Squiz Kids Shortcuts
Each week we take a deep dive into a high-interest news or current affairs topic, answering kids' burning questions about everything from the Olympics to Islam. A new episode is released every Monday morning.
Looking for curriculum-aligned comprehension activities for each shortcut? We've got you covered. And check the episode notes for more resources to dig deeper.
LATEST SHORTCUT
Your Shortcut to… Dragons
This is your Squiz Kids Shortcut to Dragons—the podcast where we dive into the who, what, when, where, why, and how of big news stories.
Squiz Kids Shortcuts dive into the who, what, when, where, why and how of the big news stories.
PREVIOUS SHORTCUTS
Your Shortcut to,,, Bushfires
Your shortcut to… Bushfires LINKS: Australian Fire Danger Rating System: https://afdrs.com.au/ Top 10 fire retardant plants for each state: https://www.ozbreed.com.au/articles/top-10-fire-retardant-plants-by-state/…
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The Science of Skeletons
They come out every Halloween… only 2 per cent of animal species have them… and without them, humans just wouldn’t be human. We’ll take you through WHAT our skeletons do; WHY babies have more bones than adults; and HOW we can take care of our skeletons.
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Girl Power!
Girls are more likely to do housework, less likely to go to school, and … they’re doing something about it. October 11 is the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child, so it seems like the perfect time to talk about WHERE the phrase “girl power” comes from, WHY there’s an international day for girls, WHAT chores and weddings have to do with it, and HOW superheroes and sports stars are a sign of better times.
Listen nowThe Galápagos Islands
It’s home to the world’s only swimming iguanas… fish-eating snakes… and some little birds that changed the course of science. We’ll take you through WHERE the Galápagos Islands are; WHY they are so important to science; and WHAT incredible creatures you’ll find there.
Listen nowMars
It’s the same colour as our red Australian dirt… it could hold clues to life itself… and one of YOU might be the first human to go there. We’ll take you through where exactly Mars is; why people want to go to Mars so badly; and what the Negev desert in Israel has to do with it.
Listen nowBarbie
She’s been around since 1959, she’s shorter than a 30 centimetre ruler and her movie is the highest grossing film of 2023. We’ll take you through WHO created Barbie in the first place, HOW she’s remained relevant for so many years, and WHAT lessons Barbie still has for us in the 2020s.
Listen nowSugar
It can be used to treat wounds… maybe even drive cars… but most of you know it from delicious, sweet, treats. We’ll take you through WHY humans love sugar so much… HOW we use it … and WHERE to sample some unusual sugary items.
Listen nowBurke and Wills
It was the most expensive, tragic, mistake-riddled expedition in Australian history… and for some reason, it’s better known than any other. We’ll take you through WHO were Burke and Wills, WHAT went wrong on their expedition, and WHY they are so famous.
Listen nowBook Week
The first one was printed in the year 868… the first one just for kids not until the 1600s … and Bryce and I cannot agree on the best of all time. We’ll take you through WHEN the first ever books were published; WHO wrote the first book for kids; and WHAT are the best children’s books of all time.
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