What happened in our world? October 31st, 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 if you dare). See which department's teachers are the smartest. In this week's puzzle… Another severe earthquake in Italy. Three astronauts touched down in Kazakhstan. Police fired tear gas in Islamabad. An American Airlines plane caught fire in Chicago. Two London-bound trains were delayed because of a souvenir. And a Russian blogger may go to jail for five years for playing 'that game' in a church. These are simple crosswords aiming to encourage our students to ask about what's happening in their world. Why did Prince Charles talk about soil? Why did the Saudis bomb a Yemeni prison? Why did the Croats and Slovenes feel an earthquake and why were a famous Italian poet's manuscripts moved to Bologna? What's wrong with WhatsApp giving users' information to Facebook? As a bonus, there are TWO more crosswords. One asks students to identify the countries in which well-known landmarks are located. Where are Ben Nevis, K2, The Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg Gate, The Great Barrier Reef, and Machu Picchu? The other bonus puzzle is for the scientists and asks students simple questions about physics, biology, chemistry, a little about the history of science.

What happened in our world? October 17th, 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? Thousands of kilometres of New Zealand's coastline was swamped with jelly babies. Some Cardinals were upset about a McDonalds 'restaurant' opening in their building. The price of Californian oranges increased. And the World Health Organisation told governments of all countries to tax sugary drinks to combat child obesity. Of course it's less about what happened, and more about why. Hopefully the students will ask about the news as they solve the puzzle. Why might Russia be charged with war crimes in Aleppo? Why are people protesting about China reducing the size of its military? Why is Samsung's Galaxy7 phone banned from planes? Why is Norway now not giving Finland the birthday present it had planned to? Aren't they friends anymore? And jelly babies, oranges, McDonalds, and child obesity - is there a link? Wait, it wasn't jelly babies; it was jelly fish. This week there are FOUR more crosswords attached to this news crossword, all of which can be used in substitute lessons, time-out rooms, homeroom classes. 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 our staff meetings.)

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? 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? 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).

A set of 5 crosswords supporting the KS3 Geography Geomorpholgical Processes topic (Rocks, Weathering, Erosion, Rivers, and Coastlines). It's a pdf document so it's quick and simple to download and print. An excellent group or individual activity, revision/reinforcement, in-class or for homework. Answers included. (3 bonus puzzles included that are ideal for substitution lessons.)

The World News Crossword is a simple PDF that can be downloaded and printed in just a few minutes. It's a simple activity suitable for PSHE, English, Geography, Economics... Crosswords are good for supporting language learning, for research skills, for handwriting, for logic and thinking, for collaboration and team work... And students will learn about what happened around the world last week... Somalia requested an arms embargo be lifted but at the same time about 6 million Somalian people are facing food and water shortages because of a drought. The US is close to finalising a $US100 million arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Rory McIlroy signed a $US100 million equipment deal and Sergio Garcia hit a hole in one in the same tournament that another golfer hit three tee shots into the water for a sextuple-bogey. The DRC announced an Ebola outbreak and Brazil announced the end of its Zika virus crisis. There was a worldwide cyber-attack on hospitals. The Russian Foreign Minister visited the White House and the president sacked the FBI’s director. Russian police arrested 11 people for reading the Russian constitution aloud in Red Square. They also arrested a man for filming himself playing Pokemon Go inside a church. Germany’s economy grew significantly in the last quarter. China announced a $US100 billion infrastructure plan to boost economic growth in Asia. Solar power is at a record low price in India and Dutch officials opened a new wind farm in the North Sea. The US will definitely lose all of its glaciers in the next few decades (not counting Alaska’s glaciers of course). The US secretary of state signed a commitment to protect the Arctic and to support scientific research into climate change. Paris’ Gare du Nord was evacuated and small bomb exploded in Rome. Emmanuel Macron won France’s presidential election. A mathematician and a bullfighter are candidates for his party’s general election. The US Air Force secret unmanned space plane landed after more than 700 days in space. (Shhh, don’t tell anyone because it’s a secret.) Of course, this activity is less about what happened and more about why... Why is China aiming to boost the region's economies? Why did Emmanuel Macron win with such a large majority? Why will the US' glaciers all be gone soon? Let the students chat about the puzzle's clues and see where the discussion goes. As always there are some bonus puzzles for the students who finish early, for students in a lesson that you have to substitute for, or just for fun during a rainy lunchtime... This week the bonus puzzles are about the Pacific countries, Europe, and well-known world landmarks.

Nonsense Rhymes Crosswords 2 is made up of fun rhymes, for example ‘A koala’s no failure, at home in... [Australia]’, ‘I knew a banker, from Sri... [Lanka]’, and ‘The can-can is a dance, performed in... [France]’. These crosswords are perfect for reinforcing phonemic awareness. Crosswords only work when we spell the words correctly (and neatly). Students learn something rather old- fashioned - spelling. They’ll spend time reading very carefully and thinking about correct spellings - and they’ll want to get it right because there’s something in our psychology that compels us to start them and then finish them. Crosswords also require neat handwriting. These puzzles have also been very effective with students who struggle to concentrate. It’s normal for students to compete with each other and it’s normal for them to beg for the answer to 23 Across before they leave for home. Best of all, students ask for more of them. And when they do that, they’re really asking for more reading and writing and spelling time. And how much more beautiful can a teaching day get than that? This is resource is made up of 5 nonsense rhymes crosswords (and two extra crosswords that will be fun and useful to store away in your back pocket for a substitute lesson). It's a simple PDF document so it's quick and easy to download and then print.

Nonsense Rhymes Crosswords are all made up of fun rhymes, for example ‘If your car starts to splutter, feed it peanut... [butter], and ‘But that’s absurd, you’re not a... [bird], and ‘I like to have mustard, with my chocolate... [custard] and ‘Does a tuna wish, to swim like a...’ [fish]. These crosswords are perfect for reinforcing phonemic awareness. Crosswords only work when we spell the words correctly (and neatly). Students learn something rather old-fashioned - spelling. They’ll spend time reading very carefully and thinking about correct spellings - and they’ll want to get it right because there’s something in our psychology that compels us to start them and then finish them. Crosswords also require neat handwriting. These puzzles have also been very effective with students who struggle to concentrate. It’s normal for students to compete with each other and it’s normal for them to beg for the answer to 23 Across before they leave for home. Best of all, students ask for more of them. And when they do that, they’re really asking for more reading and writing and spelling time. And how much more beautiful can a teaching day get than that? This resource is made up of 5 Nonsense Rhymes Crosswords (and a few more just for fun). It's a PDF document so it's quick to download and print.

A lot happened in the world last week. Some of it was important and some of it was just silly. Most of it is worth knowing about. I hope this week's crossword prompts discussions that start with 'Why...' The US president went to Belgium and ate lots of chocolates and the Belgian royal family disapproved of a Burger King advertisement. Diesel cars are still being sold despite emitting 18 times the legal level of pollution. So much for the Paris Agreement on climate change, speaking of which, more than 90 people were killed and over a hundred more are missing in Sri Lanka after huge rainfall caused flooding and landslides. In Sicily the US First Lady wore a coat that retails for more than $50,000. More than 150 children under 5 die every day in Myanmar because of fighting and poverty. Sailing in the America's Cup began and Arsenal won the FA Cup. In Australia a teenager ran across the horse racing track because someone dared him. Also in Australia, a Jetstar plane revved up ready for taxiing while a ground crew member was still attached to the plane's nose, but in London, BA cancelled all flights because their computer system crashed. Construction work began on a huge telescope in Chile and a Brazilian mother who stole an Easter egg for her kids was given a harsher prison sentence than the politicians who stole millions of dollars of public money. This week there are THREE bonus puzzles - Climate change, European countries, US states... It's a pdf document. 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!!

Where on Earth? Crosswords #2 is a simple resource for use with students - from young to old. Crosswords are a simple task that help to promote neat handwriting, thinking skills, and in the case of these puzzles, world geographical knowledge. There’s something about crosswords thought that makes students need to finish them. What's the capital of Canada? And South Africa? South Korea? Australia? IN which country is New Orleans? Dubrovnik? Sofia? Cairo? Tunis? Did you say Dubrovnik? That's where Game of Thrones and Robin Hood were filmed. It's beautiful there and just a short drive south is Montenegro (change your clock when you cross the border) with a beautiful little sea town called Kotor. Then it's Albania and then it's Greece and a short boat trip from there is Istanbul. Wow!! These puzzles are handy to have pre-printed in the bag ready for an unexpected substitution lesson. Put the kids into groups because people are all a little tribal, and have them compete. ‘Which team will win?’ is all you have to say. They’ll work furiously, with or without their smartphones, to compete and win - and in the process they’ll learn more about the world around them.

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.

Afghanistan to Bhutan - 20 crosswords These are the first twenty countries on an alphabetical journey around the world. Crosswords on each of Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina (and the tango), Armenia, Australia (are there kangaroos on Tasmania?), Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados (do they play cricket in Barbados?), Belarus (does it really mean ‘white Russia’?), Belgium (mmmm, chocolates), Belize, Benin, Bhutan, and of course the solutions. Interesting and engaging group activity material for almost any subject. Supporting literacy, handwriting, research skills, and logic. Or simple homework activities. Or easy but engaging and worthwhile learning material for substitute lessons. BONUS EXTRAs... And there’s more... crosswords on New Zealand, China, United Kingdom, Europe, USA... And a crossword on climate change. And three witty Nonsense Rhymes Crosswords for those who enjoy playing with words and rhymes (these puzzles are excellent for those learning phonemic awareness, for this struggling with handwriting, and for those who like a silly little giggle during staff meetings. (Really!) I hope you enjoy using these crosswords and that your students learn more about their world.

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 (August 6th, 2017) is a simple crossword based on last week’s news events. There are three BONUS crosswords included - all with the answers of course. The resource is a pdf document so it's quick and easy to download and store on a flash drive. What happened in our world last week? The Philippines president called the North Korean leader a ‘chubby fool’ for firing rockets. China and India are involved in a border dispute. An Indian boxer beat a Chinese boxer but offered to give the title back to the Chinese boxer as a peace gesture. GM recalled almost a million trucks. Pearson, the educational publisher announced it would cut 10% of of its jobs. Ethnic violence in the DRC resulted in more than 250 people killed. Australia’s greenhouse emissions rose to their highest level ever. Dutch police arrested criminals who stole iPhones from a moving truck. A heatwave spread across Europe and monsoon flooding killed hundreds of people in India. Police in Sierra Leone banned groups of joggers. It’s not so much what happened but why, and hopefully this is what the students will be talking about as they complete the crossword and go to their next lesson. Why did only two cities apply to host the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics? Why is the Polish government still allowing logging in its ancient forest? Why are George and Amal Clooney helping 3000 Syrian children attend school in Lebanon? And why was Martin Shkreli the most hated man?