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Topical Tuesday: The Cost of Christmas – KS2 News Story and Reading and Writing Activity Sheet from The Week Junior

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From 23 to 27 December 2020, up to three households will be allowed to meet indoors to celebrate Christmas together – this will apply in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For many families, this will come as a great relief. After the year we’ve had, we really need something to look forward to.

But is it really necessary for the Government to make rules telling us what we can and cannot do? Don’t we all know how to keep each other safe by now? Or is it essential to have clear rules so that everyone understands the consequences of not doing the right thing. What do you think?

This resource pack includes an article from The Week Junior newspaper about the Christmas rules, along with an activities sheet designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.

Activities include:

  • Debate whether the government should have a say in who we can see at Christmas.
  • Write a set of instructions for how to have a happy family gathering, whatever the celebration might be.
  • Think of a well-known seasonal or celebration song, not necessarily from the Christian tradition. Rewrite a verse or two, retaining the same structure but changing the theme to the effects of the pandemic.
  • Thankfully, it seems that we will soon have a vaccination for Covid-19. Research another disease that has been successfully controlled with a vaccine. Describe the disease, when the vaccine became available and what effect it had on the spread of the disease around the world.

Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download here.

What is The Week Junior?

The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.

To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to schools.theweekjunior.co.uk.



  • News story
  • Activities sheet
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