What happened in our world? November 28th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Download and then print this simple and easy to use PDF and save time preparing for the next Economics or Geography or Business lesson, PSHE lesson, home room period, substitution lesson... 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. Crosswords are effective practice activity for helping students with problematic handwriting. In this week's puzzle… The Ugandan police arrested a king, Egyptian archaeologists discovered a 5000 year old city and the Moroccan state television advised women on how to hide the effects of domestic violence with make up. The Indian minster of women's affairs said the news of rape and sexual violence is overstated by the media and is harming tourism. There is a drought in Madagascar and snow in Tokyo. Putin gave Steven Seagal a Russian passport. This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Why would a Chinese firm pay over a billion Euros for a website that compares the price of air tickets? Was Fidel Castro a great leader or a tyrant and a dictator? Was the earthquake off Costa Rica related to the New Zealand earthquake? Why would someone steal a baby monkey from a Sydney zoo? Is Formula One car racing a sport? As a bonus, there's another crossword that asks students to name the capital city of the countries that were referred to in last week's news.

What happened in our world? November 21st, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Download and then print this simple and easy to use PDF and save time preparing for the next Economics or Geography or Business lesson, PSHE lesson, home room period, substitution lesson... 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. Crosswords are effective practice activity for helping students with problematic handwriting. In this week's puzzle… What did Boris say about prosecco? The Italian prime minister said he'll resign if... The German Chancellor said she will stand for re-election. A train derailed in Uttar Pradesh. A helicopter crashed in Rio de Janeiro. Andy beat Novak again. Slovakia declared access to clean drinking water a human right. A puggle was born in Sydney. (A what?) Two frozen moose were found in Alaska. This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Why would moose freeze? Why would Russia leave the International Criminal Court? Why would we spend $11 billion on a weather satellite? As a bonus, there are TWO more crosswords about well-known people such as Angela Merkel, Amelia Earhart, Florence Nightingale, and Cleopatra.

What happened in our world? November 14th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting). See which department's teachers are the smartest. In this week's puzzle… A massive earthquake hit New Zealand. Scuba divers rescued. Nimrud retaken by the Iraqi Army. The Germans remembered, the British remembered, and the French remembered. Some of the people detained on Manus Island will be relocated to the US. This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. What causes earthquakes? Why was there a second peace deal in Colombia? What was the story behind ISIS and Nimrud? Why have people been detained on Manus Island? Why were the Germans, the British, and the French all remembering last week? As a bonus, there are TWO more crosswords. One asks students to identify countries' capitals and the other bonus puzzle asks students about well-known landmarks like the Great Wall of China, The Arc de Triomphe, and the Burj Khalifa.

This resource contains three crosswords... 1. World Economics News A crossword based on Economics events in the news over the last 2-3 weeks. Egypt floated its currency in preparation for an IMF loan. The UK Pound fell, but then rose again. Venezuela's economic chaos is causing a mini-boom for Brazil's border towns. Economists have warned of stagflation for Britain. Google made a huge profit in Ireland but didn't pay much tax. Vietnam's government is aiming to stimulate consumer spending... and more. This crossword is not intended to be difficult. It will hopefully stimulate discussion about the Economics that's happening in the world right now. 2. Supply, demand, equilibrium, and elasticities Just as it says on the label... a crossword to reinforce the students' learning of supply, demand, equilibrium, and elasticities. Suitable for GCSE, A Level, IB Diploma, and AP Economics. 3. What happened in the world last week? November 7th, 2016 This puzzle is published every week and is pasted into this resource as a "freebie" sample. A simple crossword based last week's news... politics, elections, sports, business, weather, geography... it's all in there and it's all good discussion material. Excellent for when you have to substitute for an absent colleague. Yes, all the answers are included.

What happened in our world? November 7th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Use the crosswords in your home-room class, in subject lessons, in substitution lessons, in lunchtime or after school clubs, or even in the staffroom (during a staff meeting). See which department's teachers are the smartest. In this week's puzzle… The Peruvians released baby turtles into the Amazon region and two Australians stood on a turtle and posted their selfie on the internet. Elsewhere in Australia a Danish tourist slipped, few, and landed on the back of a crocodile. And it bit him. Vladimir Putin unveiled a statue of... St Vladimir. The government closed schools in Delhi because of air pollution, cigarettes were declared the number one cause of non-contagious disease deaths and drug-resistant tuberculosis is far more widespread in Nigeria than previously thought. Egypt floated its currency and increased the price of energy. Canada's spy agency kept data on non-threatening citizens, their military investigated a mysterious pinging sound in the Arctic, and a diver found an old bomb. See, there was more in the news than Donald You-Know-Who. This is a simple crossword aiming to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. How did tuberculosis become drug-resistant? Why aren't cigarettes illegal if they're so bad? Why did Britain's pound lose value and then regain it at the end of the week? As a bonus, there are TWO more crosswords. One asks students to identify the country of origin of some unique things - such as the rouble, the Urdu language, the RCMP, and kangaroos. The other puzzle is for the Economics teacher (or for when you have to supervise an Economics class).

What happened in our world? October 24th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's low-calorie, high-fibre, high-interest, and nothing at all to do Donald Trump even though he was in the news a little bit. In this week's puzzle… Wonder Woman? What? Taliban members went from Qatar to Pakistan to chat about peace in Afghanistan. And finally some children were allowed to leave The Jungle in Calais to be reunited with their families in Britain. Mumbai police promised to protect the movie theatres. Nestlé suggested the price of Kit Kats in the UK may have to increase. And bull fighting in Spain was in the news again. These are simple crosswords aiming to encourage our students to ask about what's happening in their world - Why did it happen and where? Why did a landing craft explode on Mars? Why did Canada's trade minister walk out of a very important negotiation meeting? Why did Thailand's football season end early? As a bonus, there are two more crosswords asking students about the world around them. Where is Tirana? What are the residents of Italy's capital called. Where is Dubrovnik? And Brasilia? And Fort William. If there's an avalanche on Mt Erebus, how many people would run for their lives? 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).

What happened in our world? October 9th, 2016 is a crossword puzzle that explores and plays with news events that happened last week. The resource is a six-page PDF so it's quick to download and print. (Note that the resource will be discounted to £1.50 from Tuesday onwards.) What was in the news last week? Nobel prizes. Kim K West was robbed in Paris. An Italian journalist revealed the identity of an author. A referendum in Hungary failed and so did another one in Colombia. A woman was burned for 'being a witch' and in Pakistan, finally, no one can avoid prosecution for so-called honour-killings? Of course it's less about what happened, and more about why. Hopefully, as the students complete this crossword, they'll ask 'why?' Why did Russia's ambassador to the UN veto the call for a ceasefire in Syria? Doesn't he care about all those children being killed? Why is the Zimbabwe government allowing young elephants to be sold to China? Don't they care about elephants becoming extinct? Why is a statue of Gandhi being pulled down? Wasn't he a great person? There are three more crosswords attached to this news crossword, all of which can be used in substitute lessons, time-out rooms, homeroom classes… One is about Europe, another is about Africa, and another is about good books worth reading. Print these and have them ready for emergencies. I find these puzzles work best when solved in small groups or pairs. They're good for homework too. They work very well when I have to substitute for an absent colleague. (And a few of my colleagues say they enjoy doing the puzzles during staff meetings.)

What happened in our world? October 1st, 2016 is a crossword puzzle that explores and plays with news events that happened last week. The resource is a six-page PDF so it's quick to download and print. (Note that the resource will be discounted to £1.50 from Tuesday onwards.) What was in the news last week? Prince William refused to greet Justin Trudeau.The Ryder Cup teed off. Turkey shut down 20 radio and television stations. The Rosetta probe was deliberately crashed into a comet. Hurricane Matthew stormed into the Caribbean. Shimon Peres died. Two Van Gogh paintings were recovered 14 years after they were stolen. And Boris Johnson said he has a beautiful washing machine. Of course it's not so much about what happened, but why. Hopefully as the students complete this crossword, they'll ask 'why?' Why was electricity cut in an entire Australian state? Why has the African elephant population fallen so quickly? Why will lorries be banned from inner London? Why is the Swedish government reinstating compulsory military training? And why has the UN still not done anything substantial to end the war in Syria? There are three more crosswords attached to this news crossword, all of which can be used in substitute lessons, time-out rooms, homeroom classes… One is simply about pairs… mothers and father, brothers and sisters, left and right, chocolate and teachers. Another bonus puzzle asks students to identify countries' capitals. What's the capital of Samoa, Australia, Croatia, Japan, Eritrea, Morocco… (and where would be good for an adventure?) The last of this week's bonus puzzles is all about Africa. I find these puzzles work best when solved in small groups or pairs. They're good for homework too. They work very well when I have to substitute for an absent colleague. (And a few of my colleagues say they enjoy doing the puzzles during staff meetings.)

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.)

What happened in our world? September 18th, 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. (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… The Global Fund raised almost 13 million dollars to eradicate AIDS, malaria and Tb while Pakistan began fortifying basic foods to combat malnutrition and Florida expanded its 'Zika zone'. David Cameron announced his resignation from politics, riots erupted in the DRC - protesting for early presidential elections, Nigeria's president admitted copying some of Barack Obama's speeches, and he also announced that his government would swap Boko Haram prisoners for the Chibok girls. And... a man in Indiana posted dead skunks and raccoons to another man (it was something to do with basketball or football). 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 Norway planning to cull 2 million wolves? Why did Indian Kashmir police shoot and kill a twelve year old boy. And why were there violent protests in Bengaluru? 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.

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? 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? July 10th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. In this week's puzzle… A beer pipeline was opened and the Dutch released a beer made only from rainwater. Greyhound racing was banned, a lynx escaped, and a giant spider invaded a camper van. Lewis won the Grand Prix, Andy won the tennis, and Serena won the tennis - twice. Over a thousand words were added to the Oxford English Dictionary and one word, gullible, was removed. And three thousand people in Hull took their clothes off and painted themselves blue. This crossword is fairly simple. Students could use their smartphones to look at the news and so they'll learn that iPhones are more than just social media things. They'll hopefully ask about he news too, like how could a lynx escape from a zoo, did the police help the French tourists with the big spider problem, and why did 3000 people take their clothes off and paint themselves blue - why? As a BIG bonus - there's another crossword that asks students about well known couples, and pairs, and twins, and dynamic duos such as Romulus & Remus, Batman & Robin, Bread & Butter, Bacon & Eggs, and Romeo and...

What happened in our world? July 3rd, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. A lot happened this week; so much that not all of it could be squeezed into the crossword. In this week's puzzle… Mosques were attacked in Florida, Britain and Myanmar and cafés were attacked in Serbia and Dhaka. Turkey apologised for shooting a Russian warplane and Russia lifts the ban on tourism to Turkey. Cocaine seized in New Zealand. Australia's uncertain election result and Austria's recent election result overturned. Hillary Clinton was questioned by the FBI. Nicolas Sarkozy will contest the nest presidential election. Djokovic, England, Belgium, Italy… all out of their tournaments (football and tennis). A Taiwanese warship accidentally fired a missile towards China. A newly discovered helium gas field found has Tanzanians floating on air, but will the bubble last? Or burst? India's police arrested a teenage girl for cheating in school exams. A South African teenager was attacked by a hyena and an American cyclist was attacked by a grizzly bear. 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? Why was Austria's presidential election result overturned? Why was Australia's election result uncertain? Why were mosques and cafés attacked? Where is Machu Picchu? Where are the Maldives? And why are the Chagos Islanders still not allowed to return to their homes (and why was this news released during the week when Britain was obsessed with their EU in-out result? So no one would notice the Chagos Islands news? As a bonus, there's a crossword asking students to identify countries' capitals. There was a time when we all knew these. That time was called 'the old days'. [Sigh.] Perhaps the students will know the capitas of the UK, Switzerland and Austria. But Azerbaijan? Greenland? East Timor? Where is East Timor? This is a job for… the smartphone. This crossword might just kick off some 'discussion' in the staffroom. Or, even better, at a pub after work. 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). Keep the comments coming in - we love to hear how the crosswords are being enjoyed by you and your students. You can 'click-click' and 'follow' us, so you'll receive a notification email when new puzzles are uploaded.

What happened in our world? June 26th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Some will be very surprised to know that there was more happening in the world than Britain's chitty-chat about the EU, Le footy en France, and Donald Whatshisname. In this week's puzzle… Wildfires in California. Floods in West Virginia. In Australia, a 5.2 metre python in a bedroom and a senator in a tank crushed a car. Rugby. Football. Rory pulled out of the Olympics. An anti-doping lab. in Rio was banned because it doesn't meet international standards. Thai protestors jailed. The end of civil war in Colombia. A mammoth uncovered in Mexico. A new president in Iceland. (Do you think Iceland is a nice land?) And something about the UK in the EU not being OK. This is a fairly simple crossword to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Why did it happen and where? Why did that civil war go on for 50 years? Why is it important that a mammoth was in Mexico? And a very important thing to know, why would a python come into a bedroom? As a bonus, there's a crossword asking students about the countries and capitals of the … European Union (of course). 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). Keep the comments coming in - we love to hear how the crosswords are being used and enjoyed by you and your students.

What happened in our world? June 19th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. Some will be very surprised to know that there was more happening in the world than Britain's chitty-chat about the EU, Le footy en France, and Donald Whatshisname. In this week's puzzle… A Colorado mother beat a mountain lion that was attacking her son. Led Zeppelin said they didn't copy a riff. Meatloaf collapsed, which is more serious than a soufflé collapsing. Radiohead fans were beaten, as was the Australian rugby team. Rory didn't make the cut (into the last rounds or into this week's crosswords). Dory did though. A 68 year old Nepali man returned to school. About 20 Russian footy fans returned to Russia, early. Tim Peake returned too. And Reuter News Agency did some research and found out what we teachers already know… more young people read the news on mobile devices than in other formats. This is a fairly simple crossword to encourage students to ask about what's happening in their world. Why did it happen and where? And most importantly, who are the people affected? What's so important about the UEFA tournament? Why ban the export of a valuable vase? And why would Prince William urge men to speak with their families about mental illness? As a bonus, there's a crossword asking students about famous people. Who's the head of the IMF and the UN and Germany? Who wrote A Handmaid's Tale and Oliver and Romeo and Juliet? Can they do these without their smartphones? 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). Keep the comments coming in - we love to hear how the crosswords are being used and enjoyed by you and your students.

What happened in our world? June 12th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's low-calorie, high-fibre, high-interest, and nothing at all to do Donald Trump. In this week's puzzle… A new tourist attraction was discovered in Cambodia. UEFA threatened to disqualify England and Russia because of their fans' bad behaviour. Solar Impulse flew over New York - at night. THere was bad flooding in the UK. Someone paid $3.5 million to have dinner with Warren Buffett (would that be an all-you-can-eat dinner?) Batemans Bay (with an e) was overrun with bats. Germany's president resigned. Facebook's founder had his Twitter account hacked. Walmart in Canada will stop accepting Visa. And most people in Europe and the US can't see The Milky Way because of light pollution (anyway, many of them think it's just a chocolate bar). Oh and ABBA performed again. (Your kids won't know who ABBA is so take a CD along to class. Or Youtube them on the big screen and call it Technology in the Classroom). 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? Who was affected by ABBA? Who wasn't! As a bonus, there's a crossword asking students about fruit and veggies. You may have to take some of these along to class too. 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). Keep the comments coming in - we love to hear how the crosswords are being enjoyed by you and your students.

What happened in our world? June 6th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's a pdf document so it's simple and quick to download and print. And the answers are included in the same file. In this week's puzzle… Novak beat Murray and Garbine beat Serena in France. Japanese officials raided Suzuki. Mitsubishi apologised for using Chinese workers in wartime. The Tokyo Governor apologised for lavish spending. And the lost Japanese boy was found safe and well. A huge storm attacked Australia's east coast and sharks attacked the west coast. Where should Nikola Tesla's remains be held? (It's a 'current' and 'alternating' debate in Serbia.) A monkey robbed a jewellery store in India and a Delhi hospital was busted for a kidney transplant racket. A concert in Germany was cancelled because of bad weather and the Seine rose 6.5 metres above normal. (By the way, if you dip your feet in the Seine and then take them out, were you temporarily insane?) 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? Use the crossword 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). You can 'follow' us to receive an email when a new puzzle is uploaded. But you can also just check every Sunday night or Monday morning.

What happened in our world? May 29th, 2016 is a crossword based on last week's news events. It's a pdf document so it's simple and quick to download and print. And the answers are included in the same file. In this week's puzzle… Real Madrid won the Champions League and the World Cup for non-recognised states kicked off in Abkhazia. A Chinese firm apologised for their racist laundry detergent TV advertisement and Pakistan banned all TV advertising for contraceptives. The Dutch government considered banning mobile phone use while riding bicycles while the Zimbabwe government pardoned and released 2000 prisoners. President Obama visited Hiroshima and a German politician copped a chocolate cake in the face (which may have been delicious - er, the cake not the face). The headmaster and teachers were evacuated from a remote town in Australia because of naughty kids and a big earthquake shook up Western Australia. Donkeys have to wear nappies in a town in north-east Kenya and a crow flew off with a knife - taken from a crime scene in Vancouver. Yes, I know, a lot happened around the world last week! Oh, and the ultimate DIY project was finally finished... they added a spare room onto the space station for when visitors call in. 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? As a bonus this week, there's a crossword asking students to name some capital cities because it's not enough know to what's happening in the world… we should also know where it's happening. Teachers can stash this crossword away for a rainy day. It's a sneaky little activity that lets them use their smartphones. 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). Keep the comments coming in - we love to hear how the crosswords are being enjoyed by you and your students.

Three one-page, 15-question multiple choice tests - one each for Demand, Supply, and Equilibrium. These tests aren't available anywhere else on the internet so the students won't have seen them before. In pdf format. Simple to download and print. Answers included.