April Fools’ Day is traditionally associated with tricking people to make them feel a bit silly. This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior magazine, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means to them.
Oracy
Yummy though it is, are we as a nation becoming a bit too fond of cake? Whether it’s the basis of TV cooking competitions or an excuse for fundraising stalls, cake is everywhere. Is it right that something which should only be an occasional treat is now being promoted as an everyday part of our diet? Or do you believe it is harmless and people are quite capable of watching what they eat? Isn’t cake-making a skill and it’s good to be encouraging people to learn how to cook? What do you think?
Writing skills
Write instructions for setting up an April Fools’ Day trick. Remember to describe it briefly in the introduction, include a ‘What you need’ section and set out a series of numbered instructions using imperative verbs.
Or
Some things look like a joke but are actually real, like a duckbilled platypus or Donald Trump’s hair. Think of just such an example then write a persuasive argument exposing the hoax and explaining how and why it was done.
Investigate
Research the origins of April Fools’ Day and write up what you’ve learnt in one or two paragraphs. Challenge: compare your findings with others in your class. Are they the same? If not, why not?
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download in our Topical Tuesdays collection.
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 The Week Junior website.