Tuesday, 10 May, 2022

NAPLAN goes online; nude Instagrammers banned from Bali; U2’s Bono in Kyiv concert; and the firefighters who saved exam day.

 

LINKS


Bono sings for Ukraine: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-61373349

 

Sensational World of Civics – Episode 2: What’s an election? https://www.squizkids.com.au/civics/

 

Squiz Kids for Schools: https://www.squizkids.com.au/squiz-kids-for-schools/

Squiz Kids Apple Subscriber Content: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/squiz-kids/id1494238283 

How To Become A Squiz Kids Correspondent: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FH2HA28InnLU6UxE91wrLBAbCMT40Mua/view

 

Squiz Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en

Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Send us an email at [email protected]

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

 

THE LOWDOWN

What are you up to today? Well, if you’re in Grades 3, 5, 7 or 9 – then you’ll be heading off to school today to join the 1.2 million other Aussie kids around the nation taking the NAPLAN tests.  

(CHEER)

I know right? How exciting? 

This year is the first time all schools will be doing NAPALAN online, with this year’s tests featuring cool new features like virtual rulers in the maths test, or scrambling letters in the spelling test – stuff that you could never do when the NAPLAN was an old skool piece of paper. 

NAPLAN tests are a tool used by governments and schools to see how everyone is coming along with their reading, writing and spelling – as well as maths. In education speak, it’s called literacy and numeracy skills – both of which are really important for everyone to have. 

According to the people who set the NAPLAN test, these are skills that you will use every day as you grow up – whether you are searching for something on YouTube or keeping score when playing football, and skills you will continue to use them long after leaving school, whether it is in a job, shopping for groceries or filling in a form to get a driver’s license.

The most important message coming from those who set the NAPLAN test? Don’t panic.

It’s not a pass or fail test, and there is no need for any kind of study because NAPLAN is simply a test of what you have been learning in class for the last few years – meaning you don’t need any special preparation for it.

As the NAPLAN instructions issued yesterday say: “The only thing your parents, carers and teachers expect of you is to come to school and try your best.” 

 

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 on the beautiful Indonesian island of Bali, where some tourists have gotten into a LOT of trouble for their Instagram photos. A Russian yoga lover and social media influencer is being deported – which means being sent back to her home country – for posting a photo of herself leaning up against a sacred 700-year-old tree… in the nude. And for the 98% of Balinese people who belong to the Hindu religion, it is sacrilegious – which means a terrible misuse of something that is sacred – to have a naked body against a holy tree. 

And let’s not forget the Canadian actor and so-called “wellness guru” who also got deported from Bali after he posted a video of himself attempting to do a Maori Haka on top of a sacred volcano… also in the nude. That was hugely offensive to Balinese Hindus, and probably also to Maoris, who don’t mind non-Maori people learning the Haka, but ask them to respect the culture and traditions behind the dance. 

It’s pretty simple, people. Respect local traditions, and maybe keep your pants on in public …

Oh- that’s the Classroom Companion Clarion – reminding all of you signed up for Squiz Kids For Schools that today’s worksheets are tied to this news item in the podcast .. haven’t yet given the 30-day free trial a spin? Jump in now at squizkids.com.au or via the link in today’s episode notes.  

 

SQUIZ KIDS SALUTES

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Here’s a nice little exam-oriented news story especially for NAPLAN day .. Firefighters in Germany received a most unusual phone call last Friday from teachers in a local high school after they were unable to open a safe containing the questions for an final-year exam the students were due to take. 

The firefighters raced to the school and set about cutting open the safe to set the exam questions free. 

The exam went ahead without delay. And it’s fair to say that while the teachers were delighted with the firefighters quick response – the students were altogether less excited. 

One firefighter told a local journalist he got the distinct impression that more than one student would have preferred the day off. 

Can’t imagine why …

 

POP CULTURE CORNER

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Keen-eared listeners of Squiz Kids might remember last week we brought you the story of the Ukranian pop star who recorded a single with Ed Sheeran?

Well, he’s a lad in demand – with news yesterday he’s gone and done the same thing, this time with Bono the lead singer of Irish super-band, U2.

Lead singer of Ukrainian band Antytila – a bloke called Taras Topolya – performed with Bono and U2’s guitarist The Edge on the underground platform of a metro station in the Ukranian capital of Kyiv.

The pair changed the words of the classic song Stand By Me to Stand By Ukraine – which I would totally sing for you, except no one needs to hear that. 

Instead, I’ve stuck a link to a video of the performance in today’s episode notes. 


THE S’QUIZ
—————–

This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …

  1. In which country were firefighters called to release exam questions from a safe?
  2. What’s the name of the Indonesian island, popular with Aussie tourists, where nude Instagrammers have been getting in trouble?
  3. Name the Irish super band – popular with people your parents and teacher’s age – that singer Bono and guitarist The Edge are a part of.

 

SHOUT OUTS

——————-– 

It’s May 10 .. whip out your sequins and prepare for some truly outrageous costumes .. the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals kick off today in Italy .. 

It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Lola from Helensvale, Beau from Rosebery and William from Ivanhoe Public School.

And a belated birthday wish goes to… Sylvie from Thornbury.

Classroom shout outs go to…class 5 and Mrs Hutt at Exeter Public School, Ms Spooners 6A class at Geebung State School and class 6.2 and Mrs Ledlie at Koorana Primary School in Warnbro, WA. 

And lastly a special shout out to Mr Elderton and the year 5/6 class at Lalor Park Public School -who recently became fully fledged members of Squiz Kids for Schools. Welcome aboard! 

 

The S’Quiz Answers:

  1. Germany
  2. Bali
  3. U2