Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 85 i The Week Junior

On 7 and 8 July, the world’s most powerful leaders met in Hamburg, Germany, for the G20 summit. What’s it all about? What is the G20? The G20, also known as the Group of Twenty, is an international meeting that takes place every year. It is held between the leaders of some of the world’s most powerful countries including Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the US. There are exceptions: Spain is not a member, although it is always invited, and the 20th member is not actually a country, but the European Union. The European Union is a group, a bit like a club, of 28 European countries. What do they talk about? The leaders discuss the most pressing issues of the day, usually…

A SPECIAL GRADUATION Boris the dog attended a graduation ceremony on 7 July, to see Daisy Evans, 23, pick up her degree (a university qualification). He also comforted her younger sister Hollie, 19, who has anxiety. The sisters said that Boris is “part of the family”. A TENNIS FAN Fourteen-year-old tennis fan Peter Woodville received sympathetic messages when a towel thrown to him by US player, Jack Sock, was grabbed from him by a man sitting in front. However, Woodville went back to Wimbledon, met Sock and was given another towel. Score! A REALLY WILD FIND A new picture book, by children’s author and illustrator, Maurice Sendak, and collaborator, Arthur Yorinks, has been found. Sendak is famous for his book Where the Wild Things Are. He died five years ago.…

For almost 10 years now, the vaquita porpoise has held the unwanted title of world’s most endangered cetacean (a whale, dolphin or porpoise). It’s the smallest species of porpoise on the planet, measuring up to 1.4 metres in length, and is only found living in the waters of Mexico’s Gulf of California. Scientists think there are as few as 30 vaquitas left on Earth, but Mexico’s government believes that navy-trained dolphins may be able to help. On 30 June, Mexico’s government revealed its plans to use dolphins, which have been trained by the US navy, to find and herd as many vaquitas as possible into a special marine refuge. It’s hoped that once the small marine mammals are within the protected ground, they will begin breeding, slowly rebuilding the critically…

Siobhan Sellwood-Brown, keeper at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Most goats are born with horns; in fact, some goat species are born with multiple pairs of horns! Horns can be used by goats for defence, to win mates and to challenge other goats for hierarchy in a herd. They are also used to help control body temperature because the horns contains blood vessels. Some goats, however, are born without horns and this is simply genetic. Do you love animals? ZSL London Zoo’s Junior Zoo Academy is a great way to learn about creatures from all over the world. Find out more at zsl.org/experiences…

Bear with it It took a few tries, but this brown bear eventually caught a fish supper in Alaska, US. Grub’s up A competitor takes part in an insect-eating contest in China. Wacky racer This soapbox racer at an event in London looks as if it has sped out of Lego Batman. Attack of the clones Protesters covered themselves in clay and marched through Hamburg, Germany, at the G20 summit. Boxed in The OOCL Hong Kong, the world’s biggest container ship, arrives in Felixstowe, in Suffolk. Whale of a time A baby grey whale gets a close-up look at some tourists in Mexico. Bottled up Children at a bottle-recycling plant in Dhaka, Bangladesh. You look divine... Worshippers dress as the goddess Mahakali for the traditional Bonalu festival in India.…

It’s been more than 10 years since Cars first screeched onto our screens. Set in a world of talking cars and high-speed races, the film introduced us to a young hot-rod called Lightning McQueen. Back then, McQueen was a hopeful young racing car, starting to make a name for himself in motor racing. Cars 2 saw him take a back seat to his pal Mater, a hillbilly grain truck with an encyclopaedic knowledge of engines. The pair’s adventures took them around the world, but now, in Cars 3, McQueen is back where he belongs: on the racetrack, once again competing for the legendary Piston Cup. All does not go well for McQueen in his races, however. Although he’s used to being top dog, a new generation of racing cars has…

Face Swap Android / iOS (Free) There have been face-swapping apps before, including one called MSQRD (Masquerade) that got so popular, Facebook bought it. Another social app, Snapchat, has made face-swapping a big feature, too. However, if you fancy swapping your face with those of film stars, then Face Swap might be the app for you. It starts by getting you to take a selfie, and gives you tips to make sure it’s the best possible quality. You can also use photos from your camera roll. Then the fun starts. Swap your face into lots of photos, from sports heroes and musicians to fashion models and famous film stars. You can search for specific photo types too, from magazine covers to pirates. You can save your swap pictures to your…

How do I get into meteorology? A good place to start is the Met Office weather website for kids, at metoffice.gov.uk/learning/weather-for-kids Can I do experiments? The site will show you how to make a cloud in a glass, a tornado in a jar, a sundial and much more. This page will show you how to make a weather station: metoffice.gov.uk/learning/weather-for-kids/weather-station Can I create my own weather reports? Record your readings, and enter them into the Weather Observations Website (WOW) – watch this video to learn more tinyurl.com/TWJ-wow Learn more… ● Try these amazing experiments metlink.org/ experimentsdemonstrations ● Check out the Weather Club theweatherclub.org.uk…

Do you like asking questions? Are you the type of person who always wants to know more; who enjoys talking about the subjects you’re interested in and finding out what other people think about things? Well, if you are, it’s very likely to help you do well at school. Recent research has shown that pupils who are encouraged to debate and argue in class, and who are expected to explain their answers, tend to do better in maths, science and English. The academics who conducted the study say that it’s more important for children to develop thinking and learning skills than it is for them to always get the answers right. In fact, getting the answer wrong – and then discussing it – can actually be a really good way…

1Where can Windermere – England’s largest lake – be found? a) Cambridgeshire b) Cheshire c) Cumbria 2True or false? London’s first Pride Parade took place in 1985. 3Which species of tiger was recently snapped frolicking in Russia’s Land of the Leopard national park? a) Sumatran b) Siberian c) Amur 4In which year did the Government introduce a law allowing schools to fine families or guardians for the absence of pupils without permission? 5True or false? Ghanaian-born Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah has been made the Queen’s equerry. 6How many Eastern black rhinos are thought to be left in Africa? 7Who famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”? a) Neil Armstrong b) Buzz Aldrin c) Michael Collins 8 How many satellites are the European Space Agency…

What you need to know ● Schools have been able to fine families or guardians if children are absent without permission since the Government introduced a law in 2004. ● The Government says that a local council can give a parent or guardian a fine of £60 if a child is missing school without a good reason. This rises to £120 if they don’t pay within 21 days. ● Now, some schools have announced that they will extend these fines to include pupils who keep on turning up late to school. Is it a struggle to get to school on time in the morning? Perhaps the traffic was bad, or you had to be coaxed out from under your duvet at the thought of your least favourite class. Well, if…

To prepare for your own Big Wild Sleepout adventure, RSPB is offering one winner the ultimate sleepout bundle. You’ll receive a £500 gift voucher from Rohan, to buy outdoor clothing and equipment, and a selection of RSPB nature goodies, including an explorer carry case, a night-sky chart and a nesting box. To be in with a chance of winning, simply send your name and address to competitions@theweekjunior.co.uk  and put SLEEPOUT in the subject line. The closing date is midnight Friday 21 July. See theweekjunior.co.uk/terms for rules.…

Eastern black rhino Two critically endangered Eastern black rhino have been born at Chester Zoo, in Cheshire, within just a week of one another. The pair were both born onto soft sand before taking their first few wobbly steps minutes later. It’s thought that there are fewer than 650 Eastern black rhino left in Africa. Welsh black honeybees A local pest-control firm accidentally destroyed more than 1,500 rare Welsh black honeybees after confusing them with wasps. The incident took place after a wasp infestation was reported in Anglesey, with the insects said to be swarming around a dustbin. Experts are describing it as a “disaster”.…

On 16 July 1969, millions of people around the world turned on their televisions to witness one of the most momentous events of the 20th century. They watched in awe as three men blasted off in a rocket bound for the Moon. Four days later, on 20 July, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the lunar surface, famously declaring, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The race to space At the time, the US and the Soviet Union (a huge state led by what is now Russia) both wanted to be the first to send a human to the Moon. After the Soviet Union successfully landed the first probe (a spacecraft that collects scientific data) on the lunar surface in 1959, John…

During the school holidays you might like to wake up later and take things easy, but athlete Ben Dijkstra won’t be. Even though the 18-year-old has just finished his A-level maths, physics and biology exams, he still gets up as early as 5am to train. Dijkstra is one of Team GB’s top teenage athletes. He competes in triathlon, which is a swim, followed by cycling and then a running race. “I put a lot of hard work in and my aim is to win Olympic gold one day,” Dijkstra told The Week Junior. He lives in Leicestershire, England, and has now competed all over the world, in places like Australia, China, Mexico and Russia. He trained in the US and missed lots of school time. Luckily his school helped him…

Did you know that on 21 June, the UK had its hottest June day in 41 years? Temperatures reached a sweltering 34.5° C near London. The rest of the summer is also proving to be a sizzler for parts of the UK, with tropical blasts bringing more record-breaking temperatures. Heatwaves may sound like good news, but for many people – particularly scientists – it is a worrying reminder of global warming. If you’ve been reading up on climate change, you’ll understand the reasons why the world is getting hotter and the disastrous effect this is predicted to have on our planet. Maybe this is something you follow passionately, or want to learn more about? If so, then meteorology – the science that deals with weather and the atmosphere – is…

What you need ● Paper ● Pencil ● Old biro or fountain pen ● Black ink or watered-down paint ● Kitchen towel Instructions Artist Andy Warhol did lots of great prints of cats and dogs. You could try some ink blotting to create your own distinctive pet portraits. On a piece of paper, draw your pet with a pencil (if you don’t have your own pet, try drawing your favourite animal instead). Next, dip a biro or fountain pen into some black ink or watered-down black paint and go over the pencil lines. It does not have to be super neat. Carefully place some kitchen towel over the drawing and blot the ink or paint. Take the kitchen towel away and you will be left with a picture that looks…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior You can download the free PopJam app from the App Store or GooglePlay. We asked Popjammers if they would like to live in the Forest City being built in China. They said... “Yes! It would be awesome and I would get to climb trees every day!” @stanrocks100 “Not really! I have hay fever” @HarryPotterGeek101 “I want to live there” @everybodysmilemore This week, we asked if Popjammers would like to try a triathlon. You said... “I am doing one next month” @EvieTheTiger1239__B “Yes, I was really inspired when I read the article in The Week Junior so I signed up for one” @Nike2 “It would be really hard work but I would love to try” @cutekitty6biscuit Tell us what you think of this week’s…

There is great excitement over a collection of sketches of cattle, paths, ponds, sandy banks and trees at the Royal Collection in Windsor Castle. These chalk sketches are thought to be the work of one of the UK’s most famous painters, Thomas Gainsborough, who painted landscapes and portraits during the 18th century. Until now, it was thought that the sketches were by an artist called Sir Edwin Landseer, because they were found in an album filed under Landseer’s name for more than 100 years. Historians mistook the sketches for Landseer’s work because they were found in his studio after he died. Landseer’s most famous works are the lion sculptures in Trafalgar Square, London. No one knows how he came to possess the sketches. However, after comparing the sketches with Gainsborough’s…

Lyndsey Scott, 32, is a coder with a very busy life. Her newest project, Ryse Up, is designed to help up-and-coming entertainers make connections with established stars, in the hope that they might work together. Her previous apps include one that allows models to organise their portfolios, and one designed to develop young leaders and businesspeople in Africa. And just in case you think Scott is coming up with these ideas and has a team to turn them into reality, you’re way off. She’s fluent in many programming languages, including Python, Objective-C, MIPS, Java, C++ and her favourite, Swift. “It would have taken a team of six developers 18 months to do what Lyndsey and I were able to do in three,” says her colleague, Jason Crilly. Scott’s journey has…

The largest of its kind in the UK, the emperor dragonfly’s body is almost eight centimetres long, with a wingspan of more than 10 centimetres. ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Usually no more than two weeks. ● HABITAT: A range of aquatic habitats such as large ponds and slow-flowing rivers across Europe, central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. ● DIET: Emperor dragonflies fly high up in the sky to catch insects, such as butterflies and chaser dragonflies, mid-air. ● FUN FACT: Dragonflies were among the earliest winged insects to evolve 300 million years ago. Today, dragonfly wingspans reach up to 13 centimetres, but fossil dragonflies have revealed 60-centimetre wingspans. DID YOU KNOW? Female dragonflies lay their eggs in pondweed that floats on the water’s surface.…

Mercury is the smallest planet in the solar system, and the closest one to the Sun. The planet has no atmosphere (gases that surround and protect it) which means it can get really hot during the day and really cold at night. In the day, temperatures reach 427º C, whereas at night they drop to -180º C. This means it is very difficult for a spacecraft to explore the planet because it is not able to function reliably in such extreme conditions. “Mercury is the least explored of the rocky planets, but not because it is uninteresting,” said Alvaro Giménez Cañete, from ESA. “It’s because it’s difficult. It’s difficult to get there; it’s even more difficult to work there.” Now, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan’s Space Agency, Jaxa,…

5 books about fantasy worlds Venture into magical worlds, and explore new realms with these fantastical stories. Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones (HarperCollins) In this funny tale, life changes dramatically for orphan Cat Chant and his sister Gwendolyn, when mysterious enchanter Chrestomanci arrives. He sweeps them away to live at the extraordinary Chrestomanci Castle, where magic is part of everyday life. Harry Potter fans will love this. Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve (Scholastic) In a strange, futuristic world, London is a city on wheels – a gigantic machine that captures and eats other, smaller towns. When he is thrown into the Out-Country below, Tom joins up with young assassin, Hester, for a thrilling adventure that will make him question everything he thought he knew. A gripping read for slightly…

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Fantastic Beasts is coming back Fans of Harry Potter will be delighted to hear that the filming of the as-yet-untitled sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has just begun at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, in Hertfordshire. The studio has released some details of the plot, as well as the stars who will appear. The story is set in 1927, a few months after the first film. Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp) has made a dramatic escape and has begun gathering followers. Now Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) must reunite with his friends to stop Grindelwald. The screenplay was written by J.K. Rowling and sees the adventure take place in London and Paris. The magical new film is due to hit cinemas…

Ashleigh has been hooked on meteorology since she was given a weather science kit. “I read books about the weather and am interested in climate change. I’ve also started a science course, so I can study meteorology when I’m older.” She knows about extreme weather, too. Her mum says, “When our village, Portsoy, on the coast in northern Scotland, was flooded, Ashleigh was helping people move out of their homes.”…

Young Writer Awards “Apollo Victoria – the massive, flashing sign greeted me on arrival. I stepped in, heart in mouth, for the 2017 Wicked Young Writer Awards ceremony. The much-awaited ceremony began to a jaw-dropping song, followed by TV presenter Gaby Roslin inviting the judges on stage. Winners and runners-up from the different categories were announced. Their work – spanning poetry, fiction and nonfiction – was read flawlessly by the Wicked cast. Each incredibly inspiring story came with a message of hope, power-packed with imagination and real experiences in a perfect concoction of emotions and words. When Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, announced me as joint winner in the eight to 10-year-old category, my stomach flipped like a pancake does on Shrove Tuesday, and I pulled myself…

Turning a home into a castle Having a castle for a home is the stuff of fairytales and legend. One couple in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, have made fiction a reality by turning their house into something straight out of a story book. From the front, the house looks just like any other on the street, but from the garden, it has been painted to look like a grey stone fortress, complete with banners, flags and a giant, medieval-looking shield. And it doesn’t stop there – inside the house is a banquet table, swords on the walls and suits of armour. These look familiar... Humans have come up with some incredible inventions – however, this might not be one of them. A US supermarket has caused uproar on Twitter after posting a…