a semicolon in a sentence to make our writing clearer by separating two closely related, independent clauses. They’re also used to punctuate and break up sentences in place of a conjunctive.

What’s the difference between a colon and a semicolon?

Getting colons and semicolons mixed up is one of the most common mistakes that pupils make in primary education. Luckily, telling the two apart is pretty straightforward on a purely visual level. Colons look like two full stops on top of each other, while a semicolon looks like a full stop on top of a comma.

However, the main difference between colons and semicolons isn’t the way they look but how they are used. Check out this table below to see the different uses of these two punctuation marks:

Semicolon uses	Colon uses
The punctuation mark that can be inserted into a sentence	The punctuation mark that can be inserted into a sentence
A semicolon is used within a sentence to separate major sentence elements	A colon is a punctuation mark used in a sentence to indicate that something is about to follow it.
Semicolons can be used to break up a list of items. In most lists, it’s enough to use commas to separate the items.	Colons can also be used to expand a sentence or to introduce a quotation, an example, or a list.
Colons have non-grammatical uses for writing time and ratios

How do you use a semicolon in a sentence?

So, hopefully, you now have a good idea of what a semicolon is; you are probably wondering ‘what is a semicolon used for?’ Let’s explore different ways how to use a semicolon in our writing. Since semicolons are one of those punctuation marks that are often misused, learners must be aware of their proper usage. That’s why we’ve made this guide with examples of how to use a semicolon.

Here’s a list of four typical ways in which we can use a semicolon; let’s explore them all in detail:

1) Joining two independent clauses in a sentence

When we’re thinking about how to use a semicolon in a sentence, one of the most common ways is to join two sentences or independent clauses together. Semicolon punctuation marks are handy when you want to clarify and simplify your writing or even change the tone of a sentence:

‘I like oranges. Grace likes pears.’

‘I like oranges; Grace likes pears.’

As we can see from this example, joining these two separate sentences together creates a juxtaposition between what the two people like. But, of course, there are plenty of other reasons we might do this, including for dramatic effect.

When you connect two clauses like this, it’s important to remember that the second independent clause no longer needs a capital letter. It’s now one sentence instead of two.

2) Removing a conjunction

Like the first example, this way, you are still using a semicolon to show a connection between two independent sentences. However, this time you’re using the semicolon to break up a single sentence rather than merge two. For example:

‘I’m going to buy some new shoes, and my mum wants to buy a spatula.’

‘I’m going to buy some new shoes; my mum wants to buy a spatula.’

Replacing a conjunction with a semicolon works because meetings are also used to link two independent clauses. This could be a handy swap in writing, as semicolons are a great way to show the contrast between two independent clauses. So if you are using a conjunction (‘but,’ ‘and’ or ‘or’) in a sentence, occasionally think about replacing it with a semicolon to bring the two halves of the sentence closer together.

3) Breaking up a list

Another common way to use a semicolon in a sentence is to break up a list of items. In most lists, it’s enough to use commas to separate the items. However, some more complete lists should be punctuated with semicolons to make a list clear to the reader. For example:

• John, the baker;
• Jasmine, the police officer;
• Toby, the architect.

And written simply in a sentence, it looks like this: ‘John, the baker; Jasmine, the police officer; and Toby, the architect.’This helps the reader by showing them that the names and roles are linked, so they know John is the baker. Without the semicolon, the list could be about six different people (‘John, the baker, Jasmine, the police officer, Toby, the architect’) because there is no distinction between the items in the list.

4) Connecting ideas

We might also use semicolons alongside a conjunctive adverb (such as however, instead, therefore, and meanwhile) when we want to connect two ideas in a sentence.

If a conjunctive adverb is used to link two sentences, a semicolon must be used before the conjunctive adverb. For example:

• ‘Sam spent three hours in the library; however, he couldn’t find the book he wanted.’
• ‘She wanted pizza for tea; instead, her mum cooked vegetables.’
• ‘He finished his homework; therefore, he’s free to go to the cinema.’

A comma must also be used after the conjunctive adverb because it’s introducing a new clause.

A helpful way to remember to include a semicolon in a sentence such as this is to remember that you’re connecting two independent clauses.

Even if you separated the two clauses and kept the conjunctive adverb, you could create two sentences that both make sense. For instance:

• ‘Sam spent three hours in the library; however, he couldn’t find the book he wanted.’

Common mistakes when using semicolons

Now that we know how to use a semicolon in a sentence, let’s review some essential semicolon faux pas. First, when pupils first learn how to use semicolons, it’s common for them to make mistakes, and that’s completely natural!

So, as well as three common ways to use semicolons, let’s explore three ways in which they might be misused and how we might avoid them:

1) Overusing the semicolon punctuation mark

A common mistake is overusing the semicolon. After learning how to use a semicolon in a sentence, it can be tempting for pupils to get over-eager in introducing a new form of punctuation into their writing.

For example, pupils may use a semicolon when joining independent and dependent clauses.

2) Confusing the semicolon with the colon

Even though they might have learned how to use a semicolon, getting them mixed up with colons can still be accessible. For example, they might use a semicolon instead of a colon to introduce a list.

To help your pupils, ensure they’ve been taught what the two punctuation marks look like and the differences in how we use them.

3) Using semicolons and conjunctions together

Conjunctions are words used to link together two independent clauses, and some examples include and, but, or, etc.

But because both semicolons and conjunctions serve the same purpose of joining independent clauses, they should not be used together. This means that when a semicolon is used, the meeting should be removed if it is present. For example:

‘I saw a seagull at the beach the other day.’

‘I was at the beach the other day; I saw a seagull.’

First Question: What is Hispanic Heritage Month? 

Hispanic Heritage Month takes place annually in the United States from September 15th  to October 15th. This month-long observation is about “celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America,” according to the official government website.

Beginning in 1968, it was initially recognized as “National Hispanic Heritage Week” before being extended to a month-long observation in 1988.

1. Learn Some Spanish

Learning a foreign language has many benefits. It can help build communication, critical thinking, and listening skills, to name just a few.

And since young children are like sponges, they’re ready to absorb anything.

So, why not introduce them to some Spanish words? You can try familiar phrases or help them count up to 10. You can even point to something, say what it is in Spanish, and ask your children to guess what the word means.

2. Read a Picture Book

Reading is a fun activity you can share daily with your preschool children. Reading Spanish picture books can be an excellent way to help children (and adults) learn words, rhythm, sounds, and even culture.

There are many bilingual picture books available that can be purchased or borrowed from the library. Here are a few suggestions you can curl up to and enjoy with your children:

• Abuela by Arthur Dorros
• ¿Qué Puedes Hacer con una Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla
• Cuadros de Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza
• Cantando De Colores by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
• Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer
• Dragones y Tacos by Adam Ruben

3. Make Piragua or Paletas

If you haven’t tried these cold treats, set aside time to make them with your children.

Piraguas are a type of Puerto Rican snow cone. They consist of shaved ice and fruit-flavored syrup. Even better, they’re a cinch to make.

You can purchase syrup from the grocery store, but it’s also relatively easy and delicious to make from scratch. You can use strawberries, cherries, and even lemons!

My daughter loves lemons, and during the warmer months, we make these “slushy lemonades” using shaved ice, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and sugar. Why not ask your preschoolers which flavor they’d like to try? You can give them a small role too. Many will be happy to “chip in” and help!

Paletas are a frozen Mexican dessert made with fresh fruits and a creamy or water base.  It’s similar to a smoothie but molded, frozen, and served on an ice pop stick instead. You can make any paletas – strawberry and yogurt, watermelon with water and lime juice, and more. The options are limitless! Many recipes are available online.

4. Try a Hispanic-Inspired Dish

We love Hispanic and Latino-inspired dishes in our household. They tend to be bursting with fresh flavors and are easy to make. Many words also only need one frying or baking pan, which saves from washing multiple dishes when cleaning up. Win-win!

5. Play a Game while Listening to Songs by Hispanic and Latino Artists

Give classic party games like musical chairs or freeze dance a Hispanic twist by listening to artists with Hispanic and Latino roots. Simply clearing some space in the living room and having a “dance party” at home can be a great way to appreciate music from these artists.

See what fun moves your children (and even you!) can do while listening to the beat. It’s a great way to get the heart pumping and the legs moving while having fun simultaneously!

6. Make Maracas

If you’d like to take your dance party one step further, why not make some instruments at home and play along to the music?

Maracas, a type of percussion instrument, are surprisingly easy to make. And you can use items most likely around the home already.

Materials required include:

• small box, like one that would hold cereal bars
• paper cups
• yogurt cups with lid
• plastic egg and plastic spoons
• pasta, rice, or dried beans
• tape

Directions:

Ask your preschoolers to add pasta, rice, or other dried ingredients to a container. Then tape the container securely shut. You’ll be shaking to the music in no time!

7. Get Crafty with Paper Fiesta Flowers

This is another easy project and an excellent way for young children to develop fine motor skills and patience.

Materials for each flower:

• six to eight sheets of tissue paper (I recommend different colors)
• stapler with staples
• one pipe cleaner

Directions: 

First, lay the sheets of tissue paper on top of each other and cut them into a square. I tend to work with a 10” x 10” court, but it depends on your preference.

Second, have your children fold the tissue paper (sheets should still be on top of each other) like an accordion. Once this is done, staple them together in the middle.

Finally, encourage your children to pull each sheet gently toward the middle. And voilà, children can proudly show off their beautiful flowers!

8. Make a Sombrero Out of a Paper Plate and a Cup

Here’s another crafty activity that’s a firm favorite. Your children can proudly display their creations as decoration or wear them once finished.

Materials required include:

• paper plate
• paper or plastic cup
• glue
• elastic cording
• hole puncher
• ribbon or yarn (optional)
• stickers (optional)
• pom poms (optional)

Directions:

To start, glue the cup to the paper plate and give it time to dry. Once dry, punch two holes in the paper plate on opposite sides.

Next, cut a 12-inch elastic cording (this will hold the hat in place on your child’s head) and tie on to the cap.

Finally, give the hat to your child to decorate. This is something that both preschoolers and older elementary school children can do together.

9. Make a Piñata

Last craft, but certainly not least, why not make a piñata in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month?

This is quite a messy activity, so it’s best to do it outside if possible. Plus, it’s also a project that takes a few days to complete. But it’s well worth the effort and surprisingly simple to do.

And kids of all ages love digging in and getting messy – at least mine do!

This is a simple piñata project in the shape of a ball. But you can decorate it in many ways (for example, my daughter made a round cat a few years ago).

You’ll need the following materials:

• balloon
• newspaper strips about one inch wide
• paper mache paste (equal parts flour and water)
• glue
• different color construction paper or tissue paper
• string
• scissors or pin to pop the balloon
• goodies to fill the piñata
• tape

Directions:

First, blow up a balloon to a decent size. Then show your children how to put newspaper strips in the paper mache paste – get rid of any excess – and then place them on the balloon. I recommend having plenty of newspaper layers to hold the weight of goodies placed inside the piñata.

Remember: Leave a small part of the balloon uncovered so you can put treats inside the piñata.

When the balloon is covered, give the paste at least 24 hours to dry.

Once dry, encourage your children to decorate the piñata. They can use paint, tissue paper, or even strips of construction paper. You can also attach streamers using glue.

After decorating, pop the balloon and fill the piñata with treats. I used tape to seal the hole, but you can glue cardboard.

Finally, hang the piñata on display. You know what happens next!

10. Play a Game of “I Spy.”

If you’re looking for a Hispanic Heritage Month preschool activity with minimal prep, this game is just the thing!

I Spy is a great game to play and has many benefits, including enhancing visual discrimination (vital for learning to recognize letters and numbers), building spoken language skills and helping children learn to take turns.

11. Learn about Hispanic Festivals such as Cinco de Mayo

Along with learning about history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Month, you can teach children about other important Hispanic festivals. For example, Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated annually on the 5th of May. On this day in 1862, the Mexican army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla. While the celebrations are often confused with Mexican Independence Day, this is an important day because it symbolizes the resistance of the Mexican people. The French would eventually leave Mexico in 1867.

12. Learn about Different Countries that Speak Spanish

As you try many of the above activities, use this as an opportunity to discuss different Spanish-speaking countries with your preschoolers.

Some ideas or topics you may discuss include:

• Asking your children to point to a country on a map.
• Discussing what the flag of a particular country looks like.
• Discovering exciting facts about a country.
• Learn about the different foods, music, and art from various countries.

13. Learn about Notable Hispanic People

As your children learn about Spanish-speaking countries, why not introduce them to notable Hispanic individuals?

You can introduce them to famous Hispanic artists like Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo.

Or other individuals like:

• Ellen Ochoa – The first Hispanic American woman to go into space.
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – American actor and composer who wrote the Broadway hit Hamilton and music for the film Moana.
• Sonia Sotomayor – The first Latina Supreme Court Justice in U.S. history.
• Cesar Chavez – Mexican American who fought for the rights of farmworkers.

14. Get Creative with Hispanic Heritage Month Coloring

Looking for a quiet activity? Why not provide your children with paper, crayons, and coloring pencils?

You can ask your children to draw what Hispanic Heritage Month means.

Perhaps they’ll draw their favorite recipe that they’ve tried or draw a portrait of a Hispanic American that has made incredible achievements. They can even draw a Spanish-speaking country they might want to visit one day.

15. Throw a Parade

Toward the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, you and your children can throw a parade. It’s a great way to recognize Hispanic and Latino Americans’ history, culture, and contributions. Or host a parade to summarize a busy month of activities.

There are many things you can do during your parade:

• Kids can color Hispanic Heritage Month flag coloring sheets and wave them during the parade.
• Listen and dance to music by Hispanic and Latino artists.
• Shout greetings to others in Spanish.

At the parade’s end, ask what your children learned throughout the month. Hopefully, they will take away how much fun it is to celebrate differences!

¡Salud!