Innholdsfortegnelse for 319 i The Week Junior

Rescue efforts are under way in Tonga after a devastating tsunami. The tsunami was caused by the eruption of an underwater volcano. What happened? On 15 January, an underwater volcano called Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in the southern Pacific Ocean. This eruption caused a tsunami, which hit Tonga. A tsunami is a long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other large disturbance. Tonga is made up of more than 170 islands in the Pacific. Tongatapu is the largest of these islands and where most people live. The capital, Nuku’alofa, is on Tongatapu and 40 miles south of the volcano. It was covered in ash from the volcano and hit by waves more than one metre high. The Ha’apai, a group of islands north of Tongatapu, were also hit,…

A RECORD-BREAKING COMIC SALE A single page from a Spider-Man comic has sold at auction for almost £2.4 million. The comic features Spider-Man in a black costume, which led to the creation of the character Venom. Spider-Man was the idea of Stan Lee, writer and former president of Marvel Comics, who also created other characters, including The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man. DONATING AFRO HAIR TO CHARITY Poppy Lee-Burrowes, from Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, has wanted to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust since the age of five, and now she finally can. The charity makes wigs for children who have lost their hair through cancer treatment. It is now able to accept Afro hair, and so Lee-Burrowes will cut off 20 centimetres of hair on 29…

The governments of Scotland and Wales have removed restrictions on large outdoor events. The restrictions, which limited the number of people who could attend outdoor gatherings, were brought in to stop the spread of Covid-19. There was a limit of 500 people meeting outdoors in Scotland and 50 in Wales. Restrictions have now been removed for outdoor events in Scotland and Wales, which means fans can go to football and rugby matches again.…

On 25 December 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was launched. Its mission is to observe some of the universe’s most distant objects, which experts hope will answer questions such as how the first galaxies formed. Dr Olivia Johnson is an astronomer (a scientist who studies how the universe works) and is part of the team behind the telescope. She works for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a scientific agency that is funded by the Government. The new telescope needed all sorts of new technology, so scientists and engineers from all over the world have worked on it. “I love that thousands more people will use it to learn more about the universe,” Johnson tells The Week Junior. Before working on the telescope project, Johnson worked as an astronomer…

Everyone from keen birdwatchers to beginners is invited to join in this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Between 28 and 30 January, you need to spend an hour in a garden or park, counting how many of each species of bird you see. The RSPB’s online Big Garden Birdwatch Guide will help identify the birds you spot and you can upload the results to the website. Last year, more than a million people took part. The UK’s bird population is thought to have fallen by around 38 million in the past 50 years, so data from the Big Garden Birdwatch helps the RSPB to monitor the numbers of common garden birds and work out which species might be in trouble.…

ASK A ZOOKEEPER NICK, ZSL LONDON Yes they most definitely can! Hanuman langur monkeys in India, for example, make alarm calls when lions are nearby, which alert the chital deer and other prey animals to run away. Another example is communication between humans and pets: dogs can learn commands such as “sit“ and “fetch”, and humans can come to understand what a pet wants too, such as a cat meowing to go outside. 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…

Doctors in the US city of Baltimore have carried out the first successful transplant of a pig’s heart into a human being. It’s hoped that the operation could make transplants accessible for many more people in need. It was carried out on a 57-year-old man whose ill-health meant that he could not have a human heart transplant. The pig was reared by a US medical company called Revivicor, whose experts made changes to its heart so it would suit a human body. Pigs are particularly suitable for transplants to humans because their organs are a similar size and shape to human ones. Individual heart valves (which control how blood moves in the heart) from pigs and cows have been used in surgery since the 1970s. In order to produce a…

Nearly 250 young cyclists battled the mud and rain to compete for glory at the UK National Cyclo-Cross Championships this month. Cyclo-cross is a tough but fun sport where riders race laps around an off-road circuit such as a park or field. They ride up and down hills, through twists and turns and sometimes over low obstacles or steps. At times they may decide to get off their bike and run through the mud while pushing their bike or carrying it on their shoulder. Races usually take place in autumn and winter when the ground conditions and weather make it even tougher. Held at the South of England Showground in West Sussex, England, the championships staged races in several youth categories. Cat Ferguson, riding for the Hope Factory Racing team,…

The UK is blessed with some of the most remarkable countryside and urban areas in the world. From the craggy coast of Cornwall, England, to Scotland’s stunning Isle of Skye, via the steep slopes of Snowdon in Wales and the strange Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland – everyone is close to an area of beauty. Now these landscapes are even easier to experience because an exhibition of pictures from the Landscape Photographer of the Year competition 2021 is touring the UK. Some of the winning photos might soon be on display at a railway station near you. The competition is designed to get people experiencing the British landscape for themselves. Last year, Evie Easterbrook, aged 15, won the Young Landscape Photographer of the Year 2021 award. She won for her…

Starboard by Nicola Skinner (HarperCollins Children’s Books) When 11-year-old Kirsten goes on a school trip to see the SS Great Britain, little does she expect that the old ship is about to break free from its dry dock and make her its new captain, whisking her off on an incredible voyage. This imaginative seafaring adventure is a real treat. Rescuing Titanic by Flora Delargy (Wide Eyed Editions) In the middle of the night, a ship in the Atlantic Ocean – the Carpathia – receives a distress call from the famous liner Titanic as it sinks. Now the smaller boat must head into icy waters to help save as many people as possible. Packed with fascinating detail, this beautifully illustrated non-fiction book looks at the Titanic disaster from a new angle.…

Name: Meraya Living the Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman Motivating, strong, powerful. “It teaches you that you can do anything and shows how girls can conquer stereotypes.” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Sum up the book in three words and write one sentence telling us what you liked about it. Please include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.dennis.co.uk/privacy-policy…

Olaf Falafel is a children’s author, illustrator, dad of two daughters and a comedian. During the first lockdown he created an online art club (tinyurl.com/TWJ-olafart). Each episode was filled with jokes, useful drawing tips, funny animations and stupid jokes like this one:“Did you know that dogs can’t operate MRI machines – but cats can (‘CAT scan’, get it?)”. They also included some almost educational stuff about his favourite artists, including Jean-Michel Basquiat. Over to you, Olaf… “Basquiat was an artist who rose to fame in the 1980s in New York, US. He started out as a graffiti artist and he would spray slogans and messages onto the sides of buildings. He moved on to painting on canvases and famous people such as pop star Madonna and artist Andy Warhol were…

I watched My Octopus Teacher during one of the lockdowns (I’ve lost count which one it was) and like so many people, was both moved and fascinated by the connection between filmmaker Craig Foster and his cephalopod companion. (It’s still on Netflix if you haven’t had a chance to see it yet.) Foster found calm and comfort by diving every day into the chilly waters near his home on the Western Cape in South Africa. He filmed his strange and lovely encounters with a female octopus over the course of a year, giving us a wonderful insight into the murky depths of this alluring creature. I was reminded of My Octopus Teacher while reading this week’s main Animal and Environment story on page 10. Marine biologist Jacinta Shackleton’s extraordinary sighting…

“We wanted to decorate the house for Christmas by reusing some of our old Week Juniors.” Graceand Arthur “Here isapicture of me after making The Week Junior’s almond shortbread biscuits. They were really delicious and we enjoyed making them.” Sophia “I have adopted a dolphin on the WWF to save them from being extinct. I have learnt so much about dolphins already!” Saanvi…

1 Who is the richest person in the world? ■ a) Jeff Bezos■ b) Bill Gates■ c) Elon Musk 2 True or false? A crocodile skeleton was discovered underneath a school in Wales. ■ True ■ False 3 Which country brought Algeria’s unbeaten run in men’s football to an end? 4 Which country got rid of handwriting lessons in 2016? ■ a) The Netherlands ■ b) Switzerland ■ c) Finland 5 True or false? Ben Newell hides terrapins around Worcester, England, for people to find. ■ True ■ False 6 What brightly coloured marine animal was spotted by Jacinta Shackleton? 7 Which Roman Emperor ordered a 73-mile wall to be built across the north of England? ■ a) Augustus ■ b) Sillius Maximus ■ c) Hadrian 8 True or false?…

The top-ranked men’s tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, has been deported (sent home by officials) from Australia. Djokovic was in Melbourne, Australia to play in the Australian Open, which he has won nine times. The Open’s rules say that to take part all players must have had a vaccination against Covid-19. A vaccine is a type of medicine that trains the body to fight a disease using its own defences. Djokovic, who is not vaccinated, was given an exemption on medical grounds. An exemption is when someone is given permission not to follow the rules. On 5 January, Djokovic was denied entry into the country by the Australian government. They said he did not give enough evidence for a medical exemption. Djokovic appealed this in court and won.…

Washington DC, US Poet honoured with a special coin Maya Angelou, a poet and social activist, has become the first black woman to feature on a US coin. Angelou, who died in 2014 aged 86, campaigned for black people’s rights through her poetry and writing. The 25-cent coin, known as a quarter, is one of a new series that marks the achievements of pioneering American women. Minas Gerais, Brazil Thousands rescued from flooding Thousands of people have been taken to safety from their homes in the state of Minas Gerais after heavy rainfall. Rivers burst their banks, flooding towns and causing landslides. The state capital, Belo Horizonte, had 25 centimetres of rain in 72 hours. At the time The Week Junior went to press, reports said 15 people had died.…

On 11 January, it was announced that Magawa, the African giant pouched rat famous for sniffing out landmines, had died at the age of eight. Landmines are bombs that are buried or laid on the ground, designed to explode when stepped on or driven over. Although they are largely illegal today, they are still a serious threat in countries such as Cambodia, in south-east Asia, where millions were laid during wars in the 1970s and 1980s. To help clear leftover landmines, an organisation called Apopo trained African giant pouched rats to sniff out the mines (the animals are so light they don’t trigger the bomb). The rats show human experts where the mines are, so they can be made safe and removed. Magawa was the most successful of these “HeroRats”,…

It has been 1,900 years since the Roman emperor Hadrian ordered a 73-mile wall to be built across northern Britain, from Wallsend on the east coast to Bowness-on-Solway in the west. To mark the anniversary, a year-long festival has been planned. Why was the wall built? The Roman emperor Trajan ruled over a huge empire spanning Europe, Arabia and north Africa. When he died in AD117, Hadrian took over as emperor. A rebellion was brewing along the empire’s northernmost border in Britannia (the Roman name for Britain) where the tribes to the north were resisting Roman rule. What is now Scotland was called Caledonia by the Romans. In AD122, Hadrian visited the border and decided to build a wall to keep these tribes out. How was the wall built? Hadrian…

In June 1667, French doctor Jean-Baptiste Denys performed the first blood transfusion from an animal to a human. Denys’s patient was a 15-year-old boy suffering from fever and blood loss, and the donor animal was a sheep. The boy survived – probably because not very much sheep’s blood was used. However, two out of the five people that Denys practised on died, so the French court banned the procedure and it was only used again (using human blood donors) in the 19th century.…

AMAZING INVENTIONS Researchers in Israel have taught six goldfish how to drive a robotic car. The fish float in a water-filled tank on top of a wheeled platform and the wheels move in response to the way the fish dart around the tank. Once the fish had got used to the movement of the platform, the scientists taught them how to steer the car towards a particular target by swimming around the tank. The researchers say their experiment shows that all species have the ability to navigate. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junio Science+Nature magazine sciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Fulham Football Club The London team scored 13 goals in two Championship games. They beat Reading 7-0 and then Bristol City 6-2 four days later. Geva Mentor Mentor played her 150th game for the England netball team as they beat South Africa 71-47. She played her first international match when she was 16. Sam Sunderland The British rider won the motorbike race in the famous Dakar Rally, held in Saudi Arabia. He also took the title in 2017. Australia men’s cricket In the fifth and final Ashes match against England, Australia men’s team won by 146 runs. They have won the series 4-0, with four wins and one draw.…

Isle of Skye, Scotland The Isle of Skye is famous for its striking landscape. One of its most famous sites is the Old Man of Storr, a large jagged rock on the Trotternish Ridge that can be seen for miles around. Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales The Brecon Beacons is an area of contrasting beauty. From the windswept peak of Pen-y-Fan (the highest mountain in southern Britain) to the Sgwd-yr-Eira waterfall, the variety is astonishing. Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland Legend says the Giant’s Causeway was formed during a battle between two giants. Another story says that the Irish giant, Finn McCool, built it trying to reach his love in Scotland.…

Sing 2 In cinemas from 28 January Sing 2 is the sequel to Sing, the hit animated musical comedy released in 2016. Buster and friends return in this film, trying to put on a new show at the Crystal Tower Theatre. However, they’ll need to convince a legendary former singer to come out of retirement. Born in Africa Available now on Disney+ This show follows five animal families as they raise their young. Cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, lions and meerkats all have to deal with different challenges in the wild, from birth to when the young animals become mature and leave the family. Through clever camera work, this tells a story of survival and family support. Great Coastal Railway Journeys 6.30pm, weekdays from 24 January, BBC2 Michael Portillo begins a new…

by Joan Haig and Joan Lennon. Illustrated by André Ducci (Templar Publishing) Presented in the style of a graphic novel, this colourful book introduces some of the most important and historic speeches from the past 150 years. It features all sorts of influential speeches, including US president Abraham Lincoln inspiring a nation with his 1863 Gettysburg Address; Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti fighting for women’s rights in 1940s Nigeria; and Greta Thunberg speaking out for the environment as recently as 2019. As well as the speeches, you’ll find out more about the events that led up to them and the impact they had on the world. Full of fascinating detail, this book makes you think about important topics and shows that words really can change the world. WIN! We’re giving away five copies…

Hundreds of years old and with a proud Scottish history, reeling is a type of country dancing that is still popular. Performed by young and old dancers, it often involves groups, which are called sets, of at least two couples in each set. A couple is two individual people, either male or female, dancing together. Scottish reeling is usually quite quick, with dancers and couples changing positions, joining and linking with others and having to learn lots of fun moves and routines. It might look complicated to learn, but with practice you can soon pick up the basics. You learn from experienced dancers who will slowly walk you through the steps. Reeling also means the type of traditional music that accompanies the dances. An accordion often sets the tune for…

Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 266 272 438 460 613 732 804 4 numbers 3841 5358 6151 6734 5 numbers 40781 48000 86188 95655 6 numbers 425132 784732 974485 7 numbers 5416820 6572823 7041186 8 numbers 60107601 77106806 9 numbers 251050614 411335513 608637054 905607190 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. Spot the difference These two pictures appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you spot them? Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and…

Name: Edward “Hello, I’m a Year 9 student who is desperate to raise awareness of the climate crisis we are in. I have always been aware of climate change but never fully understood what it meant. I read up about it in The Week Junior and borrowed Greta Thunberg’s book from my school library. What I read compelled me to do something. I went and joined my school eco council and asked what I could do to spread awareness. Then I decided I would make a video every half-term which would be sent out to tutor groups, educating students on the issues we face. I made a Youtube channel called CareforClimate and the videos have been a big success. Many students and teachers have commented on what they have learned…

Teacher’s name: Señor Nick School: Bilingual Primary School, Hove, Sussex “Señor Nick is really kind and supportive. He’s my favourite teacher and we’re lucky to have him in Year 6. He donated all his Christmas present money to the local food bank and volunteered in the ICU unit in lockdown. I’ll miss him when we go to secondary.” Connie If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll send your school three free issues of 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…

23 January 1849 First female doctor in US graduates On 23 January 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman in the US to graduate with a medical degree. Born in Bristol, England, in 1821, she moved to the US with her family when she was 11. In 1847, Blackwell was accepted by a medical college in New York. However, she was not allowed to go to some classes because she was a woman. In January 1849 Blackwell graduated from the medical college. She died, aged 90, in Sussex, England.…

In 2016, schools in Finland got rid of handwriting lessons. Instead, students were taught how to type and send text messages. The country’s board of education said these skills were more useful in everyday life. Although handwriting is an important part of the curriculum in the UK, some teachers think typing is now more important. In December 2021, one headteacher suggested that A-level and GCSE exams should be typed instead of written by hand. This was partly because students learning remotely have used keyboards, not pens, but also because text messages are now more common than handwritten notes. Some people say schools should embrace modern life; others want to protect a vital skill. So what do you think? Should all exams be typed? Yes – everything is typed these days…

A spectacular and rarely seen blanket octopus has been spotted off the coast of Queensland, in Australia. It is thought to be only the fourth time the animal has been reported in the area, and one of the few times anyone has seen it in the wild anywhere. Marine wildlife expert and diver Jacinta Shackleton, who encountered the rainbow-like female, said, “Seeing one in real life is indescribable.” The blanket octopus is a remarkable animal that gets its name from web-like sheets of thin tissue that stretch between some of its arms. It’s only the females that develop these beautifully coloured “capes”, which they spread out to make themselves appear larger and more threatening to scare away predators. If they feel really threatened they can remove the cape and use…

Bunting challenge For keen knitters or craftspeople, this is a brilliant way to get involved in the celebration. Anyone can design a flag or a string of bunting to decorate the replica wall at the fort of Vindolanda. To submit your design, go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-knitting Falx Japanese artist Romy has created a manga series (a type of Japanese graphic novel) called Falx. The story tells of a Roman soldier posted on the wall in the second century AD. He meets a poorly dressed boy and together the pair embark on an adventure. It is available here at tinyurl.com/TWJ-FalxManga City of Light In October, the city of Carlisle – near the western end of Hadrian’s Wall – will put on a light show. The city’s cathedral and castle are among the…

From 5–7 January, some of the world’s smartest inventions went on show at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, US. The annual show is the world’s largest technology event and a chance for companies to show their latest breakthroughs. Last year it was held online because of the pandemic. Tech on display this year included a smart dog collar from French company Invoxia. This device is a bit like fitness trackers such as Fitbit and the Apple watch. It can be used to monitor your dog’s health and to find them if they go missing, thanks to a built-in tracker. Another French company, Maca, showed off its idea for a carcopter – a hydrogen-powered flying car that the company says could be used in a new sport to…

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR CONTEST 2021…

How are you feeling? Right now, as you read this page. We all experience a variety of feelings all the time. Some of them feel great, some feel unpleasant, and it’s helpful to be able to recognise and understand how you’re feeling so you know how to deal with it. What are feelings? Feelings are how people experience emotions. They can include anger, sadness, worry, loneliness and shame, as well as surprise, happiness, courage and hope, among many others. Feelings are sometimes labelled as good or bad but that isn’t helpful. All feelings are there to be felt and some can be more uncomfortable than others. It’s ok and natural to experience different emotions – and that includes emotions that might not feel nice. How to recognise your feelings To…

People working at Pixar have said they are sad that their new film Turning Red will go straight to the streaming service Disney+, rather than coming out in cinemas first. The same thing happened with the two previous big films from Pixar, Soul and Luca. The last Pixar film to come out in UK cinemas was Onward in March 2020. Turning Red is set for release on 11 March on Disney+. It’s a film about 13-year-old Mei Lee, who turns into a giant red panda when she feels stressed or excited. Some Pixar staff said they were looking forward to a return to cinemas after almost two years of delays and interruptions caused by the pandemic. “These movies are crafted for the big screen,” one staff member told Variety.com. “We…

Apple and Google’s mobile app stores have been around since 2008, but downloading new apps was more popular than ever last year. People downloaded more than 230 billion apps for iphone and Android smartphones in 2021, according to App Annie, a company that researches the apps industry. That’s more than 435,000 downloads every minute. App Annie’s report on 2021 also suggested that people spent nearly £124 billion on buying their apps last year. Worldwide, people used mobile apps for an average of 4.8 hours a day, although researchers think that in the UK it is less, at four hours a day. The App Annie researchers estimated that the UK had 2.22 billion app downloads in 2021, putting it 15th the in company’s league able of countries. China was top of…

Which famous person would you like to meet? JH: I’d love to share a pot of tea with David Attenborough. JL: Helen Keller – she was interested and active in so many things. And she was cheerful, in spite of everything! Do you have a motto? JH: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” It means that words are more powerful than weapons in bringing about positive change and peace. JL: I think my favourite mot would be “get involved!” None of the people in the book stood around waiting for somebody else to do things. They got stuck in. What gave you the idea to write this book? JH: When I was at school, I was inspired by famous speeches played to my class. When I became a mum,…

How can I get involved? The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) has information on all types of traditional country dancing. Go to rscds.org to look for a club or event near you. The names of some popular reel dances include the Dashing White Sergeant, the Reel of the 51st Highland Division and the Eightsome Reel. What is Highland dancing? Highland dancing is similar to reel and country dancing and is probably the most famous type of Scottish dancing. It is often done to bagpipe music and performed at events such as Highland games, where contests are held. Well-known routines include the Highland fling and sword dance.…

The duck that can do anything Echo the duck can perform around 30 different tricks, including playing the piano, pushing a ball with her beak and ringing a bell. She was taught the tricks by owner Joe Nutkins, who is a dog trainer. Nutkins said the duck decided to join in when the dogs were being trained. “So I thought, let’s give it a go with the tricks and see what she does, and she took to it,” Nutkins said. Dog’s £11,500 birthday display A dog owner in China has spent £11,500 on a drone display for her dog’s birthday. She rented 520 drones that spelled out the words “Happy 10th birthday to Doudou” (the name of the dog), and made the shape of a birthday cake and a gift…

Give back this January Did you know that in the run-up to Christmas 2021, UK households bought nearly 40 million electrical items and threw away more than four million? This January, the Recycle Your Electricals campaign has been set up to encourage everyone in the UK to get involved in“Give-Back January”. Author and former TV presenter Konnie Huq has joined the campaign – why not get your family involved too? Instead of hoarding electricals at home, or throwing them in the bin to end up in landfill, you can donate working items to a charity shop and recycle anything that is broken and can’t be fixed. To find out more, visit recycleyourelectricals.org.uk GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked you if Covid vaccines should be shared. You said… “No, because some people could use the recipes for dangerous stuff. Only the NHS should know.” “Yes so anyone can get the vaccine.” “No, as inexperienced people could make the vaccine wrong and accidentally make others sick.” Yes, everyone needs to know the recipes.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…