As well as this paper cup STEM activity and prompt card pack, there are loads of other fun activities supporting children’s STEM learning that you can take a look at. Of course, Kelly’s experiences and adventures on the road and the people she meets are of interest themselves; the novel would be dull if they weren’t, and there is a nice variety of them.

The descriptive writing, the character development, the chosen family, the journeys, the little side stories, the portrayal of addiction and homelessness and shame and hope, the portrayal of life. That is not to say that it does not deal with the darker aspects of life – addiction, homelessness and failed relationships, but it also deals with hope. There is a range of activities to try for different learning areas, including STEM, outdoor learning, thinking skills and much more. Paper cups are a really versatile material that often prove to be a staple with different sorts of activities for children, particularly crafts. Set in Glasgow, Kelly is a homeless woman who encounters a chain of events that push her to go back to her hometown on a pilgrimage.The language itself was also beautiful, incredibly realistic and will strike right at the heart of those who live in Scotland, particularly the West of Scotland. The descriptions of not only what it is like to be homeless but the beautiful Scottish landscape were so vivid to the mind’s eye. As the story progresses, it’s clear that Kelly has tried – and failed – to resist one hell of a lot. It also reminds you that friendship can come in many forms, like a four legged friend, your sister or someone that has taken you in when you have nowhere else to go.

She, however, is only the occasion for the story which belongs to a homeless woman, Kelly, along the bench from her. We get to learn about the unfortunate events that led to Kelly losing her job and accommodation, and learning to cope on the streets. Gave great insight into the challenges of homelessness, the support systems and frustrations within it.Karen Campbell has a knack of bringing the lives and emotions of people from the margins of society to the fore and she has done it again with Paper Cup. A warm man walking the streets throwing out good food, making eye contact with Kelly, throwing the uneaten portion in the bin. A really touching, witty and ultimately uplifting book, in which Kelly, sleeping rough on the streets of Glasgow, runs away to Galloway after witnessing a traumatic event in George Square. Who studied architecture and engineering at University, and who through a few poor choices, lousy men, the pull of drink and drugs, becomes irrevocably lost. It is a story of how life can give you a massive bag full of lemons and how you can pick yourself up, dust yourself off, find the beautiful things in life and find happiness in the small things in a journey that brings you back to knowing who you are and what things are truely important.

Certain sections of this book were quite traumatic to read and something that happens early on really impacted me as someone who knows and loves Glasgow.There are some harrowing scenes along the way - one particular scene in a pub will be forever etched on my brain. However, with a twist of fate and a terrible accident Kelly finds herself making the journey south towards home. If you have news, views, writing, music, or artwork that you think people need to know about, get in touch using the contact form on this site, or Facebook or Twitter. This in particular will help with skills in teamwork and strategic thinking, as children will need to work together to balance as many craft sticks on top of one another.