19 Jun 2012

Prince William speaks out against rhino poaching

Jack Trelawny's Story House - Prince William speaks out against rhino poaching
Prince William with a black rhino
The Emperor's Rhinoceros is the first book in my new Thirteen Things series. At the beginning of this story, which happens 500 years ago in India and is inspired by the true story of a real object, there is a rhino hunt. The hunting of rhinos for their horns has been going on for a very long time in both India and Africa. Today, some people and organisations are trying to stop the hunting before the rhinos become extinct.

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, paid a visit a few day ago to Port Lympne Animal Park to lend his support for an historic airlift of three rare Black Rhinos - Zawardi, Monduli, and Grumeti - which took place over the weekend from Kent to Mkomazi National Park in northern Tanzania.
The three rhinos are called Zawardi, Monduli, and Grumeti
The duke is Royal Patron of Tusk Trust, one of the groups involved in the relocation.
He gave a rare interview to speak out about the scale of poaching currently taking place across Africa - calling those who knowingly take part "extremely ignorant, selfish and utterly wrong".
The rhinos were flown from UK to Tanzania on a special DHL aeroplane
BBC Reporter, Kate Silverton, went to speak to the duke at the wildlife park as preparations were being made to relocate the three black rhinos to Tanzania.
The rhinos arrive in Tanzania
Prince William said that, along with elephants, rhino are the most heavily poached animals in the world, with "two rhino currently killed each day in South Africa alone'.

"If we don't do something about them it's going to be a tragic loss for everyone."

Click here to watch a video of Prince William's full interview with the BBC

Other links:

IDEA 1: True stories like this can give you good practice at writing NEWS or REPORTING type stories. Find out all you can about Prince William helping to save the rhinoceros and then write your own NEWS REPORT.

IDEA 2: True stories like this can give you ideas for your own stories. Imagine it was your job to help protect the rhinoceros from the poachers and extinction. Write a story about it. Remember five important W words from the Story House: WHO is in the story? WHAT happens? WHERE does the story happen? WHEN do events in the story happen? WHY do things happen?

I will soon be visiting schools to explain how real objects have provided the ideas for my new series of stories, Thirteen Things, which is inspired by 13 of the 100 objects in the BBC's 'A History of the World in 100 Objects'. The 13 Objects for children can also be seen on a special tour if you visit the British Museum in London.

Durer's Rhinoceros - from the year 1515
As mentioned above, the first story in the new Thirteen Things series will be called, The Emperor's Rhinoceros. On the free school visits, I'll be showing the children how I took the true story of the real object, Durer's Rhinoceros, and turned it into a fictional story. Then teachers will be able to go straight from the talk back to class to look at the BBC website Lesson Plan (one lesson plan for each of the 13 Objects).


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See you next time in the Story House.

Happy writing... and reading!

Jack
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14 Jun 2012

Ideas for kids - Child golfers compete in US Open

Jack Trelawny's Story House - Ideas for kids - Child golfers compete in US Open Championship
Andy Zhang of China - age 14
Andy Zhang today became the youngest player to qualify to play in the US Open Golf Championship. He is just 14 years old.
Lexi Thompson - age 12 
Andy isn't the first child to play in a major golf tournament. Lexi Thompson qualified for the US Women's Open Golf Championship when she was just 12 years old!

IDEA 1: True stories like this can give you good practice at writing NEWS or REPORTING type stories. Find out all you can about Andy Zhang or Lexi Thompson and then write about how they came to be so good at their sport.

IDEA 2: True stories like this can give you ideas for your own stories. Imagine you were so good at your favourite sport that you could play against the adults. Write a story about how you started and practised and became the best you could be. Ask questions to help with the ideas. What are the obstacles and challenges? What does it feel like to compete and win... or lose? Do you have a rival who is your own age?


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See you next time in the Story House.

Happy writing... and reading!

Jack
Links...
 

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Location: Skyline Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA

13 Jun 2012

Ideas for schools - Get Set - World Sport Day - 25 June 2012

Ideas for schools - Get Set - World Sport Day - 25 June 2012

Opening ceremony
Get Set - the official London 2012 education programme
I visited Tree Tops Academy in Maidstone, Kent, today to give a talk about creative writing and my Kernowland in Erthwurld books.
Get set for World Sport Day
After the talk and booksigning session, I noticed the school was preparing for World Sport Day. They told me there are lots of resources for schools on the Get Set website. Below is some more information if your school would like to take part. If so, you'll have to get going... only 11 days to go!
Fun with flags
London 2012 World Sport Day, presented by Lloyds TSB, on Monday 25 June 2012 will see thousands of schools and colleges across the UK celebrating the athletes and cultures of the world. It’s the final, UK-wide Get Set event before the London 2012 Games begin – make sure you don’t miss out on the fun.
Global showcase
From Bollywood dancing to knitting a huge Chilean flag, preparations by schools and communities are well underway for a fantastic London 2012 World Sport Day. Schools are encouraged to stage their own World Sport Day opening ceremony, to create the flags of the teams they’ll be supporting in inventive ways, and to showcase sports, music, dance, languages and food of the world.
Get Set videos
As the opening day of Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week, London 2012 World Sport Day can get your week off to a great start and add an international flavour to your week of school sport activities.

Decorate
Request your event pack now!
So your World Sport Day plans are underway...but how are you going to decorate your celebration? Your school can request a World Sport Day Event Pack which contains branded posters and stickers to help make your school look fantastic. The event pack will be sent to your school so the decorations can begin.

More Get Set links
World Sport Day - Overview
Get Set home page

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See you next time in the Story House.

Happy writing... and reading!

Jack
Links...
 
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8 Jun 2012

Ideas for schools and kids - Father's Day - Free animated eCards from Yahoo!

Ideas for schools and kids - Father's Day - Free animated eCards from Yahoo!

Father’s Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, on the third Sunday of June.
This year, 2012, Father's Day will be celebrated on 17th June in these three countries.
It is a special day to honour fathers and father figures, such as grandfathers and fathers-in-law.
Lots of people make a special effort to visit their fathers or to send them a card or gifts.
If you would like to send an online animated eCard, Yahoo! have a selection of free-to-send Father's Day eCards here: Free Yahoo! animated Father's Day eCards

More about Father's Day: Argentina, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Mexico, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, and Venezuela also celebrate Father's Day. In Australia and New Zealand, Father’s Day is on the first Sunday in September. In Thailand, it is celebrated on December 5, which is the birthday of the country’s king. Brazilian dads are honoured on the second Sunday of August.

Even more about Father's Day.

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See you next time in the Story House.

Happy writing... and reading!

Jack
Links...
 

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Location: United Kingdom
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