Epic Learning: Overcoming "blank page" fear, archaeology, and more

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 Jane, a retired primary teacher and subsequent actor and author. Together they discuss the curriculum links within the hilarious Russian folk tale, "Fish in the Forest". Discover how to motivate your children to get past "blank page" fear in literacy, explore jobs, get fit through dance... and much more!

00:00 | Special announcement + introductions

03:02 | "Fish in the Forest" excerpt

04:54 | PSHCE, morals, and safeguarding (all ages)

11:54 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• Numeracy, Science, and DT – shapes, materials, nets (11:54)
• DT – food (13:41)
• History, PE, and Core Skills – archaeology (15:18)
• PSHCE – jobs (16:39)
• Core Skills and multi-subject learning – role play, "Mantle of the Expert" (17:13); open-ended thinking, resilience, adaptability (24:47)
• Art, Geography, and Core Skills – open-ended thinking, surrealism, maps (19:34)
• Numeracy and Science – designing experiments, time vocabulary (21:42)
• Literacy – changing and retelling stories (23:24)
• PE – movement, dance (24:16)

26:06 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Core Skills – critical thinking (26:06); researching (27:31); engagement, "Mantle of the Expert" (39:05)
• History, PSHCE – changes in value (30:21)
• Literacy, PSHCE – viewpoint poems (32:15)
• Literacy and Art – avoiding "blank page" fear (34:35)
• Numeracy – planning, measurements, estimation, area, pricing (37:36)
• PSHCE – wisdom, fairness, coping with change (41:02)

42:48 | All Age curriculum links
• Core Skills – engagement, treasure & excavations (inc. indoors!), categorisation, motor skills (42:48)
• Numeracy and DT – food & farming (46:50)

48:36 | "Au revoir Janina"

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 [email protected]

Have a learning outcome you'd like us to cover in a future episode? Email [email protected]

Stained glass illustration: Dave Hingley.

This recording copyright © Epic Tales 2021. Story copyright © Janina Vigurs 2021. Illustration copyright © Dave Hingley 2021.

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