Issue 10 / September 2019

Clic-itNews for Primary Schools in WalesCymru Clic-itNews for Primary Schools in WalesCymru

Authors: Haf Llewelyn, Mali Williams Editor: Karen MacIntyre Huws RAINFORESTRAINFOREST LLANRWST FIRES!FIRES! Did you visit the National Eisteddfod in Llanrwst this summer? Despite the weather the Eisteddfod was a great success and the welcome from the county of Conwy was a warm one. Hari from Llangernyw, a village very close to the Eisteddfod fires and world leaders, field, is here to tell us all about it... DISCUSSION Huge areas of the Amazon including Britain's Prime Everyone in our school, Ysgol Bro Cernyw, were very POINT In this issue the Rainforest in Brazil are on Minister, Boris Johnson, excited when we heard that the National Eisteddfod topic for discussion fire and scientists are have promised to give was coming to Conwy County and to Llanrwst! There is Veganism. warning that this can money to help the cause. was a lot of preparation work to do and everyone helped to raise money. cause a lot of damage to No-one is quite sure how PAGE 5 the environment. The fires the fires started but some Many people put flags and bunting outside their are so big they can be believe that they were houses and there were loads of ‘Croeso i’r Eisteddfod’ seen from space! As well started deliberately by signs, everywhere looked really colourful. Above the as being home to many people who want to clear town there was different species of plants the rainforest to grow even a huge and animals, the Amazon crops such as palm oil. sign saying Rainforest is really ‘LLANRWST’, important to the air we just like the one breathe as it turns carbon in Hollywood! dioxide gas into oxygen. We visited the The Brazilian army are Eisteddfod on now helping to try and CALAN GAEAF most days of tackle the Calan Gaeaf the week and although we had a bit of rain it didn’t stop customs in us having fun with our friends as we went around the Maes (the Eisteddfod field). We loved welcoming the Eisteddfod to Llanrwst, all the PAGE 7 decorations around the area looked so cool and colourful. It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves in our local area. We’re already looking forward to spending a week in the Eisteddfod in Tregaron next year!

the environment, so she was GRETA’S offered a place on the small JOURNEY yacht Malizia II. The journey was Hawlfraint? Greta Thunberg, the teenager not a luxurious one as there was who has been campaigning over no kitchen, shower or toilet Image by Seth Whales environmental issues, has aboard the boat and they faced WHERE TO GO reached the USA after a the danger of storms in the IN WALES? two-week journey on the yacht Atlantic Ocean! The boat’s What’s happening over the next few Malizia II. Greta will attend two electricity came from a wind weeks? conferences on climate change turbine and solar panels, so her in America. She refused to travel journey had a carbon-footprint of by plane or large ship from her zero (it didn’t harm the PAGE 8 home in Sweden as they pollute environment at all). Image by Anders Hellberg (Wikimedia) DATES FOR THE DIARY September Owain Glyndŵr Day September European Day of November Bonfire Night This is the day, in the year 1400 Languages Remember to keep safe! 16 that Owain Glyndŵr became 26 A day to celebrate the diversity of 5 Prince of Wales. Read more on languages spoken in Europe. How this at the bottom of this page. many languages can you speak? Learning new languages allows us September ACORN ANTICS 2019 to communicate with people, to If your school would like to take part understand different attitudes and 16 this year you need to register with learn about new cultures. [email protected] and collect your acorns before the 23rd of October, 2019.

September Michaelmas Day Traditionally this was the day when BE A For more information go to the website 29 new servants were hired. It was https://naturalresources.wales/guidan also a day when new terms began DETECTIVE ce-and-advice/business-sectors/educ and this is why we still start our new Autumn is here and ation-learning-and-skills/acorn-antics/ school year in September. ?lang=en or have a look at Y Cliciadur nature is a bit showy, Issue 4 (Welsh only). October National Poetry Day with vivid colours all This year the theme for Literacy around us! Go out and September World Peace Day 3 Wales is ‘Messages’. Have you got a explore. Have you The United Nations created the message for someone, if so what is 21 World Peace Day, calling for all spotted any of the that message? Clic-it Cymru would signs that autumn is weapons and military operations really like to hear your poem! So go here? be stopped for this day. on - have a go! More on the Welsh-language Children’s • swallows on wires, preparing for their Laureate on page 4. long flight back to Africa • colourful autumn leaves November World Vegan Day. • berries, hazelnuts and acorns on trees 1 More on Veganism on 6. and shrubs • small mammals looking for nests to snuggle in over winter. If you spot a pile of leaves under a hedge, please don't go poking as it might be a hedgehog's September World Car Free Day hibernating den, it won't like being If you and your family can have a car woken or disturbed. 22 free day why not go walking or cycling?

Vegan: A person who does not eat or use any animal product. CELEBRATING OWAIN GLYNDŴR WEEK Does your school celebrate Owain Glyndŵr week? Does your school celebrate proclaimed Prince of Wales on the town almost to the ground. Owain Glyndŵr week? the 16th of September, 1400 and For almost 15 years Glyndŵr and The 16th of September is Owain an uprising followed on 19 his men fought the might of the Glyndŵr Day and many people in September 1400. This is when English army winning and losing Wales will celebrate by waving Glyndŵr attacked the town of several bloody battles throughout the red and yellow flag of Owain Ruthin where his enemy, Wales. Look for information on Glyndŵr. Glyndŵr was Reginald de Grey ruled, burning Glyndŵr in your area.

2 GHOSTLY SIGHTINGS! 'Don't stand too near the edge Celtic festival, or – Buddug!' The wind rushed in and we're going on a ghost dragging wisps of mist with it, hunt!' A shiver of fear went down covering the ramparts of Tre’r Buddug's spine. Ceiri, the Celtic hill fort perched 'Look!' Manon standing in the high above the sea. centre of a large circle of stones, 'Why did we have to make it up 'This must have been the chief's here today, of all days?' hut. On a festival evening they Grumbled Buddug, as she would gather here in front of the watched her Aunt Manon fire and listen to stories of heroes leaping ahead, the gorse bushes killed in battle. Then they would tugging at her long skirt, her wait, hoping to see the spirits of 'What are you doing?' Buddug horseback returning from war? copper hair sweeping across her the dead ...' 'Why?' asked whispered. The mist had come 'Buddugghh!'. Manon scrambled face. She looked just like a Celtic Buddug. She really didn't want to in, covering the rocks with the to her feet and Buddug followed. warrior queen. see a ghost, not even the ghost wind wailing through the ancient Leaping over the ramparts, their 'Today is day, the old of a hero. 'They loved to hear of ramparts. feet scattering loose stones they their brave leaders -Boudicca or 'Shh,' whispered Manon putting a fled towards the path just as the Buddug - like you! She was the finger to her lips, 'Can you hear a white shape of an unearthly queen of the Iceni tribe! A real voice? Someone is calling!' creature appeared. heroine. On the eve of Samhain, Buddug listened. The gulls were 'What was that?’ whispered the believed that the screeching, calling out far below. Buddug from the safety of the division between the land of the Then she heard it! A voice calling path. They stopped to peer back living and the land of the dead through the mist. towards the hill-fort. became very thin...' A second 'Buddugghh, Buddugghh.' 'Was it really the spirit of a Celtic shiver went down Buddug's Buddug froze. Then she heard hero?' asked Buddug. 'Well...' spine. Manon was perched on a another sound, the clatter of Manon smiled, 'a woolly, in the middle of the clearing, hooves clambering over the hero, perhaps, but not from the her eyes shut. stones. Were they the warriors on land of the dead!' 'Baah!' FEED THE BIRDS With winter around the corner it’s important to give the birds a helping hand over the GoGo forfor itit colder months. Here’s an idea for making a feast for the birds in your garden or school. 1 2 3 4 You will need: • Pinecones • Birdseed (bought quite cheaply from a local shop) • Lard (you can also use peanut butter if you prefer) • String Put the lard in a bowl and mix Tie the string on the top of Using a knife or Roll the lardy pinecone in • 2 bowls until it’s quite soft. It’s better the pinecone so it’s ready spoon, spread the lard the birdseed so it sticks to • Knife or spoon not to use it straight from the to hang. over the pinecone the lard. fridge or it will be hard. and press into all the cracks.

You can attract different birds by using 5 6 different kinds of birdseed. The tit family like sunflower seeds and peanuts while the robin enjoys a mix with mealworm in it. The fat in the lard gives the birds energy in cold weather.

MESSY WARNING! ! Make sure you cover the table or work outside. If you get lard on your Put the balls in the The balls are now ready for the birds. You hands you can wash it off with hot fridge or leave them can hang them on tree branches or on a water and soap. outside to harden. bird table. The birds will be delighted!

3 Drama Literature Television ININ THETHE Music Art LIMELIGHTLIMELIGHT Poetry BARDD PLANT CYMRU 2019-21: GRUFFUDD OWEN “Poetry has always been an who’s first language is not important part of my life; I Welsh. started scribbling silly poems in the back of my maths book in primary school! Nothing gives me more enjoyment than seeing a room full of children laughing at a poem.” The Bardd Plant Cymru scheme is run by Literature Watch Wales and supported by the Welsh Book Council, the Welsh this Government, S4C and the Urdd. For more information space! about the Bardd Plant Cymru We will be making an exciting announcement in Gruffudd Owen’s role as Bardd Plant Cymru (Welsh-language scheme, including how to the next issue of Clic-It Children’s Laureate) began on 1st of September. Gruffudd is apply for Gruffudd to visit your Cymru about the from Pwllheli in Gwynedd but now lives in Cardiff. Gruffudd is a school, go to brand-new role of familiar face in the Eisteddfod, where he has won the Drama www.barddplant.cymru. Children’s Laureate Medal and the Chair; he is also a well-known face as a performer Gruffudd is happy to work with Wales! of music and poetry. Looking forward to his role he said: Welsh learners and children JOBS AND CAREERS Gari Jones (Gari Gwallt) Name: Location: Why did you go into training days since I need to Hello! My name is Gari Jones, I work in a place called Abir this work? know all about the latest trends! but most people know me as near Benidorm, Spain. At school, some lessons were Gari Gwallt! Best things: pretty boring but I loved Drama Job: Simply- create! I love creating and Music lessons, and I Hair stylist. I'm also a radio new styles and giving my enjoyed Science. Yes, Science! presenter and researcher here clients a confident boost, It's important in my work, I need in Spain where I live. making them feel like a model! to use chemicals every day for Always remember - the first colouring and various other thing people notice is your hair. jobs. It's your crown! Tip: Not so good: Go for work experience in a salon there you can see what's Working in hot temperatures! I going on, and have a think if drink around 3 litres of water that's where you see yourself every day to keep hydrated. and your career. Go to a Getting up at 5:00 a.m. for training college then continue wedding, or T.V. work isn't Best of luck - enjoy and to train yourself by going on much fun - but it's all worth it Adios Amigos - Gari courses to get new ideas. You when I see the end product. Gwallt! need to keep on learning. I'm 44, but still take time to go on

4 I believe that a vegan diet is I believe that eating a varied diet is Discussion better for my body and for best for my health as getting the Discussion the planet. right amount of protein and Point Stock farming is cruel as nutrients is difficult without eating many animals are kept in milk, meat, eggs and cheese. unsuitable conditions. I also I also think that burning fuel and think that large herds of traffic pollution does more harm to What's your opinion? animals such as cattle and the environment than herds of Not wanting to eat any animal produce, many sheep produce harmful animals. Farms usually care well for people change to a vegan diet. gases and so are bad for the their animals and keep them in clean What do you think? environment. safe conditions. BRAIN TWISTER BRIDGES PUZZLE Bridge name Menai (or Borth) Severn Akashi-Kaikyo Golden Gate Xihoumen Length in metres 417 988 3,911 1,290 1,650

Image

© Nathan Holth, HistoricBridges.org Image by pyzhou Image by Glabb

How many Menai Bridges would fit onto the Akashi-Kaikyo? ...... (Answer at the bottom of this page.) Extra Challenge: Think of 3 numeracy questions to ask a friend, based on the information in the table above. Remember to check your answers before giving them to your friend!

WISE WORDS Keep at it! Difficult words. We don’t all understand Don’t worry if you come FROM AUNTY things the first time we read across a difficult word. them. Sometimes you need to Sometimes you can read and DOT read a sentence twice or understand the rest of the Do you find reading difficult three times (or even 10 times!) sentence and it doesn’t matter if you don’t understand every sometimes? Here are some top before you understand it. word! tips to help you out with reading: Ask for help. Choose a suitable Don’t be afraid of asking for help Dyslexia: from your teacher or other book. Did you know that some people school staff, a friend, your Choose a book that is suitable have a condition called dyslexia, parents or other family members. for you, never mind what the which causes them to find reading rest of the class is reading. If difficult? It’s National Dyslexia Day you can’t read more than on the 4th of October 2019. Practice makes perfect Everyone who finds reading Like everything else, your reading will improve the more you about 5 words on one page, difficult does not have dyslexia practice. Reading for 10 minutes a day is a great idea to improve then you might want to

though. your skills. You won’t improve if you avoid reading! choose an easier book.

Bridges puzzle answers answers puzzle Bridges Nine Menai Bridges Menai Nine :

5 Welsh Suspension Bridges One of the most famous UNDER THE engineers in Victorian times was MICROSCOPE Thomas Telford, who designed the Menai and Conwy suspension bridges in 1826. Menai Bridge is by now a World Heritage Site BUILDING BRIDGES and a very famous landmark, Perhaps some of you visited the National linking the Island of Anglesey with Eisteddfod in Llanrwst and went to the Mainland Wales. Another famous Science and Technology Village there? suspension bridge in Wales is the The main theme in this year’s village was 1966 Severn Bridge, linking South ‘Darganfod’ (Discovery) and there was Wales with England over the certainly plenty to discover! One of the rivers Severn and Wye. SEVERN BRIDGE popular activities there was run by the MENAI BRIDGE North Wales Science and Engineering Group and it involved building a Suspension Bridge. The challenge was to arrange the parts correctly to build a bridge strong enough for people to walk across it.

What is a Suspension Bridge? © Nathan Holth, HistoricBridges.org On a Suspension Bridge you have pillars either side, with cables or chains hung or ‘suspended’ between them. A road, railway or CONWY BRIDGE footpath can then be suspended from these cables. The advantage of a suspension bridge over an arch bridge is that it can be very long and very high. It can be built over a deep valley or over water, leaving plenty of room for tall ships to pass underneath it.

Cables/ © Nathan Holth, HistoricBridges.org Footpath/ Pillars chains road Suspension Bridges over the World The longest suspension bridge in the world is the Akashi-Kaikyo in Japan which measures 3,911 metres. One of the most famous is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA which is 1,290m long. With a span of 1,650m the Xihoumen Bridge in China is the world’s second-longest. surprising how much food me earache afterwards. contains cow’s milk! Thankfully Swedish Glace YOU’RE A STAR! What kind of things do our ice-cream is lovely, and Ben and family eat? Jerry’s and Magnum have good BEING A VEGAN Mum tries to make sure we have varieties for vegans by now. a good variety of fresh food. We More people now experiment Name: Siwan Williams Why become a vegan? make our own pizzas at home and try vegan food these days Age:13 Mum, Nain and Aunty Rhian with special vegan cheese. I so there is more choice in the believe that living as a vegan is really like pasta and Aunty Rhian shops than there used to be. My family all eat different things! healthier, causes less cruelty makes a pasta sauce that is full Mum, Nain and Aunty Rhian Dad eats everything but Mum, and is better for the of vegetables and seeds – it’s have been vegans for over 30 Nain and my Aunt Rhian follow environment. really tasty! We often eat years now and it’s much easier a vegan diet. My brother, sister What does it mean? homemade soup and I like to for them to eat out these days and I eat fish but we have Being a vegan means you don’t take sandwiches with me to as there is much more chosen not to eat meat or dairy eat any food that comes from an school because there isn’t awareness of veganism. products. animal, it can also mean that much choice for me in the you avoid wearing leather canteen at the moment. clothes and shoes. A vegan diet Is it difficult to be a vegan? comes from plants e.g. It’s difficult to go to birthday vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, parties because of all the sweet herbs, salad and wholegrains. treats full of gelatine and cream, When Mum, Nain or Aunty but I do make a delicious vegan Rhian buy food from a sponge cake! When I was little, I Supermarket they look carefully would sometimes have cow’s at the food labels – it’s milk ice-cream, but it would give

6 TIMETIME WHEN? 1 s t N O V E M B E R TRAVELLINGTRAVELLING WHAT? C A L A N G A E A F

Calan Gaeaf is the name of the first day of winter in Wales, the 1st of November. The night before is Noson Calan Gaeaf (Halloween) when people used to believe that spirits could visit the earth, especially near a stile, CALAN crossroads or a cemetery! Many of us today follow the Halloween customs of the USA, such as dressing-up, decorating houses, carving pumpkins and trick or treating. However, many Halloween traditions in Wales go back much further, GAEAF some to Celtic times.

SAMHAIN During this festival the Celts The Celts celebrated a festival called Samhain at the same time as our would welcome the good spirits of Halloween. Samhain marked the end of the light half of the year and their ancestors into their homes, while the beginning of the dark part of the year (summer and winter). scaring the bad spirits away by dressing up and The Celts believed that the division between the world of the wearing masks. Lighting fires, feasting and slaughtering living and the world of the dead was at its thinnest on livestock (farm animals) were also part of the celebrations. Some this night, meaning that spirits could visit the earth. of these traditions have survived in Wales over the centuries.

Lighting fires and burning bonfires: The ‘Hwch Ddu Gwta’: Many villages in Wales would light a big bonfire which One of the stories and traditions associated with Calan Gaeaf would be the focus of the Calan Gaeaf celebrations. People was the Hwch Ddu Gota (a tail-less black sow) This was a ghost in the village would sing and dance and enjoy themselves that appeared in the ashes of the bonfire or on a stile and would around the fire. One custom was to find a stone or pebble, try to eat anyone who wasn’t at home safely in bed! Children write your name on it and throw it into the fire. The following would run home shouting: morning people would look through the ashes of the fire to Adre’, adre’ am y cynta’: find their stone; they believed that anyone who didn’t find Hwch Ddu Gwta a chipio’r ola’! their name would be cursed with bad luck! Home, home, run, run fast Hwch Ddu Gwta eats the last!

‘Twco Fale’ The game of apple bobbing is still played today at Halloween, although the custom goes back to The ‘Ladi Wen’ Celtic times. People put apples to Another traditional Welsh Calan Gaeaf ghost was the ‘Ladi float on water in a barrel or a bowl Wen’, a frightening lady dressed in white. According to the and try to catch it with their teeth. stories she would appear during the night to snatch naughty Traditionally it was the girls who did children! this and the first to catch an apple Both the Ladi Wen and the Hwch Ddu Gwta were probably would be the first to marry! invented by parents to try to make sure their children behaved and came home early and safe on this darkest of nights!

PREVIOUS ARTICLES AND DATES (Issues 1-6 Welsh only) 500: Saint David (Issue 1) 1867-1934: Marie Curie (Issue 7) 1942-1945: Anne Frank (Issue 9) 1136: Welsh Castles (Issue 3) 1912: Reaching the South Pole (Issue 6) 1948: Establishing the Health Service (Issue 4) 1859: Royal Charter Disaster (Issue 8) 1914: Christmas Truce in the trenches (Issue 5) 1960s: The Sixties' Revolution (Issue 2)

7 WHERE TO GO IN WALES? 3 5 With memories of the summer holidays fading away, the autumn term brings plenty of opportunities to get out and about. Wales has so much to offer throughout the year. Clic-it Cymru has been investigating: 2 Beach Cleaning 5 St Fagans The Marine Conservation Society's Great British Clic-it Cymru would like to congratulate St Fagans Beach Clean takes place in September. Here National Museum on winning the Museum of The Year, are a few Welsh beaches where you can join in 2019 award. Why not visit? There is no entrance fee 4 the cleaning, and learn more about beach life: and2 you can spend all day investigating there!

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6 Zip World Fforest If you visited the National Eisteddfod at Llanrwst this August you may have spotted strange sights in the nearby forest Langland Bay, Swansea, with nets and ropes hanging from 1 Saturday, 21st of September. the tree tops. Zip World Forest, Harlech Beach, Gwynedd, Betws y coed is the place to visit 2 Saturday, 21st of September. Image by Seth Whales to let your wild side out! Pensarn Beach, near Abergele, 3 Sunday, 22nd of September. Aber Mawr Beach, near Fishguard, 4 Sunday, 22nd of September. For further information, and to register, click on: https://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/greatb ritishbeachclean Image by Rudi Winter

Following hours of training with CELT - THREE his dad, Martin, the triathlon meant that Celt had to swim 200 metres, cycle 8 miles and then TIMES CHAMPION! race for another 2 miles. Well done Celt! Clic-it Cymru asked Celt about TRIATHLONFitness is essential to take part in a triathlon. You must be able to: his future plans - 'I'd like to do Run Cycle Swim another triathlon, perhaps next year. It was a great feeling and I'm All three activities must be done Celt Edwards, 7 years old from really proud to have raised the simultaneously - you can't have a Ysgol y Frenni took part in his first money to help a special friend.' rest half way! triathlon this summer. Celt Any other ambitions Celt? wanted to help his friend Owen 'I'd love to be a mascot for Man who has Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, Utd or Swansea City or the Welsh by raising funds for a trust, Celt football team as my sporting was sponsored and raised more heroes are Gareth Bale and than £2,000 for the trust. Daniel James!' Celt enjoys sport, especially football and rugby, and plays for The word Triathlon comes from Pembroke under 8's. the Greek - treis - three athlos - competition

Two issues of Clic-it Cymru will appear on Hwb each term. The next issue will be available on Monday the 18th of November. Remember to contact us by emailing [email protected] - we will be delighted to hear your ideas and opinions. 8