Teaching Strategies, Tactics, and Methods

Over a fifth of the Earth’s surface is covered in desert landscapes. Deserts are places that receive less than 25 centimeters of rain per year. Contrary to popular belief, deserts are not always hot. For example, though the Sahara Desert in Africa reaches up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit daily, mountainous and polar landscapes can be deserted too. An area is classified as a desert depending on how dry it is, not its temperature.

Water is essential to sustaining life. Going without water for long periods is challenging. Therefore, the plants and animals that inhabit desert landscapes must be well-adapted to survive.

Many plants in the desert have to go without water for years because rainfall is so sporadic. Some plants have long roots that go a long way into the soil to find water. These roots are called ‘tap roots.’ Other plants find clever ways of storing the water in their leaves or stems to ensure it lasts them a long time – these plants are called succulents.

As a way of reducing water loss via transpiration, many desert plants have also evolved to have tiny leaves. In addition, the color of a leaf can help reflect the sun’s heat. For example, like dune plants, plants with silvery leaves absorb less heat than plants with darker leaves. Other plants have tiny hairs on their leaves to prevent further water loss.

Some plants that live in the desert can live for hundreds of years. For example, a Joshua Tree in California is over 1,000 years old. However, if the temperature increases (as it may be due to global warming), Joshua Trees will be in danger of becoming extinct. This wouldn’t just be a tragedy for the plant species and endanger many animals.

With water sources being so few and far between, animals rely on plants for crucial life cycle stages. Some animals will drink or eat plants to get hydrated, while others have more unusual relationships with desert flora. Yucca moths, for example, lay eggs in the flower of the Joshua tree. Without a Joshua tree, there will be no eggs.

Types of plants that live in the desert:

• Prickly Pear Cacti
• Tumbleweed
• Saguaro Cactus
• Mexican Poppies
• Weathered Trees
• Wildflowers
• Orange Trees
• Ficus
• Bismarck Palmetto
• Pindo Palm

What is a tumbleweed?

You may have seen them in cartoons or westerns without much of an idea of what they are. Tumbleweeds are a group of different plant species that grow in arid, dry, and hot conditions like deserts. They vary from very small to quite large, sometimes as big as a person! Tumbleweeds can be found in the USA, Australia, and Africa.

They start being attached to the ground through roots and stems, but thanks to the wind, they get detached and blow whether the wind takes them. Rolling around is also a way for tumbleweeds to disperse their seeds far and wide.

While tumbleweeds can be fun to look at, they can damage some environments. They’re an invasive species, meaning they take over and dominate other plant life in environments they weren’t growing. Because of their dry nature, tumbleweeds are also highly flammable, which means they’re a significant risk for bushfires.

Close-Up on Cacti:

Cactuses are incredibly hardy plants. Over millions of years, they’ve evolved to be able to survive in the extreme conditions of a desert landscape. They can stay with very little water for a long time by storing moisture in their roots, leaves, and stems. However, there’s a general misconception that killing a cactus is almost impossible. Cactuses are very good at surviving in a desert landscape. However, their ability to stay in a harsh climate does not necessarily make them adept at surviving in a bedroom or on a kitchen windowsill. They don’t do well in low light or with excessively damp roots. Though low maintenance, they’re only low maintenance in the right conditions.

Cacti need a lot of light. If they lose their color and become pale, you’ll need to move them somewhere where there’s more light. It’s a good idea to keep them near a window with a lot of sunlight.

People also tend to be too attentive to Cacti. Generally, they’ll only need watering once a month. Put them near a window and then leave them alone.

Cacti are prickly plants. The best way to pick them up is to wrap them in something, like a rolled-up newspaper, and then wear thick gloves. If you do get skewered by a spike, remove it with a pair of tweezers.

What are the best conditions for a cactus habitat?

There are four elements to making the best conditions for a cactus habitat. These are the soil, water, light, and temperature.

While there isn’t a specific type of soil needed for a cactus, there are particular characteristics that the soil should have. The ideal soil is fast-draining or sandy, much like the natural cactus habitat of the desert. Of course, you can include sand and peat moss into your soil to make it better for the cactus, but any soil that drains fast and doesn’t get too clumpy should be good.

The right level of moisture is crucial in cactus maintenance. Over-watering is one of the reasons cactuses don’t survive in households. Usually, you want to water your cactus once a month and ensure the soil is completely dry before watering them again. They made need a bit more water during spring and summer as they are the growing seasons.

When you think of a cactus, you probably think of a large, hot desert. While this may seem like harsh habitat, it shows what cactuses need to survive: light. Without sufficient light, a cactus will not thrive in its habitat.

Temperature is also essential for a cactus. The best temperature for a cactus in spring and summer is between 18 and 32 degrees Celsius. However, when it gets to Autumn and Winter, ideal temperatures are between 7 and 12 degrees Celsius.

Why do cacti have spines?

First of all, not all cacti do have spines. For example, forest cacti do not have spines, but most cacti in the desert do. Their prickly surface protects their water supply from animals that might eat them for hydration. Some desert plans also contain toxins as another method of protection.

Desert Plants Information: 10 Fun Facts

1. According to evolutionary biologists, Pereskia cacti were the first plants to store water over 20 million years ago.
2. The mesquite tree has roots longer than any other desert plant and can reach a length of 24 meters.
3. Desert plants typically have long roots to reach water or are very good at storing water.
4. Aloe vera is a semi-tropical plant that thrives in desert conditions. It also produces a gel that is popular for treating skin conditions and burns.
5. While you may think desert plants aren’t that colorful, many produce flowers. These include the desert lupine, twist flower, and larkspur.
6. The desert marigold, another type of flower, is highly poisonous.
7. Small cacti are popular plants in the home because they’re low maintenance.
8. As well as flowers, some desert plants produce fruits too.
9. The fruits of the saguaro plant are edible and have a mild sweet taste. The seeds give it a nutty flavor.
10. Some seeds of desert plants can remain dormant in the ground until there is enough moisture to sprout and grow.

How does a knowledge of plants that live in deserts fit into the national curriculum?

In Year Five, children will have to consider the life cycles of plants and animals in their local environment and compare them with the life cycles of plants and animals worldwide. They’ll be asked to consider flora and fauna living and growing in the rainforest, in the oceans, in desert areas, and in prehistoric times.

A good understanding of the kind of plants and animals that inhabit different environments will be a tremendous asset to their primary school studies. In addition, having a solid foundational knowledge of the factors that can affect a plant’s chances of survival will help them assess their suitability to a particular environment.

A great way of learning about the effects of the environment on growth is to compare cuttings. Place cuttings from the same plant in different parts of the classroom – some dark areas, some lighter areas, areas that will be cooler in temperature – and compare the effect on the cutting over time. Ask children to record their findings and present what they have observed.

Look no further if you’re wondering how many grams are in a kilogram. There are 1000 grams in a kilogram. Read on to find out more about how to convert between grams and kilograms.

How many grams are in a kilogram?

There are 1000 grams in a kilogram. When converting between grams and kilograms, you would divide the number of grams you have by 1000. If converting from kilograms to grams, you would multiply by 1000.

For example, we have 5270 grams of flour, but we’d like to express it in kilograms. So we would work out 5270 ÷ 1000 = 5.27, which tells us that we have 5.27 kilograms.

By contrast, if I had 7.3 kilograms of cardboard and wanted to express it in grams, I would multiply it by 1000. So we would work out 7.3 × 1000 to reach 7300 grams.

Punctuation, such as a complete stop, comma, and apostrophe, are the marks used in writing to separate sentences and elements of sentences and clarify meanings.

What is a Punctuation Mark?

In simple terms, punctuation marks are an emblem to create and support meaning within a sentence or to break it up. Examples of different punctuation marks include full stops (.), commas (,), question marks (?), exclamation marks (!), colons (:), semi-colons (;), apostrophes (‘), and speech marks (“,”).

Often children get told how and when to use various punctuation marks at school, yet this doesn’t explain what a punctuation mark is. Children must know the different types of punctuation marks with names and what they are used for.

Words are not the only thing that can help people to navigate a sentence; these marks show the structure of the sentence, including where the sentence starts and ends and when to pause (or breathe if reading the sentence aloud).

It is essential to make a sentence clear and accurate to be understood. These marks are how ideas are conveyed to the reader properly. You can use our fantastic and diverse range of resources and teaching aids to find all punctuation marks with names, uses, and examples that your children can use to master punctuation skills.

What are the different types of punctuation names? (With examples)

There are 12 different punctuation marks, and we need to learn the punctuation names in English. This means that there’s plenty to choose from when writing! We tend to use some punctuation marks more than others, but it’s still important to know them all, so we know what they mean when we read and see them.

See a description for each type of punctuation mark below, along with some handy punctuation examples in a sentence.

1. Full stop

A full stop is the punctuation name for a mark that is used to show the end of a sentence, as shown in this punctuation example:

‘Lucy went clothes shopping. She bought a lovely new skirt.’

Full stops indicate the end of a sentence, usually communicating a whole point or thought. Instead, it highlights a new sentence that is about to begin.

2. Commas

Commas are the punctuation name for a mark that is great for breaking down sentences, combining two clauses, or showing us when to pause.

‘Despite the fact I hate maths, I quite like learning about fractions.’

This shows how commas can add emphasis and tell the reader when to pause. However, sometimes, commas can be misplaced. This is called a comma splice, where two independent clauses are connected by a comma when they should be separated with a full stop or semi-colon or associated with a connective.

3. Question marks

Question marks are the punctuation name for a mark that is a bit more straightforward. They indicate that the speaker is asking a question. They’re used at the end of the question (or interrogative) sentences.

‘Do you still want to keep your teddy bear?’

4. Exclamation marks

Exclamation marks are the punctuation name for a mark that can change the meaning and tone of a sentence. They still end a sentence but can add emotion – excitement, anger, or nervousness!

‘Look, it’s a cat!’

‘I’m so nervous about my SATs exams!’

‘I can’t believe you just said that!’

All three of these sentences convey very different emotions using an exclamation mark, which can be confusing. Yet imagine if they used a full stop instead – these emotions would be much harder to read and understand.

A sentence that needs an exclamation mark is called an exclamatory sentence.

5. Colons

Colons are the punctuation name for a mark ideal for connecting two clauses.

‘Never go out in the sun without sunscreen: you’ll damage your skin.’

They’re also great for introducing a list of three or more things.

‘I’m visiting four cities this summer: Rome, Florence, Paris, and Seville.’

6. Semicolons

Semicolons get a terrible reputation for being difficult, but they’re super handy!

You can use a semicolon to join two main (or independent clauses) with equal importance. For example,

‘Katie was hungry; she hadn’t eaten all day.’

7. Apostrophes

Apostrophes are the punctuation name for a mark that is quite confusing for many children, but children must learn how to use them properly.

Apostrophes are used to identify something that belongs to someone or to show a letter or multiple letters are missing from a word. Yet as simple as this sounds, many children and adults often misplace or forget apostrophes, even putting them somewhere they shouldn’t be altogether. For example, the following sentence shows how to use an apostrophe for contractions, where letters are missing from “were not,” “of the clock,” and “cannot.”

“We weren’t meant to leave before 4 O’clock, so we can’t go yet.”

Apostrophes can also be used to show the possessive form of a singular noun.

“The student’s job was to ensure no one touched the pet rabbit’s breakfast.”

With plural nouns where the word already has an ‘s’ at the end, an apostrophe gets added at the end.

“The girls’ toy truck had broken.”

Again, one can be added if the word is plural and doesn’t have an ‘s’ at the end.

“The women’s business meeting had been delayed.”

One of the most common misuses of apostrophes is putting them in words that are just plural and don’t show possession or contraction. So, for example, terms such as pencils, ghosts, houses, or guests never need an apostrophe.

8. Dash

Adashisthe punctuation name for a mark that is used to separate words into statements. There are two common kinds of dashes: en dash and em dash, which vary in length. The en dash is twice as long as a hyphen and is most commonly used to signify a range between two words or numbers, for example, the date range:

1990-2014.

Meanwhile, the em dash can be used in place of a comma, parenthesis, or colon to improve readability or emphasize the conclusion of a sentence. For example:

She gave him her answer—No!

8. Hyphen

This list of punctuation marks isn’t exhaustive, but it does contain the most commonly used punctuation marks with names. For example:

Sarah had a part-time job that she worked on a Saturday

9. Parentheses

A parenthesis is a word, phrase, or sentence that is inserted into writing as extra information using brackets, commas, or dashes. For example:

‘James (who was terrified of heights) was going to ride the biggest rollercoaster in the theme park

When a whole sentence is written inside a parenthesis, then the full stop will be included inside the parenthesis, for example – Please read this story. (You’ll be amazed.). However, if most of a sentence is written outside the parenthesis, then the full stop should also be used on the outside, for example, You are late (aren’t you?).

10. Brackets

Brackets are the punctuation name for a mark with curved symbols that look like () and are used to separate non-essential or additional information from a sentence. For example:

She finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that she didn’t understand the question.

11. Quotation marks

Quotation marks are the punctuation name for a mark that is the primary type of punctuation used in quotes. These are inverted commas that are used as either single (‘ ’) or double (“ ”) sets. They are used either to mark the start and end of a title or a quoted passage. For example:

Walking across the beach, Mary said, “the weather is very sunny today.”

12. Ellipsis

An ellipsis(plural ellipses) is a punctuation mark of 3 dots. Ellipses are commonly used to indicate the omission of words, lines, or paragraphs from a quoted passage. For example:

‘Today…we are proud to announce our new product.’

All of the Bones in the Human Body

Bones make up the human skeleton, and it’s their job to provide the human body with structure and stability. By working with the muscles and joints in our bodies, all the bones in the human body support movement. Many bones also protect the human body’s most vital organs.

The diagram below will introduce you to the common names for the bones that make up the human skeleton; read on to find out about their scientific names and the groups they belong.

List of Bones in the Human Body

There are 206 bones in an adult human skeleton. The skeleton comprises the bones of the: skull, spine, chest, arms, pelvis, hands, legs, and feet. Where a number follows the name of the bone in brackets, this indicates how many of that bone are in the human skeleton.

The skull comprises 28 bones, including the facial and ear bones. The names of these bones are:

• Frontal,
• Parietal (2),
• Temporal (2),
• Occipital,
• Sphenoid,
• Ethmoid,
• Mandible,
• Maxilla (2),
• Palatine (2),
• Nasal (2),
• Zygomatic (2),
• Lacrimal (2),
• Vomer,
• Inferior nasal conchae (2),
• Malleus (2),
• Incus (2),
• Stapes (2).

Below the skull, the bone in our throat is called the:

• Hyoid.

The human spine is made up of 33 small bones which interlock with each other to form the backbone. These interlocking bones are called vertebrae and are divided into sections:

• Cervical vertebrae (7),
• Thoracic vertebrae (12),
• Lumbar vertebrae (5),
• Sacrum (5),
• Coccyx (4).

The chest of a human skeleton is made up of pairs of ribs and the breastbone; these bones are the:

• Sternum,
• Ribs (2 x 12).

Human arms are made up of five bones each. These are the following:

• Shoulder blade,
• Collar bone,
• Humerus,
• Radius,
• Ulna.

The human hand is made up of 27 bones. These bones include the following:

• Carpals (wrist) (8),
• Metacarpals (palm) (5),
• Proximal phalanges (fingers) (5 x 2),
• Intermediate phalanges (4 x 2),
• Distal phalanges (5 x 2).

Just above the legs is the pelvis. This is made up of three bones called:

• Hip bone,
• Sacrum,
• Coccyx.

The human leg is made up of four significant bones, these are:

• Femur,
• Patella,
• Tibia,
• Fibula.

And finally, the feet. A human foot is made up of 26 bones; these are:

• Talus (ankle),
• Calcaneus (heel bone),
• Tarsals (5),
• Metatarsals (forefoot) (5),
• Phalanges (toes) (14),
• Sesamoids (2).

What Are Bones Made Of?

We know what they are, but what are bones made of? All the bones in the human body are alive and growing all the time. Every bone in the human skeleton comprises layers, each being a different type of bone tissue. These bone tissue layers are:

Periosteum: the outer layer of bone is dense and contains blood vessels and nerves.

Compact tissue: this smooth layer is hard and protects the inner tissue of the bone. It’s this layer that is visible when looking at a skeleton.

Cancellous tissue: this sponge-like layer is lightweight and provides strength for bones.

Bone marrow: a jelly-like substance is the innermost part of the bone. It’s the job of bone marrow to produce blood cells.

Although there are around 206 bones in the human body, the human skeleton doesn’t weigh that much. The structure of bones means that they are lightweight while still allowing the human skeleton to support the weight of flesh, organs, muscles, and fat, as well as protecting vulnerable organs like the brain.

How Do Bones Grow?

Babies are much smaller than fully grown adults. So for us to increase in size, our bones have to grow.

A baby typically has around 300 bones at birth. Adults only have 206 bones, so what happens to the other 94 bones? Do they disappear? Well, not exactly. The 300 bones within a baby’s body gradually fuse as they grow to form the 206 bones that adults have. Some of the bones in a baby’s body are made entirely of cartilage, while others are only partly made up of this material. Cartilage is a soft, flexible material that, as children grow, is gradually replaced by bone.

As humans, our bones are finished growing by the time we are 25 years old.

What are Joints?

Joints are where 2 separate bones meet — they ‘join’ together, hence the name. The joints make our skeletons flexible; without them, we would have to move without bending. That would be like walking around like a doll.

Different joints operate and move differently, allowing us to move around freely. For example, some joints have a primary range of motion, such as knees and elbows, that just open and close. However, other joints, such as shoulders and hips, enable more advanced movement, allowing backward, forwards, sideways, and rotating movements.

Joints are classified by their range of movement:

• Immovable joints: Some joints, immovable or fibrous, do not move. One of the main immovable joints in the human body is the skull. The skull is made up of bony plates that move slightly during birth and then fuse as it finishes growing. Between the edges of these bony plates are little joints of fibrous tissue.
• Partially movable joints: These joints, also known as cartilaginous joints, are capable of a small amount of movement. These partially movable joints are linked together by cartilage. The vertebrae in the spine are cartilaginous joints since they’re connected by cartilage, and each moves concerning the one above and below it. All of the vertebrae in the spine work together to give the spine flexibility and, therefore, give us a full range of motion.
• Freely movable joints: Some joints in our bodies, known as synovial joints, can move in a wide range of directions. All the main joints in the human body, including those found in the hips, shoulders, elbows, knees, wrists, and ankles, are freely movable. These joints are filled with synovial fluid, which lubricates them, allowing them to move freely and easily.

Three kinds of freely movable joints in the human body play a big part in voluntary movement. They are as follows:

• Hinge joints: These kinds of joints allow movement in just one direction, as seen in the knees and elbows.
• Pivot joints: These kinds of joints allow a rotating or twisting motion, like the head moving from side to side.
• Ball-and-socket joints: These kinds of joints allow the most excellent range of movement. The hips and shoulders have ball-and-socket joints, in which the rounded end of a long bone fits neatly into the hollow of another bone.

Which Part of The Human Body Has The Most Bones?

The hands and feet have one-quarter of the bones in the human skeleton. Combined, they make up half of the bones in the human body.

Think about how many tasks these parts of the human skeleton can perform – the number of bones means that the hands and feet are divided into small sections that can move in their way.

What Are The Different Types of Bones in The Human Body?

All the bones in the human body belong to different groups. There are four different types of bone in the human body, these are:

• Long bone: these bones are longer and thinner, connected to muscles, supporting movement. Examples include the arm and leg bones.
• Short bone: these bones are smaller and more cubed in shape. Short bones provide support and stability. Examples include the wrist and ankle bones.
• Flat bone: these broad bones protect the body’s most vital organs. They include shoulder blades, skull bones, and ribs.
• Irregular bone: irregular bones are simply those that don’t belong to the shapes outlined above, like vertebrae.

What is the Smallest Bone in the Human Body?

The smallest bone in the human body is the stapes, located in the middle ear. This small, delicate bone is 3 x 5 mm.

The largest bone in the human body is the femur, located in the upper leg; it’s commonly known as the thigh bone. The average length of a male femur is 48 centimeters.

Bone Marrow

Bone marrow is a jelly-like substance that is responsible for making blood cells. There are three different types of blood cells made by bone marrow:

• Red blood cells — These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen around the body.
• White blood cells — These cells make up the body’s immune system.
• Platelets — These cells are used for clotting.

Bone Cells

Bone cells play a crucial role in rebuilding the body’s skeleton. As a result, the skeleton is constantly being reworked by the body by building and breaking down bone tissue. The result is that each bone is wholly rebuilt every ten years.

The bone cells involved in this rebuilding process are:

• Osteoblasts — These are the cells that build bone tissue.
• Osteocytes — These cells control the mineral and calcium content of bone tissue. This allows them to maintain the bone tissue.
• Osteoclasts — These are the cells that break down old bone tissue.

Bone Density

Bone density is the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue used to measure bones’ strength.

Some of the factors that will lead to good bone density are:

• A balanced supply of dietary calcium
• A sufficient amount of vitamin D from sun exposure and food
• A healthy diet that contains plenty of vitamins and minerals
• Frequent resistance training

Bone Conditions

Several diseases and conditions affect the 206 bones in the human body. Some of these include:

• Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is one of the most well-known diseases that affect the bones. This disease is caused by low bone density, which results in the bones being brittle and weak and thus more susceptible to breaking. As it stands, osteoporosis affects over 3 million people in the UK. While anyone can be affected by this disease, it tends to be more common in women than in men. The low bone density that leads to osteoporosis can be caused by the body losing too much bone tissue or making too little of it. People tend not to know they have osteoporosis until they break a bone, as it is a symptomless disease.

• Osteonecrosis

Osteonecrosis is a bone disease that happens when bone tissue is deprived of blood and, as a result, dies. The most common cause of this is trauma to the bone, such as a fracture, which disrupts or prevents blood flow to the bone. Another cause of osteonecrosis can also be the prolonged use of high-dose steroids.

• Bone Tumours

Bone tumors can happen due to the uncontrolled growth of cells inside the bone. There are two types of bone tumors; they can either be benign, meaning that they are non-cancerous, or malignant, meaning that there is a moderate to high probability that they will spread throughout the body.

• Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease. This disease is the most common form of arthritis, affecting approximately 8.5 million people in the UK. Osteoarthritis is caused by the cartilage, a cushion between bones, and wears down. The result is that the bones rub together in a way that can cause people a great deal of pain, inflammation, and stiffness.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic immunodeficiency disorder. As part of this disease, the body’s immune system attacks the body’s tissues, consequently damaging the lining of the joints. As a result, people with rheumatoid arthritis often experience a lot of painful swelling that can, in turn, lead to bone erosion and joint deformity.

• Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a bone condition in which the spine curves abnormally either to the left or the right. In the past, scoliosis was believed to be a disease that only affected children, but it is now recognized as affecting adults. It is, however, most common in children aged 10 to 15. In the UK, around 3 or 4 in every 1,000 children need treatment for scoliosis. The exact cause of this disease is unknown, but it is believed to be, at least in part, hereditary.

Develop students’ writing skills and encourage a healthy dose of self-expression with these third-grade journal prompts!

Journal writing is a great way to help children develop a range of writing skills, from narrative to opinion and persuasive to informational. Keeping a journal also allows students to express their inner thoughts creatively and engagingly, boosting well-being and reducing feelings of stress and worry.

If you’d like to encourage your students to keep a journal or need some handy ideas for ELA assignments, then look no further. We’ve developed 75 fun, inspiring third-grade journal prompts for you to use in your classroom. Check them out below!

1. What is your favorite season and why?
2. Describe your dream three-course meal.
3. Which five famous people would you invite to your next birthday party?
4. Which country would you most like to visit and why?
5. Name a skill you’d like to learn this year.
6. What’s your proudest achievement?
7. Who is your best friend, and why are you such good buddies?
8. What does the word “family” mean to you?
9. Imagine you’re the principal for one day. What changes would you make to your school?
10. Write about something that makes you smile.
11. Who do you admire the most?
12. Write about something that scares you.
13. Describe your ideal pet.
14. What’s the most exciting thing you’ve ever done?
15. Talk about a time when you overcame a challenge.
16. Describe your last vacation. Where did you go, and what did you do?
17. Would you rather it was sunny or snowy every day?
18. How would you describe yourself?
19. How would your family describe you?
20. Describe your favorite item of clothing.
21. What’s your favorite subject and why?
22. If you had invisibility for one day, what would you do?
23. What’s the craziest dream you’ve ever had?
24. If you could only eat one type of food, what would it be and why?
25. What makes you laugh?
26. Why is it vital to be kind to others?
27. Write about a time you were kind to someone.
28. What’s your favorite game, and why?
29. Imagine you have a time machine. What year would you go back?
30. Describe something, or someone, that cheers you up when you’re feeling down.
31. What would you do if you could give your home a total makeover?
32. Write a review of your favorite book.
33. If you feel comfortable, write about three things that worry you.
34. Who is your hero? You can choose anyone you want, real or imaginary.
35. Imagine you’ve just been elected President of the United States. What five new laws would you pass?
36. My happiest memory is
37. The first thing I can remember is
38. I’m looking forward to
39. The place where I feel most comfortable is
40. If I could be another person for a day, I’d be
41. The thing I like about my school is
42. I love my family because
43. The thing I want most about myself is
44. Do you prefer to be indoors or out in nature? Explain your answer.
45. What five qualities do you look for in a friend?
46. Describe something you did this week that made someone smile.
47. Write a review of your favorite movie.
48. How is third grade going so far? Has anything surprised you?
49. Write a story in three sentences.
50. Imagine you have $1 million but only one day to spend it. What would you do?
51. Write about how you felt on your first day of elementary school.
52. How do you feel about moving up to fourth grade?
53. What’s the best gift you’ve ever received, and why?
54. What’s the best gift you’ve ever given someone?
55. Describe what you think makes a great teacher.
56. What’s your favorite word and why?
57. Imagine you’re stranded on a desert island. What supplies would you need? You can choose three items.
58. Describe your perfect camping trip.
59. Would you rather be a bird in the sky or a fish in the sea, and why?
60. Which musical instrument would you most like to be able to play?
61. Imagine you were the first person to land on the moon. What would your famous words have been, and why?
62. If you were a color, what would you be, and why?
63. Write an acrostic poem about yourself. Handy hint: Use the letters in your name to begin every line.
64. Which do you prefer, Halloween or Christmas?
65. Write about someone who inspires you.
66. Imagine what life was like for third graders 100 years ago.
67. Imagine what life will be like for third graders 100 years from now.
68. Describe what it feels like when you’re happy.

What are the kinds of weather conditions?

There are many different types of weather conditions. Below you will find the different kinds of weather we experience daily due to the global weather system. We have also included some weird facts about the weather for kids!

What does weather mean?

Weather can be defined as the conditions of the earth’s atmosphere in a particular area. Climate refers to the average weather in a specific place over time.

Day-to-day weather changes can impact animals, their habitats, and people and their livelihoods. Severe weather can cause lots of destruction and disruption. Climate can change just like the weather, but unlike the weather, significant changes to the climate can take a long time.

What are the different types of weather conditions?

The different types of weather conditions are listed below.

Temperature

Temperature is how hot or cold the air outside is. Temperature is measured in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. Temperature also tells us how fast air molecules and atoms are moving. If the atoms are moving fast, the temperature is high, but if they are moving slowly, it will be cold.

Humidity

Humidity refers to the collection of water vapor that is in the air. For example, topical regions are often described as high in moisture, whereas arid areas, like deserts, have low humidity. When in a warm and humid environment, it may feel sweltering to you, as high humidity can make it difficult for the body to regulate its temperature through sweating.

Precipitation

Precipitation refers to all the different types of water that fall to the ground. For example, rain, snow, sleet, ice, hail, and drizzle are all precipitation. The temperature of the air affects which type of precipitation falls. For example, if it is freezing at cloud level, water droplets will freeze and fall as hail or snow.

Wind

Wind can be defined as the movement of air near the earth’s surface. The wind is dictated by changes in water, land, and air temperature. When the sun warms the earth’s surface, the warm air rises. Because cool air weighs more than warm air, it moves under the warm air and into the space it once occupied. This movement is what causes the wind to blow.

Clouds

Clouds are assemblages of water droplets in the sky. As air rises, it begins to cool. Water vapor in the air then condenses, forming tiny water droplets in the atmosphere. These water droplets cling to dust particles in the air. A cloud is formed when billions of these suspended water droplets come together. There are four main types of clouds; these are called: cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and cumulonimbus.

Atmospheric pressure

Air has weight! Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air pushing onto the earth’s surface. A high-pressure system results in cool temperatures and clear skies, and low-pressure systems create warmer weather, storms, and rain.

Different Types of Weather

There are many different types of weather for kids to learn about; some of these are:

Sunny

The weather is sunny when no clouds block the sunlight and the warm temperature. Sunny days are most common in Spring and Summer, but they can also happen in Autumn and Winter, but usually, they are less warm in these seasons. Sunny days are great for playing outside, going out, and enjoying the outdoors. They are also suitable for plants, as sunny days bring the heat and energy that plants need to survive. It is essential to wear suncream on sunny days to prevent sunburn, and when temperatures are high, it is necessary to drink lots of water and spend some time in the shade.

Cloudy

The weather is cloudy when many clouds in the sky get in the way of the sun. Cloudy days can be cold because there is not much sunlight, but they can also be warm if there is lots of humidity. Sometimes clouds can completely cover the sky; this is called overcast weather. Rain will often happen on cloudy days, but not always. Cloudy days are expected in Autumn and Winter but can also occur in Spring and Summer. Usually, cloudy days in the summer are warm, while cloudy days in the winter are frigid.

Rainy

Rainy weather happens when large clouds in the sky produce rain. Cloudy days can become rainy days if the clouds get large enough and there is a lot of precipitation. In some parts of the world, rainy days happen almost every day for weeks at a time, and in other regions, rainy days are rare. Rainy days are good because they provide water for plants. Therefore, wearing a waterproof coat or carrying an umbrella on rainy days is essential.

Snowy

Snowy days usually happen in winter, when precipitation falls as snow instead of rain. This occurs because the low temperatures cause the water in clouds to freeze and become snowflakes, which fall to the ground and pile up. Snowy days are often frigid, but they also allow lots of fun activities such as sledding, snowball fights, and snowman building. On snowy days it is best to dress in warm clothes, including a hat, gloves, and a scarf, when going outside.

Different types of severe weather:

There are six types of severe weather conditions. These different types of extreme weather are:

1. Thunderstorms – cumulonimbus clouds produce thunderstorms! Thunderstorms include rain, hail, thunder, lightning, and strong winds. Thunderstorms can vary in severity.
2. Tornadoes – tornadoes occur when warm air collides with cold air, creating a narrow and rotating column of air from a thunderstorm. Like thunderstorms, tornadoes can also vary in severity. We have a scale to measure the severity of tornadoes; this is called the Fujita scale.
3. Hurricanes and typhoons – hurricanes and typhoons are also spiraling storms, but these are huge and long-lasting. They form over the water and can produce winds of 200 mph. The difference between a hurricane and a typhoon is the location, for example, storms from the north of the Pacific Ocean are called typhoons, but storms from the north of the Atlantic Ocean are called hurricanes.
4. Winter storms – these storms occur in colder temperatures which causes rain to freeze and create snow and ice. A winter storm is when a large amount of snow has fallen.
5. Blizzards – blizzards are a type of severe snowstorm that occur for a longer time. Blizzards also include dangerously low temperatures, strong winds, and lots of snow.
6. Droughts–a drought is a long period without rain or precipitation. They can happen all around the world and can have devastating effects. Droughts can also cause forest fires and famine, lasting for months to years.

Weird facts about the weather

The weather can seem very mundane and boring. After all, it is constantly happening! For something more exciting, check out these weird facts about types of weather for kids to enjoy.

1. A mudslide can be extremely powerful. They can move cars, trees, and even buildings when triggered by earthquakes or heavy rain.
2. In Antarctica, there are often extremely heavy snowstorms. Sometimes the snow is so thick that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face.
3. The wind itself is silent. It doesn’t make any sound until it blows against an object.
4. Around 100 lightning bolts strike the Earth every second. Talk about electrifying!
5. Snowflakes can take up to an hour to reach the ground. In addition, they often travel at 2mph, which is relatively slow.
6. British people have a well-deserved reputation for small talk about the weather. A survey found that 9 out of 10 British people had talked about the weather in the six hours before taking the survey.
7. The world’s most giant snowflake was 38cm wide and 20cm thick. It was measured in 1887 in Montana, USA.
8. Sometimes, water creatures can fall with the rain. This can happen when waterspouts – rotating columns of air over the water – pick them up from the water and drop them again.
9. Aristotle is the father of meteorology! The ancient philosopher wrote a book about weather. In it, he wrote about the water cycle, among other things.
10. Sometimes snow can be pink. In Colorado and the Sierra Nevada mountains, snow is sometimes pink. The pink color is caused by algae which live in cold climates and turn the wintry countryside pink.
11. Texas is the American state with the highest number of tornadoes per year – up to 110.
12. Snow can fall in scorching places. You might not expect snow in the Sahara Desert or Hawaii, but occasionally it can happen.
13. You can use pine cones to predict the weather! For example, the scales close up when it is about to rain. Try putting one on your windowsill to help you decide whether you need an umbrella.

The alphabet is the collection of letters that make up the words in the English language. For example, the English alphabet A to Z letters that we know today are from Latin English and contain 26 letters.

What Are The A to Z Letters?

The English alphabet includes 26 letters that go from A to Z. The A to Z letters include:

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z

Or in lowercase letter form:

A, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, and z

What is The Purpose of The Alphabet?

An alphabet is the visual record of a spoken language.

Alphabets pair the sound of a letter (a phoneme) with a unique graphic representation (a grapheme). And it’s this partnership of sight and sound that allows us to read and write spoken languages.

How Did The English Alphabet Develop?

The English alphabet comprises 26 letters, of which five are vowels, and 21 are consonants.

But, we consider the English alphabet the Roman/Latin alphabet.

Christian missionaries brought Latin to British shores in the 7th century and quickly displaced the Anglo-Saxon language.

The Latin alphabet (A-Z) is the most widely used writing system in the world, being, as it is, present in Europe, America, Australasia, Africa, and some parts of the middle-east.

Did You Know?

• An abjad is an alphabet with no vowels.
• The most extensive alphabet is the Georgian alphabet. It contains 33 characters.
• Japan has three alphabets: hiragana, katakana and kanji.
• A diphthong is a sound made by two vowels in one syllable, from the Greek “di” (twice) and “diphthongs” (voice or sound).
• A digraph is when a pair of letters combine to indicate a single sound or phoneme, e.g., chicken.
• At one point in the 11th century, the ampersand sign (&) was a part of the English alphabet.

A to Z Letters – Phonetically

A to Z Letter	Phonetic Sound Pronunciation
A	a -/eɪ/
B	bee -/biː/
C	cee -/siː/
D	dee -/diː/
E	e -/iː/
F	ef – /ef/
G	gee -/dʒiː/
H	(h)aitch -/(h)eitʃ/
I	i – /ai/
J	jay -/dʒei/
K	kay -/kei/
L	el -/el/
M	em – /em/
N	en – /en/
O	o -/oʊ/
P	pee – /pi:/
Q	cue -/kjuː/
R	ar -/ɑːr/
S	ess – /es:/
T	tee -/tiː/
U	ew -/juː/
V	vee -/viː/
W	double-ew
X	ex – /eks/
Y	wy – /wai/
Z	zee/ zed – /zi/zed/

Is There a Word That Uses All The Alphabet Letters A-Z?

While no single word in the English language uses all 26 letters of the English language A-Z, some sentences use every letter of the alphabet. These sentences are called pangrams and are considered perfect for teaching children handwriting and letters.

Teaching Children to Write Their ABCs.

Teaching children to form nice and neat letters takes time. Like many foundational skills, pencil control is all about practice, practice, practice.

Letter formation activities are an effective way of developing children’s handwriting skills. Like riding a bike with stabilizers, letter tracing activities help kids develop the fine motor skills, confidence, and muscle memory they’ll need to go it alone.

When two words are frequently used in speech and writing, they will be used closer and closer together over time. Usually, this happens in speech and then translates to writing, where compounds become recognized as words within their right.

An excellent example is the closed compound word ‘notebook.’ Before ‘notebook’ was a word, we would have used something like “a book to write notes in.”

Likely, this would have been shortened to an open compound, ‘notebook.’ Words like this would then become hyphenated compound words like note-book until finally, we arrive at the word ‘notebook,’ which we use in the English language today.

We can even see how the English language evolves by comparing compound words that should be similar.

The words ‘backyard’ and ‘backseat’ are closed compound words, but the words ‘front yard’ and ‘front seat’ are open compound words. Yet they both outline either a specific portion of the yard or the seat position in a vehicle.

However, sometimes compounds are formed because of a gap in our language. For example, the word ‘football’ would have been created out of necessity as the game itself would not have had a name to begin with. This compound is thought to be very literal, as it’s a compound of ‘foot’ and ‘ball’ from kicking the ball with the foot.

What are Extinct Animals?

Extinct animals are species that have stopped breeding, died, and no longer exist. The moment the last living species dies is understood as the time of its extinction.

Here are examples of extinct animals:

• Dinosaurs
• Woolly Mammoth
• Dodo
• West African Black Rhinoceros
• Baiji White Dolphin
• Tasmanian Tiger
• Sabre-Toothed Tiger
• Irish Elk

What Causes Animals to Become Extinct?

There are four major causes of animals becoming extinct. These include:

• Habitat loss
• Lack of food
• Hunting and overconsumption
• Pollution and climate change

Facts About Extinct Animals

• More than 900 species have gone extinct over the last 500 years.
• Animals become extinct due to habitat loss, lack of food, hunting, pollution, climate change, and overconsumption.
• Dinosaurs are one of the most well-known extinct animals; it’s believed their extinction was caused by the impact of a meteor or multiple volcanic eruptions.
• The Irish elk is an extinct species of deer. However, it had the largest antlers of any deer (13 feet long!)
• The dodo went extinct in the 1680s, they were flightless birds that lived in Mauritius, and their extinction was caused by animals like cats and pigs, as foreign sailors brought them over.
• The Baiji white dolphin lived in China’s Yangtze River, which became extinct in the 2000s due to overfishing and pollution.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) created the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 1964. This is a system that classifies animals based on their risk of extinction.
• The IUCM Red List comprises several categories, with every animal fitting into one. The categories are Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct.
• We can learn about animals that went extinct thousands, and even millions, of years ago due to their remains being fossilized or preserved under ice caps, such as dinosaurs and the woolly mammoth.

Habitat Loss

Habitat loss is when the area in which an animal hunt, lives, and breeds become under threat and is badly damaged or destroyed, often due to human activity.

Habitat loss also occurs through natural causes, such as natural disasters, e.g., volcanic explosions, earthquakes, and meteors. A perfect example of extinct animals that suffered habitat loss was the dinosaurs.

Over 65 million years ago, they became extinct when a giant meteor hit the earth. Luckily thanks to archaeology and fossils, we’re able to learn about them, their various types, and how they lived.

Habitat loss can also occur due to human factors, such as agriculture, deforestation, and urbanization. An example is the Balinese Tiger, which became extinct due to agriculture and deforestation in Bali, a small island in Indonesia.

In contrast to other breeds of tiger, this particular subspecies was more petite, when weighing between 63- 100 kg, compared to the Bengal tiger, weighing up to 220kg. In addition, it had fewer markings and darker fur. The last Balinese tiger was reported to die in September 1937 in Bali’s western region: the Sumbar Kimia.

Hunting and Overconsumption

This is another cause of animal extinction due to human impact.

A good example is the West African black rhino which became extinct due to being hunted for its horns. As well as being valuable artifacts, rhino horns were believed to have several health benefits.

That’s why they were often ground up into a powder and used as medicine. Male black rhinos could weigh up to an impressive 1.4 tonnes: the same size as a small car! The last one was seen in 2011 in the central African country called Cameroon.

A less recent species to go extinct is the Dodo, which was seen nearly 400 years ago. They were native to Mauritius, an Indian Ocean island close to Madagascar and the East African coast. Dodos became extinct due to being hunted by Dutch sailors for meat. Unlike most birds, Dodos couldn’t fly, meaning they were easier to catch and trap.

When becoming extinct so long ago in the 1500s, the Dodo is more renowned today for being a fictional character in Alice in Wonderland. It’s tricky to think they ever existed!

Lack of Food

Lack of food is when an animal no longer has enough food to survive. Lack of food highlights the significance of food chains in the animal kingdom and how species often depend on each other for survival.

Ten thousand years ago, this cause led to the saber-toothed cat’s extinction. Despite having long Canine teeth, being excellent hunters, and weighing around 2000kg, they died out when feeding on mastodons and Woolly Mammoths, which also died out. With this food chain collapsing, saber-toothed cats had nothing to eat and could no longer survive.

Pollution and Climate Change

Our environmental impact on the earth can cause animals to go extinct. Marine life, such as fish, dolphins, and whales, is under the most significant threat of extinction. In addition, pollution and climate change are due to plastic pollution, global warming, and toxic chemicals that end up in the ocean.

One of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef, is often mentioned in this context. Home to around 1500 different species and the most extensive reef on Earth, it has lost over half its coral cover in just three decades. This is due to global warming, causing bleaching and urban development along the Australian coast.

One final aspect of this type of extinction is in the polar regions, where animals rely on frigid climates, ice, and snow to survive. As global temperatures rise, polar bears, penguins, walruses, and the arctic fox are increasingly under threat.

Typically, polar bears travel by thick blocks of ice on the sea. This allows them to go considerable distances to find mates, food, and time on land. However, due to global warming, ice caps are melting. This forces polar bears to travel further afield, with more incredible difficulty in survival. Last year, a polar bear was even reported to reach a Russian industrial city called Norilsk. This shows how far polar bears have to go to find food and the worrying threat they are below.

Recently Extinct Animals

When we think of extinct animals, we tend to think of those that lived thousands of years ago and that we, living today, have no way to help. But, sadly, this isn’t the case.

Some animal species have become extinct over recent years, and even more, species are at risk of following in their footsteps. Animals at risk of becoming extinct are known as endangered animals and must be catered to, looked after, and given the best chance of survival. Now, numerous animals fall into this category. Some of these include:

• Javan rhinoceros;
• Asian elephant;
• Red tuna;
• Vaquita porpoise;
• Mountain gorilla;
• Irrawaddy river dolphin;
• Sumatran orangutan;
• Baulan turtle;
• Magellanic penguin;
• Jaguar.

While these animals are low in numbers, some live in the wild and captivity. This means there’s a chance for them to bounce back and grow in numbers until they’re no longer on the endangered list. For this to happen, they need protection from humans, secure access to food and water, and protection from habitat loss.

How Many Animals Have Become Extinct?

Unfortunately, for some animals, it’s too late. In the last 100 years alone, up to 500 species of animal have become extinct.

• The Baiji dolphin was declared extinct in 2007. This dolphin was native to China and is presumed extinct because the last documented sighting of one was in 2002.
• The Tasmanian tiger (or the thylacine) was declared extinct in 1986. It was a dog-like marsupial with stripes, similar to a tiger’s.
• The Pinta tortoise was a species of Galapagos tortoise native to Ecuador’s Pinta Island. They were presumed extinct at the end of the 19th century until a single male was found in 1971. He was nicknamed Lonesome George and died in 2012, aged 101-2 years old, leaving the species extinct.
• The Caribbean monk seal is the only species of seal that was made extinct by humans. It was declared extinct in 2008.
• The Caspian tiger, native to eastern Turkey, northern Iran, northern Afghanistan, and western China, became extinct in the 1970s because of hunting, habitat loss, and lack of food.
• The Formosan clouded leopard was declared extinct in 2013 because of habitat destruction and hunting.
• The Pyrenean ibex (also known as a wild goat) was declared extinct in 2000. However, in 2003, the frozen skin of the animal was used to create a clone!
• The Toolache wallaby (or Grey’s wallaby) was native to southeastern South Australia and southwestern Victoria. Unfortunately, its habitat, swamps, were cleared out along with vegetation, which led to them becoming extinct.
• The Bramble Cay melomys (or Bramble Cay mosaic-tailed rat) went extinct as recently as 2016. It lived on the isolated Bramble Cay (a low bank or reef of coral) at the tip of the Great Barrier Reef.
• The Japanese sea lion is thought to have been extinct since the 1970s. It lived in the Sea of Japan and was hunted in the 1900s until extinction.

What is the meaning of AM?

Once you have established the AM and PM meaning’ with your students, lessons about the 12-hour clock will become much more straightforward.

We think of AM as the morning; any time with am after it, your students should regard it as the morning time. The term AM is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ‘Ante Meridiem,’ which translates to ‘before midday.’

What is the meaning of PM?

You can think of PM as the opposite of AM. Therefore, we associate PM with the afternoon and evening. The term pm is an abbreviation of the Latin ‘Post Meridiem’, which translates to ‘after midday.’ These time indications are centered around Midday, as this is how the 12-hour clock functions. When using a 24-hour clock, the am and pm indications are unnecessary as the hours 1-12 are not repeated.

Do you need to capitalize AM and PM?

When used in a sentence, it is standard not to capitalize the am and pm. Also, it isn’t required that am and pm are used when the phrase already indicates the time, so we wouldn’t say ‘this afternoon pm,’ as the time is already indicated by the word ‘afternoon.’

Time can be very confusing for people as it’s a broad concept to try to understand. For example, it cannot be clear that 12 pm is the middle of the day when we associate it with nighttime. An excellent way to remember this is that 12 am means the start of the day, and even though that feels like the middle of the night to most people, the date changes at 12 am, and the start of a new day begins.

When are AM and PM not used?

As well as the 12-hour clock, there is also the 24-hour clock. The 24-hour clock is also known as the military clock. The 24-hour clock begins at 00:00 at the start of a new day, which means 12 am in 12-hour clock speak. However, a day reaches 23:59, and the clock resets to 00:00; the 24-hour clock is sometimes easier as the numbers aren’t repeated. However, instead of seeing 2 pm, your students will have to recognize this time as 14:00, as it is the 14th hour of that day at 2 o’clock.

It is better to firmly establish the use of the 12-hour clock before introducing the 24-hour clock to your students.

Why does a day have 24 hours?

Now we know the meaning of am and pm, but why do we signify one day by the time of 24 hours? It is believed to date back to the Ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians used a shadow clock, dividing the day into 10 hours. The Egyptians would also add an hour on either side of these 10 hours as ‘twilight hours.’ Night and day were unequal in Egyptian times and changed with the seasons. So in Summer, the days were long, and the nights became shorter- the opposite happened in Winter.

Here are some cool facts about Time that will get your class thinking:

• When the Dinosaurs roamed the earth, there were 370 days in a year (we now have 365 days in a year). This is because the Earth’s spin is gradually getting slower, which means we are progressively losing days.
• On Mercury, a single day is two years long concerning time here on Earth.
• The Great Western Railway is why we use standard London time in the UK today. In the 19th century, each area of the UK had its concept of time. So, for example, Midday in Bristol was a different time from Midday in Sheffield. This was figured out because people kept missing their connecting trains. So to put a stop, London time was used throughout the UK with the introduction of the Great Western Railway.
• A day is 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.2 seconds longer than 24 hours. This is how long it truly takes for the Earth to rotate.
• There are 31,566,926 seconds in a year.
• In 1930 Joseph Stalin abolished weekends in Soviet Russia to improve productivity. This was introduced in 1931 and finally returned to a 7-day week ten years later!
• There are 250 babies born a minute across the world. This equates to 5 babies every second.
• Mcdonald’s sells 375 burgers every 5 seconds.