Fun and Brain Food
6th July 2020
Although the lockdown is easing it is still good to have a few ideas for fun ways to spend some time. Here are some ideas.
Suggestions for this page? email web@quarndon-pc.gov.uk
Children - jokes to make everyone chuckle would be great, as would any drawings, poems or stories you would like to share.
Bees Needs Week 2020
Bees' Needs Week is an annual event coordinated by Defra, working alongside charities, businesses, conservation groups and academic institutions to raise awareness of bees and other pollinators.
This year it's from July 13th to 19th.
As a result of Covid-19, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust is celebrating Bees' Needs Week online this year. They willbe sharing online positive examples and ways in which everyone can continue to help bees and other pollinators close to home.
For lots more information, and family activities click on the link below.
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/bees-needs/
Painted Pebbles
6th July 2020
Nestling safely in the crook of a tree, a crevice in a wall or a rock, brightly painted pebbles surprise and delight passers by. They are fun to create; have a look at the link below.
https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-Pebbles
Safety advice: When you paint your pebble be very careful to put it in a safe place where it can't cause a choking hazard for small children or animals: if you see a perfect spot, perhaps in a garden, ask the owner before you can place your pebble!
May 9th
DRAW A MEMORY MAP OF QUARNDON
It would be great if you could take a photo of your completed map and send it to web@quarndon-pc.gov.uk
This activity, created by the New York Centre for Architecture, asks you to...
'Close your eyes and imagine taking a walk from your home out into your block or neighborhood. What places or things stand out? Everyone experiences their neighborhood in their own personal way. Share yours by making a memory map that shows the places that make your neighborhood special to you.
Memory maps often mix drawings and words, and don't need to be accurate. Think about the sounds, colors, textures, and smells that are part of your experience as you walk around your neighborhood. Can you include these somehow? There is no "right way" to make a memory map. Your map should reflect you and your unique view of your neighborhood!'
Click here for the activity:
Adults: to find lots more Memory Map ideas, not just by youngsters, see https://www.citylab.com/life/2020/04/neighborhood-maps-coronavirus-lockdown-stay-at-home-art/610018/
DERBY MUSEUMS IN THE GREAT BRITISH ART QUIZ
Derby Museums are contributing to the Great British Art Quiz. Test your knowledge of our local museums' wonderful collections and click on the link below.
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/apr/08/the-great-british-art-quiz-set-by-derby-museums
In Julie's garden.
QUARNDON VIRTUAL OPEN GARDENS - MORE TO ENJOY ON INSTAGRAM
In our gardens bees are buzzing, seedlings sprouting and the sound of lawnmowers is once more in the air.
As we can't currently visit our friends and neighbours and admire their gardens (and maybe acquire an interesting new seedling or two) Quarndon Parish Council is adding photos to the website gallery for some virtual Springtime garden delights.
Please send us your photos of what is happening in your garden this spring; they can be inspiring, beautiful, coated in mud, compost - all are welcome.
For data protection we won't attribute the Virtual Open Gardens photos to their creators if they show the location of your house, and any children would look better in back-view: we will just title and upload the your photos. If you'd like your name on your close-up garden image please tell us.
INSTAGRAM HORTICULTURAL TALENT
For the Instagrammers: Julie Pollock writes: 'As the open gardens is no more ... Julie has an Instagram account where she shares photos of her garden each day ... 'the.potty.gardener.
Beth Claridge has joined the Instagram community. Her address is:
https://www.instagram.com/m5.etc/
Plant photos from Julie and Beth are part of the slide show on the web site home page.
Send your photos for the Quarndon Parish Council website to web@quarndon-pc.gov.uk
Looking forward to a virtual village horticultural happening!
EVERY FLOWER COUNTS: LAWN PLANT LIFE SURVEY
Environment charity Plantlife would like as many people as possible to enrol for this great citizen science project and get down and really look at their lawns. They write:
'When it comes to providing vital nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects every flower counts. And your lawn can provide that feast.
By taking part in this brand new citizen science action, we will show you how much nectar the flowers in your lawn are producing.
The more wild flowers you have in your lawn – and the more types of wild flowers – the more nectar will be produced. If you #SayNoMow and leave areas of your lawn unmown, you're likely to have many more wild flowers and lots more nectar.
From your results, we will calculate a National Nectar Index to show how lawns across Britain are helping to feed our pollinators. We'll also reveal the top ten lawn flowers in Britain and show you how to increase the number of flowers in your lawn.
We'll be asking you to get out and look at your lawn during the week from Saturday 23rd to Sunday 31st May.'
Click on the link below to find out more and register.
https://www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/
The Royal Academy - Family Fun Online
The Royal Academy has fun art activities that families can enjoy at home. Click on the link to sign up.
Parallel
Extract from the home page:
Dr Simon Singh, author of the No. 1 bestseller Fermat's Last Theorem and The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets has created a set of weekly Maths challenges – just 15 minutes of interesting, fun and challenging material that goes beyond school Maths: mystery and history, activities and oddities, puzzles and problems.
- Sign up and each week on Thursday you will receive a Parallelogram, a weekly set of maths challenges.
- It's FREE to sign up and all the materials we offer are FREE.
- Even without an account, you can get a taste of what we offer by just clicking on the Parallelograms on the left.
- Teachers can create an account and set Parallelograms for their classes.
- This site is aimed at 11- to 15-year-olds, but everyone is welcome.
- We'll be adding material for older students next year.
Brush up your Shakespeare
A quiz to test your knowledge of virus-related themes and characters in Shakespeare's plays. Questions and answers here.
Shakespeare Virus Quiz (Word Document, 83 Kb)
Shakespeare Virus Quiz
Answers to Shakespeare Virus Quiz (Word Document, 15 Kb)
Answers to Shakespeare Virus Quiz
