Epic Learning Podcast

It's nearly Christmas! And whether you celebrate this festival or not, we have an EPIC gift for you. :-)

But it comes with some sad news...

So take a listen to this special announcement, then get downloading the FULL back catalogue of past episodes, and search your podcast player for Happily Ever Teaching to get 200+ more knowledge rich lesson ideas...!

Epic Learning has had one mahoosive facelift! Search your podcast player for "Happily Ever Teaching", where you can now hear subject-specific off-the-shelf lesson plans 4 days a week every week! Get there before the Epic Learning Podcast disappears... Search for "Happily Ever Teaching" or visit epictales.co.uk/teachhappily

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to teach with this week's Epic Tale for fun and effective learning.

This week's tale is an Indian folk tale set in the heart of the jungle. To discuss the many Learning Outcomes in the story – from biomes to potato printing – Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS-KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Kelly, a former KS2 teacher from Cambridgeshire; and Janina, a storyteller and mum.

Find the story at epictales.co.uk/story/jungle

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! By sharing your thoughts, you'll help others find our podcast – and help more children enjoy the benefits of a relaxed but stimulating learning environment – so please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a Learning Outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out Learning Outcomes from this week's Epic Tale with fun and engaging activities.

We're kicking off Season 3 with style! Korky Paul has joined the Epic Illustrating team, and has launched our first Epic Tale of 2021 with vibrant scenes of an underwater kingdom. To discuss the many Learning Outcomes in the story – from anime to Venn diagrams – Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS-KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Bex, a Deputy Head from Cambridgeshire; and Ben, a headteacher and charity CEO.

Find the story at epictales.co.uk/story/urashima

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk

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The Epic Learning Podcast is back for a third season... and with a very special and magical addition to the team!

In this bonus episode, Epic Storyteller Chip Colquhoun lets you know what's in store – and how you can access a very special free gift just for listening to this podcast...
For further info and to access your free gift, start at epictales.co.uk/learning*

*Purchase necessary. Subject to availability. Offer is limited to the first 400 subscribers to purchase an Epic Educator subscription.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out Learning Outcomes from this week's Epic Tale with fun and engaging activities.

In the UK, the first week of December is National Grief Awareness Week, and in the year of 2020 it's perhaps even more important to discuss themes of loss with your young learners. There is no better way in than the gorgeous Hindu tale of "Yami and Yama" – which will also help them master concepts such as volume, -er and -est suffixes, and more.

To discuss this week's tale, Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS-KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Bex, a Deputy Head from Cambridgeshire; and Laura, a headteacher for an International School in Lanzarote.

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Tale with fun and engaging activities.

We combine our celebrations of World Singing Day and Halloween with a Rock'n'Roll take on a class fairy tale. Discover how the tribulations of Hamelin can help your children conquer positional language, prejudice, and more!

This week, Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS–KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Bex, a Deputy Head from Cambridgeshire; and Rob, a KS2 teacher also from Buckinghamshire.

TIMECODES
Intros | 0:00

"The Spooky Strummer" Excerpt | 2:38

Learning Outcomes

All-age PSHCE: stranger danger; discussing scary topics in a safe way; cyber-bullying (8:25) | paying debts; treating others fairly (13:19) | getting carried away (18:41)
4–5yrs DT, Drama, Art, Music and PE: expressive art and design; dance; loud and soft; high and low; vocal expression; percussion; rhythm; making rat headbands; cutting and sticking (19:32)
4–7yrs Literacy, Numeracy, Science, DT, Drama and PSHCE: "Mantle of the Expert"; counting; estimation; arranging; counting in groups; designing and making rat traps; materials (23:21)
4–7yrs Science and PSHCE: humane control of pests; materials; what animals like to eat; carnivores, herbivores, omnivores; looking after pets (25:11)
4–7yrs Literacy, Geography and PSHCE: Lauren Child's "That Pesky Rat"; "Don't judge a book by its cover"; prejudice; maps; writing adverts (30:33)
7–9yrs DT and Music: music genres; changing musical genres; pitch; rhythm; volume; pace and tempo; musical performance; changing musical instruments; designing and making instruments (31:20)
7–9yrs Numeracy and ICT: positional, movement, and directional vocabulary; coding; algorithms; Scratch; Turtle (35:47)
7–9yrs Literacy, Science, History and RE: habitats; differences between animals and humans; fact files; Plagues of Egypt; adapting to your environment; changing through the ages; Stone Age; Bronze Age; Iron Age; Charles Darwin's "Theory of Evolution" (37:18)
7–9yrs Literacy and Music: poetry; changing verses; intonation; tone; volume; action; looking for evidence; types of poem; innovating (40:24)
7–9yrs Literacy, Geography and Foreign Languages: locating countries and continents; Germany; differences between countries and towns; tourism posters; German (42:22)
9–11yrs Literacy: what happens next?; survival guides; changing genres; Halloween; classic fairy tales (43:29)
7–11yrs Numeracy: money; open-ended investigations (44:47)
7–11yrs History, Music and PSHCE: the plague; Blues music and musicians; respecting other people's opinions; changing musical genres (45:41)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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1st Oct 2020 is National Poetry Day! To celebrate, the Oxford Owl's "Traditional Tales" storytellers have co-written a truly Epic poem – starring several fairy tale favourites. How many can you spot and/or recognise?

Written by Amy Robinson and Chip Colquhoun; read by David Ault (davidault.co.uk) and Erika Sanderson (erikasanderson.com)

Illustration by Heather Zeta Rose.

For easy and fun ways to link this story to a wide variety of learning outcomes including numeracy and PE, make sure you also listen to our Epic Learning podcast.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Tale with fun and engaging activities.

A wide range of common fairy tale favourites including "Goldilocks" and "Beauty and the Beast" are collected in verse to mark National Poetry Day. Discover how his poem can help your children conquer onomatopoeia, changing materials, and much more!

This week, Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS–KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Bex, a Deputy Head from Cambridgeshire; and Rob, a KS2 teacher also from Buckinghamshire.

Find full contents at epictales.co.uk/story/forestpoem

TIMECODES
Intros | 0:00

"Through the Forest" Excerpt | 1:25

All-age Learning Outcomes
• Literacy: Alfred Noyes "Sherwood"; Robin Hood; inferring from the text; King Arthur (3:17) presenting stories in different formats; dramatising; Anthony Brown's "Into the Forest"; storyboarding; new vocabulary; sound walks; poetry treasure hunts; thinking about your audience; hot seating; guessing games; Twenty Questions (43:04)
• PSHCE: inclusion; sharing stories; where stories come from (9:21) | Chris Judge's "The Lonely Beast"; how we perceive ourselves and others (44:30)
• Numeracy, Science, Art: Nick Sharratt's "The Foggy Foggy Forest"; shadows; measuring; shadow puppets (35:16)

Learning outcomes for ages 4–7
• Science, Geography, Art: maps; tree identification (10:37)
• Core, PSHCE: problem-solving; Janet & Allan Ahlberg's "The Jolly Postman, or, Other People's Letters" (14:07)
• History and Art: medieval times; "Take One Picture"; differences between now and then; the way people lived (14:52)
• Literacy: new vocabulary; repeated phrases; onomatopoeia (15:50) | common fairy tales; characters and motivations (25:29)
• Music: rhythm; pulse (19:38)
• Numeracy, Geography, PE: positional language; following directions; marking a trail; maps; orienteering; your local area (20:48)
• DT: designing & making a gingerbread house; working to a brief; joining things; building; evaluating (21:47)
• Art: drawing characters; shading; texture; art techniques (22:35)
• Numeracy, Science, DT: capacity; recipes; changing materials (24:28)
• Art, PSHCE: describing personalities; drawing characters (27:24)
• 6–9yrs Science: parts of a flower (32:00)

Learning outcomes for ages 7–11
• 7–9yrs Literacy: writing poems and verses; fast poems; repeated phrases (32:32) | Kennings; riddles; decoding texts (37:19)
• 7–9yrs DT, Art: JK Rowling's "Harry Potter"; creating a forest (37:38)
• 7–9yrs History: Ancient Greece; myths & legends; adapting settings (40:09)
• 7–9yrs Modern Foreign Languages: introducing French, German and/or Italian; comparing cultures (40:26)
• 7–11yrs Literacy: newspaper reports (45:06)
• 9–11yrs ICT, DT, Art: animation; LEGO; design & building (45:51)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Tale with easy, fun, and engaging activities.

This week, Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, an EYFS–KS1 teacher from Buckinghamshire; Bex, a Deputy Head from Cambridgeshire; and Rob, a KS2 teacher also from Buckinghamshire.

Together the panel discuss an ancient tale with surprisingly modern relevance; that of the woodcutter who overheats the world with his magical wishes. Discover how his story can help your children conquer classification charts, persuasive writing, differences between continents, and much more!

TIMECODES
Intros | 0:00

"The Woodcutter's Golden Wand" Excerpt | 1:25

All-age PSHCE | 4:14
• caring for the environment, Forest Schools (5:31, 7:08, 11:06, 12:57, 15:25, 35:46, 41:18)
• be careful what you wish for, you can't always get what you want, greed, selfishness, laziness, "Bruce Almighty" (8:24)
• different roles, playing our part, every child matters (11:06)
• consequences of actions, custodianship, taking turns (18:28)
• mindfulness, mindful thinking (37:52)

Learning outcomes for ages 4–7 | 14:00
• Science: naming familiar plants, uses of wood, materials (14:25, 16:06); animals and habitats, ecosystems, minibeasts (24:18); natural materials (20:44)
• DT: carpentry, woodwork (15:25)
• Literacy: dialogue, speech bubbles, persuasive language (16:06); retelling stories, adapting settings (17:34); interpreting texts, searching for clues in texts, descriptive writing (20:44)
• Geography: local area, local wildlife, maps (17:34); holiday destinations, different countries, hot and cold countries, climates (25:22)
• DT: natural materials (20:44)

Learning outcomes for ages 7–11 | 25:51
• Literacy: punctuating speech, writing conversations, writing plays (26:04); persuasive writing, "Three Billy Goats Gruff" ( 27:19); newspaper articles, report writing, interpreting texts, inferring from texts 28:54)
• Numeracy: "Top Trump" cards (27:57)
• Science: trees (27:57, 30:29, 35:46); classification charts, materials, research projects (30:29, 34:21); Global Warming (35:46)
• Geography: maps, differences between continents and countries (30:29); Amazon Rainforest (35:46)
• DT: making games (27:57); uses of wood (30:29, 34:21); building a bird house (32:29)
• History: Iron Age, Stone Age, Bronze Age (34:21)

All-age learning outcomes | 38:28
• Science: habitats, food chains, environmental impact, circle of life, caring for the natural world (7:08, 11:06, 12:57, 41:18)
• DT and Geography: making board games based on your local area (18:28)
• Numeracy: counting forwards and backwards (18:28); statistics, charts, data collecting (32:29)
• Art: different media (35:22); natural media, representing nature, clay (40:29)
• PE: conkers (39:21)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Storytime podcast with easy, fun, and engaging activities.

This week, Epic storytellers Chip and Janina are joined by a truly Epic panel of teachers: Helen, teaching ages 4 to 7; Bex, teaching ages 6 to 8; and Rob and Laura, teaching ages 7 to 11. Together they discuss the curriculum links within the entire canon of stories from the Kingdom 1000 series, marking the 1,000th anniversary of England's first equality law. Discover how to help your children conquer book making, leadership, farming... and much more!

All-age PSHCE | 3:29
• different sides to the same people (7:41, 24:29)
• everyone can make good/bad choices, "you are not your mistakes" (8:34)
• inclusion, better together, appreciation for other cultures (9:28, 24:29)
• leadership, greatness, positive attributes, power & responsibility, honesty, listening & understanding each other (10:11, 38:08, 41:04, 50:07)
• multiple perspectives in a story (14:07, 33:58, 59:52)
• careful what you say (15:13)
• role models, explaining emotions (16:15, 18:19, 20:31, 51:08, 52:35)
• coping with loss (16:52, 52:35)
• connecting feelings-behaviours-emotions (19:48, 52:35)
• wants v needs (38:08)
• generosity (44:17)

Learning outcomes from all the stories (inc."Eel Catcher's Daughter")
• History – timelines (29:28, 39:49)
• Science – survival needs, farming (38:08)
• Core – working with EAL pupils (39:49)

...from "Bede" | 22:27
• DT – book-making
• History – early books
• Core – monks
• Literacy – diary writing

...from "The Defence of Chester" | 25:51
• Core – problem-solving
• History – historical cities
• DT – design
• Georgraphy – maps
• Literacy – instruction writing; subordinate clauses

...from "Alfred and the Cakes" | 28:02
• Core – spies, research
• Literacy – writing job descriptions, persuasive writing, poetry, Shakespeare

...from "Queen Emma" | 31:54
• Literacy – diary writing
• PE – obstacle courses
• DT – food planning
• Numeracy – budgeting
• Science – rates of cooling, pressure, surface area

..."The St Brice's Day Massacre" | 33:55
• Literacy – different perspectives
• History – different perspectives; WWI; WWII

...from "Knut & the Waves" | 41:04
• Literacy – application forms, letter writing
• Core – problem-solving

...from "The Golden Apple" | 44:17
• Literacy – drama into writing
• Art – clay
• Music – "Love is like a magic penny"

...from "Blessed for Success" | 46:20
• Geography - maps, comparing places
• Numeracy – measuring distances, time, units of measurement
• Literacy – diary writing, time connectives, writing instructions
• Core – problem-solving

...from "Wipe Out" | 51:08
• Literacy – persuasive writing, writing feelings, metaphorical writing
• Drama – hot-seating

...from "Edwy & Elfgifu" | 52:35
• Literacy – emotional adjectives, thought tracking, persuasive writing
• Drama – hot-seating
• History – young kings, Danegeld
• Numeracy – currency, monetary value

All-age creative ideas | 56:00
• Music – Anglo-Saxon Eurovision, instrument making
• Science – botany
• Art – bushcraft; stained glass windows; tapestry
• Literacy – storytelling days; book-making

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app.

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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We continue to mark "Kingdom 1000" with an extra medieval folk tale special to Epic Tales. King Edmund returns from battle with the most precious of treasures: a gold apple that promises good luck—but only if you give it away to the person you love the most. So who should he give it to...?

The story is read by Chip Colquhoun, who first adapted the tale from an East Anglian folk tale for his book Who Made England?Illustration by Heather Zeta Rose and Erica Terry-Rose.

For easy and fun ways to link this story to a wide variety of learning outcomes including science and numeracy, make sure you also listen to our Epic Learning podcast. Further storytelling and learning resources—including storytelling videos and creative challenges for your children—can be found at epictales.co.uk

After you've listened to this podcast, please leave us a review—we'd love to know what you think!

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Storytime podcast with easy, fun, and engaging activities.

This week, Epic storytellers Chip and Amy (also an Epic mum!) are joined by two teachers from Milton Keynes: Helen, who specialises in children aged 4 to 7; and Rob, who has taught children aged 7 to 11. Together they discuss the curriculum links within the story at the heart of Kingdom 1000: "The Eel Catcher's Daughter". Discover how to help your children conquer acceptance, kennings, positional language... and much more!

Introductions
1:03

"The Eel Catcher's Daughter" excerpt
2:13

All-age PSHCE | 5:18
• stories/storytelling bringing people together (5:18)
• inclusion, how we treat others, slave trade, Black Lives Matter (7:50, 8:32, 11:50, 36:39)
• who we want to be, perceptions of others (8:11, 9:14, 15:52, 20:54)
• why people protect their identity (9:50)
• honest, trust, friendships (10:17)
• courage to be yourself (10:52)
• acceptance v tolerance (11:10)
• fairness (20:54)
• prejudice, preconceptions, stereotypes (39:20, 43:21)

Learning outcomes for ages 4 to 7 | 12:35
• Geography – manmade/natural features on maps, changes in landscapes over time (4-7yrs, 12:35)
• History – comparing then and now (5-7yrs, 12:35, 18:16, 23:09, 26:20); famous people (5-7yrs, 17:13, 24:41); conflict (4-7yrs, 20:06); Viking crafts (24:34); making Viking props (4-7yrs, 25:59); historical jobs (4-7yrs, 27:00)
• Literacy – picturing a story (4-7yrs, 12:35); character adjectives (15:52); debating, speaking & listening (4-7yrs, 20:54); wax seals, letter writing, drawing inferences (4-7yrs, 21:53); adding "-er", kennings (5-7yrs, 31:18)
• DT – disguises, camouflage (4-7yrs, 18:16); build a home, beading, weaving (4-7yrs, 23:09); making Viking props (4-7yrs, 26:20); mazes (4-7yrs, 27:57)
• Science – materials (4-7yrs, 18:16); melting (4-7yrs, 21:53)
• Core – houses & homes (4-5yrs, 23:09)
• Numeracy – adding, subtracting, comparing (4-7yrs, 27:00); mazes, positional language (4-7yrs, 27:57)
• Coding – mazes, positional language, algorithms (5-7yrs, 27:57)

Learning outcomes for ages 7 to 11 | 29:26
• Literacy – newspaper writing, retelling in different styles (7-11yrs, 29:26, 32:30, 41:32); freezeframes, inference, characters (7-11yrs, 30:20); saga poetry, songs, Beowulf (7-11yrs, 30:55); kennings, riddles (7-11yrs, 31:18); time connectives (7-11yrs, 34:06)
• History – how we measured time (7-11yrs, 35:12); Vikings (9-11yrs, 40:44); research (7-11yrs, 41:12); local history, place names (7-11yrs, 42:23)
• Science – sundials (7-11yrs, 35:12)
• PE – dance (7-11yrs, 36:39)

All-age learning outcomes | 48:08
• Numeracy – time (34:27, 48:08)
• History – Viking armour (49:00)
• Core – project work, skill sharing (49:00)
• Music – singing (49:52); soundscapes, film scores (50:26)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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It's an extra special Epic Tale this week. 2020 is the year of "Kingdom 1000"—celebrating 1,000 years of inclusion and human rights in the UK. And in this Epic Storytime podcast, Erika Sanderson (erikasanderson.com) reads the story that started it all.

This story was first adapted from an East Anglian folk tale by Chip Colquhoun for his book Who Made England?

Illustrated by Dave Hingley.

After you've listened to this podcast, please leave us a review—we'd love to know what you think!

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out learning outcomes from this week's Epic Storytime podcast with easy, fun, and engaging activities.This week we're joined by expert puppeteer Andy Lawrence from Theatre of Widdershins, who shared his original story set in the Stone Age. The learning outcomes in his tale are found and discussed by Epic storyteller Chip; Helen, a teacher from Milton Keynes specialising in children aged 4 to 7; and Laura, an international teacher specialising in children aged 7 to 11. Discover how to help your children conquer non-fiction reports, logic puzzles, differences in materials... and much more!

Introductions
1:40

"Ug, Bug, and Dug" excerpt
2:55

All-age PSHCE | 5:21
• witty underdogs (5:21)
• sibling rivalry/pressure; individuality in equality (8:30)
• learning potential (10:57)
• understanding the role of past societies, judging progress (51:26)

Learning outcomes for ages 4 to 7 | 12:51
• History – comparing then & now (4-7yrs, 12:51, 15:01, 17:06); chronology (4-7yrs, 18:28); landscape changes (4-7yrs, 19:09); historical sources (5-7yrs, 21:33); Stone Age survival (4-7yrs, 27:36)
• Science – materials (4-7yrs, 12:51, 24:40 | 5-7yrs, 16:03); evolution from Stone Age to now (5-7yrs, 17:06); habitats (4-7yrs, 21:38); survival, fire (4-7yrs, 27:37)
• Literacy – use of pictures/props in storytelling (4-6yrs, 14:15); non-fiction reports (6-7yrs, 17:06); persuasive writing (5-7yrs, 21:38); symbols (5-7yrs, 22:14); early reading, looking for clues (6-7yrs, 23:32)
• DT – design an outfit (4-7yrs, 16:03); build a mammoth (4-7yrs, 19:36); living in a cave (4-7yrs, 20:27)
• Numeracy – measurement (4-7yrs, 17:06)
• Geography – natural/man-made features on maps, landscape changes (4-7yrs, 19:50)
• Art – cave paintings (4-7rs, 22:14); painting with nature, different tools/methods (4-7yrs, 24:40)

Learning outcomes for ages 7 to 11 | 29:58
• Science – light & dark, light travelling in straight lines, shadow puppetry, materials, opaque/transparent (7-9yrs, 31:42); evolution & adaptation, endangered animals (7-11yrs, 42:51)
• Literacy – primitive development of storytelling (7-9yrs, 32:31, 39:47); extract & reorganise information, family trees, describing character (9-11yrs, 38:02); rules for talk, modelling (7-11yrs, 45:18)
• Numeracy – logic puzzles, ordering, time, thinking from different perspectives, enrich.maths.org (7-9yrs, 34:36); link between literacy & numeracy (7-11yrs, 39:47)
• Art – portraits (9-11yrs, 38:02)
• Geography – tribes, caves (9-11yrs, 47:07)

All-age learning outcomes | 47:51
• Core – social distancing (29:58); archaeology (47:51)
• The importance of studying history (50:10, 52:32)
• Mantle of the expert (50:00)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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Special guest storyteller and puppeteer Andy Lawrence from Theatre of Widdershins provides this week's brand new tale. For the cave people of the Oogadugga Oogadugga Oogadugga clan, Stone Age life is comfortable—while the fire keeps going. The fire going out would be a disaster, as none of them know how to make it. But when it's Dug's turn to stay up overnight, he's a little more interested in painting than feeding the fire...

The story was conceived and written by Andy Lawrence, and is read here by Matt Heald.

Illustrated by Grace Nolgrove.

After you've listened to this podcast, please leave us a review—we'd love to know what you think!

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It's our Covid-19 Special: as children return to schools with new social distancing rules, we discuss how to help them explore the complex issues at play—both practical and emotional—using two African folk tales: "The Distant Fire" and "The Twins and the Ogre".

Epic storyteller Chip is joined by Helen, a teacher from Milton Keynes working with ages 4 to 7; Bex, a Deputy Head and English Lead from Cambridgeshire who teaches ages 4 to 8; and Laura, an international teacher working with ages 7 to 11.

Introductions | 0:59

"The Distant Fire" excerpt | 2:08

All-age PSHCE | 4:12
• friendship, hope, young carers (4:12)
• social distancing (7:11, 18:49)
• talking about difficult issues, perseverance (14:47)
• empathy (16:53)
• different strengths, kindness, friendship (17:23, 52:31, 55:47)
• strategising (18:49)
• preparing for issues before they arise, active listening (19:51)
• peer pressure (21:23)
• it's OK to get things wrong (30:02)

Learning outcomes for ages 4 to 7 | 22:11
• Numeracy – fractions (6-7yrs, 22:11, 47:54 | 4-5yrs, 23:48); doubling (4-6yrs, 22:47); estimation (5-7yrs, 22:58); how much? (4-5yrs, 23:20); steps of 10, role-play shops (5-7yrs, 25:09)
• Core – fine motor skills (4-5yrs, 23:20)
• Geography – other cultures (4-7yrs, 25:50); seas and continents, contrasting landscapes (4-7yrs, 26:46, 45:00); maps (4-7yrs, 47:54)
• DT – design/make a cake, evaluating (4-7yrs, 33:05); magical vehicles (4-7yrs, 41:21); "from plant to table" (4-7yrs, 43:28)
• DT, Music, Art – design/make a drum (4-7yrs, 26:12)
• Literacy – adjectives to describe people (4-7yrs, 28:53); emotion tracking (4-7yrs, 29:38); invitations, persuasive writing (4-7yrs, 29:57, 33:05); story structure, predicting outcomes, engagement in storytelling, thought tracking, alternative endings (4-7yrs, 30:02); magical vehicles (4-7yrs, 41:21); diary "from plant to table" (4-7yrs, 45:00)
• RE – prayer, supporting others whilst apart, heartfulness (4-7yrs, 34:07)
• Science – plant lifecycles (4-7yrs, 43:28)

Learning outcomes for ages 7 to 11 | 36:11
• Numeracy – scaling (7-8yrs, 23:20 | 9-11yrs, 47:28); steps of 10, role-play shops (7-9yrs, 25:09); fractions/dividing (7-8yrs, 37:04, 47:54); rounding (8-9yrs, 37:18); area and perimeter (9-11yrs, 47:28); percentages, compound interest, investigating (9-11yrs, 49:11); ratios (49:49)
• Geography – seas and continents, contrasting landscapes (7-8yrs, 36:11 | 9-11yrs, 45:52); maps (7-11yrs, 47:54)
• Literacy – altering settings (7-9yrs, 36:46, 37:34); rewriting endings, continuing the story (7-9yrs, 38:06); story stones, retelling the story, story-making (7-9yrs, 38:21); diary entries, 1st person (7-11yrs, 38:47); magical vehicles (7-11yrs, 41:21); prepositions (7-11yrs, 42:40); public speaking/debating (9-11yrs, 50:14)
• Art – story stones (7-9yrs, 38:21)
• PSHCE – empathy (7-11yrs, 38:47); "a day in the life", international mind (9-11yrs, 45:52); equality (9-11yrs, 50:49)
• Core Skills – researching, safe searching online (7-11yrs, 39:53)
• Science – plant lifecycles (7-11yrs, 43:28); fire (7-11yrs, 45:29)
• DT – "from plant to table" (7-11yrs, 43:28)
• History – fire (7-11yrs, 45:29); equality (9-11yrs, 50:49)

All-age learning outcomes | 52:31
• DT – communication methods (54:15)
• Science – materials (54:15)
• Literacy – communicating at a distance, sign language (54:15)
• Coding – (54:15)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app.

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Illustration: Dave Hingley.

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To pay a doctor to care for his sick mother, 6-year-old Abel accepts a challenge to spend a night atop a mountain with no shirt or fire to keep him warm. Will the distant support of his friend Hakim help him win the prize?

In this "Back to School Special: Covid-19 Edition", let your young learners experience just how valuable collaboration can be—even at a time of social distancing. The story is based on an Ethiopian folk tale adapted by Chip Colquhoun, and read by David Ault (davidault.co.uk). After you've listened to this podcast, please leave us a review—we'd love to know what you think!

Illustration by Heather Zeta Rose.

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Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out curriculum links from this week's Epic Storytime podcast with easy, fun, and engaging activities.

This week, Epic storytellers Chip and Janina (also an Epic mum!) are joined by Helen, an EYFS and KS1 teacher from Milton Keynes, and Laura, an international English teacher currently based in Lanzarote who specialises in KS2, to discuss the curriculum links within the swashbuckling tale of "Pirate Grace and the Mermaid Medicine". Discover how to explore the science of displacement, PSHCE themes of hygiene and authority, even PE... and much more!

00:00 | Introductions

01:30 | "Pirate Grace" excerpt

03:30 | PSHCE and morals (all ages)

09:47 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• Numeracy – doubling, halving (09:46); capacity (12:00)
• Science – slime and non-Newtonian fluids (14:00); floating, sinking, and designing experiments (23:25)
• Core skills – value of imaginative play (26:45)
• Geography – understanding of the world, maps (20:10)
• Art (21:44)

25:46 | Curriculum links for KS2
• Numeracy – units of measurement, estimation (25:46)
• Core skills – resilience (30:20); learning through play (34:45)
• PSHCE – power and rules (31:28); safe and unsafe drugs (50:50)
• Literacy – persuasive writing (41:30)
• Science – predictions (42:55); germs (49:45)
• Geography – oceans and pollution (44:30)
• History – boats and real pirates (46:35)

51:58 | All-age curriculum links
• DT – boat-building (52:10)
• PSHCE – leadership (53:45)
• PE (54:00)
• Music – sea shanties (55:10)

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

View Details

Join Epic storytellers and creative teachers as they discuss how to draw out curriculum links from this week's Epic Storytime podcast with easy, fun and engaging activities.

This week, Epic storytellers Chip and Janina (who is also an Epic mum!) are joined by Helen, an EYFS and KS1 teacher from Milton Keynes, and Laura, an international English teacher currently based in Lanzarote who specialises in KS2, to discuss the curriculum links within the Norwegian folk tale of "Prince Lindworm". Discover how to explore the science of classification, the PSHCE themes of puberty and health, authorial inspiration, and much more.

00:00 | Introductions

01:26 | "Prince Lindworm" excerpt

02:58 | PSHCE and morals (all ages)

07:38 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• Literacy – fairy tales (07:38); writing for purpose (13:10)
• DT – food and sensory exploration (10:50)
• PSHCE – dressing (14:00); handwashing (22:10)
• Science – bugs (15:38)
• Numeracy – ordering and money (17:38)
• History – royal weddings (20:20)

24:33 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• PSHCE – healthy relationships (24:33); gratitude (27:48); Patience (28:34); Self-care, hygiene, and puberty (29:00)
• Science – infectious diseases (30:20); classification (33:15)
• Numeracy – probability (34:30)
• Art (38:48)

40:03 | All-age curriculum links
• Science – minibeasts

We'd love to hear how you get on with these ideas! Please leave us a review with your favourite podcast app, find us on social media @EpicTalesST, or email engage@epictales.co.uk

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email podcast@epictales.co.uk
Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

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