What can English language skills teach us about protecting wildlife? Head to the African savanna with Chester Zoo and discover the lives of the people working on the front lines of conservation. Start with a close-up look at a rhino, then explore real-life stories from rangers who protect animals and their habitats.
Read about the challenges rangers face and the incredible encounters they have, from tracking poachers and finding snares to caring for newborn animals and following the clues left behind by elephants. Along the way, you'll discover how vivid, descriptive language can help readers picture a place, understand an experience, and connect with the people and animals at the heart of a story.
Then it's your turn! Use the African savanna as inspiration to experiment with descriptive language, imagine what happens next, and create your own account of an encounter in the wild.
Don't miss the descriptive writing worksheets that go with this lesson!
Ranger tales! Our friends at the Chester Zoo have put together some written accounts of real-life rangers' animal encounters. Read about:
- Waiting to catch a poacher
- Setting a snare
- Finding an elephant
- And more!
Then you'll use those to reflect on how descriptive writing can enhance storytelling and eventually write your own!
These worksheets accompany a Chester Zoo interactive lesson on descriptive writing.
Teamwork makes the swing work! Mum and Dad are putting together a brand-new swing seat. Can you sort out the stages it’s built in... with no squabbling? First, cut out the pictures and then paste them in the right order (use the words in the boxes to help you!).
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 24 "Flatpack": With Mum and Dad assembling the flatpack furniture, the kids improvise games with the discarded wrapping materials. As the flatpack swing-seat takes shape, so does Bluey and Bingo’s mini-world.
Create your own hilarious story by snipping out all the words and arranging them on the page... however you like! What will yours say? It could go something like this:
Once upon a time, a monkey met a sausage. It had a gnome on its head. "Oh, hello!" it said. It felt very silly. The next day a fairy was feeling a bit cheeky so it decided to go to the beach. "Wackadoo," it said. The end.
It’s story time... but you decide what happens. Cut out the story cards (Bluey caught in a web, a spider inching its way down, and more) and put them in any order you like. Make up an epic spooky story to go with the pictures. No matter what, it starts out once upon a time and ends with they lived happily ever after!
Bluey LOVES her new bedroom... but she misses Bingo too! So she’s writing a little midnight message to tell Bingo all about her new room. Circle the words to finish her note. For example, "My new bedroom is reeeeeally COOL or HAUNTED" and "I've moved in all my fave things, like TOYS or DUNNY PAPER." You decide!
Ho, ho, ho! Tell Santa all about your Christmas and write him a really NICE letter. Circle the words to finish your letter. Then write your Christmas wish list. You can also draw what your home looks like so Santa can find it. Don't forget to draw who you live with and what they would like for presents!
Make up a cooool tune and some sweeet moves to go with it. Then dance like no one's watching. Fill the blanks with words from the word back to make up a new song. Doodle yourself rockin' out to Bandit's bangin' beats and make up your own cool rock star name. Put yourself in Dance Mode and give the moves a go. Color in a music note when you've done 'em. Let's booooogie!
It's story time, grubs, and there is some serious drama at the family BBQ. But what? You decide. First, cut out the story cards and then put them in any order you want. Make up a story to go with the pictures — as silly as you like! Cut out some paper squares and draw your own story cards too!
Choose one of your toys and write some doctor notes. Think about:
- What seems to be the matter?
- How we're going to make them better
Plus, get your very own doctor badge!
Inspired by Season 1, Episode 18: Honey is stuck in the waiting room with receptionist Bluey as Dr. Bingo prioritises patients with more exciting injuries, until Honey demonstrates how her tail can wag her body.
Grab a pencil and draw or write a story. Think about:
- Who's in the story? Fairy Bluey, Donkey Dad, Horse Mum, or Motorbike Bingo
- Where does your story take place? Uncle Stripe's pool, the beach, Bluey's school, the backyard, or in a cool forest
- What's in the background? Mountains or trees
You can also decide if there are scary bits, Humpty Dumpty, talking trees, a dragon, treasure, horses, or anything else you can imagine!
What can English language skills teach us about protecting wildlife? Head to the African savanna with Chester Zoo and discover the lives of the people working on the front lines of conservation. Start with a close-up look at a rhino, then explore real-life stories from rangers who protect animals and their habitats.
Read about the challenges rangers face and the incredible encounters they have, from tracking poachers and finding snares to caring for newborn animals and following the clues left behind by elephants. Along the way, you'll discover how vivid, descriptive language can help readers picture a place, understand an experience, and connect with the people and animals at the heart of a story.
Then it's your turn! Use the African savanna as inspiration to experiment with descriptive language, imagine what happens next, and create your own account of an encounter in the wild.
Don't miss the descriptive writing worksheets that go with this lesson!
Ranger tales! Our friends at the Chester Zoo have put together some written accounts of real-life rangers' animal encounters. Read about:
- Waiting to catch a poacher
- Setting a snare
- Finding an elephant
- And more!
Then you'll use those to reflect on how descriptive writing can enhance storytelling and eventually write your own!
These worksheets accompany a Chester Zoo interactive lesson on descriptive writing.
Teamwork makes the swing work! Mum and Dad are putting together a brand-new swing seat. Can you sort out the stages it’s built in... with no squabbling? First, cut out the pictures and then paste them in the right order (use the words in the boxes to help you!).
Inspired by Season 2, Episode 24 "Flatpack": With Mum and Dad assembling the flatpack furniture, the kids improvise games with the discarded wrapping materials. As the flatpack swing-seat takes shape, so does Bluey and Bingo’s mini-world.
Create your own hilarious story by snipping out all the words and arranging them on the page... however you like! What will yours say? It could go something like this:
Once upon a time, a monkey met a sausage. It had a gnome on its head. "Oh, hello!" it said. It felt very silly. The next day a fairy was feeling a bit cheeky so it decided to go to the beach. "Wackadoo," it said. The end.
It’s story time... but you decide what happens. Cut out the story cards (Bluey caught in a web, a spider inching its way down, and more) and put them in any order you like. Make up an epic spooky story to go with the pictures. No matter what, it starts out once upon a time and ends with they lived happily ever after!
Bluey LOVES her new bedroom... but she misses Bingo too! So she’s writing a little midnight message to tell Bingo all about her new room. Circle the words to finish her note. For example, "My new bedroom is reeeeeally COOL or HAUNTED" and "I've moved in all my fave things, like TOYS or DUNNY PAPER." You decide!
Ho, ho, ho! Tell Santa all about your Christmas and write him a really NICE letter. Circle the words to finish your letter. Then write your Christmas wish list. You can also draw what your home looks like so Santa can find it. Don't forget to draw who you live with and what they would like for presents!
Make up a cooool tune and some sweeet moves to go with it. Then dance like no one's watching. Fill the blanks with words from the word back to make up a new song. Doodle yourself rockin' out to Bandit's bangin' beats and make up your own cool rock star name. Put yourself in Dance Mode and give the moves a go. Color in a music note when you've done 'em. Let's booooogie!
It's story time, grubs, and there is some serious drama at the family BBQ. But what? You decide. First, cut out the story cards and then put them in any order you want. Make up a story to go with the pictures — as silly as you like! Cut out some paper squares and draw your own story cards too!
Choose one of your toys and write some doctor notes. Think about:
- What seems to be the matter?
- How we're going to make them better
Plus, get your very own doctor badge!
Inspired by Season 1, Episode 18: Honey is stuck in the waiting room with receptionist Bluey as Dr. Bingo prioritises patients with more exciting injuries, until Honey demonstrates how her tail can wag her body.
Grab a pencil and draw or write a story. Think about:
- Who's in the story? Fairy Bluey, Donkey Dad, Horse Mum, or Motorbike Bingo
- Where does your story take place? Uncle Stripe's pool, the beach, Bluey's school, the backyard, or in a cool forest
- What's in the background? Mountains or trees
You can also decide if there are scary bits, Humpty Dumpty, talking trees, a dragon, treasure, horses, or anything else you can imagine!