Thousands of travellers heading across the English Channel to France were caught up in long delays over the weekend of 22 and 23 July 2022. Many families setting off on their summer holidays got stuck in long queues of traffic that lasted for hours. 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
Putting aside the horrendous queues at Dover, should driving abroad for non-work reasons be banned? Don’t we owe it to the environment to reduce the number of cars on the road, no matter what country they’re in? Or do you think we should be allowed to choose to drive if we so wish? In any case, aren’t cars better for the environment than aeroplanes? What do you think?
Writing skills
Imagine a family that is stuck in a traffic jam as they are trying to get away for their holidays. Write a short section of narrative in which the youngest member of the family gets them all to play “I Spy”.
OR
Re-write the famous fable of The Hare and the Tortoise as The Snail and the Caravan. Describe their feelings at the beginning with the family being certain that they will get their mobile home onto the ferry before the snail can carry its shell onboard.
Investigate
What is a fun way to spend time when you are stuck in traffic? Research and briefly describe four games that the whole family can enjoy without needing any equipment, such as “I Spy”. Rank them in order from your most to least favourite.
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.