Durham Children’s University Primary webinar at 13.00-13.45 on 2nd March: ‘The mouse found a nut and the nut was good’- Reading Tales of Food with French Literature and Philosophy (recording available)
Join Durham’s Children’s University for an inspiring webinar for primary pupils (aged 8-11) in North East schools.
Children will explore literature and culture and be encouraged to think about food in stories and consider how the quest for food can be a journey of self-discovery. Looking at children’s tales like The Gruffalo, stories by famous writers in French and philosophies of food, they will explore their sensory relationships with eating and reflect on what food might mean in the world.
Registration is required. A recording will be available after the lesson for registered schools.
Who is it for?
- North East primary schools in Northumberland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Gateshead and Durham.
- Children in Years 4-6 (ages 8-11).
- No prior language knowledge is required to take part. The webinar will be held in English.
When will it happen?
- The primary schools’ session will be online on Teams from 13.00- 13.45 on Monday 2nd March 2026
- Please ensure you join the session early as it will start at 13.00 prompt.
- A recording of the session will be made available after the lesson to registered schools (attending live or who cannot attend, but have registered)
What is the activity?
This Children’s University primary session has been developed by Durham University. The session will be led by Dr. Amaleena Damle, Associate Professor Durham for French at Durham University.
‘The mouse found a nut and the nut was good’- Reading Tales of Food with French Literature and Philosophy.
In this session, children will be encouraged to think about food in stories and consider how the quest for food can be a journey of self-discovery. Looking at children’s tales like The Gruffalo, stories by famous writers in French and philosophies of food, they will explore their own sensory relationships with eating and reflect on what food might mean in the world.
Food is everywhere. We need food to survive, and preparing and eating food can be a way of structuring our days and spending time with one other. We all know which foods we like and don’t like. But can our food choices, and ways of eating, tell us more about ourselves, our relationships with other people, and with the world? Modern French philosophers certainly think so.
This special session will also allow pupils to gain insights into research in the humanities and studying Modern Foreign Languages at university and how languages open doors to new worlds and exciting opportunities.
The session will last around 45 minutes and will be scheduled as follows:
- 10–15 minutes lecture
- 15 minutes of activities linked to the lecture
- 15 minutes for a summary and questions from pupils
The online session will be hosted on Teams by Durham University. Cameras and microphones will be turned off during the sessions, but teachers can submit any questions in the chat.
The session will be recorded. The recording will be sent after the sessions to teachers who attended, as well as those who registered but could not attend.
How do I get involved?
Register by emailing info@expressyourselfne.com and please provide all of the following information:
- the title of the activity (Children’s University Primary)
- your school name and address
- teacher contact name and email
- how many pupils you expect to be involved and their ages
- Please state whether you will attend the live session (you will automatically receive recordings) or cannot attend live and want to access the recordings afterwards
For those home-schooling, please register for these lessons through your designated school.
Joining instructions and the link will be emailed in advance (in early February) to all who register for the live sessions.
The session can be accessed from the classroom or remotely from home. Attendees do not share screens or access cameras or microphones.
The links to the recording will be emailed to those who have registered, even if they were not able to attend live.
Further information and links
- Durham School of Modern Languages and Cultures supports learning in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hispanic Studies, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and the Centre for Foreign Language Study. The School also hosts the BA in Visual Arts and Film. Our community of academics, teachers and support staff aim to foster a world-class student experience in all our disciplines.
- The Centre for Foreign Language Study offers learners not taking a specialist degree in Modern Languages, including students, staff and members of the public, the opportunity to learn a range of languages from beginners to more advanced levels.
- The Helen Sharp Undergraduate Scholarship in Modern Languages is a scholarship to offer to a talented student from a low-income background.
Who is organising this?
This event is being organised by Durham University’s School of Modern Languages and Cultures and The Centre for Foreign Language Study as part of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages 2026.
- Contact: Laura Lewis, Centre for Foreign Language Studies
- Email: laura.h.wichmann@durham.ac.uk
