Innholdsfortegnelse for 321 i The Week Junior

On 31 January, details of the report looking into parties that were said to have taken place at 10 Downing Street (the Prime Minister’s official residence) during lockdown was released. The document, which was put together by Sue Gray, has led to an investigation by the police. Who is Sue Gray? Sue Gray works for the Cabinet Office, which is a Government department that supports the Prime Minister and looks after the smooth running of the Government. She was asked to investigate a number of gatherings that took place at 10 Downing Street during the Covid-19 pandemic. These were said to have broken the rules against social gatherings that were in place at the time. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, admitted being at one of these gatherings but said he…

CELEBRATING FILM HISTORY An exhibition celebrating the Millennium Falcon spacecraft from Star Wars will be held later this year in the Welsh town where it was built. The exhibition in Pembrokeshire will have film props and costumes and tell the story of how the life-sized model was made. SPOTTING SKYE THE SEA EAGLE The UK’s oldest recorded white-tailed sea eagle has been filmed by the BBC’s Winterwatch programme. It was spotted on the Isle of Mull, in Scotland. The bird of prey, named Skye hatched on the Isle of Skye in 1994, making him 27 years old. Skye was identified by a ring that was put on his leg when he was younger. RESTORING 15TH CENTURY CARVINGS Intricate carvings at Carlisle Castle in Cumbria, in north-west England, are being restored…

Thousands of people around the world are waiting for organ transplants. This is an operation that can save the person’s life or make them feel much better, but there aren’t enough organs for every patient. In the UK, people can donate their organs and body parts, such as their heart and lungs, after they die by putting their name on an NHS register. Living people can already give (not sell) a kidney or part of their liver, as well as bone marrow. Some people think the number of available human organs could be increased if living people were allowed to sell body parts that they can manage without. Perhaps letting people sell their body parts would solve the shortage of organs needed for life-changing transplants. What do you think? Should…

Researchers have discovered that east African double-collared sunbirds have been singing the same tune for at least 500,000 years. A team of US scientists compared the songs of groups of birds that have lived apart for very long periods, and found that they were almost identical. This is unusual because bird songs in a particular habitat usually change slowly over many generations – the team said the songs may not have changed because the birds’ habitats have also remained unchanged.…

Some animals in the wild, such as Komodo dragons and sloths, live alone by choice – they will only occasionally spend time with others of the same species, often meeting only for mating. They are often territorial and in some cases may fight if they live together, so it’s important that zoos encourage these natural behaviours and make sure their environment reflects their need for a mostly solitary life. 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…

In 2021, Chinese researchers announced a new species of ancient human called Homo longi, which they said could replace the Neanderthals as our closest relatives. The announcement was based on a careful study of a skull nicknamed Dragon Man. It was originally found in 1933 by a man who was working on building a bridge. He hid it in a well for around 80 years. The skull is about the same size as a modern human’s but has distinctive features such as almost square eye sockets, thick brow ridges and large teeth. It is at least 146,000 years old, but with no way of studying the place where it was first found, there are many unanswered questions.…

Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid The British pair won the Australian Open wheelchair doubles. It is their ninth Grand Slam final victory in a row. Sale Sharks In rugby union’s Premiership, Sale came back from being 21-5 down in the second half to beat league leaders Leicester Tigers 35-26. Zoe Backstedt The 17-year-old Welsh cyclist won the junior women’s event at the Cyclo-cross World Championships. Cameron Brannagan He scored four penalties as Oxford United beat Gillingham 7-2 in football’s League One. It’s thought to be the first time in England that four penalties have been scored by the same player.…

● Write a letter to your younger self – think about how you have grown and changed. What advice would you give to your younger self? ● Think about an area of your life where you would like to grow. Perhaps you want to be a better friend. Do something small every day, if you can, to encourage this. For example, you might ask a friend how they are. ● From 7 February, tune in to some virtual assemblies featuring several famous faces. The assemblies, and lots more ideas, are available at tinyurl.com/TWJ-CMHW…

Disney has defended its live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, after criticism from the actor Peter Dinklage. Dinklage has achondroplasia, a type of dwarfism (the term for a range of conditions that restrict growth) and has criticised Disney for remaking the film because some of the characters reinforce stereotypes. Stereotypes are ideas about how certain people act, which can be harmful and are often based on false information. Disney says it is taking a different approach with the characters, and that it has “been consulting with members of the dwarfism community”. The film is due to be released in 2023.…

Grandpa Frank’s Great Big Bucket List by Jenny Pearson. Illustrated by David O’Connell (Usborne Books) Frank inherits lots of money from a grandma he didn’t know he had – and there’s another surprise in store. The money comes with strict instructions… and a new grandpa! Frank lists the ways he can spend the money and look after his grumpy grandpa. Money can buy hot-air balloon rides but can it really buy happiness? How to Train Your Dad by Gary Paulsen (Macmillan Children’s Books) Twelve-year-old Carl is fed up with his dad, who’s always rummaging through rubbish and buying his clothes from garage sales. Worried about what his friends will think, Carl decides to use a puppy-training pamphlet to “train” his dad – with some unexpected results. Greta and the Ghost…

Name: Nora The House of One Hundred Clocks by A.M. Howell Exciting. Fun. Scary. “This book is really gripping and exciting, a real page turner, and such a good idea for a story.” 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…

Holly King-Mand is the nation’s favourite English teacher. Thousands of young people joined her online lessons during lockdown. She enjoys bringing grammar to life and sharing her love of learning. Here, she reveals how to extend your vocabulary and use an interesting range of words in your speaking and writing. You can find more tips at hollysclassroom.com 1 What is vocabulary? The definition of vocabulary is “all the words a person knows or uses, or all of the words of a language”. An average 10-year-old will know 20,000 words and this rises to an average of 50,000 by the time they are 12. That’s a lot of words! Everyone has two types of vocabulary: active vocabulary is the words you use in your speaking and writing. Passive vocabulary is the…

It’s been a busy and exciting few days at The Week Junior. It’s been exciting for me personally because I have stepped into Felicity’s shoes as editor while she is away, and exciting for the team because we’re back together in the office again. We were in very briefly in December, but along came Omicron and we all went home again. I’ve worked at The Week Junior since it launched six years ago, but it’s amazing how different jobs can be on the same magazine. Picking out what has been the best part of this week is difficult, but I think the most rewarding (and scary!) was putting together the cover. On Monday morning we were waiting to see if Sue Gray’s report (page 2) was delivered before we could…

“Here is a picture of me in my bedroom reading my favourite section of The Week Junior – the Book Club. I love books and reading so much that I have a giant bookshelf as my wallpaper.” Erika “I did a robot-duck hybrid using Olaf Falafel’s and Basquiat’s technique – but I used my iPad instead. It was really fun.” Vesuri “I built this bird box with my dad.” Bella…

If you’ve enjoyed this issue of The Week Junior, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show. This week, Bex from Fun Kids radio and members of The Week Junior team discuss Sue Gray’s report, British Sign Language and honking hippos. Have a listen at tinyurl.com/TWJshow, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please include your full name and address so that we can send you a Roving Reporter badge if your contribution makes it onto the page. We will only use the details you provide to arrange delivery of badges, and we will not share them with anyone else. By submitting your reports and pictures, you give consent to The Week Junior to print them in the magazine and digital editions. We reserve the right to edit contributions…

Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in Westminster, was made to leave the House of Commons on 31 January for saying that Johnson had deliberately misled Parliament. MPs aren’t allowed to call other MPs liars when they’re in the House of Commons. This is considered “unparliamentary language” because it breaks the rules of politeness in the House of Commons. If an MP refuses to withdraw their claim, the Speaker of the House can tell them to leave. Other words that have been considered unparliamentary over the years include: coward, hooligan, rat and traitor.…

One day, author Christopher Edge found himself locked in a museum, having to solve clues to find a hidden artefact. On another, he was on a nuclear submarine looking for a secret code before – in his words – “the whole thing went critical”. Neither of these things happened to him in real-life but in escape rooms, which Edge was researching for his book Escape Room. Escape rooms are a type of game where people have to solve clues to “escape” from a situation that they’re locked inside. In Edge’s book, 12-year-old Ami finds herself in an escape room like no other, with the fate of the world at stake. Speaking to The Week Junior, Edge explained how he hadn’t been to an escape room until he started working on…

Anew study has revealed that hippopotamuses can tell the difference between their friends’ voices and those of strangers – and that they have a particularly smelly way of reacting when they don’t like what they hear. Hippos are one of the largest land mammals on Earth, but researchers know surprisingly little about their behaviour because the animals are difficult to study. They spend most of the day in water, coming out onto land at night to graze. Getting too close can be very dangerous because they can move quickly through water and run very fast for their size. To learn more about hippo social lives, French and Portuguese scientists set out to study their “wheeze-honk” calls. This is the hippo’s most common call and can be heard more than half…

A monkey with white circles around its eyes; a devil-horned newt; a “stink bug” flower; and a bamboo that can withstand very dry conditions. These were among 224 new species discovered by researchers in the greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia. The finds were announced in a new report by the conservation organisation WWF. In total, 155 plants, 16 fishes, 17 amphibians, 35 reptiles and one new mammal were identified during a 2020 survey in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The survey involved hundreds of scientists working around the world. The new haul brings the total number of previously unknown species found in the region to 3,007 since 1997. The WWF said one of the highlights was an orange-brown knobby newt from Thailand. It was discovered after researchers spotted…

Glass is one of the world’s most special materials because it is everywhere in our lives. A campaign marking 2022 as the International Year of Glass reveals why it has been important for thousands of years and highlights its many benefits to us today. Glass from the past Historians think that humans first made glass around 4,500 years ago in Africa and Asia. Early glass was made by crushing quartz, a shiny, rock-like mineral, and mixing it with plant ash. It was heated and washed, then mixed with more colouring minerals and heated again. This long process made glass expensive and rare, so it was mainly used in jewellery and decorative objects. About 2,200 years ago, a technique called glass-blowing was invented. This involved blowing air into glass while it…

Modern homes are filled with technology, including computers, phones, washing machines and kitchen gadgets, but what happens when things go wrong or stop working altogether? Without the knowledge to do simple repairs, people often replace broken devices that could easily be fixed. It’s expensive, wasteful and bad for the environment. Now, a new survey called the Big Repair Project wants to explore people’s attitudes to fixing their own devices. The aim is to find ways to cut down on the number of electrical items that are thrown away each year. Volunteers can fill in a survey, listing the different appliances they own; how long they expect them to last; and how important it is to be able to repair them. If people seem happy to fix their broken tech, the…

OCEAN ART UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY 2021…

Do you remember the first time you ran? What about when you learned how to talk? Our memories do not stretch that far that back but each of these milestones is the result of lots of smaller steps. Even the world’s best runners once had to learn how to sit up, roll, crawl and walk. Taking one step at a time can help you to grow in all sorts of ways. That’s why “Growing Together” is the theme of this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week, on 7–13 February. What is growth? Julia Clements, a psychologist for Place2Be, the charity that started Children’s Mental Health Week, told The Week Junior, “We grow all the time. For example, when we try new things or face challenges like starting a new school, or…

The Southbank Centre in London is the UK’s biggest arts centre. It’s a huge exhibition space beside the River Thames and it holds all kinds of bright and bold art, music and literature events that attract thousands of visitors each year. During February half-term, the Southbank Centre will be hosting the 20th Imagine Children’s Festival, which aims to give families a chance to experience and have fun with the arts. It has an exciting list of more than 160 events on offer, including theatre, comedy and dance for young people. More than half of the performances and events are free, and visitors can try all sorts of activities, including storytelling, hip-hop, dance parties and writing workshops. Ruth Hardie, festival programmer at the Southbank Centre, says, “This year we are bursting…

Britain’s Best Young Artist 5.30pm on 7 February, CBBC In this new competition show, 27 young artists from across the UK compete to be crowned Britain’s Best Young Artist. Musician and former art teacher Ricky Wilson hosts the show with BBC Radio 1 presenter Vick Hope. Uncharted In cinemas from 11 February In this action-packed film, Tom Holland (star of the Spider-Man films) plays Nathan Drake, a young adventurer who goes on a quest with his mentor, Victor Sullivan, to find some buried treasure and his long-lost brother.…

by Louie Stowell (Walker Books) “My name is Loki and I am a god. Or I was until last Tuesday…” When god of mischief Loki plays one trick too many, Odin banishes him to live on Earth as a “normal” 11-year-old boy If he is to return home to Asgard, Loki must do good deeds, go to school and put up with the annoying Thor, who is posing as his brother. If he can’t show moral improvement, eternal torture (and a lot of snake venom) awaits. In a magical diary he has to keep for Odin, Loki documents the trials of his new life and his frustration at not being able to use his godly powers. Packed with doodles, comic strips and jokes, this hilarious book puts a fresh new…

If you thought hula hoops were just a snack, you’re missing out on an activity that keeps you fit while you have fun. Hula hooping is very simple (once you’ve got the hang of it), enjoyable and excellent for building up strength, flexibility and stamina. Make sure you get a good-quality hoop that’s the right size for your body. This is likely to cost around £15–£20. Then find an area with plenty of space to practise. Your back garden or a local park are ideal but there’s nothing to stop you from hooping indoors if you check with an adult first – you don’t want to knock anything over. Stand with your feet slightly apart and one foot in front of the other. Hold the hoop at your waist and…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 Ceramic bathroom square (4) 3 Visible parts of a fire (6) 8 Place to wait for a public vehicle (3,4) 9 Female rabbit (3) 10 Old Italian mansion (5,5) 13 Expensive car (5-5) 17 Small lorry (3) 18 Honey-makers’ nest (7) 19 Newly hatched insects (6) 20 Opposite of “closed” (4) Down 1 Big brass instrument (4) 2 Cowboy’s rope (5) 4 Edge of the mouth (3) 5 Award for bravery (5) 6 Playground ride (3-3) 7 Thick slices of beef (6) 11 Small purple flower (6) 12 Go on a journey (6) 14 Bin bag (5) 15 Potato snack (5) 16 Baked, broad or runner? (4) 18 Constricting snake (3) Spot the difference These two…

Name: Cicely “Hello, I have a book I just recently finished. This book was about Helen Keller, a woman who grew up blind and deaf from an illness she got at 19 months old. I found it a really good book. It’s pretty much all about her pushing through and learning how to defy expectations. With help from her teacher, Anne Sullivan, Helen learns to speak, and in the end she becomes a famous American author, disability rights activist, political activist and lecturer.” What have you been up to lately? Which books have you enjoyed reading? What have you made? Have you written a poem or drawn a picture that you’d like to see published on this page? Whatever you have to show or tell us, get in touch at…

Teacher’s name: Mr Knipe School: Pannal Primary School, Pannal Green, North Yorkshire “Mr Knipe understands kids. I have never told him before but he is my favourite teacher. Mr Knipe is humorous, adds a fun vibe to everything and honestly he makes me want to get up and go to school! He is the first teacher I would go to if I was unhappy and I can rely on him to always be there. I will never forget him, he has had a positive impact on my life and changed me for the better.” Evie 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…

1 Who wrote the report into parties at No. 10 Downing Street? □ a) Sue Gray □ b) Sue Green □ c) Sue Storm 2 True or false? A woman called Edna received more than 30,000 cards for her 101st birthday □ True □ False 3 Which country’s government now has more women in its cabinet than men? 4 What is the name for transplanting an organ between two species? □ a) Xenotransportation □ b) Xenotransplantation □ c) Xenomorphism 5 True or false? Ekow Nimako only uses black Lego bricks □ True □ False 6 What is the name given to a hippo’s loudest call? 7 What is another name for the six-banded armadillo? □ a) Rocksteady armadillo □ b) Red armadillo □ c) Yellow armadillo 8 When did humans…

On 25 January, the Australian government announced that it had bought the copyright to the Aboriginal flag, and said it will be free for the public to use. Aboriginal people are indigenous to Australia. Indigenous people are the descendants of those who lived somewhere before another culture arrived and took over. Copyright is a law that gives artists control over how their work is used. The Aboriginal flag was designed in 1971 by indigenous artist Harold Thomas. The top half is black, to symbolise Aboriginal people; the red is for the Earth; and the yellow circle is for the Sun. Thomas created the flag to fly at a demonstration calling for more rights for indigenous people. The flag became a symbol for Aboriginal people and in 1995 it was officially…

On 30 January, thousands gathered in Londonderry (also called Derry), in Northern Ireland, to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when 13 people were killed and at least 14 were hurt by the British Army. When was Bloody Sunday? Bloody Sunday took place on Sunday 30 January, 1972. More than 10,000 people had gathered in Derry for a civil rights march. Civil rights are laws that give everyone equal treatment, no matter their race, gender or religion. People were marching because the UK Government wanted to introduce a law that would mean people could be held in prison for a long time without the reason being tested by a court to see that it was true. The change was meant to stop violence in Northern Ireland at the time.…

California, US Forest returned to Native Americans A redwood forest in California, US, is being given back to Native American tribes. The tribes are the descendants of the forest’s indigenous people. Indigenous people are those who lived somewhere before another culture arrived and took over. A spokesperson for the tribes, Priscilla Hunter, said, “It’s like a healing for our ancestors.” Guatavita, Colombia Upside-down house proves popular An upside-down house has been opened to the public after coronavirus restrictions were lifted. Visitors can walk on the ceilings where floors should be and pose for photos with furniture above them. The house was designed by a man called Fritz Schall. A visitor said the house offers “a moment of relaxation” for people after the pandemic. Santiago, Chile Majority-female cabinet announced Gabriel Boric,…

At this time of year, birds’ thoughts will turn to nesting. Although many will find a natural place to build a nest and lay their eggs, you can also help by providing a nesting box for them. National Nestbox Week takes place from 14 to 21 February, so now is the perfect time to build your own. You can find out more information about how to make your own box at tinyurl.com/TWJ-birdbox2022 but make sure that an adult helps you to cut the wood and nail the pieces together. After you put up the box – or even if you just spot a nest in a tree or bush – try not go too near because you might scare away the birds. Other ways of helping nesting birds include leaving…

Patsy and Eddie are a pair of six-banded, or yellow, armadillos at a zoo in East Sussex, England. They have been put on a new diet plan and a regular exercise regime after indulging in too many Christmas treats. Theyliveforaround12 years in the wild and up to 22 years in captivity. SouthAmericangrasslands Theycangrowtoabout 40 centimetres long and weigh five kilograms, but Patsy and Eddie’s snack habits saw them pile on an extra two kilos between them. Fruitinsectsandplants. Six-bandedarmadillossleepinunderground dens that can be up to two metres deep.…

Scientists in China have discovered the skull of an ancient human that lived at least 160,000 years ago and had an unusually large brain. Xiu-Jie Wu and her team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Beijing, were studying bones that were found at a site in north-eastern China called Xujiayao. Since the 1970s, many ancient human bones and tools have been found at Xujiayao, including three skull fragments that fit together. Wu and her team believe they came from the same person, who they call Xujiayao 6 – or XJY6 for short. Based on the size and shape of the fragments, they worked out that the size of XJY6’s brain was between 1,555 and 1,781 cubic centimetres. This is much larger than the average brain of other human relatives…

Evelyn, aged nine, began playing the piano last year. She struggled when it came to using both hands. “I found it difficult to remember where my left hand went. I also struggled to remember how to play left-hand scales; I kept getting mixed up,” she says. Despite feeling cross, Evelyn listened to her teacher, practised and got it right. She’s proud of her progress and says, “It has taught me to practise toto grow and get better at things.”…

Safer Internet Day is an annual event in which internet companies, charities and schools team up to talk about how young people can stay safe and avoid having bad experiences online. This year’s event is on 8 February and its theme is “All Fun and Games?”. It will focus on respect and relationships in games, social apps and anywhere else that people spend time online. Safer Internet Day is happening as the UK Government works on its Online Safety Bill, which will introduce more rules for how social media and technology companies keep people safe when using their services. It will put an organisation called Ofcom in charge of making sure all tech companies follow the new rules. “Any service that is used by children in the UK will have…

What made you want to write a book about gods? Loki made me do it. I blame him entirely. Why did you write about going from bad to good? I like the idea that no one is fully bad, and everyone has the potential to become good. Good is what you do, not what you are. Where do you like going to chill out? My local cemetery. It’s more of a nature reserve than a cemetery these days, and you can see parrots and rats there. Who is your favourite Norse god? It’s a toss-up between Loki and Odin. Odin is actually a bit of a trickster himself, although he doesn’t like to admit it. I should probably say Loki though, if I don’t want “someone” to put a poo…

How do I get started? All you need is a hula hoop and some simple instructions, either from an experienced hooper or from an online video. You might keep dropping your hoop at first, but don’t worry. If you practise for a few minutes every day, you’ll soon get the hang of it. What hoop do I need? Look at a website such as hooperhoops.co.uk for information on choosing the right hoop. Good-quality hoops are heavier than the ones you usually see in toy shops, which means they’re easier to control and you’ll be able to use them for tricks.…

Biscuit-throwing festival is too popular A competition in which contestants throw Dorset knobs (a type of hard biscuit) as far as they can has been cancelled because it has become too popular. The event was to be held in May but in 2019, the last time the event took place, more than 8,000 people arrived to watch. The organiser said they hoped that one day the festival could return. Return of world’s smallest park The world’s smallest park has returned to a road in Oregon, US, 15 centimetres from where it used to be. The circular park opened in 1948 and had a diameter of 60.96 centimetres. It was the idea of a journalist called Dick Fagan, who wanted it to be used for snail races and as a home…

Challenge yourself this half-term The Youth Adventure Trust’s Virtual Resilience Challenge is taking place between 19 and 27 February. This is a chance to push yourself and build your own resilience (inner strength) while helping vulnerable children to build theirs. You’ll be raising money for the Youth Adventure Trust, which works with 11 to 16-year-olds. Do your part by riding, running, swimming or trying something completely different! Choose your distance – 25km, 65km, 100km or 200km, either in one day or across a whole week. Finishers will also receive a medal for taking part. Find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-resiliencechallenge 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 you if £45 million is too much for a painting… “I think it is too much.” “Depends – if people are willing to pay that much then they can, but in my opinion it’s way too much.” “I think it depends on the quality.” “Yes, people who buy it will just display it to show their wealth.” “It depends on the quality of it.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…