This is a one-hour self-contained, informative, and very interesting lesson for students from about 10 years old to way older. It's even good fun to do during staff meetings. Get your department to compete the Maths department. (They're think they're so clever.) It's a pdf, so save it to a flash drive on your keyring and have a brilliant lesson in your pocket to use when a colleague is away sick. What happened in the world last week? A forest fire in Portugal and an apartment building fire in London both killed more than 60 people. Britain's government seemed to be in chaos while the newly-formed party of France's newly-elected president won a landslide in France's parliamentary election. Theresa must feel so jealous. Greece received a bailout payment from the EU and then vetoed an EU statement condemning China's human rights record at the UN. (Seems a little ungrateful.) Mind you, the US president seemed to support the blockade of Qatar but then the US sold billions of dollars worth of fighter jets to Qatar. Climate change affected scientists in Canada's Hudson Bay and seemed to have allowed some new plant life and insect pests to flourish in the Antarctic. And while we're down there, historians discovered a 118-year-old painting of a dead bird. They were excited - historians!! Why were these last week's news stories? What was their wider story? There are THREE bonus crosswords attached to this week's puzzle. I almost forgot - there's fear in France that a severe butter shortage will cause either a shortage of croissants, or a significant price increase. Sacred blue!

The World News Crossword (June 25th, 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are THREE BONUS puzzles that can be saved to a USB drive and stuffed into your pocket ready to be used at a moment's notice. Perfect for emergencies. The World News Crossword prompts students to discuss news events around the world. Brexit. Qatar. The White House. Climate change. The Middle East. The Great Barrier Reef. And maybe they'll ask where Sichuan is. Or where exactly is North Korea. Or perhaps they'll ask why - why is it a big deal that a small rural New Zealand newspaper publish the names of drunk drivers? Or that French bus drivers who aren't allowed to wear shorts chose to wear skirts? And then a group of UK school kids did the same - and how did these stories relate to climate change? The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

This eleven-page packet of crosswords begins with a crossword dedicated to last week's world news and the events behind the news. There are several other crosswords that can be used at any time to support lessons or to use in emergencies, or as homework language activities (or in staff meetings). I've found crosswords work well as small group activities, especially the world news crossword, because it generates positive discussions about the world events. Now here's the thing... I know they're good because my students INSIST on getting all the answers and they chatter for the rest of the day about the news events. India's complicated tax system is being replaced by a goods and services tax. That's boring, but the world shortage of a special antibiotic isn't boring. It's potentially very serious. And so is drug-resistance. New Zealand's customs impounded. shipment of Weetabix, possibly because the British Lions beat the All Blacks. But Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup. An Australian boy was flown almost 1000 km because of an accident with fireworks and an eye injury - not the best way fro him to celebrate Northern Territory Day. 60% of British people want to retain EU citizenship and 75% of the world don't have confidence in the US president's leadership skills (and yes, I know, that means 25% do). A study has found that a commercially produced pesticide has a significant harmful effect on bees. The chemical company thinks more research is needed. A study found that immigrant parakeets are liked by the UK public but that they are causing harm. (Guess what? The study's lead researcher was Mr Parrot. Really!!) And yes, the answers are included. There are some crosswords about landmarks or special places in the world... Uluru, The Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge, The Grand Canyon, Banff National Park, The Victoria Falls... and maybe these puzzles will get the students using their smartphones with an atlas or map rather than WhatsApp or FB. There are some Maps crosswords taken from a KS3 Geography booklet that's also available on TES, and a crossword about Climate Change - what causes it, what are the effects, and what can we do about it? So... a crossword all about last week's news and a few other very handy resources to have in your pocket (it's all PDF so you can download it to a USB drive)...

The World News Crossword (November 12th, 2017) is a one-page crossword based on the events of last week's news. The resource includes three more one-page crosswords - on New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Answers are included. The World News Crossword (November 12th, 2017) is an ideal lesson activity in home room, PSHE, Social Studies, Geography, Economics and SEN lessons. Crosswords challenge students' logic and problem solving skills, research skills, and require neat handwriting. They work well as small group activities or even as homework activities. In this week's puzzle... North Korea’s leader called the US president ‘old’, and so the US president called North Korea’s leader ‘short and fat’. An Australian jockey punched his horse before a race. Japan’s prime minister fell backwards into a bunker while playing golf, an Australian hit a double century in cricket and New Zealand beat France in rugby. And Lewis Hamilton crashed his Mercedes. And Saudi Arabian women will soon be allowed into sports stadiums. Hyderabad banned begging. Uttar Pradesh told Muslim schools to teach English, maths, and science. And in Delhi, a health emergency was declared because of smog. A rocket launch was delayed because a little plane strayed into its air space. And Walt Disney announced three more Star Wars movies will be made. An escaped lynx was killed and a python was found in a drunk German man’s trousers. And zoo staff in Colombia performed root canal surgery on an African elephant.

The World News Crossword (August 13th, 2017) is a simple crossword made up of news events from the last week. New volcanoes discovered in the Antarctic. Less migrants from Libya to Italy in July. A camp built for migrants walking from the US to Canada. Twelve HUGE pipes washed ashore in Norfolk. A Canadian policeman paid for the shirt and tie that a young shoplifter tried to steal for a job interview. The egg scandal spread to 15 EU countries, Switzerland and Hong Kong. Tainted papayas make 100 or so people in the US sick while millions of Yemeni children are suffering from cholera. Train wreck in Egypt. The US president threaten d military intervention in Venezuela. And a Canadian diplomat suffers hearing loss in Cuba because of a sonic weapon. A Danish submarine captain was charged with manslaughter after a Swedish journalist died when the submarine sank. Of course the answers are included. It's an excellent resource for PSHE, Geography, Economics, Social Studies, GATE... There are 3 additional BONUS crossword puzzles - Afghanistan, Albania, and Japan.

The World News Crossword (July 29th, 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. But wait! There's more... three more crosswords. There's one about Australia. There's one about the USA. And there's another on countries and their famous landmarks. In last week's news... China's president announced that everyone in the Chinese army has to support the communist party. Over 20,000 people were evacuated because of a fire at a concert in Spain. There were forest fires along the French coast. There was flooding in China and New Zealand and a suspicious water shortage in the Murray-Darling river basin area that the government is investigating. Pakistan's prime minister was made to resign because of dishonest activity revelled in the Panama Papers. North Korea fired another rocket into the Japan Sea. The US Navy fired some rockets near an Iranian ship. And the Sri Lankan navy rescued an elephant that had been swept out to sea. And a few days later they rescued two more. There's a serious international dispute brewing because Gran Canaria imported sand from Western Sahara - the UN has rules about trading with countries that are occupied (Western Sahara is occupied by Morocco). And the Dumbest News Story Ever Award goes to the people in Rotorua (New Zealand) who have imported mud from South Korea and used $NZ100,000 given by government, i.e. the taxpayer, to do so. It's for a festival. It's mud. $100,000 of taxpayer money??? So... a crossword all about last week's news and a few other very handy resources to have in your pocket. It's all one pdf document so it can be downloaded and stored on a flash drive, ready to print and use in a flash!

The World News Crossword - September 10th, 2017 is a pdf containing a crossword based on the events in last week's news. There are three more BONUS crosswords based on world geography that can be used at any time - substitute lessons, homework activities, time-out sessions, staff meetings (yes, really). Crosswords are good for encouraging neat handwriting and literacy. These crosswords are good for encouraging research on current world events. More than that, these crosswords will encourage discussions about the stories behind the news events, for example... almost 30,000 weapons were handed in in Australia during an amnesty. A German gun manufacturer promised not to sell weapons into war zones and to corrupt governments. And the UK arms manufacturers reported record profits from soaring sales. The UK government condemned North Korea's missile programme. Irma, Kim Jong-un, and Aung San Suu Kyi... Why was so much news time devoted to a hurricane when an entire ethnic group were being persecuted by the Myanmar military? Previously extinct tigers in Kazakhstan, plastic in the ocean and now in the food chain, and three mega-hurricanes. Are these related? Six farmers in the Amazon were murdered by gangs who want to steal the land to farm palm oil. What's palm oil used for? An artist who donated some of (but not all?) of his prize money because the competition was sponsored by BP (er, why did he enter?) Bad behaviour by German football fans in Prague and 50,000 people protested in London against Brexit.

Geography: Map skills A set of TWO crosswords: Map skills 1 and Map skills 2 and TWO bonus puzzles: The India Region and the Australasia Region Suitable for Key Stage 3 Geography, GCSE/IGCSE, or A Levels/IB Diploma. Each crossword makes an excellent group or individual activity and can be used as a revision/reinforcement activity. In-class or for homework. These puzzles are great for stashing away to be used when colleagues are absent. Answers included.

The World News Crossword (May 21st 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are THREE BONUS puzzles (The Mighty Mississippi, USA's states, and a puzzle all about Climate Change). These puzzles are engaging and interesting learning activities. The World News Crossword enthuses students to discuss news events around the world. The US president met Turkey's president and it didn't go so well. The US president then flew to Saudi Arabia where he'll attend a meeting also attended by a leader wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Why did North Korea's leader fire another missile? The leader in the Philippines banned cigarette smoking in public. France inaugurated its president and he flew first to meet Germany's chancellor and then to meet French troops in Africa. And Ukraine's president banned the country's two most popular social media sites. The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

The World News Crossword (June 4th, 2017) is a pdf document so it's quick and easy to download / save to a flash drive on your keyring. Then you have a simple and very worthwhile lesson activity in your pocket. Brilliant!! The primary puzzle is a crossword based on last week's news events. There are TWO more puzzles: one is all about Japan and the other is all about China. Answers are included. There's anther puzzle, taken from the Climate Change Crosswords booklet, also included.

The World News Crossword (June 11th 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week's news events. This week there are TWO BONUS puzzles (Canada and Brazil). These puzzles are engaging and interesting learning activities. The World News Crossword sparks students to discuss news events around the world. The UK election. The Qatar embargo. A Facebook post in Thailand and a documentary in Cambodia with similar consequences. China's One China Policy and now a One-Dog policy. Solar panels on the Mexico-US wall? Crowdfunding's a good idea - to start up a chocolate factory in New Zealand. Homo sapiens are at least 300,000 years old now, not the 200,000 previously thought, which is nowhere as old as the 115 million year old fossilised mushroom found in Brazil. The News puzzle can be used with young or old students, individually or in small groups, in class or for homework. The three bonus puzzles can be used when substituting for absent colleagues or during rainy lunch times.

The World News Crossword (August 20th, 2017) is a simple resource made up of a crossword (with answers) based on last week's news events - and THREE bonus crosswords. This week's bonus puzzles focus on Argentina, China, and New Zealand. The World News Crossword is reasonably simple to complete because its purpose is to engage students with their world and some of the many events that affect them. A two-week-old wildfire in Greenland. A terror attack in Barcelona. A baby dolphin killed because of tourists' curiosity. Venezuela went from bad to worse. 3000 Syrians returned home from Lebanon. Saudi Arabia negotiated to rebuild Iraq's cities. The US president used Twitter, again. Floods affected millions of people in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. A tortoise escaped in Japan. But it's less about what happened last week than why and hopefully, if students work in groups to solve these puzzles, they'll chat among themselves about the stories in the puzzle. Why did Rwandans vote their president back for a third term? Why should Zimbabwe's Grace Mugabe escape prosecution for assaulting a model in a hotel in South Africa? Why is the US investigating China's intellectual property policies? And what's so wrong with an Australian politician holding dual-citizenship?

The World News Crossword (August 27th, 2017) is a simple resource made up of one crossword based on last week's news events and three more crosswords each focussing on a country. This week its Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Japan. And there might even be another crossword for special teachers and their students. The resource is a pdf document so it's quick to download, store on a USB/flash drive, ready to print at a moment's nice. It's ideal then for substitute lessons, PSHE lessons, English, Geography, Economics, Business... Let's be clear, it's a great resource for any subject at almost any level. Students will learn about the world (their world) and some of the events that shaped last week. Why did Brazil open up national reserves to mining companies? Why would a teenager try to smuggle a Bengal tiger cub from Mexico to USA? Will the EU allow Bayer to take over Monsanto? Did the UN really send a warning to the US about racial discrimination? Why were there big storms in Macau and the US? (Oh and it rained in Ireland, but that's not normally news, is it? So why was it news?) The New Zealand men's rugby team beat long-time rivals Australia on the same day that the New Zealand women's rugby team won the World Cup. The ex-governor of the Norfolk Islands recommended Norfolk Island become part of New Zealand and not Australia. Qatar's government passed a law limiting the working hours for domestic staff and India passed a law banning instant divorces. An Australian politician proposed a national day for indigenous Australians - to be on Queen's Birthday. Really?

The World News Crossword - February 11th, 2018 is a simple pdf document so it's easy to download and easy to print (or save to a USB for later). The World News Crossword is a crossword based on the events in last week's news. (And there are two more BONUS puzzles.) Norway's Winter Olympic team's chefs ordered 13,500 too many eggs. (They could've made a HUGE pavlova cake.) Justin Trudeau got in trouble for suggesting peoplekind instead of mankind. Germany's police investigated a teenager being burnt at a witches' festival. Formula 1 announced it will replace its grid girls, with grid kids, (but is that better or worse?) Paris' Eiffel Tower was closed because of snow. China's police started using sunglasses with cameras and face recognition software, to find criminals. An Indian woman accused her husband and brother in law of stealing her kidney. It wasn't all silly though... last week police in Scotland were called to a farm where a tiger was reportedly on the loose. That was serious. Oh but it was a big fluffy toy tiger on the loose.

What happened in our world? August 29th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's a low-calorie, high-fibre, high-interest, and Donald Trump-free learning resource. Three crosswords in one easy to download and print pdf document. a. What happened in the world? b. Name the countries. c. The Olympics. In this week's news crossword puzzle… a Czech lost in the New Zealand wilderness for a month, the earthquake in Italy, Stephen Harper announced his retirement from politics, A Japanese airline grounded its Dreamliner fleet, the All Blacks beat the Wallabies and many more... These are simple crosswords aiming to encourage our students to ask about what's happening in their world - Why did it happen and where? And most importantly, who are the people affected? There are TWO bonus crosswords. One asks students to identify the countries in which cities, mountains or other features are located. (Do you think they know where Mauritius is? Perhaps they'll ask to see it on a map. Perhaps they'll ask to go there in the next holiday.) And another crosswords on The Olympics. Who won the men's 1500m bronze medal (and how old was he)? What is the motto for the Olympics? Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, in the time-out room, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting if you dare). And don't forget to come back next Sunday evening for more crosswords.

What happened in our world? September 11th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events (and there are THREE more very useful puzzles attached). This resource is a pdf document so it's quick to download and quick to print. (Please note... when the resource is uploaded on Sunday it's priced at £2:00, but from Monday, it's discounted to £1:50. This is because of the site's minimum price and sale/discount feature. So wait until Monday morning before buying it.) In this week's puzzle… A cat was rescued from the rubble in Amatrice. There was an earthquake in Tanzania and one in North Korea. North Korea's earthquake was triggered because of a nuclear bomb test. There were also floods in North Korea that destroyed thousands of homes. About a million and a half pilgrims began the Hajj. Thousands of people in Spain protested against bull-fighting. Tiger Woods announced he will return to competitive golf. And the paralympics began in Brazil. This crossword is fairly simple because it's not about solving the puzzle - it's about getting students to think about and discuss the news events and the people affected by these events. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that iPhones are more than just social media gadgets. They'll hopefully ask about the news too, like why is North Korea testing nuclear weapons when thousands of people need help because of the floods? And why do companies recall phones and cars after they've been sold? How could 15 people in Bangladesh die in a factory fire? And why were 2000 chimpanzees moved out of research facilities to an animal refuge? This week there are THREE bonus puzzles. They ask students to name the capital cities of countries. One for Asia, one for Europe, and one for Africa. (Why is Australia not there? Can the students find these countries and cities on a globe or a map? Your classroom does have a globe, right? Globes and world maps should be in all classrooms, not just Geography rooms, right?) All of these puzzles can be used with a wide range of students, from middle to secondary school, and in a wide range of subjects. They're good for PSHE and homeroom situations, for Social Studies or English classes, for students with ADHD or handwriting issues, for students in a time-out situation, for homework... and for use with classes that substitute / supply teachers are supervising. Print them and have them ready for the emergency situations.

What happened in our world? July 10th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. (Please note... when the resource is uploaded on Sunday it's priced at £2:00, but from Monday, it's priced at £1:50. This is because of the site's minimum price and sale/discount feature. So wait until Monday morning before buying it.) It's a pdf document. It's quick to download and quick to print. These puzzles work best for me when I print enough for students to work in groups of three. In this week's puzzle… President Obama had to leave from the back of Air Force One when he arrived in China for the G20 Summit (awkward). China and the US ratified the French Climate deal (very good). John McEnroe gave Nick Kyrgios some good advice (sage and timely). More clowns were seen in South Carolina (creepy). Scotland welcomed its 1000th Syrian refugee (very good). The world's longest glass bridge closed for maintenance (window cleaning?). Anti-bacterial soap was banned in the US (why?). Samsung recalled the Galaxy 7 Note (curious). An Austrian politician said that multi-nationals pay less tax than sausage stands (what's a sausage stand?). A 7.1 earthquake shook New Zealand's North Cape (crikey). This crossword is fairly simple because it's not about solving the puzzle - it's about getting students to think about and discuss the news events and the people affected by these events. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that iPhones are more than just social media gadgets. They'll hopefully ask about the news too, like why would so many people want to go from Syria to Scotland and what's the France deal that China and US signed? And what's so wrong or right about a burkini? This week there are TWO bonus puzzles. The first is about natural hazards such as earthquakes and avalanches and pandemics. Geography and Social Studies teachers will love this puzzle, as will other teachers who have to supervise a Geography or Social Studies teacher for a sick colleague. The second bonus puzzle asks students to name countries and the clues are capital cities, or mountain, or rivers and it's tricky, so it'll keep even the gifted and talented students gainfully and positively busy. The puzzles can be used with a wide range of students, from middle to secondary school, and in a wide range of subjects. They're good for PSHE and homeroom situations, for Social Studies or English classes, for students with ADHD or handwriting issues, for students in a time out situation, for homework... and for use with classes that substitute / supply teachers are supervising.

What happened in our world? September 25th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events (and there are THREE MORE very useful puzzles attached). The answers are included. This resource is a pdf document so it's quick to download and quick to print. In this week's puzzle… A minivan fell from a mountain road in Pakistan and an oil tanker caught fire in the Gulf of Mexico. Ban Ki-Moon warned of the threat of microbial resistance. Sri Lanka court ruled that schools cannot impose a dress code on parents. A French hitch hiker threw a tantrum because he didn't get a ride. Someone counted North Korea's websites - there are just 28 of them. The world's oldest library reopened in Fez. This crossword is fairly simple because it's not about solving the puzzle - it's about getting students to think about and discuss the news events and the people affected by these events. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that phones are more than just social media gadgets. They'll hopefully ask about the news too like why is there a war in Syria and why has the United Nations not stopped it? Why are refugees trying to get into Europe? And why was the world's oldest library reopened? Or maybe they'll ask why it was closed. This week there are THREE bonus puzzles about countries, cities, and famous people. All of these puzzles can be used with a wide range of students, from middle to secondary school, and in a wide range of subjects. They're good for PSHE and homeroom situations, for Social Studies or English classes, for students with ADHD or handwriting issues, for students in a time-out situation, for homework... and for use with classes that substitute / supply teachers are supervising. Print them and have them ready for the emergency situations. (Note... when the resource is uploaded on Sunday it's priced at £2:00, but from Monday, it's discounted to £1:50. This is because of the site's minimum price and sale/discount feature. So wait until Monday morning before buying it.)

This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Download and then print this simple and easy to use PDF and save time preparing for the next Economics, Geography, Business, or PSHE lesson. The puzzles are excellent for a lively and informative home room period or even a substitution lesson when the ascent colleague hasn't left enough work. You save your precious time and the students get to learn about last week's news events. The puzzles seem to work best when students work in pairs or groups of three, so they discuss the clues and therefore the events of their world. They work even better if the teacher does the puzzle with the students. In this week's puzzle… Have you heard that if a butterfly flaps its wings in the South American rainforest....? Well, the number of monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico is 27% less than last year, Peru’s ex-president, Alejandro Toledo, was charged with bribery, and London’s mayor said that London’s air is so polluted that owners of diesel-powered cars should be aid not to drive them and there are no leaks from a nuclear power plant in France but lots of air pollution in UK. A French farmer and a Swedish reporter were both found guilty and given suspended sentences for helping refugees into their countries. Renewable energy made up 90% of all new electricity in the EU but there’s still too much coal being used. Extreme temperatures in the past weeks have resulted in many forest fires in New South Wales, about 400 pilot whales beached themselves in New Zealand, England beat Wales in the Six Nations rugby and 17 people died at a football match in Angola. Cannabis may be decriminalised in Ireland and some forms of domestic violence in Russia may also be decriminalised and a Russian millionaire negotiated to lease three uninhabited Kiribati islands to establish an alternative Russia. The Handmaid’s Tale rose on the bestseller lists because, the author Margaret Atwood says, of worries about women’s issues after the US election, the US commander in Afghanistan asked for 2000 more troops, North Korea launched a missile, and a Chinese man was reunited with his family after being stuck in India for 50 years. Whew!

This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Download and then print this simple and easy to use PDF and save time preparing for the next Economics, Geography, Business, or PSHE lesson. The puzzles are excellent for a lively and informative home room period or even a substitution lesson when the absent colleague hasn't left enough work. You save your precious time and the students get to learn about last week's news events. The puzzles seem to work best when students work in pairs or groups of three, so they discuss the clues and therefore the events of their world. They work even better if the teacher does the puzzle with the students. There's a BONUS puzzle that asks in which country or city a news event occurred.