- Suggested Age Range: 5 – 6 years; 6 – 7 years; 7 – 8 years; 8 – 9 years; 9 – 10 years
- UK Curriculum: KS1; KS2
- Suggested UK Year Group: Year 1; Year 5
- UK Primary Curriculum Link: Seasonal Changes
- Science Subject: Seasonal Changes
- Science Question: Why Do We Have Seasons?
- Suggested Science Activity: Seasons
- Children with SEND: Use to boost comprehension of science vocabulary
- EAL children: Beginners level
- Country of Origin: Greece
- Source: Aesop’s Fables
One day, Summer Sun and Winter Wind were having an argument.
“I am the strongest” said Summer Sun “Because I can bring drought to the world and cause the plants and the people to die.”
“Oh no you are not!” said Winter Wind “I am the strongest because I bring gales and storms and floods and devastation wherever I go.”
“Oh yes I am!” said Summer Sun, “I am stronger than you! People fear me far more than they do you!”
“Oh no you are not!” said Winter Wind.
“Oh yes I am” said Summer Sun.
“Oh no you are not!” said Winter Wind.
“Oh yes I am” said Summer Sun.
“Oh no you are not!” “Oh yes I am”
And they argued and argued and argued.
“Right!” said Summer Sun, “I will prove it to you! Let’s have a competition!”
“See that man, down there wearing the long black overcoat?”
“I bet you I can make him remove his coat!”
“Hah – no you cannot!” said Winter Wind “But I bet I can!”
“Show me” said Summer Sun.
So the wind began to blow.
First an icy breeze whistled around the man’s shoulders, and ankles.
He shivered and pulled the lapels of his coat closer together.
Then the wind grew strong and began to pull and tug at the sides and the back of the long coat. The man did up all of the buttons on his coat and held on tight.
The wind began to blow stronger, pushing the Man almost off feet.
The man hunched his shoulders like a tortoise and held on to his coat.
The wind blew even stronger, almost knocking him to the ground. The man hunched lower, stood still and held onto his coat even tighter.
The stronger and stronger the wind blew, the more determined the man was to hold onto his expensive warm coat.
The Sun said: “Now it is MY turn. Just look and see what I can do!”
The Sun shone down and sent a ray of sun to the man’s face.
He looked up and smiled and undid one button of his coat.
The Sun shone down and the rays slid against the warm fabric of his coat.
The man smiled and undid the buttons all the way down his coat.
The Sun’s rays got gradually hotter and hotter.
The man flapped his coat but he was still too warm.
Perspiration began to form on his face.
And he felt hotter and hotter and hotter.
The sweat began to build up inside the coat.
He grew more and more uncomfortable.
Finally the man could bear the heat no longer!
So he took off his coat!
“Yes!” said the Sun “I win! You see I am stronger than you”
And the wind disappeared in a huff!
But…. If you were the Winter Wind – what would YOU do to prove him wrong?
Copyright: Cassandra Wye, May 2019
