Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Who was Moses?

Moses is considered one of the most important religious leaders in world history. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity all believe Moses to be an important prophet of God and the founder of monotheistic beliefs (the belief in only one God).

What is the Story of Moses?

The story of Moses began in the Book of Exodus in the Bible. The Hebrew descendants of Joseph (the Israelites) had started to increase in the land of Egypt, and the Pharaoh of the time was worried they would try to take power, so he enslaved them.

When Moses was born, the Pharaoh had decided all male children must be killed so they could not grow up to fight him. Moses’ mother was terrified and attempted to hide her male baby for three months. Then, fearing she wouldn’t be able to hide him much longer, she set him adrift in a basket along the river Nile, hoping the power of God would save him.

Moses floated down the river where the Pharaoh’s daughter was bathing. She rescued him and named him ‘Moses.’ It was believed that the word ‘Moses’ meant to ‘draw out.’ She raised him as a son, and he grew up in the Egyptian palace.

One day he witnessed an Egyptian beating an enslaved Hebrew person so severely that he lost his temper and killed the Egyptian. This meant he had to flee the country as people knew what he had done.

He fled to Midian, where he rescued the daughters of a high priest. As a token of gratitude, he was gifted one of the daughters, Zipporah, as a wife. He lived happily as a shepherd in Midian for forty years.

One day he saw a burning bush that didn’t seem to be consumed by the fire. He heard the voice of God with a message asking him to save the people enslaved in Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land.

At first, Moses refused God and asked him to send someone else, but God insisted and said he would have his brother Aaron with him and supernatural powers to help him convince the Pharaoh that he spoke for God.

Moses returned to Egypt and asked the Pharaoh to free those enslaved. He was unhappy with this request and didn’t want to lose all the people he enslaved, so he said no. This made God very angry, and so he sent ten plagues to the land of Egypt.

The tenth plague, the one that killed all firstborn sons (including the pharaoh’s), made him eventually free the enslaved people. However, the Israelites all left Egypt and took lots of jewels and treasure. This angered the Pharaoh, and he sent an army after them.

As the Israelites met the Red Sea, they realized they were trapped. God told Moses to lift his staff, and when he did, the Red Sea parted to let them through. However, the sea closed on and killed the Egyptian army following them.

The Israelites were free but had nowhere to live and no food, so God made sure they found white food that tasted like honey on the floor when they woke up. When they needed water, Moses could strike his staff on the rocks to make it flow.

It took three months of traveling for them to reach Mount Sinai. God asked Moses to meet him at the top. Moses climbed up in a thunderstorm and waited for God.

God gave Moses 10 important laws known as the Ten Commandments that would tell his people how to live.

What is an Environment?

When hearing the word ‘environment,’ most people think of rainforests, oceans, and climate change. While none of these thoughts are incorrect, the broad definition of ‘environment’ is much more comprehensive.

‘Environment’ refers to the surroundings or conditions in which a living organism (people, animals, plants) finds itself.

Why is the Environment Important?

In short, our environments keep us alive. If our ecosystems were damaged and unable to support us with healthy air, food, and water, we would struggle to survive.

Environments have a significant impact on the survival of those living within them. For example, if a domain is too hot or cold for an animal, and relocation isn’t possible, the animal wouldn’t be able to survive. This simple principle applies to people, animals, and plans.

Over time life has adapted through reproduction to survive in different environments. For example, giraffes may not have always been able to reach the leaves from the tops of trees, but as the result of a cycle of reproduction and survival, they now can. For more information on this process, look at our evolution page.

One of the critical threats to our natural environment is climate change brought about by various forms of pollution, such as burning fossil fuels. The consequences of climate change are drastic changes to our ecosystems, rendering them unable to continue supporting life.

What are Natural, Constructed, and Managed Environments?

There are many ways to categorize the different ecosystems and environments, breaking these larger classifications into smaller categories. However, there are three commonly described settings: natural, constructed, and managed.

Natural Environments

Natural environments refer to places that occur naturally without human interference. Some examples of natural environments include rivers, mountains, forests, and beaches. These environments’ features, such as soil, vegetation, and rocks, are also naturally developed.

Naturally occurring eco-systems also fall into this category and can be further classified as terrestrial or aquatic. Aquatic ecosystems refer to the ocean, rivers, and lakes (saltwater and freshwater), whereas terrestrial ecosystems refer to tundra, forests, grasslands, and deserts.

Constructed Environments

Constructed environments are manufactured, meaning humans create them. These environments couldn’t occur naturally and are usually built to make people’s lives easier. Some examples of constructed environments are bridges, roads, houses, schools, and train stations. These kinds of domains are usually built from constructed features, such as walkways and fences, but can also include some natural elements, such as grass and trees.

Managed Environments

Managed environments include naturally occurring features such as trees, grass, and water, but they have also been handled by humans and have features to reflect this. An example of this could be a park. It’s natural, boasting lovely stretches of grass and trees, but it may also have signs, paths, bridges, and lighting to make it more accessible to people. Other examples of managed environments include gardens and farms.

Caring for the environment

As humans, we can do different things or change in our everyday lives to help care for the environment more. Helping to care for the environment more and taking time to think about the consequences of particular actions can benefit the planet and our environment.

Here are some brilliant tips to help with caring for the environment:

• Cut down on water usage. For example, when brushing your teeth, don’t leave the water running; only have the tap on when needed. Or try taking showers rather than baths.
• Save on plastic by using reusable bags.
• Try limiting the use of cars, and try walking or cycling where possible.
• Save electricity by trying energy-saving bulbs and ensuring lights are switched off when nobody’s in the room.
• Recycle when you can, it can save waste going to landfills.
• Try to be sustainable with your clothes. Recycle or donate them; perhaps try and find a new item of clothing from a charity shop to save on clothes going to landfill.

Try taking some of these on board for a better, more sustainable future.

What are some examples of relative clauses?

Relative clauses add information to sentences using a relative pronoun, such as who, that, or which. Here are some examples of relative clauses where we have highlighted the relative clause.

• She lives in York, which is a cathedral city.
• That’s the girl who lives near the school.
• Sam liked his new chair, which was very comfortable.

Relative clauses can be categorized into two groups:

• Defining relative clauses
• Non-defining relative clauses

What is a Defining Relative Clause?

Defining relative clauses gives essential information to determine the subject we’re discussing. For this reason, they’re sometimes called necessary relative clauses because their data is critical to understanding the sentence’s meaning.

Unlike a non-defining relative clause, we need to know the information included in the defining relative clause to make sense of the rest of the sentence.

Take a look at this relative clause example:

• People who like books often go to the library.

In this sentence, ‘that like books’ is the relative clause. It’s classed as a defining relative clause because this information is essential for clarifying the sentence’s meaning. For example, if we remove this relative clause, the sentence reads like this:

• People often go to the library.

The sentence still makes sense grammatically, but the meaning of the sentence itself changes. We need the clause ‘who likes books’ because it defines the subject, the ‘people’ we’re talking about. Without the defining relative clause, the sentence is vague and unclear – who are these ‘people’ we’re talking about?

Further defining relative clauses examples:

• I like to sit in the garden when it’s sunny.
• I have no idea why that happened.
• Cats are animals that have soft fur and sharp claws.

What Relative Pronouns are used in a Defining Relative Clause?

Relative pronouns appear at the start of all relative clauses, both defining and non-defining.

In a defining relative clause, we use one of the following relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which, where, when, why, and that.

Using ‘that’ instead of ‘who,’ ‘whom,’ or ‘which.’

In spoken English, we often replace the relative pronouns ‘who,’ ‘whom,’ or ‘which’ with ‘that.’ ‘Whom’ is also considered to be very formal, so it’s rarely if ever, used when speaking. You can use ‘who’ or ‘that’ instead.

Here are some examples where ‘who,’ ‘whom,’ and ‘which’ have been replaced with that:

• The book that I read was a mystery thriller. (instead of ‘which’)
• The girl that I walk to school with drops by at 8 am. (instead of ‘who’)
• The teacher that helps me with my homework is charming. (instead of ‘whom’)

Omitting the Relative Pronoun

Sometimes, we can remove the relative pronoun from the defining relative clause. This helps to make the sentence sound less clunky and more natural.

We can only omit the relative pronoun when it’s the object of the clause, not the subject.

Here’s an example where we can omit it:

• The books that they read were very informative.
• The books they read were very informative.

And one where we can’t:

• The girl that lives next door plays the guitar.

In the first example, the books are the object, and ‘they’ is the subject. We can remove the relative pronoun ‘that,’ and it makes sense.

In the second, the girl is the subject, so we can’t remove the relative pronoun ‘that.’ If we did, it wouldn’t make grammatical sense. ‘The girl who lives next door plays the guitar’ is just a jumble of words!

What is the definition of a landform for kids?

A landform is a naturally-occurring feature on the Earth’s surface, usually with a recognizable shape like a valley or mountain. They range in size and can be small, like hills, or larger, like mountains.

They are geographical features found worldwide and affect a place’s ecosystem, climate, and weather.

It’s not just Earth where these features are found. Scientists have identified similar structures on different planets, including Mars and Venus!

How are landforms formed?

The landforms we see on Earth have been formed over many years through the movement of tectonic plates or the denudation process, including weathering and erosion.

Weather conditions and natural disasters like erupting volcanoes can also affect these features.

What are the different types of landforms?

Mountains – Breathtaking to look at, mountains are an exciting type of landform whose height can influence the weather conditions in the surrounding area. They’re popular among thrill-seekers looking to try adventure sports like climbing and skiing.

When several mountains are nearby, we call this a mountain range. Examples include the Andes and the Alps.

How are mountains made?

Mountains are made from elevated portions of the Earth’s crust. To qualify as a mountain, landforms must be 300 meters high.

Mountains are sometimes formed when pieces of the Earth’s crust smash together, also known as tectonic plates. This is how the Himalayan mountains were created. On the other hand, volcanic mountains are formed by molten rock erupting deep within the Earth.

Hills are a similar type of landform to mountains, except they’re generally considered to be smaller and less steep.

Valleys – A valley is a landform found between two hills or mountains. They can be U-shaped or V-shaped and sometimes have a river flowing through them. Valleys are often green and luscious, with fertile soil and vegetation.

How are valleys formed?

Valleys are created by water running down the side of mountains, wearing away the rock and soil until deep grooves are formed.

Plateaus – Plateaus are areas of high, flat land. They have steep sides like a mountain but are topped with a flat surface, like a table. They are found on every continent and take up a third of the Earth’s land!

There are two types of the plateau: dissected plateaus and volcanic plateaus. Like mountains, dissected plateaus are formed by tectonic plates, while volcanic plateaus result from repeated, small volcanic eruptions over time.

Plains – A plain is a vast area of flat land. Like plateaus, plains are found on all seven continents. One common plain type is grassland, an area mainly covered with grass. This isn’t the only primary type; some deserts and forests are plains.

Plains can be formed in many ways, including volcanic eruptions and the movement of rivers.

Did you know that cities tend to be built on plains? Flat surfaces make building roads, houses, and other buildings easier.

A Newton meter is a piece of equipment used to measure the forces acting on an object. It is also known as a spring balance or spring scale.

Newton meters contain a spring connected to a metal hook. The spring stretches accordingly when a force is applied to the hook. The bigger the force used, the more the spring will stretch.

Newton meters come in different shapes and sizes. They have different-sized springs to measure objects of different weights. When using Newton meters, you must make sure that you are using the correct sized spring to ensure the reading of how many Newtons it is, is as accurate as possible.

Newton meters that can withhold high-load capacities are frequently suspended from crane hooks and are sometimes referred to as crane scales. Newton meters used within the household are referred to as fish scales.

To understand what a Newton Meter is and why they are used, we should first look at what a Newton is and learn a little more about the history of Newton.

So, what are Newtons?

A Newton (N) is the international metric unit of force. One Newton is the force required to accelerate an object with a mass of one Kilogram, one meter per second squared. In simpler terms, one Newton is equal to one-kilogram meter per second squared.

Newton meters measure the forces acting against any given object. The greater the force, the larger the number of newtons shown on the newton meter.

The forces acting on an object still or on the ground are balanced. These acting forces are measured in Newtons (N), but they balance each other out, which is why the object does not move.

If an object is in motion (i.e., if it’s moving), then one force has to be stronger and, therefore, the predominant force compared to the other forces acting upon it. This means that the forces acting on the object are not balanced.

The force acting on an object (when the forces are unbalanced) is called the resultant force. For example, the forces acting on a cyclist to help them move forward. The force of the cyclist pushing forward on the pedals is stronger than the forces acting on the cyclist to stop its movement. Therefore, the cyclist moves forward.

The size of the resultant force is measured in Newtons (N).

Who Invented Newton Metres?

Sir Isaac Newton came up with the theory of gravity and the idea that forces cause objects to move. He was born in 1643 and worked in many areas of mathematics and physics throughout his lifetime. He developed his theories about gravity and gravitation when he was only 23 years of age.

Newton’s ideas and theories were some of the most integral discoveries in the history of science. His theory of classical mechanics was one of the most significant achievements in science ever.

However, he did not technically invent the Newton meter – it was named after him and the ideas and theories he developed about gravity and forces.

Richard Salter made the first Newton meter (or spring scale) in Britain in 1770. You may recognize the name ‘Salter’ as it is one of the UK’s most popular weighing scale brands, even hundreds of years after Richard Salter first introduced his company.

Some people still use Newton meters as a household weighing scale, although they are known not to be very accurate, so maybe stick to regular scales…

More About Sir Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton advanced previous scientists’ theories and ideas. Without these last scientists, he would not have been able to make the discoveries that he went on to make.

Sir Isaac Newton organized his theories into three fundamental laws of motion:

1. Something will remain still unless a force is applied to it (for example, a football on the ground won’t move unless you kick it.) This law also states that if an object moves, it will continue to move in the same direction at the same speed unless a different force is applied.
2. Acceleration (speeding up) occurs when a force is applied to an object. The heavier the object, the more force needed to be used to accelerate the thing.
3. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This means that another force will act in the opposite direction for each force applied to an object.

Newton also conducted light and color experiments, influencing our understanding of colors today. For example, Newton came up with the color spectrum and proved how light and refraction affected what color an object is seen as.

How to Use a Newton Meter or Spring Scale

Newton meters are straightforward to use. There is a metal hook on the Newton meter that you use to attach the object that you would like to measure force for.

There is also such a thing as a digital Newton meter. This acts the same as a regular Newton meter but digitally presents the results of the Newtons acting on the object you are measuring.

There are different types of spring scales that have other strength springs. The weaker springs are only designed to hold and measure the force of lighter objects, whereas the heavier springs require a lot of weight and force to be effective.

You must select the correct spring scale/newton meter for the appropriate item you are trying to use.

Top tip: ensure the indicator on your Newton meter is on ‘zero’ when you start measuring the Newtons of an object. If it’s not on ‘zero,’ your results will likely be inaccurate.

How Do You Calculate Measure Force Using a Newton Meter/Spring Scale?

Newton meters are often used in science classes in Key Stage 3 to help teach students about forces.

Using a newton meter on an object (like a rucksack full of school books, for example) will show you the forces acting on this object.

As Newton theorized, every object has at least two forces acting on it at any given time. For a thing that is still and attached to a Newton meter, there is the tension (T) force of the scale which acts upward from the object (i.e., pulls it up), and the weight (g) of the object which acts downward (i.e., pulls it down) from the thing. This can be visualized in a diagram:

Because the forces are equal and the object is still, the tension and the weight are equal, so the object’s weight will be balanced. Below is an example of a thing where two forces (T and g) are acting on it and are balanced.

We must remember that not all objects have equal forces acting upon and against them. You can still use a Newton meter when unbalanced forces are acting on an object. When the forces acting on an object are not balanced, you are usually required to work out the overall forces acting on an object and the more prominent force at play.

A pun is a wordplay that uses the many meanings of a term or similar-sounding words to create a humorous or rhetorical effect. Puns exploit the use of:

• Homophones – A word pronounced like another but has a different meaning. For example, ate and eight.
• Homographs -Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. For example, lead and lead.
• Metonyms – A word or expression used as a substitute for something that it’s closely associated with. For example, using 10 Downing Street, or Number 10, to refer to the Prime Minister or the UK Government.
• Figurative language – Using words that deviate from their conventional order and meaning to make communication more colorful and evocative. Figurative language includes things like alliteration, oxymoron, and metaphors. For example, ‘The world’s your oyster.’

Puns are different from malapropisms. Malapropisms involve the mistaken use of one word in place of a similar-sounding one, while puns are deliberate expressions that exploit a word or phrase’s multiplicity of meanings.

Puns are often used in jokes, newspaper headlines, and marketing. However, they appear in many genres, and their history in writing and speech stretches back thousands of years.

Different types of puns

Homophonic puns

Homophonic puns use the different meanings of similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. For example:

• The butcher didn’t take the risk as the steaks were too high.
• Making macaroni cheese was grate fun.
• Planting trees fills me with be-leaf that we can save the planet.
• May the fourth be with you.

Homographic puns

Homographic puns can function in two ways: they either use words spelled the same but have various meanings, or they use a word with two different meanings. For example:

• The underwater musician played the bass.
• My shoe is a foot long.

Recursive pun

Recursive puns rely on interpreting the first part of a statement to understand the second. For example:

• Immanuel doesn’t pun; he does Kant. – Oscar Wilde
• Infinity is not in finity.

Visual pun

Visual puns use logos, emblems, insignia, and other graphic techniques to create more meaning in an image. For example:

Famous pun examples for kids

‘Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.’

This pun plays on the similar sound of ‘denial’ and ‘the Nile’ (the river in Egypt) to open up new meanings. It’s often attributed to Mark Twain, although there’s no objective evidence to support that he was the first to say it.

‘The Mouse’s Tale’ in Alice in Wonderland

In Lewis Carroll’s story, the Mouse begins his poem by stating, ‘Mine is a long and sad tale!’ The pun comes from the fact that Alice mistakes the word ‘tale’ for ‘tail’ as she responds, ‘It is a long tail, certainly, but why do you call it sad?’

‘If you’re going through Hell, keep going.’

‘Going through hell’ is a common expression that refers to someone having a tough time. This clever pun plays on the word ‘going’ literal meaning, which implies movement. It suggests that a hell is a place you can ‘go through’ before reaching a place that’s not so hellish. The pun is often attributed to Winston Churchill, although it’s unclear who was the first to use it.

‘Ask for me tomorrow, and you’ll find me a grave man.’

When Mercutio is stabbed fatally in Romeo and Juliet, he mutters these words shortly before he dies. This is because Shakespeare plays on the double meaning of ‘grave,’ which means both ‘serious’ and ‘a hole dug in the ground to receive a coffin.’

‘Thou art Peter, and I will build my church upon this rock (Petros).’ (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus’ pun is the foundation of the Christian Church, which plays on the double meaning of ‘Petros’ (‘Peter’ and ‘rock’).

Fun pun examples for kids

Puns that function as jokes

• Where do polar bears vote? The North Poll.
• What do you call a knight who is afraid to fight? Sir Render.
• Why did the tiger spit out the clown? Because he tasted funny.
• Why did the spider go to the computer? To check his website.
• Why was six afraid of 7? Because 7, 8, 9.
• What do astronauts do before throwing a party in space? They planet.
• How do you make a sausage roll? Push it down a hill.

Animal puns

• This is awkward.
• Whale, whale, whale… look who was right again.
• You have a cat to kitten me right now.
• Let minnow what you think.
• He didn’t do it on porpoise.
• Don’t be so hippo-critical.
• Let me know if you want a picnic and an alpaca lunch.
• What qualifications do you have that’ll make you a good fit for this role at the zoo?
• You otter check that out.

Puns in headlines

• Three-0 Walcott (This was used when ex-Arsenal player Theo Walcott scored a hat-trick and could also work to announce his 30th birthday.)
• Gas Information Leaked
• Wages Frozen for Ice-Cream Sellers
• Barman in Bitter Row with Boss
• Train Drivers’ Union Talks Go off the Rails

Funny puns examples for kids

• What do you call a sleeping cow? A bull-dozer!
• What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy-bear!
• What did the fungi say to his wife? I have so mushroom in my heart for you.
• What did the milk say to the orange cordial? Juice, be yourself.
• What did the dog say when he sat on sandpaper? Ruff!
• What did the tailor say to her sewing machine? You are sew amazing.
• What do you call a thieving alligator? A crookadile.

What are some pun exercises for children?

• Go through a list of puns and see if the children understand how they work. Then, look for the different linguistic features outlined above.
• Discuss how the puns you’ve discussed function. Are they humorous or rhetorical? Ask children what the author wanted to convey with each particular pun.
• Try writing your puns in lessons. Come up with a list of words that have two meanings and a list of words that sound the same as one another. Start a class discussion about how you can try making your puns, and then see what children can come up with!
• Make a pun display full of children’s work. This can include pun posters, examples, and visual puns!

What is the difference between a pun and a joke?

While puns can be jokes, and jokes can be puns, they’re not the same thing. A pun does not have to be a joke and vice versa.

Puns necessitate wordplay, and while wordplay is often a feature of a joke, it’s not essential. Plus, the primary function of jokes is comedic, while puns can function simply as a rhetorical device.

What does ‘no pun intended’ mean?

Often, when people say the phrase ‘no pun intended,’ the language they’ve used functions as a pun without their deliberate intention to create a humorous or rhetorical effect.

For example, a tailor tells his friend he’s had to close his business. His friend replies, ‘Why? Did you have a bad patch? No pun intended.’ The friend says ‘no pun intended’ to assure his friend that he’s not being insensitive and making jokes at his friend’s misfortune, but instead has used the word ‘patch’ without necessarily considering its double meaning.

How do puns function in literature?

In literature, characters who use puns are often witty, gifted with the agility of thought, and skilled in their use of language. Puns can also create ambiguity, leaving characters and readers in suspense.

Shakespeare was a champion of using puns, and they were often employed by his most intelligent characters, such as Hamlet.

To this day, I still remember inspiring mathematics quotes and projects these teachers introduced, such as quotes by Andrew Wiles and Paul Halmos.  And tasks like modeling a Fibonacci fountain or determining the surface area of a floating aluminum boat that would hold the maximum number of pennies.  Even constructing a rollercoaster out of a garden hose – for marbles only, unfortunately.  And perhaps you have similar memories from your math classes.

As a result, our overall feeling might be that math is beautiful.

However, it’s also a subject that many either love or hate.  Much of this stems from how math topics are or aren’t explored.

Research studies explored by the Education Alliance and the National Center for Educational Achievement found several strategies that make learning math more effective.  These include:

• Using prior experiences and knowledge to build new knowledge.
• Present lessons differently, such as encouraging students to work independently, utilizing visual aids, and having group discussions.
• Ask children questions to assess their understanding and encourage them to work through their answers.
• Making real-life connections to math topics being taught.

Throughout recent years and over the centuries, famous mathematicians, innovators, and even familiar household names have shared their wisdom on math.  Quotes are an excellent way to supplement math lessons and encourage students to think about math in a new light.

Quotes may encourage us to explore questions like “What is math?” or “What is made possible through math?”

One of my favorite math quotes is by Katherine Johnson.  Johnson was a prominent mathematician who worked for NASA.  She was responsible for working on the calculations which put an astronaut into orbit around Earth.  Johnson said, “In math, you’re either right or wrong.”  And when it comes to this statement, one can’t help but think about the implications of an incorrect calculation on a venture such as space exploration.  Perhaps you have a favorite math quote that makes you consider certain things too?

Famous Math Quotes:

The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated but to make complex things simple. ~ Stan Gudder

What is mathematics?  It is only a systematic effort to solve puzzles posed by nature. ~ Shakuntala Devi

Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country. ~ David Hilbert

Mathematics is where you can do things you can’t do in the real world. ~ Marcus de Sautoy

Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. ~ Albert Einstein

Life is a math equation.  You must know how to convert the negatives into positives to gain the most. ~ unknown

The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. ~ Paul Halmos

We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics. ~ Katherine Johnson

Five out of four people have trouble with fractions. ~ Steven Wright

Nature is written in mathematical language. ~ Galileo Galilei

Mathematics may not teach us to add love or subtract hate, but it gives us hope that every problem has a solution. ~ unknown

Not everything that counts can be counted.  Not everything that can be measured depends. ~ Albert Einstein 

The essence of mathematics is in its freedom. ~ Georg Cantor

Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do.  Everything around you is mathematics; everything around you is numbers. ~ Shakuntala Devi

In math, you’re either right, or you’re wrong. ~ Katherine Johnson

It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul. ~ Sofia Kovalevskaya

Arithmetic is counting up to twenty without taking off your shoes. ~ Mickey Mouse

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton asked why. ~ Bernard Baruch

The definition of a good mathematical problem is the mathematics it generates rather than the problem itself. ~ Andrew Wiles

What sciences can be more noble, excellent, useful for people, admirably high, and demonstrative than mathematics? ~ Benjamin Franklin

For starters, what is onomatopoeia? Well, it’s a type of word representing a particular sound and is often used for literary effects. Onomatopoeia appears in many languages, as well as English, and we use these types of words to describe various things, including actions and animal noises.

Although this may seem like a complex idea to introduce to children early on in school, it’s a feature of speech they may already be familiar with.

Even if they can’t already recite a textbook definition, kids are likely to be able to recognize these valid sound words. Many children’s books, TV programs, and even comics will use onomatopoeia phrases to engage their young audience.

Did You Know…?

Onomatopoeia comes from the Greek words onoma, meaning ‘name,’ and poiein, meaning ‘to make.’ So, onomatopoeia means ‘to make a name (or sound).’

What are some examples of onomatopoeic words?

It can be challenging for children to understand the concept of onomatopoeia without the help of a few examples.

There are many great examples of onomatopoeia phrases and words in English, some of which we use more regularly than others. For example, onomatopoeic words are used a lot in comics and graphic novels to express sound effects:

• CRASH!
• WHACK!
• BOOM!

The words we use to describe the verbal communications or actions of animals are also examples of onomatopoeia:

• Bark!
• Meow!
• Scratch!

These are all onomatopoeic words because they symbolize a specific sound and make us think of that sound.

Common letter combinations in onomatopoeia

We’ve established an onomatopoeia definition and examples, but did you know that some common letter combinations are used in the same categories of sounds? Here are some of the most common examples.

Water sounds:

Words related to water or other liquids often start with sp- or dr-. For example:

• splash;
• spray;
• drip.

For small quantities of water, the words also commonly end in -le. For example:

• drizzle;
• sprinkle.

Collision sounds:

For collisions of two objects, there are several common letter combinations. For example, words that start with cl- suggest that there’s been a collision between glass or metal, like:

• clink;
• clatter.

Other collision sounds end in -ng, which suggests that the sound resonates or echoes for a while after the collision. For example:

• clang;
• ding;
• bang.

Of course, these are just a few examples. Your little ones will likely encounter many more onomatopoeia phrases in their reading.

Why do we use onomatopoeia?

By now, we’ve got a helpful onomatopoeia definition and examples to help us. But asides from representing sounds in writing, why else might we use onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeic words are used in various ways, both in speech and literature. Although they’re primarily used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs (‘crash,’ ‘bang’ and ‘wallop’), onomatopoeic words can also be used as verbs (‘giggle,’ ‘growl,’ ‘chatter,’ ‘mumble,’ ‘slap’ and ‘clap’).

You’ll notice a pattern with some onomatopoeic verbs – many of which represent vocal sounds. These are often used in literature to describe a particular way of saying something. For example, ‘mumbled’ creates a more detailed mental image of someone speaking quietly and sheepishly. This makes it more impactful than simply telling someone ‘speak quietly.’

Onomatopoeia is also commonly used in comics. Words like ‘bang,’ ‘crash,’ and ‘pop’ bring the action to life. Sometimes, they’ll even be the only words used on that page. Onomatopoeic words can have a lot of power!

How might we use onomatopoeia in a sentence or phrase?

Now that you’re familiar with the definition and examples let’s look at how we might use onomatopoeia phrases and sentences. A great example of onomatopoeia in literature is this poem by Australian poet Lee Emmett:

Water plops into the pond
splish-splash downhill
warbling magpies in a tree
trilling, melodic thrill
whoosh, passing breeze
Flags flutter and flap
frog croaks, bird whistles
babbling bubbles from the tap

Can you see how his use of water onomatopoeia paints a picture in your head and helps you understand the sounds he’s describing?

As well as the typical collision and animal sounds, many onomatopoeia phrases and onomatopoeic words represent sounds used for literary effect to create a particular image or atmosphere for the reader.

Here are a few different examples of how you could use onomatopoeia in phrases to make your writing come alive:

• ‘the bees buzzed loudly.’
• ‘the bacon sizzled in the frying pan.’
• ‘the gravel crunched under my feet’
• ‘the music blared from the speakers’
• ‘it fell into the swimming pool with a splash.’
• ‘the clock ticked away in the quiet room.’
• ‘the tomato splatted on the ground.’
• ‘a bird fluttered past my window.’
• ‘the snake slithered through the grass.’
• ‘the chestnuts crackled over the warm fire.’

There are loads of different onomatopoeic words, which means they can be used in almost endless ways. Learners will have a lot of fun using onomatopoeia in their writing and coming up with some unique onomatopoeia phrases!

Nations around the world have specific symbols and elements that convey their identity. Several different symbols represent the identity of India. These symbols include:

• The national anthem
• The national emblem
• The national animal is the tiger
• The national flower is the lotus
• The national tree, which is the banyan
• The national bird, which is the peacock
• The national fruit is the mango
• And more!

Each of these symbols has been carefully chosen to represent an element of Indian culture.

The National Anthem of India

The title of India’s national anthem is ‘Jana Gana Mana,’ initially composed in 1911. The poet and polymath Rabindranath Tagore wrote the anthem in Bengali, one of India’s official languages. ‘Jana Gana Mana’ has its roots in ‘Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata,’ a Brahmo hymn. Only the first verse of this hymn has been adapted as India’s current national anthem, which makes it super short. It takes 52 seconds to sing the entirety of ‘Jana Gana Mana.’ This song was officially adopted as the national anthem of India on the 24th of January, 1950.

India’s national anthem is a sense of pluralism, which is central to the country’s identity and cultural heritage. Throughout India’s struggle for freedom, the national anthem has been used to inspire the people.

The National Emblem of India

The national emblem of India is the Lion Capital of Ashoka at Sarnath. It consists of four lions, all of which are standing back to back on a circular abacus. On the abacus, you can see sculptures of an elephant, a horse, a bull, and a lion. Wheels separate these sculptures. The emblem stands upon an inverted lotus flower in full bloom.

The emblem has been used throughout history to symbolize power, courage, pride, and confidence.

The National Bird of India: Peacock

The national bird of India is the peacock, commonly known as the Indian peafowl. The peacock was officially announced as the national bird of India in 1963 as it plays such a huge role in Indian customs and culture.

In terms of its symbolism, the peacock represents grace and beauty. The peacock is also inherently Indian, one of the main reasons it was chosen as the country’s national bird. Anywhere you go in India, you will likely run into a peacock. Adopting the peacock as its national bird was also a unique move for India, as no other country had it as its national bird.

The National Animal of India: Bengal Tiger

The national animal of India is the tiger, specifically the Bengal tiger. The tiger, known as the Lord of the Jungle, was selected as India’s national animal as it symbolized its rich wildlife. In addition, the main characteristics associated with the tiger are strength, agility, and power, which also make it an attractive choice for the country’s national animal.

The Bengal tiger was officially announced as the national animal of India in April 1973. This announcement coincided with the initiation of Project Tiger, a campaign to protect the tiger population of India. Before this project was announced, the lion was the national animal of India.

National Flower of India: Lotus

The national flower of India is the lotus flower. This flower was not just chosen for its beauty; the lotus flower plays a vital role in Indian mythology. This is because the lotus is the flower of the goddess Laxmi. The flower is symbolic of wealth, prosperity, and fertility. Moreover, the lotus flower is unique because, as it grows in dirty water, its long stalk reaches far above the surface, displaying a beautiful, untouched flower on top. This growth process has led to the lotus symbolizing purity, achievement, longevity, and good fortune.

National Fruit of India: Mango

The national fruit of India is the mango. The mango is synonymous with Indian culture, as the fruit is native to India and widely eaten throughout the country. Growing mangoes are embedded within Indian history and have been practiced since the country. For instance, the Great Mughal Emperor Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605, was famously obsessed with mangoes. Emperor Akbar, renowned as the greatest of the Mughal emperors of India, ordered around 1,00,000 mango trees to be planted in Lakhi Bagh in Darbhanga.

The National Flag of India: Tricolour

The national flag of India is a beautiful tricolor flag with three stripes of saffron, white, and green. The flag’s center is Ashoka chakra, drawn in navy blue against a white background. The Ashoka chakra is a symbol of the charkha, a type of Indian spinning wheel referenced in the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. The charkha was in the pre-independence version of the Indian national flag. The charkha represents life in movement and, therefore, death in lack of exercise. Within Indian culture, it is a representation of the dynamic nature of peaceful change that is so heavily integrated into Indian history.

The Indian tricolor was adopted as the country’s national flag on the 22nd of July, 1947. Pingali Venkayya, an Indian freedom fighter, designed the flag.

The National Game of India: Hockey

The national game of India is hockey. When it was elected as the national game of India, hockey was extremely popular. While the sport is still prevalent in India today, the game was most popular between 1928 and 1956. During this time, India won 6 consecutive gold medals in the Olympic Games hockey.

Hockey was appointed as the national game of India because of the country’s immense success in the sport. When hockey was made the country’s national game, India played 24 Olympic hockey matches and won every single one.

The National Tree of India: Banyan

The national tree of India is the Banyan. The Banyan tree symbolizes eternal life in Indian culture due to its constantly expanding branches. Another critical aspect of the Banyan tree is its symbolic ties with the unity of India through its towering structure and deep roots. The Banyan tree is also known as the Kalpavriksha, which means ‘the wish-fulfilling tree.’ The Banyan tree also possesses incredible medicinal properties and is heavily associated with longevity.

Due to its vast, expansive structure, the Banyan tree provides shelter for many different animals and birds. This is seen as symbolic of the country of India and the melting pot of races, religions, and castes that exist within it.

The National River of India: Ganga

The national river of India is the Ganga, also known as the Ganges. Hindus regard the Ganga river as the most sacred river on Earth. Therefore, Hindus perform a range of rituals on the bank of the Ganga to show their reverence for this river. There are a few Indian cities that are famous for the Ganga river: Varanasi, Allahabad, and Haridwar. The Ganga is a vast river stretching over 2510 km of mountains, plains, and valleys. It is the longest river in all of India.

The National Currency of India: Indian Rupees

The national currency of India is the Indian rupee. The symbol of the Indian rupee, which is ‘₹,’ derives from the Devanagari consonant “र,” the phonetic pronunciation of which is ‘ra.’ The name of the Indian rupee comes from a silver coin called Rupiya.

The Indian rupee was first issued in the 16th century by the Sultan, Sher Shah Suri, and the Mughal Empire continued it.

The National Heritage Animal of India: Elephant

In addition to having a national animal of India, there is also a national heritage animal of India, the elephant. The Indian elephant is a subspecies of the Asian elephant, which can be found in mainland Asia. There are four different regions throughout India where you can find Indian elephants.

Unfortunately, the Indian elephant is an endangered species.

The National Aquatic Animal of India: River Dolphin

The national aquatic animal of India is the River Dolphin, which also goes by the name of the Ganges river dolphin. The River Dolphin used to reside in several different rivers across India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna, Kamaphuli, and Sangu. However, the River Dolphin can no longer be found in these regions.

The River Dolphin lives exclusively in freshwater and is almost entirely blind.

What are Even Numbers?

An even number is any number that is exactly divisible by 2. Even numbers always end in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8, which makes them easy to spot.

Examples of even numbers include 2, 16, and 38. All of these numbers are divisible by 2.

In contrast, odd numbers are numbers that are not divisible by 2. For example, these include 3, 15, or 27. These numbers always end in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9.

When counting in ones, even and odd numbers alternate. This means that you never get two even or two odd numbers next to each other.

Moreover, by looking at the final digit, you can always tell if a number is odd or even, no matter how large. For example, we can tell the number 1,698,764 is even because it ends in a 4.

Even Numbers in Calculations

An answer is always an even number if you add two even numbers. For example, 2 + 6 = 8. But, if you add an odd and an even number, the answer will always be an odd number. For example, 6 + 7 = 13. These rules apply to subtraction too.

It might seem strange, but adding or subtracting two odd numbers will create an even number. For example, 7 – 3 = 4.

To summarise, adding or subtracting two odd or two even numbers will create even numbers. Adding or subtracting one odd and one even will make an odd number. These are important facts to remember that can help children with essential addition and subtraction.

Next, let’s look at multiplication. If you multiply two even numbers, you get an even answer. For example, two × 14 = 28.

This is also true when you multiply an even number by an odd number. Look at this sum: 5 × 6 = 30.

So, the only way to get an odd number as an answer to a multiplication sum is to multiply two odd numbers. For example, 7× 7 = 49.