Friday, May 26, 2023
It’s National Sorry Day; A cow on the mooove; the world says goodbye to Tina Turner; and going for gold at the ESports Olympics.
LINKS
National Sorry Day & National Reconciliation Week
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-sorry-day-2020/
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/
The Voice Referendum
https://www.aec.gov.au/referendums/
Cow on a motorway
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-65642955
Olympic ESports series
https://olympics.com/en/esports/olympic-esports-series/
Exeter Public School Podcast
https://exeterpublic.podbean.com/
Kids + Media Survey Results: https://www.squizkids.com.au/aussie-kids-media-results/
Squiz Kids Book Club: https://www.squizkids.com.au/book_club/april-2023/
Classroom Companion:
Teachers! Want to access free, curriculum-aligned classroom resources tied to the daily podcast? Sign up to be a Squiz Kids Classroom and download the Classroom Companion each day. Made by teachers for teachers, differentiated to suit all primary school ability levels. And did we mention it’s free?
Newshounds
Get started on our free media literacy resource for classrooms
www.squizkids.com.au/newshounds
Stay up to date with us on our Squiz Kids Instagram!
Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Complete the form on our Squiz Kids website. Link: SHOUT OUTS or / send us an email at [email protected]
THE LOWDOWN
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Today, around the country, is National Sorry Day – and this weekend marks the start of what’s called Reconciliation Week. And with so much news around about a referendum on something called The Indigenous Voice to Parliament – it’s time we all got our heads around it.
Let’s start with National Sorry Day … 26 years ago today, a report was handed in to Federal Parliament in Canberra called ‘Bringing Them Home’. It told the stories of the many Aboriginal children who were taken away from their mums and dads and sent to live with white families – something, if you can believe it, that was official government policy many decades ago – long before you were born.
Those people became known as the Stolen Generations.
As you can imagine: being separated from their families very often caused those kids – and the adults they would become – a great deal of pain.
Happily, it’s not something that happens anymore. But it’s nevertheless important to remember those people whose lives were, in many instances, devastated by it.
Because as we all know: acknowledging when you’ve done something wrong and saying sorry is really important.
There will be official events today to mark National Sorry Day. And starting tomorrow, Reconciliation Week kicks off – which is a week to look ahead – to take stock of the relationship between modern Australia and the traditional custodians of our country – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – and work on ways to improve that relationship. That’s what reconciliation means: bringing people together.
One thing you will already have heard a lot about in the news – and you will only continue to hear more about – is something called The Voice.
And no, I’m not talking about the TV show with Delta Goodrem. It’s a referendum – or vote – that will take place later this year in which every Australian will be asked whether to change the Australian Constitution to give Aboriginal people a say in government affairs that impact them and their communities.
I’ve stuck links to lots of resources in today’s episode notes if you want to explore these issues further – because it’s good to be informed. And we’re in the process of producing a Squiz Kids Shortcut explaining The Voice which we’ll publish as soon as we can.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops. And today we’ve landed in the American state of Michigan, where watch out – there was a cow on the mooove. (DAD JOKE ALARM) … oops – there goes the dad joke alarm. Settle in, there’s going to be plenty of them …
Drivers were udderly surprised (DAD JOKE ALARM), when a huge bovine started galloping down a busy 6 lane freeway. Luckily it was going in the same direction as the traffic.
And behind the cow – was a real life cowboy with a lasso – trying to capture it.
And while the steaks were high….(DAD JOKE ALARM) .. the quick-thinking cowboy got his lasso over the cow first try .. bringing her to a safe stop. I’ve stuck a link to video of it all in today’s episode notes.
What a news story … now I think I’m quite the cowmedien. (DAD JOKE ALARM) – ah come on, it was asking for it!
POP CULTURE CORNER
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Have your parents been making you listen to songs like Simply The Best, Proud Mary and Nutbush City Limits for the past 24 hours?
Did you watch the news last night on the TV and wonder who this Tina Turner person was they were all talking about so much?
Let me get you up to speed. Tina Turner, who passed away early yesterday morning at the age of 83, was one of the most dynamic performers of the 70s, 80s and 90s.
Tina was known for her booty shaking long before Beyonce. And she put her life in her lyrics, exactly as Taylor Swift does today.
Aside from being an earth shaking singer and sensational dancer, she is also being remembered for her life outside of the spotlight. Tina had lots of difficulties and struggles in her life. She had a tough childhood, but with resilience, she overcame this to become one of the most successful show stopping performers of our era. And while we’ll miss her in this world, we should count ourselves lucky that we’ll always have her music to remind us of just how good she was.
SPORT TIME
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Are you guys ready for another busy weekend of sports? AFL, NRL, netball, basketball or A-League … whatever your sport – the competitions are heating up.
But it’s the countdown to the ESports Olympics that has our attention today. Why? Because it’s only four weeks until gamers from all over the world gather together in Singapore to fight it out for gold, silver and bronze medals.
Yes thats right – actual Olympic medals for playing video games.
The International Olympic Committee – the same people who put on the Summer and Winter Olympics every four years, with athletes competing in traditional sports – are organising the first ever ESports Olympics.
There are too many Esports games to mention as part of the competition – but rest assured gamers will be going for gold in the race for the chequered flag in Gran Turismo, a battle of the moves in Just Dance or by batting their way to Olympic glory in eBaseball or shooting for a medal in Fortnite.
So next time your mum or dad tells you to put down the controller and turn off the Playstation, just tell them you’re practising for the Olympics.
BOOK CLUB
Hey team – just wanted to remind you that it’s the last Friday of the month – which can only mean one thing … it’s BOOK CLUB day!
I’m talking about the Squiz Kids Book Club – where Squiz Kids review kids’ books for other Squiz Kids. Genius!
This month’s books are the ‘Friendly Bee’ and the very cool ‘Deadlands: Hunted’ – … join Catch The Reading bug, and her team of expert kid-reviewers to hear what they thought. And if you’re out and about in a book store this month – keep an eye out for Squiz Kids Book Club stickers on some of your favourite titles.
If you’re listening on a podcasting app, this month’s Book Club episode should run immediately after this episode of Squiz Kids Today .. otherwise find it at your leisure in the Squiz Kids feed or on our website: squizkids.com.au .. there are links in the episode notes too. All. Bases. Covered.
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- Today is an important national day in Australia. What is it called?
- In which city will the ESport Olympics be held next month?
- A cow was on the moove on an American freeway – what did a cowboy use to reign her in?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s May 26 – 65 Roses Day, which raises awareness of Cystic Fibrosis. It gets its name because one boy, who had cystic fibrosis mispronounced it as 65 roses…. And the name stuck. And a great big Squiz Kids hello to Hollie, from Miles, a regular listener to the podcast who wrote to let us know about this special day.
It’s also a Friday … and you know what that means? Lots of birthday shout outs which means it’s time to hit the birthday reggae tune …
It’s a happy birthday today … Micah from Cannon Hill, Alice from Woongarrah, Jada from Junee, Ezra from Yeoval, Will and Rhys from Exeter, Justin from Forest Lake, Mason and Lachlan from Wantirna, Josh from Annandale, Hugh from Austinmer, Lotti from Orange, Ivy from Lilydale, Matilda from Buxton, Shannon from Millfield, Moriah from Happy Valley, Timmy from Albany Creek, Evelyn from Cherrybrook, Iimran from Spring Mountain and HaRa from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
And to all of those Squiz Kids having a birthday over the weekend… Lucinda from Oran Park, Annie from Sutherland, Dylan from Mosman Park, Isabelle from Randwick, Michelle from Balmain, Cooper from Adelaide, Juliet from Eleebana, Marko from Balgownie, Eli from Burleigh Waters, Matteo from Glenwood, Kosei from Surrey Hills, Millie from Yass, Hendrix from Point Cook, Eliana from Sunnybank Hills, Clive from Cannon Hill, Lydia from Dudley, Zuri from Hughesdale, Cian from Rosanna, Elke from Mintalon, Ian from Calamvale, Analisse from St Leonards, Louis listening in the United States and Ayla listening in Switzerland.
And finally … a special shout out goes to teacher Christy Hutt and all the amazing kids at Exeter Public School in the NSW Southern Highlands, who have created not one, but two episodes of their very own podcast – which also happens to feature a revealing interview with myself and Amanda … I’ve stuck a link to their podcast in today’s episode notes for anyone wanting to be inspired by their impressive efforts..
The S’Quiz Answers:
- National Sorry Day
- Singapore
- Lasso