When you join your school band, you probably expect to perform in your school auditorium for friends and family. No shade to Gramps, but imagine the excitement when a group of kids learned that they were going to be performing at the massive Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club. Multiply that by 10,000,000, and that’s a fraction of what they may have felt when they learned they would be performing a Foo Fighters song there FOR the Foo Fighters!
The Bell Tower Beats is a band from Anfield Road Primary School, who had the pleasure (and pressure) of playing "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters for the actual members of the Foo Fighters. The performance was organized by a year three teacher, and has gone viral on news and media sources. Not only was the performance fun, but it helped bring attention to the opportunity to join the school band.
“Flush with cash” might need to turn into “flush that cash” if fake money keeps popping up! Counterfeit cash used to be a problem for mostly shops and retailers, but there’s been a recent rise in fake cash popping up in the home! That doesn’t mean that more of your neighborhood pals have decided to print their own money, or that fake bills are appearing out of thin air, but enough of it is in circulation that everyday people are going to make a purchase or deposit money with counterfeit cash, very possibly by accident.
In 2024, there were 99,000 fake notes in circulation. Last year, that doubled to 200,000, partly because of a rise in organized crime. While the fake bills make their way between hands and households and businesses, people become increasingly reliant on electronic methods of payment (like cards and Venmo), so they fall a bit out of practice of knowing what physical, paper money looks and feels like.
Unfortunately, it’s not always the people making counterfeit bills that are punished. Shops and retailers are hurting, and customers go into banks and post offices to deposit money that can’t be accepted because it ends up being fake.
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.
Did somebody say CAT scan? The Norfolk Zoo is doubling down on the idea of a big CAT scan by giving a big cat a scan! A tiger named Mishka is one of many animal patients that the zoo is sending through a CAT, or CT, scan. Short for “computerized axial tomography” or “computed tomography,” depending on how much time you have and how much you want to impress your friends, CT scans use a combination of X-rays and computer technology to help see inside bodies, produced detailed images of bones, organs, and soft tissue.
To the untrained eye, the scan’s grey and white blobs may look like, well, blobs. But, skilled professionals will be able to see if they show any abnormalities in bones or soft tissues. In addition to Mishka, the zoo also checked out other animals like a vulture, penguin, and sloth.
Their scans will not only help animals at the zoo, but in the wild, too. The findings will be added to the base knowledge on a species or animal, which can be shared with experts and vet colleagues globally.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the Moon’s surface. During the eclipse, the Moon can appear dark red or copper-colored as sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere.
Even though the Moon travels around Earth about every 28 days, total lunar eclipses are rare. That’s because the Moon’s orbit is tilted slightly, so most months, the Moon passes a little above or below Earth’s shadow instead of through it. Only every six months or so are the Sun, Earth, and Moon lined up closely enough for a possible lunar eclipse.
Last September, millions of people around the world watched the rare event during organized watch parties and backyard gatherings. Astronomers encouraged people to bring blankets, snacks, and telescopes to enjoy the nighttime spectacle together. While cloudy skies blocked views in some places, observers across parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia were able to see the eclipse from beginning to end under clear skies.
Turn your classroom into a global exploration hub! This country report template invites students in Grades 3–8 to become curious investigators — uncovering what makes each country unique and sharing their discoveries in creative ways.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the resource includes two approachable formats:
- Snapshot Style: A lively, visual option that’s perfect for quick learning or younger students. Learners can sketch, label, and highlight key features — like flags, landmarks, foods, and traditions — while building confidence with short responses.
- Explorer Style: A more in-depth format for students ready to dig deeper. It guides learners through topics such as geography, wildlife, culture, and history, helping them organize ideas and develop clear, informative writing.
Best of all, this template pairs seamlessly with BBC videos — bringing countries to life through real-world sights, sounds, and stories. Students can watch, wonder, and then weave what they’ve learned into their own reports.
Quick Teacher Tips: Use country studies as a springboard into wider learning across subjects:
- Geography: Map skills, climate zones, landforms, and ecosystems
- Language Arts: Informational writing, summarizing, note-taking, and presenting
- History: Key events, timelines, and how the past shapes the present
- Math: Population comparisons, distances, currency conversions
- Arts & Culture: Traditional patterns, music, celebrations, and food
- Current Events: Tie in informational reading and media literacy by exploring what’s happening in that country today in an age-appropriate way.
Invite your students to explore the life cycles of common organisms with these life cycle sequencing cards. The cards cover the bean plant, butterfly, birch tree, apple tree, honeybee, ladybug, and frog. They come already mixed up, so kids can color, cut, and put them in order. Use as an introductory task, check for understanding, center activity, or study guide!
As you introduce life cycles, focus on key concepts such as stages of growth, changes in form and function, and the idea that all living things follow a pattern from beginning to end. Encourage students to ask questions, make predictions, and notice patterns across plants and animals.
Teaching life cycles in elementary school is not only standards-based, it's also a great way to help students understand how living things grow and change over time. At this level, students are ready to explore clear, observable stages — like seed to plant or egg to adult—and begin comparing similarities and differences across species.
Tiny but mighty, bees play a huge role in keeping our world alive and blooming. As they travel from flower to flower, they carry pollen that helps plants reproduce — supporting ecosystems and much of the food we eat. Inside their hives, bees work together in highly organized communities, each with a job to do.
From pollination to honey-making, this is the ideal quiz to help students ages 8–14 develop their "hive mind."
This Women’s History Month, invite your students to step into the role of historian, storyteller, and researcher as they create profiles of extraordinary women in history. Our Women’s History Biography Template is designed for ages 8–14 and helps students organize key facts, explore challenges and accomplishments, and reflect on why these figures still matter today. With guided sections for important life events, obstacles overcome, and lasting impact, this ready-to-use template supports research skills, critical thinking, and strong writing.
To get started, visit our Figures in Women’s History microsite and explore a rich video library featuring trailblazing leaders, artists, scientists, and activists. Learn about Jane Goodall and her pioneering work in conservation and animal behavior, or dive into the groundbreaking research and storytelling of Zora Neale Hurston, who preserved and celebrated African American folklore and culture. Students can also discover figures who fought for women's suffrage, advanced medicine, and transformed sports. This is a great jumping off point for students to begin further research on their chosen icon.
In Alice Paul and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage, activist Alice Paul leads marches and protests to secure women’s right to vote in the United States. Drawing inspiration from the militant suffrage movement in the UK, she organizes the National Woman’s Party, pickets the White House, and helps secure the passage of the 19th Amendment after decades of struggle.
It may only be the size of your fist, but your heart is one of the hardest-working organs in your body. It beats nonstop — whether you’re running laps, laughing with friends, or fast asleep. This Valentine’s season, show your heart a little love by learning what makes it tick.
Think you know what an artery does? Or how long does it take for blood to complete a full circuit through the human body? Get ready for a quiz full of fascinating facts, surprising science, and a few twists that might make your pulse race!
In Phytoplankton, the Life-Giving Force Beneath the Waves, geologist Iain Stewart explains how oceans are vital to life on Earth, especially because of tiny phytoplankton which produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe! These microscopic organisms feed sea creatures and help turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. Oceans also have a vast network of currents that connect all the seas, proven when 29,000 rubber ducks drifted across the world, showing how these currents link every ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Earth: The Power of the Planet, a documentary series in which Dr. Iain Stewart discovers how Earth's forces can shape nature, species, and even the climate.
When you join your school band, you probably expect to perform in your school auditorium for friends and family. No shade to Gramps, but imagine the excitement when a group of kids learned that they were going to be performing at the massive Anfield Stadium, home of Liverpool Football Club. Multiply that by 10,000,000, and that’s a fraction of what they may have felt when they learned they would be performing a Foo Fighters song there FOR the Foo Fighters!
The Bell Tower Beats is a band from Anfield Road Primary School, who had the pleasure (and pressure) of playing "Times Like These" by the Foo Fighters for the actual members of the Foo Fighters. The performance was organized by a year three teacher, and has gone viral on news and media sources. Not only was the performance fun, but it helped bring attention to the opportunity to join the school band.
“Flush with cash” might need to turn into “flush that cash” if fake money keeps popping up! Counterfeit cash used to be a problem for mostly shops and retailers, but there’s been a recent rise in fake cash popping up in the home! That doesn’t mean that more of your neighborhood pals have decided to print their own money, or that fake bills are appearing out of thin air, but enough of it is in circulation that everyday people are going to make a purchase or deposit money with counterfeit cash, very possibly by accident.
In 2024, there were 99,000 fake notes in circulation. Last year, that doubled to 200,000, partly because of a rise in organized crime. While the fake bills make their way between hands and households and businesses, people become increasingly reliant on electronic methods of payment (like cards and Venmo), so they fall a bit out of practice of knowing what physical, paper money looks and feels like.
Unfortunately, it’s not always the people making counterfeit bills that are punished. Shops and retailers are hurting, and customers go into banks and post offices to deposit money that can’t be accepted because it ends up being fake.
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.
Did somebody say CAT scan? The Norfolk Zoo is doubling down on the idea of a big CAT scan by giving a big cat a scan! A tiger named Mishka is one of many animal patients that the zoo is sending through a CAT, or CT, scan. Short for “computerized axial tomography” or “computed tomography,” depending on how much time you have and how much you want to impress your friends, CT scans use a combination of X-rays and computer technology to help see inside bodies, produced detailed images of bones, organs, and soft tissue.
To the untrained eye, the scan’s grey and white blobs may look like, well, blobs. But, skilled professionals will be able to see if they show any abnormalities in bones or soft tissues. In addition to Mishka, the zoo also checked out other animals like a vulture, penguin, and sloth.
Their scans will not only help animals at the zoo, but in the wild, too. The findings will be added to the base knowledge on a species or animal, which can be shared with experts and vet colleagues globally.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves directly between the Sun and the Moon, blocking sunlight from reaching the Moon’s surface. During the eclipse, the Moon can appear dark red or copper-colored as sunlight bends through Earth’s atmosphere.
Even though the Moon travels around Earth about every 28 days, total lunar eclipses are rare. That’s because the Moon’s orbit is tilted slightly, so most months, the Moon passes a little above or below Earth’s shadow instead of through it. Only every six months or so are the Sun, Earth, and Moon lined up closely enough for a possible lunar eclipse.
Last September, millions of people around the world watched the rare event during organized watch parties and backyard gatherings. Astronomers encouraged people to bring blankets, snacks, and telescopes to enjoy the nighttime spectacle together. While cloudy skies blocked views in some places, observers across parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia were able to see the eclipse from beginning to end under clear skies.
Turn your classroom into a global exploration hub! This country report template invites students in Grades 3–8 to become curious investigators — uncovering what makes each country unique and sharing their discoveries in creative ways.
Designed with flexibility in mind, the resource includes two approachable formats:
- Snapshot Style: A lively, visual option that’s perfect for quick learning or younger students. Learners can sketch, label, and highlight key features — like flags, landmarks, foods, and traditions — while building confidence with short responses.
- Explorer Style: A more in-depth format for students ready to dig deeper. It guides learners through topics such as geography, wildlife, culture, and history, helping them organize ideas and develop clear, informative writing.
Best of all, this template pairs seamlessly with BBC videos — bringing countries to life through real-world sights, sounds, and stories. Students can watch, wonder, and then weave what they’ve learned into their own reports.
Quick Teacher Tips: Use country studies as a springboard into wider learning across subjects:
- Geography: Map skills, climate zones, landforms, and ecosystems
- Language Arts: Informational writing, summarizing, note-taking, and presenting
- History: Key events, timelines, and how the past shapes the present
- Math: Population comparisons, distances, currency conversions
- Arts & Culture: Traditional patterns, music, celebrations, and food
- Current Events: Tie in informational reading and media literacy by exploring what’s happening in that country today in an age-appropriate way.
Invite your students to explore the life cycles of common organisms with these life cycle sequencing cards. The cards cover the bean plant, butterfly, birch tree, apple tree, honeybee, ladybug, and frog. They come already mixed up, so kids can color, cut, and put them in order. Use as an introductory task, check for understanding, center activity, or study guide!
As you introduce life cycles, focus on key concepts such as stages of growth, changes in form and function, and the idea that all living things follow a pattern from beginning to end. Encourage students to ask questions, make predictions, and notice patterns across plants and animals.
Teaching life cycles in elementary school is not only standards-based, it's also a great way to help students understand how living things grow and change over time. At this level, students are ready to explore clear, observable stages — like seed to plant or egg to adult—and begin comparing similarities and differences across species.
Tiny but mighty, bees play a huge role in keeping our world alive and blooming. As they travel from flower to flower, they carry pollen that helps plants reproduce — supporting ecosystems and much of the food we eat. Inside their hives, bees work together in highly organized communities, each with a job to do.
From pollination to honey-making, this is the ideal quiz to help students ages 8–14 develop their "hive mind."
This Women’s History Month, invite your students to step into the role of historian, storyteller, and researcher as they create profiles of extraordinary women in history. Our Women’s History Biography Template is designed for ages 8–14 and helps students organize key facts, explore challenges and accomplishments, and reflect on why these figures still matter today. With guided sections for important life events, obstacles overcome, and lasting impact, this ready-to-use template supports research skills, critical thinking, and strong writing.
To get started, visit our Figures in Women’s History microsite and explore a rich video library featuring trailblazing leaders, artists, scientists, and activists. Learn about Jane Goodall and her pioneering work in conservation and animal behavior, or dive into the groundbreaking research and storytelling of Zora Neale Hurston, who preserved and celebrated African American folklore and culture. Students can also discover figures who fought for women's suffrage, advanced medicine, and transformed sports. This is a great jumping off point for students to begin further research on their chosen icon.
In Alice Paul and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage, activist Alice Paul leads marches and protests to secure women’s right to vote in the United States. Drawing inspiration from the militant suffrage movement in the UK, she organizes the National Woman’s Party, pickets the White House, and helps secure the passage of the 19th Amendment after decades of struggle.
It may only be the size of your fist, but your heart is one of the hardest-working organs in your body. It beats nonstop — whether you’re running laps, laughing with friends, or fast asleep. This Valentine’s season, show your heart a little love by learning what makes it tick.
Think you know what an artery does? Or how long does it take for blood to complete a full circuit through the human body? Get ready for a quiz full of fascinating facts, surprising science, and a few twists that might make your pulse race!
In Phytoplankton, the Life-Giving Force Beneath the Waves, geologist Iain Stewart explains how oceans are vital to life on Earth, especially because of tiny phytoplankton which produce 50% of the oxygen we breathe! These microscopic organisms feed sea creatures and help turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. Oceans also have a vast network of currents that connect all the seas, proven when 29,000 rubber ducks drifted across the world, showing how these currents link every ocean. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Earth: The Power of the Planet, a documentary series in which Dr. Iain Stewart discovers how Earth's forces can shape nature, species, and even the climate.