In Sarah and Duck Bake a Cake, Sarah and Duck are baking a special cake for Duck’s birthday! They mix flour, milk, and baking powder to make it big and fluffy — but oops! The batter spills! Luckily, the cake starts talking and helps them fix it. When the cake comes out of the oven, Sarah realizes it’s now the cake’s birthday, too! So Sarah, Duck, and the talking cake go to the park to celebrate with songs and fruit loaf. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Sarah & Duck, a kids' show about the adventures between 7-year-old Sarah and her quacky, flappy best friend, Duck.
The article "A Healthy Diet Could Reduce the Symptoms of Depression" from BBC's Science Focus explains that dietary changes can reduce depression symptoms in just three weeks. A study in Australia found that young adults who switched to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meats showed significant improvement in mood compared with those who continued eating processed foods.
Picture a hedgehog on a hot summer day, and you might imagine it lounging on the beach in tiny sunglasses with a glass of lemonade. In reality, heat can make life tough for hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs are small, spiky mammals that live in the wild in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, including the United Kingdom. They aren't found in the wild in North America. Hot, dry weather can cause them serious problems, like dehydration, parasites and trouble finding food. That's hard enough for any animal, but it's even harder for hedgehogs that are pregnant or raising their babies, called hoglets.
That's why one hedgehog rescue center was packed this summer, caring for more than 80 animals at once. It was the busiest June the center had ever seen.
In places where wild hedgehogs live, people can help without working at a rescue. They can leave out fresh water and dry kitten food. They should avoid milk, bread, grains, fruit and vegetables, which can make hedgehogs sick. As the saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. To a hedgehog, some of them leave out kitten food!
In Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, host Kathleen Turner recounts how Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” became an iconic protest anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Despite struggles with addiction, police harassment, and being blacklisted, Holiday's bravery and artistry made a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Honey Hunters of the Congo, host Simon Reeve spends time with the Baka community in the Congo, learning their way of life. He joins the men on a hunt through the rainforest, where they collect fruits, nuts, and fresh honeycomb from a towering tree using a smoker. Back in the village, the Baka share everything they gather, showing unity as a community. Simon gets a taste of the honey and a glimpse of how deeply connected the Baka people are to each other and the rainforest. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Wilderness With Simon Reeve, an epic adventure into the heart of Earth’s last great wild areas, where nature is at its most beautiful and fragile.
In JoJo and Gran Gran Harvest Fruit, JoJo and her grandmother are at a harvest festival. They pick apples and rhubarb and make a fruit crumble with the fruit they’ve harvested. Real-life friends visit an apple orchard to harvest apples. This video is excerpted from BBC’s JoJo & Gran Gran, a children's animated television series following JoJo, an inquisitive and cheerful 4-and-a-half-year-old girl and her loving Gran Gran, who always has something new to teach her.
“Beautiful on the inside” may be weirdly appropriate for bugs, considering the 3D map of the male fruit fly brain and nervous system more closely resembles a museum-worthy mosaic or a bowl of fruity cereal than the tiny nuisance you’re used to seeing flying around your apples. Scientists recently created this colorful detailed map by slicing and analyzing every nerve cell with an electron microscope — that’s a microscope that uses accelerated electrons instead of visible light to produce images that can be both extremely magnified and incredibly clear at the same time.
The same team previously mapped a female fly brain a couple of years ago and compared the male and female brains to see that roughly 95% of their brain wiring was similar, while about 5% differed.
But those small differences make for some big differences in behavior, including courtship, aggression, detecting competitors, and producing a “love song” by beating the wings.
It's not news (to these scientists, at least) that just two genes were linked to these behaviors, but comparing these 3D maps helped them learn more about the connection between those genes and the specific brain circuits producing the behavior.
Researchers hope the same logic around connecting genes to brain wiring to behavior can eventually be applied to other animals and maybe even humans! This might help scientists investigate conditions with strong genetic influences, including schizophrenia and autism.
A 7-year-old's biggest worry might not be who's hogging the crayons. A survey in Wales (one of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom) suggests that anxiety, concerns about appearance, trouble sleeping, bullying, and problematic phone use affect children as young as 7.
The School Health Research Network — a Wales-based research initiative that regularly surveys students on health and wellbeing — polled more than 50,000 students at over 500 primary schools (the UK term for elementary schools, covering roughly ages 4 to 11) about their physical and mental health. The results were sobering: one in seven kids ages 7 to 11 struggled with emotional issues severe enough that they might need professional support, and a third of kids reported regularly feeling worried, sad, or upset.
The survey also found that 70% regularly had trouble sleeping, half had experienced bullying, and fewer than half ate fruit or vegetables every day.
This isn't just a UK trend. CDC data shows that among U.S. children ages 3 to 17, about 7% currently have anxiety problems, and U.S. health officials now recommend that children ages 8 and up be screened for anxiety — a sign that early childhood anxiety is being taken seriously on both sides of the Atlantic. These findings aren't just numbers — schools are using them to identify where students need more support, whether that's mental health resources, anti-bullying programs, or something as simple as better sleep habits.
Cut out the pictures and paste to make a meal for Four and his friends. Square cheese on square bread. Crackers, waffles, fruit, biscuits and cake... it’s all square! Yummy!
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
It's Halloween (or Heelerween)! Grab your crayons and markers and finish this petrifying picture of costumed Bluey and Bingo as skeletons, witches, spiders, pumpkins, ghosts, and vampires.
Inspire by Season 1, Episode 8 "Fruit Bat": Not wanting to go to bed, Bluey tries to dream about being a nocturnal fruit bat so she can stay up all night long, and soon she finds herself flying through the night sky.
Fill this journal with lovely nature things. Start by circling the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or rainbow-y? Next, finish coloring a beautiful rainbow. Name and draw your favorite bug and then circle all the things you like to do in nature. Ask a grown-up to help you make a fruity rainbow with strawberries, mandarins, bananas, sliced grapes, and blueberries.
Discover the powerful story and lasting influence of Billie Holiday, one of the most important voices in American music history. Students will explore how her unforgettable style, emotional performances, and groundbreaking songs helped shape jazz culture while shining a light on the realities of segregation and racism in the United States.
This Kahoot examines Holiday’s life and music, including the rise of jazz clubs during the Harlem Renaissance, the challenges Black performers faced during segregation, and the impact of her famous protest song, "Strange Fruit." Students will build listening skills, expand vocabulary, and deepen their understanding of how music can inspire awareness, emotion, and social change.
Watch the related BBC videos (for mature viewers), Billie Holiday, a Voice Against Injustice and Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, then invite your Grade 9–12 students to test their knowledge and explore the powerful connection between music, history, and culture.
In Sarah and Duck Bake a Cake, Sarah and Duck are baking a special cake for Duck’s birthday! They mix flour, milk, and baking powder to make it big and fluffy — but oops! The batter spills! Luckily, the cake starts talking and helps them fix it. When the cake comes out of the oven, Sarah realizes it’s now the cake’s birthday, too! So Sarah, Duck, and the talking cake go to the park to celebrate with songs and fruit loaf. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Sarah & Duck, a kids' show about the adventures between 7-year-old Sarah and her quacky, flappy best friend, Duck.
The article "A Healthy Diet Could Reduce the Symptoms of Depression" from BBC's Science Focus explains that dietary changes can reduce depression symptoms in just three weeks. A study in Australia found that young adults who switched to a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meats showed significant improvement in mood compared with those who continued eating processed foods.
Picture a hedgehog on a hot summer day, and you might imagine it lounging on the beach in tiny sunglasses with a glass of lemonade. In reality, heat can make life tough for hedgehogs.
Hedgehogs are small, spiky mammals that live in the wild in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe, including the United Kingdom. They aren't found in the wild in North America. Hot, dry weather can cause them serious problems, like dehydration, parasites and trouble finding food. That's hard enough for any animal, but it's even harder for hedgehogs that are pregnant or raising their babies, called hoglets.
That's why one hedgehog rescue center was packed this summer, caring for more than 80 animals at once. It was the busiest June the center had ever seen.
In places where wild hedgehogs live, people can help without working at a rescue. They can leave out fresh water and dry kitten food. They should avoid milk, bread, grains, fruit and vegetables, which can make hedgehogs sick. As the saying goes, not all heroes wear capes. To a hedgehog, some of them leave out kitten food!
In Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, host Kathleen Turner recounts how Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” became an iconic protest anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Despite struggles with addiction, police harassment, and being blacklisted, Holiday's bravery and artistry made a lasting impact. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.
In Honey Hunters of the Congo, host Simon Reeve spends time with the Baka community in the Congo, learning their way of life. He joins the men on a hunt through the rainforest, where they collect fruits, nuts, and fresh honeycomb from a towering tree using a smoker. Back in the village, the Baka share everything they gather, showing unity as a community. Simon gets a taste of the honey and a glimpse of how deeply connected the Baka people are to each other and the rainforest. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Wilderness With Simon Reeve, an epic adventure into the heart of Earth’s last great wild areas, where nature is at its most beautiful and fragile.
In JoJo and Gran Gran Harvest Fruit, JoJo and her grandmother are at a harvest festival. They pick apples and rhubarb and make a fruit crumble with the fruit they’ve harvested. Real-life friends visit an apple orchard to harvest apples. This video is excerpted from BBC’s JoJo & Gran Gran, a children's animated television series following JoJo, an inquisitive and cheerful 4-and-a-half-year-old girl and her loving Gran Gran, who always has something new to teach her.
“Beautiful on the inside” may be weirdly appropriate for bugs, considering the 3D map of the male fruit fly brain and nervous system more closely resembles a museum-worthy mosaic or a bowl of fruity cereal than the tiny nuisance you’re used to seeing flying around your apples. Scientists recently created this colorful detailed map by slicing and analyzing every nerve cell with an electron microscope — that’s a microscope that uses accelerated electrons instead of visible light to produce images that can be both extremely magnified and incredibly clear at the same time.
The same team previously mapped a female fly brain a couple of years ago and compared the male and female brains to see that roughly 95% of their brain wiring was similar, while about 5% differed.
But those small differences make for some big differences in behavior, including courtship, aggression, detecting competitors, and producing a “love song” by beating the wings.
It's not news (to these scientists, at least) that just two genes were linked to these behaviors, but comparing these 3D maps helped them learn more about the connection between those genes and the specific brain circuits producing the behavior.
Researchers hope the same logic around connecting genes to brain wiring to behavior can eventually be applied to other animals and maybe even humans! This might help scientists investigate conditions with strong genetic influences, including schizophrenia and autism.
A 7-year-old's biggest worry might not be who's hogging the crayons. A survey in Wales (one of the four nations that make up the United Kingdom) suggests that anxiety, concerns about appearance, trouble sleeping, bullying, and problematic phone use affect children as young as 7.
The School Health Research Network — a Wales-based research initiative that regularly surveys students on health and wellbeing — polled more than 50,000 students at over 500 primary schools (the UK term for elementary schools, covering roughly ages 4 to 11) about their physical and mental health. The results were sobering: one in seven kids ages 7 to 11 struggled with emotional issues severe enough that they might need professional support, and a third of kids reported regularly feeling worried, sad, or upset.
The survey also found that 70% regularly had trouble sleeping, half had experienced bullying, and fewer than half ate fruit or vegetables every day.
This isn't just a UK trend. CDC data shows that among U.S. children ages 3 to 17, about 7% currently have anxiety problems, and U.S. health officials now recommend that children ages 8 and up be screened for anxiety — a sign that early childhood anxiety is being taken seriously on both sides of the Atlantic. These findings aren't just numbers — schools are using them to identify where students need more support, whether that's mental health resources, anti-bullying programs, or something as simple as better sleep habits.
Cut out the pictures and paste to make a meal for Four and his friends. Square cheese on square bread. Crackers, waffles, fruit, biscuits and cake... it’s all square! Yummy!
Watch full episodes of Numberblocks on their official YouTube channel!
It's Halloween (or Heelerween)! Grab your crayons and markers and finish this petrifying picture of costumed Bluey and Bingo as skeletons, witches, spiders, pumpkins, ghosts, and vampires.
Inspire by Season 1, Episode 8 "Fruit Bat": Not wanting to go to bed, Bluey tries to dream about being a nocturnal fruit bat so she can stay up all night long, and soon she finds herself flying through the night sky.
Fill this journal with lovely nature things. Start by circling the weather. Is it sunny, cloudy, rainy, or rainbow-y? Next, finish coloring a beautiful rainbow. Name and draw your favorite bug and then circle all the things you like to do in nature. Ask a grown-up to help you make a fruity rainbow with strawberries, mandarins, bananas, sliced grapes, and blueberries.
Discover the powerful story and lasting influence of Billie Holiday, one of the most important voices in American music history. Students will explore how her unforgettable style, emotional performances, and groundbreaking songs helped shape jazz culture while shining a light on the realities of segregation and racism in the United States.
This Kahoot examines Holiday’s life and music, including the rise of jazz clubs during the Harlem Renaissance, the challenges Black performers faced during segregation, and the impact of her famous protest song, "Strange Fruit." Students will build listening skills, expand vocabulary, and deepen their understanding of how music can inspire awareness, emotion, and social change.
Watch the related BBC videos (for mature viewers), Billie Holiday, a Voice Against Injustice and Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit, then invite your Grade 9–12 students to test their knowledge and explore the powerful connection between music, history, and culture.