Good morning my little sweetie pies,

The scholastic year is over and it's now time to relax and have a break.

I will be spending my summer holidays on our sister island, Gozo, and enjoying the sun, sea and outdoor activities with my dad.

I don't like the hot weather and try to stay in the shade as much as possible.

I always put on some sunblock each time I go out.

To go to Gozo we need to take the ferry from Ċirkewwa.  At the moment there are 3 boats: Gaudos, Malita and Ta' Pinu.

The Capital city of Gozo is Rabat, also known as Victoria. The name Victoria was given to the town in 1887 in honour of the famous British Queen's Golden Jubilee.

The Cittadella is a small fortified town located at the centre of Gozo, on a hill overlooking the capital. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ġgantija Temples, along with the Megalithic Temples of Malta, are amongst the world's oldest free-standing structures. They are older than the pyramids of Egypt!

There are many interesting places to visit. Ramla l-Ħamra is the most popular beach, whilst in Xlendi and Marsalforn you'll find many restaurants.

Meanwhile, today I would like to thank all those who helped me or stayed in touch with during these few months.

A big thanks go to my personal assistant Lisa, to Jethro and Isti who nearly ever missed one single activity, Kaylee and all other kids that followed and joined me in this adventure.

Lisa

Jethro

Isti

Kaylee and all the others...

Thank you 

Day 56

Hello there!

Today I want to talk about another sport which is becoming quite popular – Handball.  In fact, at our school, we also have after school handball sessions. 

As usual, my buddy and personal assistant Lisa, did not hesitate to look out for some information about it.  By the way,  not sure if I ever told you that she is an amazing basketball player and a swimmer too!

Day 55

Good morning World!

Summer is here and which dessert helps you cool off on hot days? ... Ice cream of course!

I scream…you scream…we all scream for Ice Cream!

Yummy, yummy, I love ice cream!

Let's learn more about this delicious sweet treat.

Ice cream is made from milk or cream. Sugar is added for sweetness. Other ingredients can be included such as chocolate flakes, fruit, nuts, biscuits, candy, and much more.

Wishing you all a lovely day,

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day  54

Good morning sunshines!

Do you know what Mosaic is? Today I'm going to tell you something about this beautiful type of decoration and I just want to congratulate both Jethro and Isti who were shortlisted in the Be The Artist ( Heritage Malta Competition) Roman Mosaics.   

You're incredible boys! So proud of you!

These little pieces are placed and fitted into a cement surface to hold them in place.

The art of mosaic was invented by the Ancient Romans, and today we can still find mosaics in Italy, England, France and other European countries.

They were very popular to decorate churches but nowadays they are very much used to brighten up public places – such as parks and cities.

 Spain (Barcellona) - By Antoni Gaudi

Mosaics would show pictures of Roman History and their everyday life. Meanwhile, mosaic floors were a sign of wealth – to show people how rich you were.

Unlike Paintings or other pieces of Art, mosaics were made by craftsmen who did not put the signature of their work.

Wishing you all a lovely day.

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day 53

Hello World!

Yesterday, whilst I was having my daily nap on the terrace a strange object hit my head. I looked at it thoroughly but couldn't understand what it was. I went near dad, who was preparing a delicious lasagna, and asked him.

He soon realised that it belonged to our neighbours as they like to play badminton.

That was a new word for me. I didn't know what the word badminton meant, so I called my friend Lisa, who knows nearly everything about all sports.

She told me that the ball that hit my head is called a shuttlecock and here is some information about this racket sport which she kindly prepared for us.

Thanks so much Lisa!  Great Work as usual!

Wishing you all a nice weekend.

Take Care and Stay Safe

Love,

Ronnie

Day 52 

Good Morning Everyone!

Yesterday I went to a nearby grocer to get milk, bread, and daily stuff.

There I saw a young boy with his mum who wanted chocolate so badly that ended up being very rude when his mum said no as she did not have enough money in her purse.

"Where are your manners I said?" He just stared at me and kept on insisting that he wanted it.

Dad always told me to keep in mind the Golden Rule... "Always do to others as you would wish them to do to you if you were in their place."

We should show good manners everywhere we go.

At home for example – we must help out with the daily chores, ask permission and say please and thank you.

At table – don't speak with your mouth full, use cutlery properly, don't start eating before everyone has been served.

At school and in many other places we must take turns, return things we've borrowed, obey signs, don't make fun of others, clean up after a picnic and much, much more.

Remember that people judge us the way we behave. We don't want to give a bad impression, don't we?

Wishing you all a lovely day.

Take care and Stay Safe

Love 

Ronnie

Day 51

Hello Friends!

Today I want to talk about friends and friendship.  Everyone needs friends. You can feel very sad and lonely if you don't have someone to play with and be with.   People who are friends usually share similar interests.  Friends talk, play, share ideas and have fun together.  We need to respect each other’s opinions and differences.  Friends take care of each other’s safety and well-being. 

Today we have this video for a very special friend from our school.  This message is being sent by his class teacher and all his class friends.

Have a look at this…

You’re in our thoughts Mikhael xxx

We usually share our little secrets with our friends.  We trust them and feel safe talking to each other about our feelings and problems. 

Good friends are honest and helpful.  They listen, support and encourage us. 

It’s so nice to be surrounded with friends!

Day 50

Good morning everyone!

Both dad and I, as you know, are keen on sports.  Yesterday we visited one of his old friends.   He is a Rugby player.  I saw some pictures and trophies in the sitting room but I honestly did not know much about this sport.  

Later I called my friend and assistant Lisa.   Amongst other things, I told her about Mark, but the only thing I knew about this ball sport was that it is played with a particular ball. She then had the bright idea of doing some research about it. I really enjoyed reading all the interesting information she found.  I hope you like it too!

Day 49

Hello there!

Yesterday we went for a long walk along the beach.  At one point I saw a small group of people doing very strange exercises.   I asked dad and he told me that they were doing Yoga.

What is Yoga I said?  So, once back home I searched on the internet.

The word Yoga means to join or unite and was practiced in India over 5,000 years ago. 

Yoga is making shapes with your body.

Yoga is exercise for the mind, body and breath.  It makes us feel good. It helps us move our body more freely, make our bodies stronger, make us feel happy and make our mind calm.

Here are some poses names.  Let’s try them out!

Wishing you all a nice day.

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day 48

Good morning world!

Grandma came to our house today and she cooked some delicious roasted potatoes.  The day before,  we had some fries.  But how many different things can you make out of a potato?

A potato is a root vegetable.  It is a small plant with large leaves.  The part of the potato that people eat grows under the ground. 

Day 47

Good morning everyone!

My dad is a very creative person.  He loves making, creating and fixing things.

He can turn something looking really ugly into something amazing.

But what is creativity?  Our teachers encourage us to be creative in our writing tasks, or drawings and crafts.  We all come up with something different as we all express ourselves in a different way.  Imagine you have a string, paints and paper and you are asked by the art teacher to be creative. Here are few examples of what will different children come up with....

Everyone can be creative! 

Do you know who for example who J K Rowling is?  She is the author of Harry Potter.  She had this bright idea and written these books which later on became films too.  At first 12 publishers turned down her first book.  They did not want to publish her work. Finally, someone accepted  and she has become very popular and rich.  She sold over 400 million books!

You can be creative by making a craft out of recycled material, whilst painting by using using different items.

All you need is a bit of imagination!

Share with me your creative ideas on :  caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 46

Good morning world!

Today I'm going to share with you some information about Owls.

Owls are birds and there are 200 different species.  Most owls are solitary (stay on their own) and nocturnal.  In fact they are nigh-time hunters.  They feed on small mammals, insects and other birds.  Also there are some owls that like to eat fish as well.  They have powerful talons (claws) which help them catch their prey.  They are also helped to do so by their dull colour (which makes them less visible) and by their soft weathers which makes their flight silent. 

They are found in all parts of the world except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and some other small islands.

There are 2 families of owls,  the true owls and the barn owls. 

Owls do not build nests; they usually search discarded nests, barns or caves to live in.

Owls have large eyes, a flat face and a beak that resembles that of an eagle.  They can turn their head up to 270 degrees in both directions.  Did you know that owl can’t see things which are close to them clearly?  But then, they are good at looking at things far from their sight.

Time to go for a walk.

Will be back tomorrow.

Good day, Stay Safe and Take Care,

Love

Ronnie

Day 45

Good morning my little ones!

Are you a cheese lover?  Both dad and I love cheese.

Cheese is a dairy product, that is, food made from milk.

There are many types of cheese - more than 2000 varieties of cheese worldwide.  Many things affect the flavour, texture and style of the cheese like for example, depending whether it comes from a sheep or cow, the age of the cheese and how it is made.

Hard cheeses have a longer shelf life than soft cheeses

Cheese has been made for longer than 7000 years and was actually invented by accident.

A person who makes cheese is called a cheesemonger.

Types of cheese

There are many different ways to classify cheeses. Some ways include:

• How long the cheese was aged.
• The texture of the cheese. These include Hard, Soft and Softer.
• How the cheese was made.
• What type of milk was used to make the cheese. This is mainly what animal the milk comes from. The diet of the animal can also affect the type of cheese made from its milk.

• How much fat is in the cheese.
• What colour the cheese is.

Wishing you all a lovely day,

Good day and Take Care,

Love,

Ronnie

Day 44

Hello Boys and Girls!

Before taking a picture, my dad always says…Say Cheese!  When I do so, my teeth will show, so it is important that they show clean and healthy.  We need to take good care of our teeth, gums and mouth to avoid infections and pains.  Teeth help us to chew food and to look at our best.

Change your toothbrush often and do not share it with anyone else.  Use just a little bit of toothpaste – just the size of a pea and try not to swallow any. 

What did people use before toothpaste was invented?

Before toothpaste was invented, people used lemon, sticks, twigs and others.  It was only about 100 years ago that toothpaste was invented.  The first pastes were available in metal tubes, today the container is made of soft plastic which makes it easier to squeeze.

Healthy foods and drinks can help in keeping our teeth strong.  Do not drink fizzy drinks, they contain loads of sugars and acids which will cause tooth decay.

Milk and cheese are also important as they contain calcium.

Wishing you all a super lovely day.

Today it's my dad's birthday and I'm going to make a cake for him.   He loves the Red Velvet Cake so I need to find the recipe.

Will be back tomorrow.

Take Care and Stay Safe,

Love

Ronnie

Day 43

Good Morning!!!

Today it’s someone's special day.  Just have a look at this short video...

Here is some interesting information I found about how certain birthdays in different countries are culturally celebrated  :

• In Canada and the United States, families often mark a girl's 16th birthday with a "sweet sixteen" celebration.

• In some Hispanic countries, as well as in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, the quinceañera(Spanish) or festa de quinze anos (Portuguese) celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.

• In Nepal and India, on a child's first birthday, their head is shaved.

• In some Asian countries that follow the zodiac calendar, there is a  tradition of celebrating for the 60th birthday.

• In Ghana, on their birthday, children wake up to a special treat called "oto" which is a patty made from mashed sweet potato and eggs fried in palm oil. Later they have a birthday party where they usually eat stew and rice and a dish known as "kelewele", which is fried plantain chunks.

Have you ever heard the term "lucky birthday", that is when for example, someone who’s birthday is on the 9^th turns nine.  So, Isti’s lucky birthday will be when he turns 28. (20 more years to go boy!)

Wishing you all the very best Isti.   Enjoy your day!

Day 42

Bonjour!

My dad loves to watch movies.  He used to go quite often to the cinema as well.  Unfortunately, I’m not allowed there. 

People in every part of the world watch movies.  They are considered as a type of entertainment.  For some people, funny movies are the best as they make them laugh, but some others might prefer the ones that make them cry.  Also,  it’s very common that people eat popcorn while watching movies.

My dad’s favourite movies are Action Movies but he enjoys watching various types of films.

There are various to choose from.    Adventure  (with heroes), Animated (using computers), Comedies (funny films), Documentaries (about for example real people), Fantasy (with magical and impossible things), Western ( with cowboys) and many more types.

The Lumière Brothers were the first filmmakers.  They were from France and their first film was recorded on 19 March 1895. This first film shows workers leaving the Lumière factory (which belonged to their father).

Here is a short video about the history of movies.

Day 41

Hi Kids!

Yesterday dad was cleaning the garage.  He has so much stuff!  We spent nearly the whole day there and honestly I got bored.  Anyhow, amongst his things he found the tennis racket that he was looking for a couple of weeks ago.  He used to play tennis as well.  I mean, not like volleyball, because he played that as a professional player, but tennis was more for fun.  He enjoyed it, but lately he was very busy and so he had to miss some sessions.

I also used to go with him to the tennis court as well.

Do you like tennis?  Here is some information about it.  My assistant, Lisa, helped me once again as she is much into sport.  She has created this online flip book with loads of information about this sport.  Thanks Lisa!

Day 40

Good morning everyone!

Have you ever felt sick?  Being sick is no fun and this just happened last week.  I felt unwell and my dad was very worried.  I had a sore throat and was feeling very tired.  I even lost appetite.

I felt like that for nearly 2 days and dad took me to the Vet who gave me some medicine. I rested a lot and after that I felt much better.

Millions of people across the world get sick every single day. It can be a tummy ache or a headache. People of every age can get a cold, or have a runny nose, high fever, cough and so on.  It’s very common to have a normal flu – (influenza)  every now and then, especially in winter when the weather is cold and chilly.

Time to go for a little walk but will be back tomorrow.

Take care everyone,

Love 

Ronnie

Day 39

Rise and Shine Everyone!

Yesterday I was talking to my cousin Cooper via Skype and we were chit chatting about sport in general.  At the moment all sport events have been postponed or cancelled.

He was telling me that his brother is a basketball fan and he never misses a match on T.V.

What do you know about basketball?

Honestly, I did not know a lot about this game except for the fact that is played with an orange ball and that usually basketball players are quite tall.

So I made a bit of research so that when my other cousin is online too I’ll be able to talk about this sport as well.

My friend Lisa, who is a basketball player, made this flipbook presentation to help us understand more the rules and give us more information about the basketball game.

To find out more about basketball click on this link :             https://www.dkfindout.com/us/sports/basketball/

Day 38

Flowers

Bonjour!

The saying - April showers bring May flowers, comes from the fact that the rain showers in April help to have blooming flowers in May.

This morning I went for a walk in the countryside.  I realised that the weather is becoming warmer everyday. The green meadows are turning yellowish as the grass is slowly beginning to dry up.

I still managed to find a spot with some beautiful flowers.  Flowers make the world much more beautiful with their colours and their smell.  They are also very important for insects such as bees for their pollen. 

Common Spring flowers are lilacs, daffodils, irises, tulips, lilies, and dandelions.

Have you ever thought about flowers?

We use flowers for special occasions such as weddings and other special events.  They are also used on sad occasions like funerals.

Interesting Facts about Flowers

• Flowers did not always exist; they first appeared 140 million years ago.
• Several centuries ago in Holland, tulips were more valuable than gold.
• Broccoli is actually a flower.
• Carnivorous plants are flowering plants that eat bugs and small animals! For example, the Venus fly trap has leaves covered by little hairs. When a bug lands on the hairs, the trap snaps shut and digestive juices digest the bug. Other carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants have leaves that form pitchers that are full of digestive fluids. Insects, frogs, and other small creatures are attracted to the nectar and bright colors on the pitchers and flowers. Some unfortunate critters fall in, drown, and are digested.

Day 37

Hi there!

Last week my dad bought me a new, super soft cushion.   I love cushions!  They are so comfortable and they give that little extra touch to the house.  They make it feel cosier in my opinion. 

Today we see sofas covered with cushion of different shapes, sizes and colours.  They are used as decoration.

Then I was curious about the origin of cushions.  How long have been people using cushions?

I was really surprised to find out that the earliest cushions go back to 7000 years BC. (Before Christ).   Cushions were related to rich people and were found in palaces and great houses in the early Middle Ages.  They were often of great size, covered with leather.

Most cushions are filled with foam, wool, feathers and other various materials. The main idea of a cushion was to provide comfort when sitting or lying down but they can be used also for kneeling upon – as in church for example. They are also used to soften the hardness or a chair or couch.

Different types of cushions :

Have a look around at home.  How many cushions do you have? Look at their size and shape.  Do you like them?

Day 36

A young teenage boy that was in training to become a knight used to be called a squire, they would usually work as squires for five to six years, training with real weapons. Once the young man can prove his bravery and all his skills at battle, he becomes a proper knight.

A knight's qualities had to include: mercy, humility, honour, sacrifice, faithfulness, courage, utmost graciousness and courtesy toward women.

Knights practised sword fighting using only wooden swords and shields, this was one of their best-known skills. They also trained skills like climbing, swimming, archery and even wrestling.

Knights fought for their lords who in turn fought for their king. The king might take on a task as a favour for another king or in obedience to the Pope. A knight would typically give 40 days of service each year to his liege lord.

If you would like to know more about knights check out this website : https://www.dkfindout.com/us/history/castles/knights/

Day 35

Good Morning everyone!

Last night our neighbours kept on their T.V volume loud and we could not sleep till very late. That was so disrespectful!  At one point dad had to go and knock at their door.  At least they excused themselves and put the volume down immediately.

But what is sound? 

Close your eyes for 2 minutes.  See how many things can you hear? 

When the sound is too loud it becomes noise.  Noise is something that we don’t necessarily want to hear and creates discomfort to our ears.

When the sound is really high it is considered to be dangerous and can cause us harm.

Have you ever heard about Sound or Noise Pollution?

Sound Pollution is invisible – you can’t see it. 

Noise pollution is not just annoying; it can cause health problems for people and animals. For example, loud noises can cause hearing loss. Noise pollution can also affect sleep, because the noise keeps you up at night. This will make you feel tired and grumpy and less able to concentrate.

Noise (or sound)  is measured too and in some places workers have to wear earplugs because of the unbearable noise.  On construction sites or people using tractors are required to wear noise-proof gadgets.

Share your creative ideas with me on : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 34

Good morning Girls and Boys!

When I woke up this morning I could smell something really tasty.  It was dad preparing breakfast.

Breakfast is the first and the most important meal of the day.  A healthy breakfast gives us energy and helps our brain too.

The word comes from two other words; “break" ("end") and fast ("not eating for a long time").

People around the world eat different things for breakfast. We are more to used to cereals, yoghurts, hot chocolates, toasts and fruit.   So, I decided to have a look at what usually people in different countries have for breakfast.

Children and people in Japan enjoy rice, fish and miso soup. Kids in Brazil eat more familiar foods like cheese, bread and ham for breakfast.

In France people usually eat a very light meal; often  bread /croissant and coffee with milk or hot chocolate.

In Asia most people eat rice instead of bread. They also sometimes eat  porridge.  Scottish people like to eat porridge too with warmed up milk or water and a pinch of salt or sugar) with raspberries and banana before heading off to school.

In Vietnam people eat rice noodle soup cooked in a pork and sour fruit (called, qủa sấu) broth with pork and mushroom meatballs. the Vietnamese wake up early to enjoy a full breakfast before school and work.

Kids Corner

Email from Isti that I would like to share with you ....

I really like the idea of calling people's attention of how important it is not to waste food, not to leave rubbish behind and fix any broken toy, clothes or furniture if possible before buying new ones. 

I enjoy walking in the countryside and I often see plastic bottles and rubbish thrown away. It is very sad...

In Spain my school was right on the Atlantic shore and one morning I remember there was a dolphin in the bay.  It was hardly breathing... We called the Institute of Marine Mammals and they came to see what happened to the dolphin. It turned out that it had a plastic bag around its lungs and couldn't breathe. We were all very sad that they couldn't save it in the end. 

Soon after one of my friends who is a tug-boat master organized the cleaning of the wonderful island called Lobeira in the middle of the Atlantic where we lived. Thirty of us volunteered and approached the island in fishing boats on 8 June that was World Oceans Day. 

It was an absolutely amazing day!!! All of us working together to collect rubbish that the waves swept on shore. We climbed up rocks to find plastic bottles stuck in between the rocks, dug the sand to pull out buried fishing nets and worked in a team to move pieces of a shipwreck. 

It was almost a year ago but I still remember it and would be glad to go again this year. 

I am sending you some pics of this adventure. 

Super Well Done!

Day 33

Good morning world!

Yesterday morning, during our daily walk, I saw the scammel truck passing by.  It was stopping frequently so that the garbage collectors would be able to pick up all the black bags.  I was wondering how much waste we throw away everyday! 

Apart from making our streets, beaches, countryside and all areas look dirty and awful, all this litter is damaging our wildlife and environment. 

This litter ends up on the ground or in the sea. It could be glass bottles, plastic bags, tins, sticky chewing gum, fast food containers, cigarette butts or sweet wrappers. Both animals and people can injure themselves because of this trash but also they are polluting both air and water.  Some litter can be dangerous as it can contain hazardous substances that might leak out into the environment.

Did you know that 100,000 turtles and marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales and seals, are killed by plastic marine litter every year around the world because they eat all plastic things thinking they are food?

Every day, we can all do something to prevent litter and make our community cleaner and safer.

Currently there is a litter photo competition that we are encouraging you to take part.

Children are encouraged to take photos of litter to report or make a campaign against it e.g. use of plastic.

Jethro told me about this competition and he sent me an example...

Those who would like to take part in the competition are invited to send me their pictures which I will forward to YRE.

my email address :  caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 32

Hi Everyone!

Dad and I yesterday spent the afternoon in the garage as he needed to make some space.  He found a box with some old toys, the ones he used to play with when he was young.

I was really fascinated by a toy called Kaleidoscope.  Such a difficult word for me to say, but I was so impressed that I spent the entire evening looking through this thing and see the different shapes and colours forming whilst I turned it round. For me it was like magic. 

So, later I decided to check about it on the internet and to search for the person who came up with this brilliant idea.

Let's make a Kaleidoscope!

Share your colourful Kaleidoscopes with me.  Let me see how creative can you be! : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 31

Good morning everyone,

We are all aware of what’s happening around us.  Schools had to close and some shops too.  People were being told to stay home and to keep distance from each other, to wash their hands more often and to use hand sanitizers.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) managed to change our lifestyle in a few months.

This virus can be very dangerous and so precautions had to be taken for our own safety. 

As from today though, some shops will reopen, still there are rules that we need to follow and obey.

You may have noticed many people walking around, going to the supermarket or other stores wearing masks.  Usually we see doctors and nurses in hospitals and clinics wearing them.  Why are we supposed and ordered to be wearing one as well now when we go out?  By wearing these masks we prevent from getting sick. This also helps to slow the spread of the virus.

It might feel a bit scary and awkward at first but don’t worry, after a while you will get used to it. 

We’ve seen various masks.  There are the disposable ones (the ones which you wear once or just few times), cloth masks, recycled masks - made out of old T-Shirts, socks, scarves... there are so many to choose from.  

Today in fact, dad and I decided to make a video to show you how to make a very simple, safe and reusable mask.  You can also decorate it and use coloured tape.  Just use your imagination, give it your personal touch and have fun!  

Share your ideas of face masks with me on : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 30

The igloo, also known as a snow house, is a house made out of ice used as a shelter for people to stay dry and warm.  It is made of blocks of ice placed on top of each other, usually in the shape of a dome.  It was originally constructed by the Inuit Tribe.

As you can imagine, they can be built only in places where temperature is freezing cold such as :  Alaska, Canada and Greenland.

They will surely not melt until the winter passes by and the reason is also because they walls are made in a special way that they

will become rock hard.

The word Igloo comes from the Inuit Indian word for home.

The Inuit people were skilled builders and made good use of the snow and ice found in their habitat which they used to make

the igloo house. The Inuit built three different types of igloos in different sizes and used for different purposes.

• The smallest were usually only used for one or two nights – usually for hunting trips.

• The medium sized igloos were for semi-permanent, family.

• The largest igloo was the type found in Inuit villages and attached by tunnels to smaller sized igloos.

What else do you know about Igloos?  Please share your ideas about igloos with me on : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 29

Good morning Everyone,

Today I want to tell you something about Penguins.

Penguins belong to the bird family but they cannot fly. They have flippers which help them in the water and while on land they

waddle to walk.  They also like to slide on their bellies on the snow.

Like most birds, they lay eggs and have feathers and wings. 

Penguins spend half of their time in water and the other half on land. They eat what they catch whilst they are in the water and they can drink sea water too.

Penguins have a few predators and these include sharks, orcas, and leopard seals.  The best way for penguins to  protect themselves and keep away predators is to stay and live in large groups. 

While in the water, penguins are excellent swimmers and once close to land they can jump out of it at a high speed and so escape the threat quickly.

If you would like to share any penguins crafts, poems , stories or anything else please send me an email on : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 28

Ahoy Everyone!

This morning I received an email from my cousin Cooper from Sicily.  As you can see he loves Pirates!

We see many children and adults dressed up as pirates in Carnival or even in Halloween, but did you know that Pirates really

existed?  They were sea robbers that were very powerful in their times.

Privateers :  were allowed by the government to attack and steal goods from the ships of enemy nations. In return, they used to

share their profits with the government.

Bucaneers : were government-sponsored pirate crews who attacked Spanish ships in the Caribbean during the 17th century.

Corsairs : Pirates of the Mediterranean were known as "corsairs". Most were Muslim. Corsairs fought with curved swords called

"scimitars". They captured people and sold them as slaves. The two most feared corsairs were the Barbarossa brothers. Barba

Rossa means "Redbeard" in Latin.

Day 27

Good morning boys and girls!

Look out the window. Is it raining? Is it sunny? Is it hot or cold?  In other words… how is the weather today?

The weather is what happens in the sky and we can notice changes by looking outside.

But weather is much more than just hot or cold.  Have you ever starred at the beautiful and colourful rainbow? or were you ever scared by the flashes of lightning and loud rumbling noises of the thunders?

During the year the weather changes.  This affects our lives as in what we wear, what we eat, what to do and where to go.

Would you imagine wearing scarf and a pair of boots in summer?  Or how about your sandals on a rainy day in winter?

Weather affects the type of food we eat as well.  We tend to opt more cold salads, fruit and ice creams on warm days and soups,

stews and pies on cold days.

The weather is different at different places around the planet. We could be freezing in one place while it could be boiling hot somewhere else.

Different places in the world tend to have different kinds of weather.

In Malta we have a warm and sunny weather most of the year whilst in other places such as Alaska it’s cold and snowy.

Some people, like farmers, who grow crops and fishermen who go out to sea have to know about the weather to make a living. 

At times weather can be dangerous too.  Floods, Tsunamis, Fires, Tornadoes and more.

Weather Song

We received this interesting email about a weather project.   Hope that you'll take part.

Day 26

Good morning,

Yesterday my aunt and dad were talking about their childhood memories.  They were watching movies of when they were young.  They recalled places they used to go, neighbours, relatives and friends with whom they used to play.

It was so interesting learning about the games they used to play. They did not mention any mobiles, playstation or computers.  Most of the games were played outside with other kids in the neighbourhood.  I think it was great fun!

Here in Malta, the most popular games were – Il-Passju ( Hopsckotch),  Noli (Hide and Seek),  Il-boċċi (marbles), Il-qbiż bil-ħabel (skipping rope), Dawra Durella and many more.  Some of these are still played today.  These games bring children together, let them spend time outdoors and make them exercise in a fun way.

What about children in other countries?  What games did they play in the past which still could be played today?  Are there any games in common?   I was really curious and so I spent the whole afternoon searching on the internet about games.

Some popular traditional games I found are :   

Do you know any other traditional games?  What did your parents and grandparents used to play when they were young?

Tell me more on :  caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 25

Hey Kids!

This week we are celebrating book week.  This is something that we celebrate every year.

Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, came up with the idea of celebrating book week in 1913.

He thought that a celebration of children's books would help get more children into reading.

Dad and I often go to the library.

A library has books newspapers, magazines, films, audio recordings, and computer software. Workers called librarians keep the

resources in order and show people how to find and use them.

Dad calls me little bookworm because I love to read.  Wherever I go, I take a book with me.

I also have a reading site. Did you know that?  This is the link to my ‘Take a Look and Read a Book’ website. https://sgreadingsite.webs.com/

Parts of a Book

Here is the rocket bookmark I promised you to do yesterday.

If you make a book, dress up like your favourite book character or whatever you decide to do related to book week I’ll be more

than happy to see your pictures.  Share them with me on –  caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 24

Bonjour!

Last night I sat outside on the terrace for a long time.  I looked up at the sky and was amazed and fascinated by all the bright

stars up there.  It was so beautiful!  Then I thought about the space. 

I spent the whole night surfing on the internet learning about planets, stars the sun and moon.

Here are some interesting facts I found about space :

• In space, no one can hear you scream. This is because there is no air in space – it is a vacuum.

      Astronauts use radios to stay in communication while in space, since radio waves can still be sent and received.

• Although it’s not the closest planet to the sun, Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.

• Of all the planets in our solar system (apart from Earth),  Mars is the one most likely to be hospitable to life.

• Space is huge.  It’s so enormous that makes it impossible to accurately predict the number of stars. 

• Saturn isn't the only ringed planet, other gas giants such as Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune also have rings, they are just less obvious.

• Footprints and tyre tracks left behind by astronauts on the moon will stay there forever as there is no wind to blow them away.

• The only planet that rotates on its side like a barrel is Uranus. The only planet that spins backwards relative to the others is Venus.

Today I'm going to try and do this rocket bookmark...

If you manage to do it or if you come up with more craft ideas about space I would like you to share them with me on :

caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 23

Good morning kids,

When I go out with dad I always walk side by side next to him as I’m really scared of all the vehicles that pass by.  We always cross the streets from the zebra crossing.  My dad taught me that it’s always very important to stop and look both ways before crossing. 

There are so many rules that we need to keep in mind.  Road safety is very important for both pedestrians and for those driving

a vehicle.  Drivers need to be extra careful and obey all rules watch out for all signs so that they won’t get hurt and not hurt

others.

These are just a few examples of road signs:

We must always walk on the sidewalks and be aware of what’s going on.  If you’re playing music while walking, make sure that

you can still hear the traffic and other noises.  Also, don’t get distracted by your mobile phones.  Keep your safety ahead of

everything.

Riding a bike is lots of fun but remember always to wear a helmet that fits well and that covers your forehead.  This will protect your head and face.  Wearing bright clothes and putting reflectors on your bike also can help you stay safe. It helps other people on the road see you.  Don’t ride too close to cars and use bike lanes.  Be aware also of the correct hand signals to use to help drivers know which way you’re heading.

Dad downloaded this card game for me  which I really enjoy doing.  I need to read and match the cards.

If you have any more ideas on road safety share them with me on : caruanaronnie15@gmail.com

Day 22

Welcome Back Everyone!

Have you ever visited a zoo?

Zoos may be a great entertainment.  At the zoo we can see animals that live in the wild.  It’s amazing that we have such an

opportunity to get so close to them but....wait a minute... what about the animals?  Do you think that all those poor animals are

happy to be there?  How does it feel to live in a zoo?

The idea of a zoo is to teach people about the wildlife.  A zoo is a place where animals are put on display for us to see.  They have

small areas to move around and most probably, they’ll get bored doing always the same thing.  Can you imagine spending your

entire life in a small space that isn’t big enough to do the things you enjoy doing like – playing with your friends?

In the wild elephants, bears, lions and tigers walk and run freely for hours but is it the same thing at the zoo?

Watch this video.

Not all zoos are the same.   Some are clean, big and take good care of the animals but maybe some others are not as much as

nice. 

Some zoos also take in abandoned or rescued animals that wouldn't otherwise have a home so, from this point of view they are really helping these poor animals that cannot be now taken to their natural habitat.

What do you think about Zoos?