Welcome back everybody. We miss you a lot and we can’t wait to see and hear you all again. Have you noticed all the wonderful signs of Spring? I’m sure the cherry tree in the playground is in full blossom now. I really miss seeing it from my classroom window. Maybe if you live close to the school you have seen it when you go for a walk. Next week I will tell you about the Japanese Festival of Hanami.
For this week you might like to do some animal research. There is an Animal Quiz at the end if you want to test your knowledge. Or maybe you would prefer to draw some pictures of the ways that each different animal has features (colour, fur, head, feet and other body parts) that help it to survive in its natural habitat.
What do the Polar Bear and the Platypus have in common?
I’m sure you know that the polar bear lives in the frozen lands around the Arctic Circle. Do you know what a platypus is and where it lives? The platypus can be found in Australia and it’s a very interesting animal because it is like a collection of parts from different animals. Just like a duck, it has webbed feet and a duck-bill. It has fur like an otter and a tail like a beaver. It’s a mammal so you would think that it gives birth – but it lays eggs instead! The male platypus carries venom in its ankle and this venom can be poisonous for small animals.
The polar bear and the platypus seem like very different animals, so what do you think they could have in common? What do you think they have in common with all of us at the moment? Lots of animals like to live in groups but the polar bear, the platypus and other animals like to live solitary lives – just like we have to do at the moment so that we can stay safe and protect our health. You can read about animals that prefer to live solitary lives in this article
If you liked reading about those animals, here are some videos, some interesting facts and even some games and activities where you can learn some more about polar bears …
https://www.natgeokids.com/ie/discover/animals/general-animals/polar-bear-facts/
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/videos/livecam/polar-bear-cam
… the platypus …
https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/platypus.html
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/platypus/
… the panda …
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/giant-panda
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/stories/precious-pandas
… the orangutan …
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/orangutan
… the jaguar …
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/jaguar
… and the snow leopard …
https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/snow-leopard
Here is a quiz if you would like to check how much you have learned about these animals. I will give you the answers at the end of the week.
Virtual Tour of a Pyramid in Egypt
Can you remember your 3D shapes? Have you ever been inside a pyramid?
Would you like to see inside the 5,000-year-old tomb of an Egyptian queen? The tomb of Queen Meresankh III was discovered in 1927 and now you can virtually walk around it and some other beautiful Egyptian places.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/virtually-tour-five-egyptian-landmarks-180974696/
I hope you enjoy these activities. Take care of yourselves and don’t forget to help the adults in your home.
Best wishes,
Ms O’Leary