In this episode, we hear Carolyn talking about beekeeping.

In this episode, we hear Jennie talking about her allotment. Students were asked to send in questions. These are the 10 questions she answers: 

Question 1: What is an allotment? 

Question 2: Are all plots the same size? 

Question 3: Do allotments take a lot of time?

Question 4: Is an allotment only a spring and summer hobby and what can be planted in winter? 

Question 5: Do I need a lot of tools? 

Question 6: What can be planted? What are you planting? 

Question 7: What's the best time of day to spend on the allotment?

Question 8: Does everyone plant the same things? 

Question 9: Is it cheaper to grow food than to buy at the supermarket?

Question 10: What's the best thing about having an allotment? 

In this episode, we hear Wendy talking about how she enjoys arts and crafts, including painting, drawing, weaving and batik. Wendy talks about how videocalls during lockdown inspired one of her paintings. 

In this episode, we hear Hilary talking about how she enjoys walking and being outdoors to help her wellbeing. Studies and medical professionals have talked about the many benefits being outside can have, including lowering stress, blood pressure and heart rate, as well as lifting your mood and improving mental health, whether you choose to walk, run or sit in the garden! 

In this episode, we hear Sheila talking about how she enjoys running and taking part in parkrun. Parkrun takes place every Saturday / Sunday morning at more than 2,000 locations in 23 countries across five continents. 

In this episode, we hear Jenny talking about how she enjoys singing and playing the guitar. 

Written by Jennie Cole

Flo: Jennie / Elsie: Hilary / Party Host: Ahmed

With special thanks to Azmera, Pricila, Nelson, Marinela and Gheorghina

PART 4:

(car sound can be heard)

Elsie: That was a nice letter! Are you going to visit Jack in London?

Flo: Yes, it will be lots of fun.

(sound of rain)

Oh, it’s started to rain! Look at this window! (windscreen wipers can be heard)

I can hardly see through this window. (sound of the car driving along)

What a journey, it’s taken a while to get here, hasn’t it?

Elsie: Yes, but think what we’ve learnt! All those homophones we never knew existed.

Flo: Well, I KNEW the words, I just didn’t realise what they were called.

Elsie: …or that there were so many of them!

(Flo laughs)

Flo: It’s certainly made me think a little more about the language I use. Elsie: We’d better go in then!

(car can be heard to stop, door opens, then closes…) The ringing of a doorbell can be heard.

PARTY HOST:

(a party atmosphere can be heard into the background)

Hello, Flo and Elsie! It’s good to see you! Come and join the party! We’re just playing a game, here’s the clue: “a word which sounds the same but is spelt differently…”

Flo and Elsie together: (excitedly) Homophones!!

Written by Jennie Cole

Flo: Jennie / Elsie: Hilary / Party Host: Ahmed

With special thanks to Azmera, Pricila, Nelson, Marinela and Gheorghina

PART 3:

(traffic jam and car horns in distance…)

Flo: I knew we’d get stuck in the afternoon traffic! Look at the time, we’re going to be late!

Elsie: Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. (swerve of car can be heard)

Flo: I got a letter from Jack yesterday. Elsie: Oh yes? Where is it?

Flo: In the envelope there – you can read it, if you like.

TASK! (listen and change the homophone words to the correct spelling)

Elsie:

Deer Gloria,

it was so nice to here from you last weak. I would love to meat you in London next month. Do you no the name of a good hotel? My friend says a hotel called The Grand is worth trying. I’m sure you won’t be bored in London, there’s lots to sea. The whether should be warm too, though we will have to weight and sea. We could visit a museum, as it wood be such a shame to waist your time in London. I’m afraid it is very noisy here though, and you won’t have very much piece. Please right and tell me when you plan to arrive and I will meet you,

from Jack.

Written by Jennie Cole

Flo: Jennie / Elsie: Hilary / Party Host: Ahmed

With special thanks to Azmera, Pricila, Nelson, Marinela and Gheorghina

PART 2:

(car can be heard to swerve on the road)

Elsie: watch the ROAD, Flo! Be careful how you drive!

Flo: Oh, sorry, all that interesting talk on homophones has distracted me. Elsie: I WOULD have saved it until later, had I know. I’ve been reading about homophones all WEEK.

Flo: I didn’t realise how common homophones actually are. Elsie: What do you mean?

Flo: Well, just as we were talking, we said three homophones! You told me to watch the ROAD. R-o-a-d, which is what we’re driving on. This type of ROAD is a way people or vehicles pass between places. They drive from A to B on a road. But I remember when my brother RODE a horse, meaning he sat on the horse.

Elsie: Oh yes! And I just said then that I WOULD have saved all this very interesting talk, which is spelt w-o-u-l-d, meaning that perhaps I should have, but the word can also be spelt wood (w-o-o-d) which is what trees are made from.

Flo: You also said you’d been reading about homophones all WEEK, and that word can be spelt w-e-e-k, which is a period of seven days, but it can also be spelt w-e-a-k, which means a lack of strength or power.

Elsie: That’s right!

Flo: There you go again!

Elsie: What do you mean?

Flo: The word ‘right’ can be spelt r-i-g-h-t, which can mean ‘correct,’ but my friend forgot to WRITE a note, which is spelt w-r-i-t-e.

Elsie: There seems to be so many! I need a rest from talking so much. Would you mind if I had a few minutes sleep on the way?

Flo: Oh, that’s fine, Elsie. I’ll keep driving. (sound of the car cruising along the road)

Written by Jennie Cole

Flo: Jennie / Elsie: Hilary / Party Host: Ahmed

With special thanks to Azmera, Pricila, Nelson, Marinela and Gheorghina

PART 1:

(a car can be heard driving; there is the sound of a horn) 

Flo: Come on Elsie, hurry up!

(a car door opens then closes and the car sets off)

Elsie (breathless): I’m sorry I’m late, Flo!

Flo: Why are you so late? What have you been doing?

Elsie: I’ve been reading about homophones all afternoon.

Flo: Homo what? Is that a word that is spelt the same, but has a different meaning?

Elsie: No, Flo, that’s a homonym. I’ve been reading about homophones.

Flo: Tell me more, Elsie!

Elsie: Well, the word ‘homo’ comes from the Greek word ‘homos’ meaning ‘same.’ The word ‘phone’ means sound.

Flo: So that must mean homophones are words which have the same sound?

Elsie: Yes, that’s right, Flo.

Flo: Like the word stairs and stares?

Elsie: Yes! The word stairs can be spelt s-t-a-i-r-s, meaning a flight of steps, like the ones you would walk up to get to the top of a house. It can also be spelt s-t-a-r-e-s, meaning gazing very openly, which is what some of the people did to me that day I dyed my hair pink! I certainly got a lot of stares that day!

Flo: Ahh, the day you dyed your hair. So the word ‘dyed’ is also a homophone then, isn’t it? It can be spelt d-y-e-d, meaning ‘to colour something,’ or d-i-e-d, meaning to stop living. But why are these homo whatsits…

Elsie: Homophones, Flo.

Flo: Those are the ones. Thanks, Elsie. Why are they so important?

Elsie: It’s important to know the difference in homophones words. Though the sound is the same, the meaning is very different.

Flo: Very interesting! So let me see if I’ve understood this. Homophones are pronounced in the same way, but are spelt differently?

Elsie: That’s right.

Flo: Before I ask you anymore, I’ll just stop here for some petrol, Elsie…

(car indicator can be heard)