Every student, everywhere, knows the feeling: walking out of a big exam with no idea if you did well or completely bombed it. This year, that feeling hit an entire country at once.
In the UK, this year's math exams were unusually tough — tough enough that students flooded social media with one shared message: "that test kicked my butt." And it wasn't about skipping study time or being dramatic. Many said the exam's structure meant you could know the material and still not be able to show it.
Here's why: the questions were worded differently than in past years. If a student got stuck on the first part of a question, they couldn't move on to the rest — like having the perfect ice cream sundae recipe, but the ice cream and toppings are locked in a vault guarded by a saber-toothed parabola.
Not everyone agreed the test was actually harder. Some math experts said the calculations themselves were standard, and students should have been able to solve them. So who's right?
It's not really a students vs. experts argument. When exam boards set the grades for a test like this, they review a wide range of evidence to make sure students end up with fair results — not just the raw difficulty of the questions. The organization that oversees UK exams also said it will keep a close eye on this one going forward.
The UK wants to see more hedgehogs, and it’s not because hedgehogs are incredibly cute. Well, not just because of that. The UK’s hedgehog population is in dangerous decline, but part of the solution could be an AI tool called Tessera that uses satellite images to help build a map of hedgehog habitats.
Before Tessera can work its magic, it needs some input. Researchers need to find and learn hedgehogs’ preferred environments by identifying the habitat’s fingerprint. A fingerprint, in this case, is a pattern or collection of characteristics generally found in hedgehog habitats. Maybe your habitat fingerprint would include a freezer full of ice cream and trampoline floors! It has nothing to do with actual fingers, even though that would be a great excuse to spend all day looking at hedgehog paws.
Researchers do their field work in small areas, then input their findings into the software that can extrapolate, show where the other similar habitats are, and record changes over time. The project will hopefully help us learn about where hedgehogs live, how we can help them survive, and how we can set up our homes to comfortably accommodate a hedgehog houseguest.
Hint: fair doesn't mean always mean equal! Talk to your class about what fairness really means through the Bluey episode "Ice Cream." The lesson includes printables for three activities in which kids take turns playing with toys, pretend to be patients visiting a doctor's office (where everyone gets the same treatment!), and plan a pretend picnic.
Ice Cream Episode Summary: Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
Watch the episode here! (Click here to watch in Australia.)
We've all had daydreams of the biggest, bestest party ever! What does your dream party look like, kiddo? Design the invitation by writing your name, filling in how old you will be, draw yourself playing a game, and more. Then plan the menu (sausage and ice cream?), circle the best place for your party (park or play place?), and check off some of the awesome stuff you'll get up to (play charades or musical statues?).
Ice creammm — extra big size. How tasty can you make it look, squirt? You could doodle pink swirls as raspberry cream, draw on some yummy toppings, or do criss-cross patterns to make a waffle cone.
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 46 "Ice Cream": Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
The Tradies (Sparky and Chippy) are buying ice creams. Don't forget the sprinkles! Color the van and then your own favorite flavor. Is it strawberry, rocky road, or baked bean?
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 46 "Ice Cream": Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
In A Berry Special Yule Log, discover Essex, England, where Dougie is making a chocolate yule log for Christmas, using red currants as his secret ingredient. Red currants are small, tart berries that are used in desserts like jams and ice cream. After baking the yule log with cocoa and eggs, Dougie decorates a Christmas-themed table. Will his friends like the treat made with red currants? This video is excerpted from BBC's My World Kitchen, where young chefs create special recipes that honor their heritage and celebrate their roots.
Every student, everywhere, knows the feeling: walking out of a big exam with no idea if you did well or completely bombed it. This year, that feeling hit an entire country at once.
In the UK, this year's math exams were unusually tough — tough enough that students flooded social media with one shared message: "that test kicked my butt." And it wasn't about skipping study time or being dramatic. Many said the exam's structure meant you could know the material and still not be able to show it.
Here's why: the questions were worded differently than in past years. If a student got stuck on the first part of a question, they couldn't move on to the rest — like having the perfect ice cream sundae recipe, but the ice cream and toppings are locked in a vault guarded by a saber-toothed parabola.
Not everyone agreed the test was actually harder. Some math experts said the calculations themselves were standard, and students should have been able to solve them. So who's right?
It's not really a students vs. experts argument. When exam boards set the grades for a test like this, they review a wide range of evidence to make sure students end up with fair results — not just the raw difficulty of the questions. The organization that oversees UK exams also said it will keep a close eye on this one going forward.
The UK wants to see more hedgehogs, and it’s not because hedgehogs are incredibly cute. Well, not just because of that. The UK’s hedgehog population is in dangerous decline, but part of the solution could be an AI tool called Tessera that uses satellite images to help build a map of hedgehog habitats.
Before Tessera can work its magic, it needs some input. Researchers need to find and learn hedgehogs’ preferred environments by identifying the habitat’s fingerprint. A fingerprint, in this case, is a pattern or collection of characteristics generally found in hedgehog habitats. Maybe your habitat fingerprint would include a freezer full of ice cream and trampoline floors! It has nothing to do with actual fingers, even though that would be a great excuse to spend all day looking at hedgehog paws.
Researchers do their field work in small areas, then input their findings into the software that can extrapolate, show where the other similar habitats are, and record changes over time. The project will hopefully help us learn about where hedgehogs live, how we can help them survive, and how we can set up our homes to comfortably accommodate a hedgehog houseguest.
Hint: fair doesn't mean always mean equal! Talk to your class about what fairness really means through the Bluey episode "Ice Cream." The lesson includes printables for three activities in which kids take turns playing with toys, pretend to be patients visiting a doctor's office (where everyone gets the same treatment!), and plan a pretend picnic.
Ice Cream Episode Summary: Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
Watch the episode here! (Click here to watch in Australia.)
We've all had daydreams of the biggest, bestest party ever! What does your dream party look like, kiddo? Design the invitation by writing your name, filling in how old you will be, draw yourself playing a game, and more. Then plan the menu (sausage and ice cream?), circle the best place for your party (park or play place?), and check off some of the awesome stuff you'll get up to (play charades or musical statues?).
Ice creammm — extra big size. How tasty can you make it look, squirt? You could doodle pink swirls as raspberry cream, draw on some yummy toppings, or do criss-cross patterns to make a waffle cone.
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 46 "Ice Cream": Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
The Tradies (Sparky and Chippy) are buying ice creams. Don't forget the sprinkles! Color the van and then your own favorite flavor. Is it strawberry, rocky road, or baked bean?
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 46 "Ice Cream": Bluey and Bingo want a lick of each other’s ice cream. But they are so focused on making sure each lick is fair, they don’t notice their ice creams are melting.
In A Berry Special Yule Log, discover Essex, England, where Dougie is making a chocolate yule log for Christmas, using red currants as his secret ingredient. Red currants are small, tart berries that are used in desserts like jams and ice cream. After baking the yule log with cocoa and eggs, Dougie decorates a Christmas-themed table. Will his friends like the treat made with red currants? This video is excerpted from BBC's My World Kitchen, where young chefs create special recipes that honor their heritage and celebrate their roots.