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www.teachwire.net | 21 Virtual visit If you askmost childrenwhat they like about school, you can bet that school trips are high on their list.Whilewe are all social distancing this is a bit of a pipedream, but hope is not lost, since many greatmuseums have some verywell-designed virtual tours that children can enjoy. The BritishMuseumand theNatural HistoryMuseumbothhave great interactivity through theGoogle Arts andCulture app ( artsandculture.google.com ) . Ask children to report back on themost interesting thing that they find. 15 HOME L EARN I NG Scratch an itch Scratch is a programming software and community that is committed to supporting children to learn coding. It’s pitched at eight to 16-year-olds, with Scratch Jr accommodating five to seven-year-olds. Thewhole project is developed by academics atMIT. The app andwebsite are very user-friendly; children can create animations, stories and even games, and there is a lot of help for parents and pupils alike. Visit scratch.mit.edu 17 Camera obscura A prolonged time at home allows for children to get stuck into some more ambitious science projects. By making a camera obscura lens from an empty cereal box, children can learn about light, technology and the function of the human eye. It creates a stunning visual effect and the science behind it is equally fascinating. Find a simple guide at tinyurl.com/tpobscura 14 19 Write a letter For all themajesty of technological advancement, there are fewthings that excite a kid asmuchas receivingmail that is addressed to them. Organise a letter swap among the children inyour class tohelp themfeel connected. Act as an intermediary by asking families to send their letters to school, tobe passedon todifferent children in the class, or try linking upwithanother school. Paper planes There are an abundance of practical ways to let children explore and experiment with the notion of air resistance. Try making ‘good’ and ‘bad’ paper aeroplanes and consider why some work and others don’t. Use this logic to create the most effective paper aeroplane you can. Measure the distance it flies. 18 Harness the outdoors Make themost of the time you’re allowed to spend outdoors. Encourage children to breathe deep and notice the small details of their daily walk. This can inspire poetry back at home. Watch a video of Adisa the poet exploring this idea at tinyurl.com/tpadisa 16