Epic Learning Podcast

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 Amy (also an Epic mum!) are joined by 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. Together they discuss the curriculum links within Chip and Amy's adaptation of the Norse myth "The Potion of Poetry". Discover how to help your children conquer poetry, recipes, scientific enquiry... and much more!

00:48 | Introductions

01:59 | "The Potion of Poetry" excerpt

04:29 | PSHCE, History, Literacy, and morals (all ages)

17:57 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• History, Art — Viking gods (17:57)
• Core Skills, Art — conceptualising, designing, crafting (19:07)
• History — beliefs of different people, research skills (19:47); key historical figures of Viking times relevant to British history (20:06)
• Science — consistency of different liquids, following instructions, developing scientific enquiry skills (21:45)
• DT, Art — creating trolls, e.g. as costumes (23:35)
• Literacy — writing about your own activities (24:45); rhyme and rhyming games (25:15)
• Core Skills, Literacy — planning, writing instructions, evaluating (29:06); lost/stolen posters, purposeful writing, fine motor skills (31:57)
• Geography, History — following maps, features of the Viking world (31:10)
• Science, DT — origami, designing experiments (33:02)
• Numeracy — capacity (33:31)

34:44 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Literacy — poetry, rhyme (34:44); expanded noun phrases, similes and metaphors (37:14); alliteration (39:27)
• Literacy, Numeracy, Coding and Computing — riddles, secret codes (40:30)
• Numeracy — mathematical investigations (46:34)
• DT, History, Geography — cooking, recipes, changes in diets across time and place, bread-making, measuring skills (47:20)
• Art, DT, RE — designing a hall and staircase among the clouds, levers and pullies (51:02)
• Science, DT — designing and making habitats, research (52:49)

54:03 | All Age curriculum links
• Literacy, DT — "reading corners", story boxes (54:03)
• Literacy — cataloguing (55:28); poetry (56:24); comparing stories (56:59)
• DT, Art, Literacy, Science — creating trolls and their habitats (57:51)

If you enjoy this podcast, please do leave us a review – we'd love to know your thoughts!

Find more storytelling resources at epictales.co.uk, including videos and Creative Challenges for your children.

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence.

The Viking gods decide it's time to invent stories, and mix a potion of poetry to share with the world. But when it's stolen, the god Odin finds himself up against a troll who now has the power of the imagination...

Let your children follow Odin's quest in this week's Epic, based on a Norse legend adapted by Chip Colquhoun and Amy Robinson for their book "The First King of England in a Dress". The story is read by David Ault (davidault.co.uk).

Illustrated by Dave Hingley.

For easy and fun ways to link this story to the UK National Curriculum, make sure you also listen to our Epic Learning podcast. Further storytelling and learning resources – including 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!

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence. 

The Viking gods decide it's time to invent stories, and mix a potion of poetry to share with the world. But when it's stolen, the god Odin finds himself up against a troll who now has the power of the imagination...

Let your children follow Odin's quest in this week's Epic, based on a Norse legend adapted by Chip Colquhoun and Amy Robinson for their book The First King of England in a Dress. The story is read by David Ault (davidault.co.uk).

Illustrated by Dave Hingley.

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

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

This recording copyright © Epic Tales 2021. Story copyright © Chip Colquhoun 2021. Illustration copyright © Dave Hingley 2021.

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

To become strong, clever, and brave, the only thing Sir Fulladred needs is to eat a dragon's heart. But since he's weak, silly, and fearful, he only stands a chance against the cat-sized Yu Dragon – or does he? Let your children find out in this hilarious and exciting Epic, based on a folk tale found all over the world...!

"Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart" was adapted by Chip Colquhoun, and is performed by Amy Robinson.

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

Illustration by 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

This recording copyright © Epic Tales 2021. Story copyright © Chip Colquhoun 2021. Illustration copyright © Erica Terry-Rose 2021.

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

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 Amy (also an Epic mum!) are joined by 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. Together they discuss the curriculum links within our adaptation of the famous "Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart". Discover how to help your children conquer expanded noun phrases, fractions, researching... and much more!

00:48 | Introductions

02:02 | "Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart" excerpt

03:53 | Amy's story: The Power of Storytelling for Children's Learning

07:17 | PSHCE and morals: the power of other people's perceptions; the power of kindness (all ages)

15:23 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• DT, Literacy, History, PSHCE – making coats of arms, using symbolism (15:23); adjectives (17:16); expanded noun phrases (52:32)
• DT – making "hobby horses" (19:12)
• Core Skills, Art – researching, imagining, drawing, comparing (20:19)
• Science, Literacy – understanding habitats, classification, etc, and describing with fact files, adjectives and poetry (21:47)
• Literacy – sensory learning, discovering vocab through experience (22:59)
• Numeracy – counting (25:56); estimating (27:29)
• Literacy, Numeracy, History, Core Skills, Science, DT – planning a party, research, writing invitations, different diets, baking (27:50)
• Numeracy – 2D shapes (28:33); fractions (29:07); tangrams (29:38)
• Geography – China (29:38)

30:28 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Numeracy, Geography, Computing – maps, distances, conversion, directions, and algorithms (30:28); scaling (32:32); co-ordinates (45:01)
• Numeracy, Core Skills – investigative skills, patterns, weight (33:21); Numeracy "quick fixes" and exam skills (36:22); Venn and Carroll diagrams (41:48)
• Physics (and/or tree climbing safety!) – forces and levers (35:08)
• Literacy – sensory learning, discovering vocab through experience (45:50); enhancing/editing stories, synonyms, expanded noun phrases (51:00); Literary "quick fixes" (52:59)
• PSHCE – self-esteem (54:06)
• History – researching castles (55:29)
• Science – the heart (55:55)

56:42 | All Age curriculum links
• Science, Literacy, History – understanding habitats, classification, etc, and describing with fact files, adjectives and poetry (56:42)
• DT and PE – hobby horse jousting (57:36)
• Literacy, Numeracy, History, Core Skills, Science, DT, and PE – planning a party, research, writing invitations, different diets, baking (58:36); designing a knight skills boot camp (59:08)
• DT, Literacy, History, PSHCE – making coats of arms, using symbolism (58:51)

If you enjoy this podcast, please do leave us a review – we'd love to know your thoughts!

Find more storytelling resources at epictales.co.uk, including videos and Creative Challenges for your children.

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence.

To become strong, clever, and brave, the only thing Sir Fulladred needs is to eat a dragon's heart. But since he's weak, silly, and fearful, he only stands a chance against the cat-sized Yu Dragon – or does he? Let your children find out in this hilarious and exciting Epic, based on a folk tale found all over the world...!

"Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart" was adapted by Chip Colquhoun, and is performed by Amy Robinson.

Illustration by Heather Rose.

For easy and fun ways to link this story to the UK National Curriculum, make sure you also listen to our Epic Learning podcast. Further storytelling and learning resources – including 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!

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence.  

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 Amy (also an Epic mum!) are joined by 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. Together they discuss the curriculum links within our adaptation of the famous "Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart". Discover how to help your children conquer expanded noun phrases, fractions, researching... and much more!

00:48 | Introductions

02:02 | "Sir Fulladred and the Dragon's Heart" excerpt

03:53 | Amy's story: The Power of Storytelling for Children's Learning

07:17 | PSHCE and morals: the power of other people's perceptions; the power of kindness (all ages)

15:23 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• DT, Literacy, History, PSHCE – making coats of arms, using symbolism (15:23); adjectives (17:16); expanded noun phrases (52:32)
• DT – making "hobby horses" (19:12)
• Core Skills, Art – researching, imagining, drawing, comparing (20:19)
• Science, Literacy – understanding habitats, classification, etc, and describing with fact files, adjectives and poetry (21:47)
• Literacy – sensory learning, discovering vocab through experience (22:59)
• Numeracy – counting (25:56); estimating (27:29)
• Literacy, Numeracy, History, Core Skills, Science, DT – planning a party, research, writing invitations, different diets, baking (27:50)
• Numeracy – 2D shapes (28:33); fractions (29:07); tangrams (29:38)
• Geography – China (29:38)

30:28 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Numeracy, Geography, Computing – maps, distances, conversion, directions, and algorithms (30:28); scaling (32:32); co-ordinates (45:01)
• Numeracy, Core Skills – investigative skills, patterns, weight (33:21); Numeracy "quick fixes" and exam skills (36:22); Venn and Carroll diagrams (41:48)
• Physics (and/or tree climbing safety!) – forces and levers (35:08)
• Literacy – sensory learning, discovering vocab through experience (45:50); enhancing/editing stories, synonyms, expanded noun phrases (51:00); Literary "quick fixes" (52:59)
• PSHCE – self-esteem (54:06)
• History – researching castles (55:29)
• Science – the heart (55:55)

56:42 | All Age curriculum links
• Science, Literacy, History – understanding habitats, classification, etc, and describing with fact files, adjectives and poetry (56:42)
• DT and PE – hobby horse jousting (57:36)
• Literacy, Numeracy, History, Core Skills, Science, DT, and PE – planning a party, research, writing invitations, different diets, baking (58:36); designing a knight skills boot camp (59:08)
• DT, Literacy, History, PSHCE – making coats of arms, using symbolism (58:51)

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 [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 © Chip Colquhoun 2021. Illustration copyright © Dave Hingley 2021.

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

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 Erika (also an Epic mum!) are joined by 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. Together they discuss the curriculum links within our adaptation of the famous "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves". Discover how to help your children conquer punctuation, multiplication, division, citizenship... and much more!

00:47 | Introductions

02:03 | "Merchant Ali and the Forty Brigands" excerpt

04:27 | Story origins

09:27 | PSHCE and life preparation (all ages)

14:24 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• Numeracy – early multiplication, division, and fractions (14:24); more and less (16:45)
• DT – making toys for counting and/or world play (17:51)
• Core skills – confidence, "Mantle of the Expert" (19:00, 31:14)
• PSHCE – being kind to others, "anti-bullying" (20:21); good role models (20:51)
• DT, Geography and Science – making things with different materials, habitats, light (23:39)
• Literacy, Music, and PE – soundscapes through movement (25:51); listening skills (27:46)
• Literacy and Cyber-security – phonics, nonsense words, and code words (29:04)
• Literacy and Art – wanted/warning posters (32:22)
• All subjects – staged learning (33:45)
• Geography – maps (34:31)

35:06 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Literacy – punctuation (35:06); tiers of learning (41:15); editing (44:04); figurative language (45:33); story origins (53:19)
• Core Skills – thinking skills, making connections, independent thinking, and building imagination (47:05)
• Numeracy – time (49:08)
• Science – insect traps, how insects use sugar (51:12)
• Geography – survival skills (52:37)
• DT – disguises (55:07)
• History, Geography, and Citizenship – other cultures in time and place (55:51)

57:02 | All Age curriculum links
• DT, PE – construction and movement (57:02)
• Geography – dances in other cultures (58:19)
• PSHCE – value (58:33)

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 © Chip Colquhoun 2021. Illustration copyright © Dave Hingley 2021.

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

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 Erika (also an Epic mum!) are joined by 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. Together they discuss the curriculum links within our adaptation of the famous "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves". Discover how to help your children conquer punctuation, multiplication, division, citizenship... and much more!
00:47 | Introductions

02:03 | "Merchant Ali and the Forty Brigands" excerpt

04:27 | Story origins

09:27 | PSHCE and life preparation (all ages)

14:24 | Curriculum links for ages 4 to 7
• Numeracy – early multiplication, division, and fractions (14:24); more and less (16:45)
• DT – making toys for counting and/or world play (17:51)
• Core skills – confidence, "Mantle of the Expert" (19:00, 31:14)
• PSHCE – being kind to others, "anti-bullying" (20:21); good role models (20:51)
• DT, Geography and Science – making things with different materials, habitats, light (23:39)
• Literacy, Music, and PE – soundscapes through movement (25:51); listening skills (27:46)
• Literacy and Cyber-security – phonics, nonsense words, and code words (29:04)
• Literacy and Art – wanted/warning posters (32:22)
• All subjects – staged learning (33:45)
• Geography – maps (34:31)

35:06 | Curriculum links for ages 7 to 11
• Literacy – punctuation (35:06); tiers of learning (41:15); editing (44:04); figurative language (45:33); story origins (53:19)
• Core Skills – thinking skills, making connections, independent thinking, and building imagination (47:05)
• Numeracy – time (49:08)
• Science – insect traps, how insects use sugar (51:12)
• Geography – survival skills (52:37)
• DT – disguises (55:07)
• History, Geography, and Citizenship – other cultures in time and place (55:51)

57:02 | All Age curriculum links
• DT, PE – construction and movement (57:02)
• Geography – dances in other cultures (58:19)
• PSHCE – value (58:33)

If you enjoy this podcast, please do leave us a review – we'd love to know your thoughts!

Find more storytelling resources at epictales.co.uk, including videos and Creative Challenges for your children.

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence.

In the land once called Persia, you wouldn't want to go through the forest – but Merchant Ali has no choice. Let your children find out what happens to him in our version of this famous Grecian-Arabian tale!

"Merchant Ali and the 40 Brigands" was adapted by Chip Colquhoun, and is performed by Erika Sanderson (erikasanderson.com).

Illustrated by Erica Terry-Rose.

For easy and fun ways to link this story to the UK National Curriculum, make sure you also listen to our Epic Learning podcast. Further storytelling and learning resources – including 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!

This audio is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 Licence.