Innholdsfortegnelse for 228 i The Week Junior

On 21 April, the House of Commons held virtual debates for the first time in its 700-year history. Members of Parliament (MPs) usually meet in person inside Parliament, but because of the coronavirus outbreak, they are meeting online instead. What is the House of Commons? The House of Commons is one of two parts of the UK Parliament. It is made up of 650 MPs, who are elected by the public. The MPs put forward new laws and challenge and debate the Government’s plans. The other part of Parliament is called the House of Lords. Most members of this chamber are appointed by the Queen. They can suggest changes to laws being made in the Commons. Parliament has been on Easter recess (a break) since 25 March, which means that…

28 April 2001 First space tourist is launched into space On 28 April 2001, the first space tourist launched into outer space. Dennis Tito, a rich businessman from the US, took off from Kazakhstan, becoming the first person to pay to go into space. He paid around £14 million for the eight-day trip, which included six days on the International Space Station. Tito had worked for the US space agency NASA, but it refused to let him fly because he was not a trained astronaut. The Russian space agency agreed to take him into space after a year’s training.…

● A fast-food restaurant is a restaurant where food is cooked quickly and served to customers at a counter, instead of being brought to a table. Many fast-food restaurants, such as KFC and McDonald’s, now offer vegan-friendly meals. ● A vegan is someone who doesn’t eat meat or any other products that come from animals, such as butter, cheese, eggs and milk. Some people think that using animals for food is cruel and bad for the environment. ● Burger King was recently told to stop showing adverts for its new Rebel Whopper burger, after suggesting that it is suitable for vegans when it isn’t.…

Wildflowers are some of the most important species in the UK because they provide food and shelter for many types of insects, including pollinators (insects, such as bees, that carry pollen between crops and other plants, allowing them to develop fruit and seeds). Without wildflowers, insect numbers drop – which also affects the amphibians, bats, birds, mammals and reptiles that eat them. Fortunately, we can all play a part in creating new wildflower spaces. If you have a garden, why not ask a parent or guardian to let you turn part of it into a haven for wildlife? You could plant wildflower seeds, or just leave weeds to grow freely, creating a “wild” habitat for your garden’s residents. If you don’t have a garden, you can use a window box…

A pair of Florida panthers have been filmed fighting in the wild for the first time. The big cats are a fiercely territorial, specialised form of cougar and are considered to be endangered. Their numbers dwindled to fewer than 20 animals in the 1970s but, thanks to protective measures, the population has risen to around 200, and the animals are now spreading further north in the state. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Around 12 years. ● HABITAT: Forests, swamps and wetlands in the US state of Florida. ● DIET: Birds, deer, wild pigs, raccoons and reptiles. ● FUN FACT: A single male panther needs a territory roughly one and a half times the size of the Isle of Wight.…

Researchers in Norway say they’ve found the fastest known Viking ship. They made the discovery by digitally recreating the ship from its remains, which are on display at a museum. The Vikings were seafaring warriors from Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden) who invaded other European countries from the 9th to the 11th centuries. They buried their kings in ships that were dragged onto land and covered in earth to form a grave. Three of these burial ships – named Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune, after the places they were found – are on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Norway’s capital, Oslo. As the ship with the least complete remains, the Tune was ignored by most researchers – until Dr Knut Paasche, from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research,…

Meet the Ancient Greeks by James Davies (Big Picture Press) This entertaining, easy-to-read fact book is the perfect introduction to all things ancient Greek. It covers the basics you need to know about all sorts of things, including art and architecture, religion and myths. You’ll find lots of colourful artwork, charts and diagrams that really help to bring this rich history to life. Greek Myths and Mazes by Jan Bajtlik (Walker Books) Explore the legendary labyrinths of ancient Greece with this intriguing and intricate book of puzzles. Find your way out of a maze on each page – and at the same time read some fabulous stories from Greek history and mythology, like the legend of the Trojan Horse and the strange tale of the Minotaur. So You Think You’ve…

In 2019, about seven million people each week listened to a podcast in the UK. Perhaps you were one of those listeners? If so, you don’t need us to tell you what’s so great about them. However, for those who aren’t already fans, here’s what you need to know. A podcast is an audio programme that can be delivered straight to a device such as a smartphone, tablet, smartspeaker or laptop. They were invented about 16 years ago, when Adam Curry and Dave Winer developed computer software that could download audio files from websites and transfer them to a listening device, such as Apple’s iPod. Today, whether it’s stories, interviews, debates or discussions about world events, there are podcasts to suit everyone. Puffin, which is one of the largest children’s…

Amadeus Google Play, YouTube, iTunes There’s a strong chance you’ve heard the music of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You are less likely to be aware of the rivalry between him and another composer, Antonio Salieri. It’s a tale exceptionally told in the award-winning Amadeus, an outstanding film that serves both as a rich introduction to Mozart’s music, and a compelling drama in its own right. It’s a long film – even longer if you watch the extended version – but might just be perfect for a Sunday afternoon. If you can, try to watch it in one go. DID YOU KNOW? Mozart had composed 30 symphonies before he was 18 years old.…

“We baked a crusty white loaf, in a square shape. It tasted amazing! Really soft, fresh and squashy. It was quite difficult, but only because it was our first time. Now we know how to do it, we will definitely do it again. The kneading was hard work but luckily there were two of us, so we took turns. Our biggest tip is to wash your hands before you start, as you need to use them a lot in the dough. It starts off really sticky, but don’t worry – it will come off your fingers as you keep kneading.”…

It’s this page, this week, that has really caught my eye. Throughout lockdown, the entire Week Junior team has been really impressed and heartened to see so many of you finding ways to stay creative and positive while you’re at home, or pitching in to help others who may need it. I love Emily’s tips for surviving lockdown – particularly those small acts of kindness you can do to help out the parents, siblings or carers you’re living with. Making your bed, or a cup of tea – can mean a lot to someone who needs a helping hand. Your photos are also beyond brilliant – that chalk mural is gorgeous, and sending a weekly newspaper to a local care home is a great idea. For more ideas of simple…

This bakery is on a roll A bakery in Finland has started making cakes that look like loo roll. The team came up with the idea after lots of orders were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak. At the same time that people stopped buying cakes, they started buying lots of toilet roll, worried that it might run out. So the bakery made a cake in the shape of loo roll and has now had hundreds of orders for it. It is made from oat batter, passion-fruit mousse and white fondant. Cat owner creates giant tower blocks A man in the US has built two luxurious tower blocks for his pet cats. The installation includes balconies, 3D-printed windows, working lights and a rope bridge that connects the two main buildings.…

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have their own local parliaments, or assemblies, that make some laws affecting their nations. The Northern Irish Assembly, known as Stormont, has suspended all non-essential business. Both the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have already held virtual meetings, with members of the public able to watch online. The number of debates and meetings had already been reduced in order to help politicians follow social distancing rules.…

LEATHERBACK TURTLES Leatherback turtles have taken advantage of empty beaches in Thailand to build the largest number of nests in 20 years. The beaches are empty because tourists are staying at home during the coronavirus outbreak. Authorities have found 11 nests so far. The leatherback is the world’s largest sea turtle. CLIMBING CUBS A group of Cubs have together climbed higher than Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, in their homes. Over 48 hours, 17 cubs and four leaders walked up the stairs in their houses as many times as they could. They wore hiking clothes and together climbed 8,907 metres, which is 57 metres higher than Everest. ART LOVERS Damien Hirst, one of the UK’s most famous artists, has made a new artwork to show support for the NHS.…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think fast-food restaurants should stick to serving meat, or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The aim of the Big debate page is to present two sides of an issue fairly and objectively, in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on the page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties. The page is created in association with the English-Speaking Union, an educational charity helping young people discover their voice and realise their full potential. For more information, please see esu.org…

Angela Ryan Animal operations manager, ZSL London Zoo The short answer is... a lot! With 18,000 mouths to feed, keepers welcome deliveries of fresh fruit and veg three times a week on a huge truck from the famous Covent Garden Market. Last year, that included 500 boxes of sweet potato, 300 melons and 3,000 cucumbers. On the right is an example daily menu – this one is for the western lowland gorilla troop. Enjoy unlimited visits to ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoos, plus a host of other benefits with ZSL Membership. Find out more at zsl.org/membership/zsl-membership…

The fastest ship in the world today is a ferry called the Francisco. Built by an Australian shipbuilding company called Incat, it transports passengers between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay, and was officially unveiled to the world by the presidents of the two countries in October 2019. With room for 1,000 people and 150 cars, the Francisco can travel at a top speed of 67mph.…

The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. Lapinski (Hachette Children’s Books) Flick is astonished when she stumbles across an old shop called the Strangeworlds Travel Agency and makes an amazing discovery. There are hundreds of worlds just steps away from our own – and to visit them, all you have to do is jump into the right suitcase. Soon, she’s been invited to join the Strangeworlds travel society, giving her the chance to explore these incredible new worlds for herself, but there’s trouble ahead. The city of Five Lights is in danger; buildings and even streets are mysteriously disappearing. Together with new friend Jonathan, who runs the agency, Flick must undertake a strange journey through unknown worlds to fix Five Lights before it disappears completely – taking our world along with…

What makes podcasts so special? They’re like having your favourite people or radio shows in your ear. Whatever your passions, there’s a podcast out there for you. What’s your favourite thing about making podcasts? Podcasts can be more specific than radio. You’ve got more time to really get in depth about a topic, so it can be more interesting too. What do you need to make your own podcast? Not too much, really. As long as you have a microphone, and a computer with some editing software, you’re good to go. So think up a good idea – maybe interviewing some people, or sharing something you’ve been learning about – and get recording. What are some of your top podcast recommendations? Hmm, well, it seems a shame to not recommend…

Eliud Kipchoge: My Sub Two Hour Marathon 1.15pm on 25 April, BBC One In 2019, Eliud Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon (26.2 miles) in less than two hours. In this documentary, the runner reveals the secrets behind his exceptional talent for running. At 2pm the following day, BBC One will air another documentary, this time about the first ever London Marathon. Grayson’s Art Club 8pm on 27 April, Channel 4 Artist Grayson Perry hosts this programme from his own studio, where he is busy creating new artworks. Over the course of the series he will talk to other artists about what they have been working on from home, and Perry will encourage viewers to make their own pieces, which could then form part of an exhibition…

Have you ever smelt freshly baked bread? It has a mouth-watering aroma, and when you bake it in your own kitchen it smells even better – and tastes out of this world. If you’ve never had a go at baking bread, there is no time like the present. Don’t worry, it’s very simple and you don’t need many ingredients or much equipment. The great thing about bread is that there are so many types you can have a go at. You could start off with very simple recipes and build up to more complex ones as you practise and improve. Award-winning cookery book author and cookery teacher Charlotte Pike says that making bread from scratch is fun and delicious to eat. “You’ll have lots of fun mixing, kneading and shaping…

Name: Emily “I wanted to write in about coronavirus because I have been reading The Week Junior and watching the news and can see that there are currently at least 120,000 confirmed cases in the UK, with 2,000 of these cases in Surrey, the county I live in. I have been listening to everything that Boris Johnson is saying about social distancing and I have been staying at home as much as possible. I miss seeing my friends. However, I understand how important it is to stay at home as much as possible. In these challenging times I have found it really important to focus on the positive things to help me and my family get through. I thought it would be helpful to share these ideas. So far, in…

Teacher’s name: Mr Campbell School: St Columba’s Junior School, Kilmacolm, Inverclyde, Scotland ‘’Mr Campbell is an amazing teacher! Our online school he has created is great fun. He sets us daily riddles and tasks and keeps us motivated and inspired. On Mondays we sing our song I Have a Go and we still do it during our online class. He wore a funny hat this week which made us all smile. Thanks Mr Campbell for keeping school as normal as possible during Covid-19.’’ Sophie If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll sendyourschoolthreefreeissuesof The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

1 How many Members of Parliament can video call into a debate at one time? a) 60 b) 120 c) 180 a □ b □ c □ 2 True or false? Captain Tom Moore has raised £2.8 million for charity. 3 What are people in Iceland being encouraged to hug? 4 Which fast-food chain sells the Rebel Whopper burger? a) McDonald’s b) Burger King c) KFC a □ b □ c □ 5 True or false? Actor Billy Dee Williams is famous for acting in Star Trek. 6 Which animal alerts rhinos if a threat appears? 7 What does BSL stand for? a) Bacon, sausage, lettuce sandwich b) British Sign Language c) Batman’s Super Limousine a □ b □ c □ 8 True or false? The fastest ship in the…

The number of vegans in the UK quadrupled from 2014 to 2019. In response, fast-food restaurants have added vegan options to their menus. Some people welcome this, saying that it will encourage diners to eat less meat, but others aren’t convinced that it’s the right thing to do. There is also concern that claims of being vegan-friendly can’t be trusted. Recently, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), an organisation that makes sure adverts in the UK aren’t misleading, banned some Burger King adverts for its Rebel Whopper burger. The ASA says that the adverts suggested that the burger was vegan-friendly, yet it is cooked on the same grill as the meat burgers and it contains eggs. So what do you think: should fast-food restaurants stick to serving meat? Yes – they…

Before the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, it had been a long time since Billy Dee Williams was in a galaxy far, far away. Williams played Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, which were released in 1980 and 1983. His character became a fan favourite, and after 36 years, Williams made a triumphant return for the final entry in the Skywalker saga. The film is now available on DVD and digital download, just a few weeks after his 83rd birthday. Speaking to The Week Junior, Williams says that he really enjoyed returning to Star Wars. Although a lot had changed, he says the overall experience was pretty much the same. The biggest difference was the increased use of computer-generated…

A five-year study has revealed that flamingos like to hang out with their close friends. Flamingos, which are widespread across Africa and South America, can gather in huge flocks of up to a million birds at a time. However, within these large groups, researchers found that individuals liked to spend time in groups of up to four or five particular birds. They also found that some flamingos avoid certain other birds, suggesting that they don’t get on. The study examined flamingo flocks from four species living at Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire, England. Researchers from the University of Exeter photographed the flocks three or four times a day to see which ones were spending time together. The team discovered that, instead of simply finding a mate and staying together in…

Katharine the shark Researchers were delighted when a great white shark called Katharine reappeared after vanishing almost a year ago. Katharine, who has been tagged with a tracking device, has her own dedicated Twitter account, and new data suggests she is about 200 miles off the east coast of the US. Olive trees in Europe A potentially deadly disease has been spreading through olive trees in southern Europe, raising fears that it could affect the production of olive oil. Around 17% of Italy’s olive areas have already been infected, but work is under way to develop new varieties of olive that can resist the disease.…

From 4 to 10 May, Deaf Awareness Week will be marked in the UK. It helps to raise awareness of the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. People who have problems with their hearing can find communicating difficult, which in some circumstances means they can find it harder to learn at school or make friends. British Sign Language (BSL) is a great way for deaf people, those with hearing problems, and their family and friends, to communicate. Even if you don’t know BSL, you might have seen it used on TV or at events. Find out more about BSL below. What is British Sign Language? BSL is a language used by about 151,000 people in the UK and, unlike most other languages, there are no written…

Spring has sprung Mabel the dog leaps for joy among bluebells in Surrey, England. A sea of green Farmers lead cattle through billowing grass in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Picture perfect Colourful cat art in Chongqing, China. Ready for a bird bath A robin is reflected in a pond in York, England. Silent city A flight over Rome, Italy’s capital, on Easter Monday. A big bear hug A polar bear and cub emerge from hibernation in Canada.…

Which character is most like you and why? I would love to say I’m like Flick – brave and determined and kind and curious, but the truth is I’m probably more like Jonathan – a bit sarcastic to hide shyness, constantly anxious and addicted to tea. What are your top tips for young authors? Tell your story in whatever way feels best to you. Whether that’s by drawing a comic, writing on a page full of lines, writing in a spiral, or telling a story by speaking – they’re all important ways of telling your story. And don’t fret about grammar and spelling – your story will flow around any mistakes like water around rocks. Where is the best place you have travelled to? I adore Shanghai in China. I…

What types can I bake? Everything from basic white loaves and rolls to pita breads and pizza bases. Once you have mastered the basics, you can move on to more advanced bread, such as granary. What are good breads to start with? Besides flatbreads, soda bread is a perfect starter loaf – it uses bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast so there’s no proving time. This means you just mix the ingredients and bake it. Any other tips? “Once the bread has been shaped, leave it in a warm place again for another 20 minutes to prove again slightly,” says Pike. “This will give your bread the best shape, as you regain some of the air squashed out of the bread while it was shaped.”…

Dance fitness classes are taking place every day at 1.30pm on Facebook Live throughout the lockdown. Just ask an adult to log you into their Facebook account, and get ready for an exciting half-hour of fun. Join a fantastic dance teacher and learn an exciting new routine. You can even catch Dame Darcey Bussell on Fridays. Expect different music and a new style of dance to try out each day. Ask an adult to go to facebook.com/diversedancemix GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked whether we should mine moons and planets... “No, definitely not because we might wreck another planet like we have done with our own.” “Yes and no because if we did then we would learn lots of new things.” “No because it is not our planet to mine! The moon controls the tides and what if we mess it all up?” “Yes but only if we know that there are no living life forms on it.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…