Marie Curie Cancer Care’s major fundraising event collects money to provide nursing care for those with terminal cancer and other illnesses. Wear something yellow to school, become a volunteer or perhaps put on your dancing shoes. See a resource for children aged 3-11 from Marie Curie Schools.
DAFFODILs: SYMBOL OF SPRING, EASTER AND WORDSWORTH
The ancient Greeks believed the narcissus plant (the daffodil) came from a youth so vain he died after becoming obsessed with his reflection in a pool. Narcissus sprung up where he fell. In modern times, however, the daffodil is most associated with William Wordsworth’s short poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud. Learn more about the poem with a resource from durgamata.
ST DAVID’S DAY (1 MARCH)
The daffodil is the national flower of Wales, where it is traditional to wear a daffodil or a leek on this saint’s day. St David was allegedly conceived through violence and his mother is said to have given birth to him on a cliff during a violent storm. Learn more about the renowned teacher and preacher with a resource from NGflCymru.
BEWARE THE BULB
The alkaloid poison lycorine is found in the bulb and the leaves of the daffodil. In 2009 a group of schoolchildren from Suffolk fell ill after a daffodil bulb was mistakenly added to soup during a cookery class. Please don’t rip all of these lively little blooms out of the garden (see Science, page 40), but do have fun with an experiment in a resource from nature detectives.
