Morning Starters: Summer 1 - Fascinating Fruit
Did You Know?
Yew trees have a fascinating defence system! While the leaves and seeds are toxic, the bright red berries are safe for birds. Birds eat the berries, spreading the seeds far away in their droppings. This way, the harmful parts stay attached to the tree, allowing it to photosynthesise and thrive, while the seeds have an excellent chance of germinating in new locations.
Word Challenge
The words underlined in the ‘Did you Know?’ paragraph are homophones.
Copy each homophone and write the partner homophone(s) next to it.
Example:
red and read
Help: A homophone is a word that sounds the same as another word but has a different meaning and often a different spelling.
Grammar Challenge
Rewrite the sentence below with different adjectives to those underlined.
The ancient yew tree stood in the abandoned churchyard, its gnarled branches stretching over weathered gravestones like a silent guardian.
Number Challenge
Fact: One of the oldest trees in the UK is the Fortingall yew. It is around 5,000 years old!
Write some multiplication number sentences that equal 5,000.
Example:
5 x 1,000 = 5,000
10 x 500 = 5,000
Critical Thinking
Do trees ‘know’ what they are doing when they create poisons, or is it just nature working by itself?