This week's word has fewer works you won't know; it is more about links between words. The mystery word comes right at the end. I wonder if you can think what it might be?

Check back later today for the big reveal!

Lots of cracking words in this poem! It was chosen though because Ms S has enjoyed seeing some children in school interacting with these and if that's you and you love these trees I think you could work out the mystery of what the poem's about!

I did promise you another word though this week, one that can give you a much happier and sunnier outlook on life and that word is

sanguine

Sanguine is another word for being optimistic, looking on the bright side and being quietly hopeful while also accepting. This COVID business has made lots of things different in school, some good but some we will all be pleased to be rid of once it's safe. If we can accept this and be sanguine about the changes and hopeful for the future we will be much happier in the present too.

Now. This week's nature mystery. Do you know what it is? Can you find out what some of the other words in this poem mean. There are some corkers!

What on Earth is Tormentil? There are some wonderful nouns in this poem, how many names can you find for different plants? When you find a noun it's easy enough to look them up and learn more. The Wildflower Trusts search page is a good place to start. Perhaps you will see some of the plants in this poem on your walks over the summer. Walks are more fun when you take a bit of knowledge with you about a place and its wildlife; you can astound your companions with your wisdom!

Ms S has seen this creature on the River Weaver, but in 14 years of living by the river she has only seen it once. It was a very special, very memorable walk to school that day!

There is a lot of alliteration in this poem which may give a clue to the title. What letter is alliterated by the poet? Can you guess what the mystery word is?

Now we'd be surprised and interested if you'd ever encountered this creature in the wild. There are lots of words that have similar meanings (synonyms) to fire, heat and burning. How many can you find? What can it be? The name is often used as a insult for someone who is sneaky or cunning; they feature in Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. What are they?

You will have walked by these a thousand times, even though some of you may not have noticed them. They even featured in an assembly one sunny day last year when we all went outside for a commune with nature. Do you remember it?

We have five senses. Do you know what they are? This poem appeals especially to one of them and that might give you a clue about this species, ubiquitous (a fine word for all over the place) in our school grounds.

Now this is an interesting species. Endangered in the UK, Cheshire is one of the few places where they are more plentiful. When school was built back in 2004, we had to have a survey done to see if any were living on the site. There weren't. And just for once this was a relief: if it had been living in our school grounds they'd have had to be protected and it would have delayed the building of our school and added many thousands of pounds to the building costs as measures were taken to protect them. What could they be? And what on earth does hirsute mean? Find out and then you can deduct what unhirsute means!

Now you will, I am sure, all have seen these but you may not have Noticed them. If you have a garden and your parents or carers are keen gardeners they might be trying to keep these at bay. I admit I have not welcomed them into my garden. However, reading this poem I am rethinking and maybe there will be a corner of Casa Stewart for these fellows from now on.

Plant? Animal? What do you think and why do your think it? Can anyone have a go at what species it might be?

I heard about a mahoosive argument between a couple of you today. As well as loving time together there will be more argy bargy and staying friends with family can be hard when we're cooped up together. So what's this fella? The four words beginning with I are similar in meaning but how are they different? You may need the dictionary to find that one out. Using four synonyms really builds a vivid picture of the arguing and fighting.

What are they? One thing I can tell you is you'll all have seen them, even if have never noticed them before, 100% of you will have seen them! All will be revealed this afternoon.

Different to last week, you'll have definitely seen this one, even if you don't know it's name yet. Animal? Plant? Why do you think that. Some of you will get this one quite quickly I expect so do look out for it on your daily walk. How many times can you spot it?

I know this chap has been very visible (easy to spot) on the river Weaver as I have seen him many times on my daily walk. There are some words which give real clues as to the type of plant or animal it is. Can you list all the words that give you a clue? Some, like 'aviator' give a clue and you may need to be a word detective to work out how the word will help you crack the riddle.

Some words are similar - still and sill - you have to be a super detective to notice all the letters as these two words mean something quite different. Can you find out and explain the words to someone? Can you find what they both mean and explain why one is an adverb and the other a noun?

There are a couple of metaphors too - can you spot them? How do they paint a more vivid picture of the subject of this week's Lost Word?

This is a living thing you probably have never seen in the wild even though they have been seen up by Vale Royal locks and live in and around the River Weaver. The poem gives some clues to why they are so very hard to spot. Some words you may not know yet are worth investigating - 'holt' may give you a clue for working out what it might be.

There's a metaphor too - the silver miner. Do you know what a 'miner' does? What is 'ore'? Do you know what 'trout' means? Find out; it will help you see how in the third, longer verse, a vivid, bright picture of this week's lost word. Use a dictionary (there's an online one on this page).

Did you work it out before all was revealed?

When you have worked out what type of plant or animal and thought why, you might want to think what in the poem tells you about the particular species. Which parts of the poem tell us about the species and which bits are fanciful, imagined but couldn't really happen?

Why do you think that? What words give you clues as to this species? If you think you have worked out the species, can can guess this particular one?

Did you work out this one is an animal, not a plant? How?

There are also some really cracking words up for capture - swagger, agile, thrice. There are also some really nifty words you can use instead of 'said' - how many can you find in the poem? Remember to do the magic and use them three times. Words are a bit like muscles - use 'em or lose 'em!

Did anyone work it out? Did you know it was a plant? How? I wonder if you found different clues.