longest legs

 

https://news.sky.com/story/embrace-differences-teen-secures-record-for-worlds-longest-female-legs-12091297

Maci Currin is 17 years old and lives in Texas, USA. Last week Maci was recognised as a world record holder; she has the longest female legs in the world. Her right leg is 134.3cm long and her left leg is 135.3cm long. Maci’s height is 6ft 10 inches. The photo shows Maci with her Mum.

Here is a great film of Maci being interviewed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAsvK6XzLAY

Maci says she knew she was different at pre-school. She was taller than everyone else; “I thought, hmm, something is different.” Mum says she is proud of Maci; “She never tried to hide her height or her beauty.”

Maci says there are some difficulties; she finds it hard to get in to some cars, buy clothes and sometimes bangs her head on doorways; but there are also advantages, for example, she is a fantastic volleyball player. She says pros of having long legs are that you are unique; you have something different.”

Maci has a message for people with people who look different; “Don’t hide it – embrace it!”. She now wants to inspire others who feel different. “Height is a gift; you shouldn’t be ashamed that you are tall.”

- why did some children bully Maci in school? (they didn’t understand about difference, they thought everyone should be the same) How do you think those children feel now?

- How did Maci deal with the bullying? (she says she stopped caring what people thought of her and once she stopped caring she wasn’t affected by anything.) What do you think of that strategy, what else could Maci have done?

- Mum says everyone in the family is tall; “Everybody except for me!” so who might feel like an outsider in the family home? How do you think Maci’s family make sure Mum does not feel left out?

- what does that show about who can feel an outsider? (everyone can – we can all feel left out)

- Why is Mum so proud of Maci; is it just because she has a world record?

- Maci likes being unique and having “something different,” why?

- what can we learn from Maci?

- why is this a story of hope?

- Why is this about no outsiders?

Jerusalema

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/jerusalema-dance-challenge-video-south-africa-master-kg-pandemic-b580962.html

People around the world are coming together to join in a dance craze to the song “Jerusalema” which is originally from South Africa. The song by Master KG and Nomcebo Zicode has been streamed more than 60 million times on spotify and films of people joining the dance as part of a global challenge have gone viral.

Healthcare workers from all over the world have joined in. There is a great clip in the link above of hospital staff at Alberlito Hospital in South Africa performing the dance together.

Here is a great compilation of people around the world performing the dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq-e_7j_UYc

The challenge was started by a group of friends in Angola who filmed themselves just before lockdown. Since then the dance has gone viral with thousands of uploads to youtube. Here are Catholic priests from Montreal performing the dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43V0KdTbqxI

-        When you watch the video how does it make you feel?

-        How are the people in the video feeling when they dance?

-        The people could have performed the dance alone; why did they all choose to perform with friends?

-        What do you notice about the people performing; are they all the same? How are they different?

-        What does this show about music and dancing and different people?

-        What can we learn from the people doing this dance?

-        Why is this about hope?

Why is this about No Outsiders?

Glitter girl

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/girl-builds-unicorn-horn-prosthetic-that-shoots-glitter/

Jordan Reeves is 14 years old and lives in Missouri, USA. She has inspired millions of people around the globe with her superpower. She can shoot glitter out of her arm!

Jordan was born with a left arm that stopped below the elbow. Some people saw this as just a disability; Jordan saw it as an opportunity to deveop her alter-ego: Glitter Girl.

When she was 10 years old, Jordan attended a STEM workshop that encouraged children with disabilities to think creatively about their differences. At the workshop Jordan invented a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter. Jordan wants people to see disablities as gifts. Jordan and her Mum started a group called “Born just right” to make the world more inclusive.

In the link above you can see Jordan talk about her invention on a LEGO documentary. Jordan says, “A lot of people think that disability is maybe a sad thing. But when I make this cool stuff… when they hear of a disability it’s a really cool thing because, if you think about it, someone with two hands can’t shoot glitter out of their arm!”

LEGO  invited 430 children from 30 different countries to contribute to a 13 foot globe built from 350,000 bricks. The website says, “Where adults see challenges, kids see opportunities. Imagine what we could do if we all saw the world through a child’s eyes.”

-        What is different about Jordan?

-        “Some people saw this as just a disability; Jordan saw it as an opportunity” what does this mean?

-        Why didn’t Jordan try to hide her left arm?

-        Why might some people see disability as a sad thing? How would Jordan respond to that?

-        Why do you think Jordan called her project, “Born just right”?

-        Why is this a story of hope?

-        What can we learn from Jordan?

Why is this about No Outsiders?

duck

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-nottinghamshire-54393232

 

Stumble is a duck who lives on a farm in Nottingham, UK. After an accident with a fishing line, Stumble lost one of his legs and as he gets older, he has been finding getting around increasingly difficult. Di Slanley looks after the farm for disabled animals where Stumble lives. She says Stumble does not give up and neither does she; they “keep trying”. Di wanted to try and find a way to make life easier for Stumble.

First Di tried to fit a prosthetic leg, but they could not get it to fit. This week Stumble was given a wheelchair which he appears to like very much. Di says, “The fact that he won’t quit means that I won’t quit. I won’t give up trying to make his life better.”

In the video link above you can see Di and Stumble and also other disabled animals that live on Di’s farm.

-        Why do you think life is difficult for a duck with one leg?

-        Ducks can swim and walk on land, so why doesn’t Stumble just stay in the water so that he can float?

-        Why doesn’t Stumble just give up walking?

-        Di says Stumble won’t quit, but how does she know this when he can’t talk to her?

-        Di says, “I won’t give up trying to make his life better.” Do you think Stumble also makes Di’s life better? How?

-        Why is this a story of hope?

What can we learn from Di and Stumble?

casts

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-54374692

 

Willow Ferguson is 7 years old and goes to school in Birmingham. Willow’s legs currently work in a different way causing her to walk on tip toes. This year she is wearing casts to help stretch the muscles in her legs. Willow has to be very brave as the casts are changed every week for 6 weeks and the procedure is difficult.

Willow’s Mum Katie is an artist and to cheer up her daughter, she started painting the casts every week. They looked through books together to get ideas and every Friday Mum paints a new design.

Willow and Katie want people to see that casts can be cool.

People on social media are saying the casts are amazing and are thanking Willow and Katie for raising awareness of Willow’s difference. Willows school said, “We are so proud that this wonderful young lady and her family are part of our school, Willow and her leg casts are a wonderful example of how there are #NoOutsiders at our school and everyone is welcome! We have all loved admiring Willow’s Mom’s beautiful designs each week!”

-        What are casts? Has anyone had to wear a cast? What was it like?

-        How do you think Willow feels wearing a cast all the time? Think how wearing a cast might affect your day

-        Why do you think Willow’s Mum started painting the casts?

-        Do you think Willow is embarrassed of her casts? Why doesn’t she try to hide them? (because we don’t hide who we are, and we are proud of ways we are different)

-        “Casts can be cool” what does this mean?

-        Why are people thanking Willow and her mum for raising awareness?

-        Why is Willow’s school “proud that this wonderful young lady and her family is part of our school”?

-        Willows school say they have No Outsiders at their school – what do think that means?

-        What can we learn from Willow?

Why is this a story of hope?

marathon

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54374114

message from Aaron “You can achieve anything”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAhITRB0mCM

Last Sunday 45,000 participants ran the London marathon, but most weren’t in London. Why not? This year Covid delayed the marathon for 6 months but runners were determined to find a way to take part and the run went ahead with people joining in around the country while socially distanced, at a time and place of their choosing. Participants used an app to log their progress and make their time official. This meant people around ther UK could make their front door the start and finish line.

The photos show Gill Silverthorne running in a rhino costume to raise money for ‘Save the rhino’. She practised by doing 2000 laps of her patio while wearing the costume. On the day her husband ran with her to help her avoid obstacles as seeing out of the costume is difficult.

Ken Jones is the oldest runner this year, aged 87. He is one of 10 people who have run every London marathon since the first one in 1981 so this will be his 40^th race. Heavy rain made the run challenging for Ken on Sunday and he said the weather made this year the hardest; he had to change clothes three times. Ken said he was very happy to finish, “My neighbours had balloons up and signs out, we had a tremendous crowd, really.”

Eileen Noble was the oldest woman to particpate this year; she is 85 years old and this was her 20^th run. Eileen ran in London and joked that she hoped she wouldn’t get lost on the way round. She said she couldn’t wait to have a hot shower when she got home.

Aaron Plummer ran the marathon in  his local park to raise money for Mencap and raise awarenss about people with disabilities. Aaron has cerebal palsey and learning disabilities which means his body works in a different way. Aaron says, “We all have dreams and we want to achieve the same things as you.” Aaron has a message to peoplw with learning disabilities: “You can achieve anything!”

-        What is the London marathon? How far is it? Does anyone know anyone who has run a marathon?

-        How can your front door be the starting line and the finish line?

-        The photos show four very different people running in  very differnt ways and in different places; what does this show about the London marathon?

-        Why do you think Gill Silverthorne chose to run in a rhino costume? How do you think she felt if people laughed at her as she ran past?

-        Both Ken and Eileen both struggled in the rain; why didn’t they just stop at 10 miles or 20 miles? After all, they’ve finished the race loads of times; do they need to do it again?

-        How do you think Ken and Eileen wold respond if someone said they were too old to run marathons?

-        Why do you think Aaron wants people to know about the way he is different?

-        “We can achieve anything!” Why is Aaron saying this?

-        What do these people have in common?

-        Why are these stories of hope?

-        Why didn’t the organisers of the marathon just cancel the race this year? What does this show about how people are adapting because of Covid?

-        What can we learn from the London Marathon this year?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

mountain bike

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-berkshire-54259186

Before watching the video, ask what do you see in the photo? What is happening? There is something different about this mountain biker, can anyone guess what it is?

Xavier is blind; he has less than 10% eyesight. After struggling to get a job Xavier decided to pursue his love of biking; he posted videos online and was approached by companies who offered to sponsor him in shows. He now hopes to go professional.

 

In the video above Xavier talks about how his eyes work differently; he has albinism which means his eyes let too much light in, and he also has nystagmus which causes his eyes to shake. Because of this Xavier walks each route before using his bike and then remembers turns, jumps and where roots, rocks or branches stick out.

 

“Sometimes I just have crashes but there’s not much I can do. I’m very committed to the sport; I love what I do, and a few crashes aren’t going to get in my way.”

 

Xavier hopes he can encourage others with disabilities to get on their bikes.

 

-        In the film Xavier tells us about how his eyes are different. How do you think he feels about his eyes? Does he seem sad or upset? Do you think Xavier is proud of who he is? How do you know?

-        When Xavier started mountain biking, how do you think he felt?

-        What do you think Xavier’s family said when he told them he wanted to start this new hobby? Why didn’t they stop him?

-        When he walks each route, how do you think he remembers where everything is?

-        Do you think he forgets sometimes? What happens then?

-        How do you think the other mountain biker’s treat Xavier?

-        “Sometimes I just have crashes but there’s not much I can do” why doesn’t Xavier give up when he crashes?

-        “a few crashes aren’t going to get in my way.” what does he mean? What kind of person is Xavier?

-        Why is this a story of hope?

-        What can we learn from Xavier?

-        Why is this about No Outsiders?