With the clocks going forward on 31st March, it was a good opportunity to have a CST session themed on 'Springtime'. Spring lasts from the vernal equinox (equal day and night) on 20th March to the summer solstice (midsummer day) on 21st June. However, most people view spring months as March, April and May.
We asked members ...
- Who likes the Spring? Is it anyone's favourite season? What do you like about it?
- What are the signs of Spring arriving? (See below)
IDIOMS ABOUT SPRING
Next, we asked members to complete the following phrases ...
He's no spring - CHICKEN (A person who’s not exactly young anymore.)
He's got a spring in his - STEP (Someone who looks as if they are happy and full of energy.)
Spring to - MIND (To appear suddenly in your thoughts, immediately think of someone or something.)
Like a coiled - SPRING (Someone who is wound up or highly strung.)
As clean as a - WHISTLE (Describes something which is fresh and new, or has been cleaned to such a high standard it looks as if it is.)
Wipe the slate - CLEAN (Have a fresh start or a new beginning.)
Like a rabbit caught in the - HEADLIGHTS (A person so surprised or frightened that they can’t move or think.)
Pull a rabbit out of the - HAT (Come up with an unexpected solution to a problem.)
Don’t count your chickens before they’re - HATCHED (Don't make plans that depend on something good happening before you know that it has actually happened.)
Don’t put all your eggs in one - BASKET (Keep your options open.)
Have egg on your - FACE (Look stupid because of something you’ve done.)
Don't teach your grandmother to suck - EGGS (Don't offer unnecessary advice to someone who’s older and more experienced.)
Walking on - EGGSHELLS (Be very diplomatic so as not to offend.)
You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few - EGGS (In order to achieve something, something has to be sacrificed.)
Mutton dressed as - LAMB (An older woman dressed in clothes more suited to a younger woman.)
A wolf in sheep's - CLOTHING (A person with a pleasant and friendly appearance that hides the fact that they are evil.)
Black sheep of the - FAMILY (The undesirable or disreputable member of a group or family.)
Full of the joys of - SPRING (To be very happy and enthusiastic.)
Singalong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we-n-Zmglt0
What did Cat Stevens change his name to?
THINGS THAT REMIND US OF SPRING
Name the Spring flowers?
Clues ...
This is a common colour of paint.
Japanese people call this 'Sakura'.
This is the flower of Wales.
Saffron comes from this flower.
A creamy cheese spread is named after this flower.
This flower is found in ancient woodlands.
This flower is one of the earliest flowering.
This flower comes from the genus Viola.
Max Bygraves sang a song about this flower.
Singalong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm31Lni60LU
In which country is Amsterdam?
Where is New Amsterdam?
THINGS THAT REMIND US OF SPRING Longer days, warmer days, spring flowers, lambs, bird nests and chicks, sorting the garden out, planting the beds, mowing the lawn for the first time, smell of cut grass, Easter eggs and hot cross buns.
We reminded ourselves of the Welsh word for Spring - Gwanwyn. The French word for Spring - Printemps.
We remembered that the clocks 'Spring Forward' in March and 'Fall Back' in October.
We thought about the meaning of 'Spring' and how it features in the English language.
Spring symbolises rebirth, fresh starts, new beginnings.
Other things associated with Spring
What do Americans call 'Spring Onions'?
What breed of dog is this?
Name the father and mother?
Name the father and mother?
Name the tree?
Name the bird?
What are these eggs filled with?
Who can sing the rhyme 'Hot Cross Buns'? What sauce might you have with this roast dinner?
These rather odd traditions are also associated with Spring ...
What cheese is being rolled (associated with where the event takes place)?
What are these dancers called?
What are these children dancing around?
Which Cornish seaside town celebrates the 'Obby Oss'?
Here is a classic comedy clip ...
And then there is Spring Cleaning (*ugh!)
Reminiscence - What were your 'duties' during spring cleaning?
Cleaning the brass with 'Brasso'
Cleaning the windows with 'Windowlene'
Polishing the wooden floor with Lavender wax floor polish
Walloping the mats & rugs on the washing line
Giving the dog a bath
Singalong. 'Oh What A Beautiful Morning', Gordon MacRae - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5APc0z49wg
Which musical is this song from?
Other Spring facts
 | Who is the Roman Goddess of Spring? |
 | When & why do the clocks spring forward and fall back? |
 | When and what are the 'Vernal & Autumnal Equinox'? |
 | What are 'spring' and 'neap' tides? |
 | What is this tidal wave associated with spring tides called (near Gloucester)? |
 | Who composed 'The Four Seasons'? & What is your favourite season and why? |
 | Name this structure, which was built to welcome the spring sun? |
 | Where would you find 'Palm Springs'? |
 | What is a Springbok? Or a member of which national rugby union team? |
 | Why would you count sheep? |
Long-term memory
Spring is showery, flowery, bowery,
Summer is hoppy, croppy, poppy.
Autumn is slippy, drippy, nippy,
Winter is breezy, sneezy, freezy.
How many of these rhymes can you still recite?
- 'Mary had a little lamb'
- 'It's raining, it's pouring'
- 'Ladybird, ladybird'
- 'Dr Foster'
- 'Little Bo Peep'
- 'Jack and Jill'
SONG. 'Little April Shower', Disney - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saa98l0yDYQ
What was the name of the rabbit in this 1942 Disney movie?
What was the rabbit's name?
Spring associated art & literature
 | The character 'The March Hare' comes from which story? Published in 1865, who was it written by? |
 | Which author created 'Peter Rabbit' in 1902? |
 | Name this 1965 musical movie? Where was it mostly filmed? Name the songs in this overture - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVuWFlTWsz0 |
 | Which BBC Radio 4 soap opera is set in Ambridge? Theme tune - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNEawM6vZf4
|
 | Name this TV programme about a veterinarian practice in Yorkshire? Which book and author was it based on? TV theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6aquEsK_JQ&t=24s |
 | Name this 1978 movie about rabbits? Who wrote the book? Song link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo-cp1270eQ |
 | Name the ventriloquist and the puppet? |
 | Name this BBC 'Springwatch' presenter? |
 | Who is this US chat show host (there is a musical named after him)? |
 | In which TV sitcom did Dawn French dress up as the Easter bunny? |
 | Name this 2000 movie where two rival booksellers fall in love over the internet? Name the two actors? |
Some other Spring songs to choose from
'You've Got A Friend', James Taylor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEkIou3WFnM
(Written by Carole King)
'All Kinds Of Everything', Dana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X62VtfUyeI
(Winner of 'Eurovision', 1970)
'Annie's Song', John Denver - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3091MHksLM4
(John Denver died in a plane crash in 1997, aged 53)
'The Ugly Duckling', Danny Kaye - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwqmlrVGa54
('Hans Christian Andersen', 1952)
'I Can See Clearly Now', Johnny Cash - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FscIgtDJFXg
(This song reached number one in 1971)
'The Floral Dance', Terry Wogan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlH1af4siKQ
(Helston 'Flora Day' is on 8th May. This single reached number 2 in 1977)
Final singalong. 'Here Comes The Sun', The Beatles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQetemT1sWc
PRACTICAL ACTIVITY
Sow some seeds to go outside or on windowsills, for members to watch grow and water week by week.
It's always good to plant something which will provide you with a product to enjoy later, e.g. tomato plants, peppers or chillis.
Alternatively, you could plant herbs to enjoy a sensory session later on.
Or, you could plant sunflowers and watch them grow and measure their height week by week.
What did Cat Stevens change his name to? - Yusuf Islam
Spring flowers
Magnolia
Cherry Blossom (The Japanese call it 'Sakura')
Daffodil (National flower of Wales)
Crocus (Gives us Saffron)
Primrose
Bluebell
Snowdrop
Pansy
Tulip
Amsterdam is in 'The Netherlands'
New York
Other things associated with Spring
What do Americans call 'Spring Onions'? - Scallions
What breed of dog is this? - Springer Spaniel
Name the father and mother? - Ram & Ewe
Name the father and mother? - Cock & Hen
Name the tree? - Catkins from the Hazel tree
Name the bird? - Bluebird eggs
What are these eggs filled with? - Chocolate
Who can sing the rhyme 'Hot Cross Buns'? - *
What sauce might you have with this roast dinner? - Mint sauce
'Oh What A Beautiful Morning' is from 'Oklahoma'
What cheese is being rolled (associated with where the event takes place)? - Double Gloucester
What are these dancers called? - Morris dancers
What are these children dancing around? - Maypole
Which Cornish seaside town celebrates the 'Obby Oss'? - Padstow
Other Spring facts
Who is the Roman Goddess of Spring? - Primavera
When & why do the clocks spring forward and fall back? - BST (British Summer Time) starts 1am last Sunday of March / GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) starts 1am last Sunday of October To make better use of natural daylight in the morning
When and what are the 'Vernal & Autumnal Equinox'? - The Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs twice a year around 20th March (the spring or 'vernal' equinox) and around 22nd September (the autumn equinox). Equinox means equal day and night as the sun crosses the equator
What are 'spring' and 'neap' tides? - Highest high tides & Lowest low tides of the year
What is this tidal wave associated with spring tides called (near Gloucester)? - 'The Severn Bore' (occurs most prominently on a spring tide as the water is funnelled up the estuary and meets the river)
Who composed 'The Four Seasons'? - Antonio Vivaldi
Name this structure, which was built to welcome the spring sun? - 'Great Sphinx' Of Giza
Where would you find 'Palm Springs'? - California
What is a Springbok? Or a member of which national rugby union team? - Antelope / South Africa
Why would you count sheep? - To get off to sleep
Rhymes
MARY’S LAMB. Mary had a little lamb, Its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go. He followed her to school one day, That was against the rule. It made the children laugh and play To see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned him out, But still he lingered near, And waited patiently about Till Mary did appear. And then he ran to her, and laid His head upon her arm, As if he said ‘I’m not afraid, You’ll keep me from all harm.’ ‘What makes the lamb love Mary so?’ The eager children smile. ‘Oh, Mary loves the lamb, you know,’ The teacher did reply. ‘And you each gentle animal In confidence may bind, And make them follow at your call, If you are always kind.’ | DOCTOR FOSTER Doctor Foster went to Gloucester, In a shower of rain; He stepped in a puddle, Right up to his middle, And never went there again. LADYBIRD, LADYBIRD Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, Your house is on fire, your children are gone; All but one, and that's little Ann, And she lies under the frying pan. IT'S RAINING, IT'S POURING It's raining, it's pouring, The old man is snoring, He bumped his head and went to bed, And couldn't get up in the morning. |
LITTLE BO PEEP Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep, And can't tell where to find them; Leave them alone, and they'll come home, Bringing their tails behind them.
Little Bo-Peep fell fast asleep, And dreamt she heard them bleating; But when she awoke, she found it a joke, For they were still all fleeting.
Then up she took her little crook, Determined for to find them; She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, For they'd left their tails behind them.
It happened one day, as Bo-Peep did stray Into a meadow hard by, There she espied their tails, side by side, All hung on a tree to dry.
She heaved a sigh and wiped her eye, And over the hillocks she raced; And tried what she could, as a shepherdess should, That each tail be properly placed. | JACK AND JILL Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. Up Jack got, and home did trot,
As fast as he could caper,
He went to bed to mend his head, With vinegar and brown paper. |
The name of the movie was 'Bambi'. The rabbit's name was Thumper.
Spring associated art & literature
The character 'The March Hare' comes from which story? - 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland'
Published in 1865, who was it written by? - Lewis Carroll
Which author created 'Peter Rabbit' in 1902? - Beatrix Potter
Name this 1965 musical movie? - 'The Sound Of Music'
Where was it mostly filmed? - Salzburg, Austria
Which BBC Radio 4 soap opera is set in Ambridge? - 'The Archers'
Name this TV programme about a veterinarian practice in Yorkshire? - 'All Creatures Great And Small'
Which book and author was it based on? - 'It Shouldn't Happen To A Vet' by James Herriot
Name this 1978 movie about rabbits? - 'Watership Down'
Who wrote the book? - Richard Adams
Name the ventriloquist and the puppet? - Shari Lewis & Lamb Chops
Name this BBC 'Springwatch' presenter? - Chris Packham
Who is this US chat show host (there is a musical named after him)? - Jerry Springer
In which TV sitcom did Dawn French dress up as the Easter bunny? - 'The Vicar Of Dibley'
(Mrs Cropley asked everyone to on her death bed)
Name this 2000 movie where two rival booksellers fall in love over the internet? - 'You've Got Mail'
Name the two actors? - Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan
