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From David Attenborough to Shakespeare: BBC unveils Bitesize plans for June and July

The BBC has unveiled details of its educational programming for the second half of the summer term for pupils in years 1 to 10, including specific themed weeks.

Themes range from William Shakespeare and practical science to dinosaurs and sports.

Content includes an exploration of the life and work of William Shakespeare during Shakespeare Fortnight, which runs from June 15 to 26 in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Over the course of the two weeks, the Bitesize daily television programme – available on BBC iPlayer and Red Button – will see famous faces read adapted Shakespeare extracts for the daily Book Club (primary) and Big Read (secondary).

Actors appearing include Martin Freeman as well as RSC regulars Niamh Cusack, Bally Gill, Natalie Simpson and Jamie Wilkes.

There will also be a range of online lessons made in partnership with the RSC. All lessons will use Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth as the lead texts.


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Elsewhere, Bitesize Daily Primary and Secondary will be bringing science experiments to life from June 29 to July 3 in partnership with the Science Museum Group.

There will be experiments from “Wonderlab: The Equinor” at the Science Museum in London and Dr Who’s Jodie Whittaker will also talk about outer space and the solar system, while Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut to go to space will read an extract from her autobiography.

A Creative Week is due to run from June 29 to July 3 on Bitesize Daily Secondary featuring music stars Liam Payne, Mabel, Gracey and Sea Girls.

And there will be a nationwide Sports Week running from July 6 to 10 on Bitesize Daily (primary). Pupils will be encouraged to learn a different sporting skill each day.

Sir David Attenborough is also set to make an appearance on Bitesize Daily on June 16 and 18 to deliver a short primary geography lesson. He will be back again on June 30 when he will be teaching a science lesson about animal evolution, dinosaurs and fossils also aimed at primary pupils.

Other celebrities taking part in the book club (primary) and Big Read (secondary) during the next few weeks include David Walliams, Pixie Lott, Jodie Kidd, Dina Asher-Smith and Scarlett Moffatt.

  • BBC Bitesize Daily is available daily on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Red Button and BBC Bitesize Daily Online is available at www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize