School life
In a Portugal classroom
Local school customs vary. The best way to learn about a class's day is to ask them directly.
All country briefings
Europe · Country briefing
Portugal
A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November - capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.
- CapitalLisbon
- Population~11 million
- Time zoneEurope/Lisbon (UTC +0)
- Currencyeuro (EUR)
Portugal, with Lisbon marked
loading map…
Climate in November: Mild autumn; cooler in the north.
The capital
Lisbon
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Fun facts
What makes Portugal a bit special.
Azulejos - Portugal's painted tiles
Whole buildings dressed in blue-and-white pictures
Open lesson
Pastel de nata - Portugal's secret-recipe tart
A crisp little custard tart with a 200-year-old secret
Open lesson
Portugal's sailor-navigators
The people who learned to find their way across the open ocean by the stars
Open lesson
Cork trees - the forest that gives without being cut
Portugal grows over half the world's cork, peeled from oak trees every nine years
Open lesson
The little yellow trams of Lisbon
Tiny wooden carriages that have climbed the city's hills for over 100 years
Open lesson
Madeira and the Azores - Portugal's ocean islands
Volcano-born islands far out in the Atlantic Ocean, full of dolphins and whales
Open lesson
Tap any card to open a class-ready mini-lesson - for the teacher to walk through, or an older child to read aloud.
Native animals
Wildlife your partner class might know best.
- 🐈
The Iberian lynx
One of the rarest cats in the world, with tufty ears and a stubby tail
Open lesson
- 🪿
The white stork
A big white bird that builds giant nests on rooftops and chimneys
Open lesson
- 🦅
The golden eagle
A huge bird with a 2-metre wingspan that hunts from the mountains
Open lesson
- 🐺
The Iberian wolf
Portugal's quietest, cleverest pack hunter, living in the wild north
Open lesson
- 🐬
Bottlenose dolphins of Madeira and the Azores
Smart, playful sea mammals that surf the waves around Portugal's islands
Open lesson
Tap any animal to open a class-ready lesson about it.
Greetings to learn
Say hello like a local
- Hello!Portuguese
Five questions to ask
Conversation starters
- 01What does your school day look like?
- 02What do you eat at lunch?
- 03What games do you play at break?
- 04What's the weather like today?
- 05What do you wish more children around the world knew about your country?
What not to assume
Friendly cautions
- ℹPortugal has many regions and communities - there is no single experience.
- ℹClimate, food, and traditions can vary widely from one part of the country to another.
Culture
Food, music, sport, festivals.
Music
Sport
Festivals
Tap any chip to open a class-ready lesson - what it is, why it matters, fun facts.
Reflection prompts
- “What's something you'd love to share about your school day?”
- “What's the most surprising thing you'd love to ask the other class?”
Could your class meet Portugal?
Choose Portugalwhen you register - we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.