Welcome to the 25th issue of Katie Jayne’s Junior Blog.
So good to be back with our Junior Blog and so good for you to all be back in the classroom. We can imagine how wonderful it was to see your friends and teachers and to be back in the school building. It can be tiring getting back to a more physical day, so don’t be surprised if you feel exhausted until you get back to a good rhythm with school life again.
There is so much to cram into this edition and we hope you find it all of interest. If you love music and enjoy music composition take a read of the first article below.
Our second article is about a historic and interesting item of news first released in 1957 when the BBC ran its first report on the new Spaghetti Harvest where the weather conditions had created a super crop of spaghetti. The plants died off through the 1960’s through to 2020, but this year, in the heart of Kent, the bush has been successfully grown giving its owner over 2kgs of spaghetti. We speak to Mr Afool to find out more.
We have our usual items: Outdoor Delights, Cook’s Corner and the very popular Katie Jayne’s Book Club.
Don’t forget to get in touch with us anytime. We always love to hear from you. You know where we are info@katiejayne.co.uk.
Have a great month and we shall look forward to seeing you next time.
Sam
The nationwide BBC Young Composer competition 2021 is now open!
It may be hard to imagine that you could possibly compose a piece of music, but if you like to create original music then you should definitely consider taking part.
The key criteria are that you have to be musically-minded, have some technical ability and have some musical influences. If you find that you fall below the minimum entry age, then why not practice writing music so that you can take part when you are old enough.
Take a look at this article on how to unleash your musical potential
Or click here to enter.
Spaghetti Crop unlike any other…
The P Rank Department at the BBC ran a most amazing article back in 1957 about how the weather conditions had created a super crop of spaghetti on plants in Switzerland. The plants died off through the 1960’s through to 2020, but this year in the heart of Kent, the bush has been successfully grown giving its owner over 2kgs of spaghetti per plant. We speak to Mr Afool to find out more.
“I am thrilled with my crop of spaghetti this year, it has taken me a very long time to get the conditions right and to stop the local children picking the spaghetti before it is ripe and ready to eat. I would recommend everyone to consider growing a spaghetti plant and trying to grow their own”.
Mr Afool has just over an acre of land and has managed to grow 50 plants giving him an amazing 5,000 kgs of spaghetti. He is now considering selling his spaghetti to one of the large companies that make and sell spaghetti.
If you would like to find out more please email: got@byanaprilfool.co.uk
What does Easter mean to you?
Easter means many different things to different people. Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although a holiday of high religious significance in the Christian faith, many traditions associated with Easter date back to pre-Christian, pagan times.
The BBC are running a great short film to explain what Easter is all about, why not watch here?
Outdoor Delights
It had to be an Easter Egg Hunt for our outdoor delight this month. We love Easter!
Prepare or make your eggs (make sure you have enough to go around) and don’t forget you can make your own chocolate eggs or paint hard boiled eggs.
You will need to plan your route.
Then decide where you are going to hide the items to find (don’t forget if you are leaving clues which might get spoilt by damp weather be sure to put them into a plastic bag).
Create your clues for your hunters.
Invite your hunters.
Wrap up according to the weather and set off on your Easter Egg Hunt…
To make your hunt more tricky, why not create some puzzles for your hunters to complete on the way round the route. These can be easy simple questions or brain teasers, get imaginative and see what you can come up with.
You could always organise a little tea party when you get back home enjoying hot chocolate or a nice afternoon tea with sandwiches and cakes, plenty of time to chat over what fun you have had…
See here some great clues created by BBC Good Food which you can use on your Easter Hunt.
Cook’s Corner
Bark to eat on your Easter Egg Hunt…
What will you need?
3 x 200g bars milk chocolate
2 x 90g packs mini chocolate eggs
1 heaped tsp freeze-dried raspberry pieces – or you could use crystallised petals.
Break the chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Now ask your older sibling or a parent to boil a pan of water then turn down to a simmer, then sit the bowl on top. The water must not touch the bottom of the bowl otherwise your chocolate will get spoilt. Let the chocolate slowly melt, stirring now and again with a spatula.
Meanwhile, grease then line a 23 x 33cm roasting tin or baking tray. Put three-quarters of the mini eggs into a food bag and bash them with a rolling pin until broken up a little.
When the chocolate is smooth, pour it into the tin. Tip the tin from side to side to let the chocolate find the corners and level out. Scatter with the smashed and whole mini eggs, followed by the freeze-dried raspberry pieces. Leave to set, then remove from the parchment and snap into shards, ready to pack in boxes or bags. You can make little labels with the names of those joining you in your Easter Hunt.
Happy hunting !!!
