Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 128 i The Week Junior

18 May 1991 Helen Sharman is first Briton in space In 1989, Helen Sharman, a former chemist for the Mars chocolate company, was in her car when she heard a strange advertisement on the radio. It simply said, “Astronaut wanted. No experience necessary.” She decided to apply, and was selected out of 13,000 applicants. After a gruelling 18 months of training, on 18 May 1991, Sharman blasted off into space to become the first ever British astronaut. She spent eight days on board the Mir Space Station conducting experiments.…

● There are around 2,500 museums in the UK, but attendance has fallen at some of the country’s most famous ones, including the British Museum and the National History Museum in London. ● Unusual museums and exhibitions, like the museum of pizza that is opening in New York, in the US, later this year, are challenging the idea of what museums are for. The Egg House, also in New York, features a giant egg carton. ● Some people say a museum’s main role should be to help us learn, while others think it’s ok if they become places that are designed to be a bit more fun.…

Since grey squirrels arrived in the UK during the 19th century, they’ve driven out much of the native red squirrel population. It’s estimated that grey squirrels now outnumber their red cousins by 15 to one. Recently, red squirrel sightings have increased in a forest in Derry, Northern Ireland, where it was once thought they’d been wiped out. This rise comes after more than 40 greys were culled in the area because they carried a disease that is fatal to reds.…

San Quintin kangaroo rat A species of kangaroo rat thought to be extinct has been discovered alive and well in Mexico. The San Quintin kangaroo rat, which can jump almost two metres at a time, was last seen in 1989, but researchers found the small furry animal after leaving out cameras and humane traps. South Georgia’s rats Rats have been completely eradicated from South Georgia island, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic. Although this is bad news for the rats, it is good news for local birds, including rare species. Without the rats around to attack them, bird numbers are bouncing back.…

Art can be a lot of things. For some people, art isn’t art unless it’s of something; perhaps a painting of a bowl of fruit. For them, art has to be a true likeness of whatever it sets out to show. However, there is more to art that this. Some things, like feelings, or ideas, are too complicated to depict in a straightforward way. That’s why many artists turn to abstract art; their pieces are simply meant to communicate the artist’s idea.…

A creepy spider robot has been unveiled – and it wouldn’t look out of place in a science-fiction film. The spooky spider-machine, known as BionicWheelBot, looks similar to Droidekas, the destroyer robots that feature in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. Created by a German robotics company called Festo, the BionicWheelBot was inspired by the flic-flac spider, pictured above right, which does handsprings and tumbles to escape danger. It was discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2008 by bionics professor Ingo Rechenberg. He worked with Festo to perfect a robot design based on the acrobatic spider. BionicWheelBot has eight legs. It uses six of them to walk, but can tuck them away and use its extra two legs to roll forward. Festo believes that this ingenious design will…

Ultimate Football Heroes: Messi by Tom Oldfield & Matt Oldfield (John Blake Publishing) Discover the incredible life story of legendary player Lionel Messi with this easy-to-read biography. You’ll follow Messi from his childhood in South America, when he was so small that his friends called him Little Leo, right through to his triumphs on the pitch as Barcelona’s superstar player. Thrills, Skills and Molehills by ChrisMD (Penguin Books) YouTube star and Sunday League footballer ChrisMD shares his secrets in his brand new book. See behind-the-scenes photos, discover his best (and most embarrassing) YouTube moments and find out about his training tips and tricks – plus links to exclusive, never-before-seen videos. Fantastic Footballers: Meet 40 Game Changers by Jean-Michel Billioud (Wide Eyed Editions) Meet the top 40 footballers of all time…

Set in the Afghanistan capital of Kabul, The Breadwinner is a thrilling animated tale about an 11-year-old girl called Parvana whose life is turned upside down by the Taliban, a violent anti-government group. The story helps bring to light the impact that the Taliban has had on children growing up in Afghanistan. In the film, Parvana’s dad is arrested and taken away by members of the Taliban. When Parvana sets out with her mum to find him, they are stopped by the Taliban but, despite this, Parvana refuses to give up. The film-makers used different styles of animation to showcase various storylines. Animator Janis Aussel drew cut-outs of Parvana battling skeletons and armoured warriors to bring to life a fable that Parvana invents about a boy who stands up to…

We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story (1993) DVD, Prime Video, iTunes The classic dinosaur movie Jurassic Park, from Steven Spielberg, celebrates its 25th birthday this year, with another sequel on the way. But a few months after the original film arrived, an animated dinosaur adventure, also overseen by Spielberg, launched in cinemas. We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story is aimed at younger viewers, and brings dinosaurs into the modern day. It’s quite a charming film, too, with lots of fun ideas. The film actually took four years to make, with most of the voices recorded three years earlier in 1990. ISPY If you watch the film closely, you’ll notice a scene set in New York’s Times Square – with a Jurassic Park advert in the background.…

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze Nintendo Switch Donkey Kong has been starring in platform games since 1981, but his appetite for barrel-throwing, jumping and running hasn’t let up. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze came out for Nintendo’s Wii U console in 2014, and now it’s been revived for the Switch. You play as the famous gorilla, and you can get help from his family – Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong, who all have their own skills. The game is a tricksy but fantastic mix of platform-jumping and obstacle-avoiding, bouncing on enemies and uncovering secrets as you go. If it’s too hard, there’s a Funky Mode to give you a hand.…

You might be familiar with creating characters and building worlds on Minecraft and other video games, but how about playing games without a screen? Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) let you do exactly that. In RPGs the players act out – or play the role of – their characters, navigating a fantasy world and taking on challenges as they go. You can create an entire RPG from scratch, but to begin with, try a pre-made game. Look up Star Wars Age Of Rebellion Beginner Game, Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set or Pathfinder Beginner Box. These packs include character sheets, a rulebook and a set of dice. Start with a group of four or five players. One of you will be the Game Master (or Dungeon Master if you’re playing Dungeons &…

InspiringJuniors Love developing apps and starting up websites? Tech entrepreneur Janneke Niessen has launched the InspiringJuniors competition to find girls under 18 years old who enjoy getting hands-on with technology. So, if you have a passion for tech or know of a girl who does, enter them into this exciting competition before the 31 May deadline. The judging panel includes tech entrepreneurs and the co-founder of Stemettes, a social enterprise which teaches girls how to code. Winners will receive goody bags, mentoring and cool experiences with these inspiring women in tech. Head to projectprep.com GET INVOLVED Email your news, viewsandpictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Every reader who has a report, review, Teacher of the Week nomination, joke or a picture printed in the magazine will be sent a Roving Reporter badge. JOKE…

Follow The Week Junior on Popjam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the free Popjam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we featured photos of Prince Louis taken by the Duchess of Cambridge. You said... “Adorable” @mistycherry234 “He kinda looks like my baby bro” @starshot11 “He is so freakin’ cute” @Stargirl_1027 “Such a cute prince” @Ninas_studio Koalas are in serious decline in Australia, and so a forest reserve has been planned in New South Wales. You said… “Save the koalas” @UNeXPECtED_arTisT “At last! Someone is actually doing something for them and they won’t become extinct. I am so happy” @inkyapricot247 “Extinction is such a scary and daunting threat worldwide” @DaMaskedGuitarMaster “Help the poor cuties” @doglover967 Tell us what you think of this week’s issue. We’ll give you a shout-out…

In 1948, the Jewish people were given land in Palestine to create their own country – Israel. This was after the Second World War and the Holocaust, in which six million Jews died. Jerusalem is one of the most holy sites in Judaism (the Jewish religion). The city is also a holy place in the Muslim faith (the main religion of Palestinians). To begin with, Jerusalem was divided so different people could live there. However, in 1967 Israel took control of the whole city, and many Palestinians were forced out. Palestinians and Israelis have been in conflict over the city ever since.…

HIGH-FLYING NORMA 91-year-old Norma Howard became the UK’s oldest woman to stand on top of a flying plane – an activity known as wing-walking. Howard said she did it purely to raise money for the charity Dementia UK, “not for thrills”. She has so far raised more than £2,000. THIS TOYS R US FAN When 11-year-old Blue Martin found out his favourite shop, Toys R Us, was closing, he was devastated. So his mum asked the shop owners for signs for Blue’s room. Blue was sent giant Lego logos, Toys R Us logos and opening-times signs. He hopes to turn his room into his very own Toys R Us store. PENSIONER AND HER BROKEN VASE An 83-year-old woman who was preparing to donate her broken vase to charity has just…

Now that you’ve read a bit about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls . Vote YES if you think museums should always be serious, 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…

Bruce Tulloh was a runner best known for his record-breaking run across the US. In 1969, Tulloh ran 2,876 miles from Los Angeles on the west coast to New York on the east coast in less than 65 days, beating the previous record by four days. He averaged 45 miles per day. Tulloh was one of the UK’s best athletes in the 1950s and 1960s, and often ran barefoot. He held many British records and won the European 5,000 metres – without shoes on. After retiring from athletics he became a teacher, but was still running marathons at the age of 75. Tulloh passed away aged 82 earlier this month.…

This incredible body of water in the Lake District stretches for three miles. It contains four major islands; Derwent Island, Lord’s Island, Rampsholme Island and St Herbert’s Island. The Earl of Derwentwater once lived on Lord’s Island, and the remains of his house can still be seen in the undergrowth. Derwentwater is the perfect place for water sports. The 2016 film, Swallows and Amazons, was filmed here, and canoes for hire allow visitors to explore the movie’s locations. Find out more at visitcumbria.com/kes/derwentwater…

The English Premier League finished on 13 May, with champions Manchester City breaking a lot of football records during the season. They beat Southampton 1-0 on the final day, with a dramatic goal in injury time. The victory means they are the first team in the top division of English football to win 100 points in one season. Manchester City also scored a record 106 Premier League goals in their 38 league games since 12 August. They collected the most wins in a single season at the top level (32), the most wins in a row (18), and the most wins playing away from their own stadium (16). City’s Spanish coach, Pep Guardiola, has now won the league title while managing teams in England, Germany (Bayern Munich) and Spain (Barcelona).…

Dennis is bored: his pranks are falling flat and even his dog Gnasher seems fed up. All the fun has vanished from Beanotown. There’s only one thing to do. Dennis must find a way to bring back the fun. When his gran tells him about the Golden Pea-shooter of Everlasting Fun, he realises it is the answer to his prayers. With the help of Gnasher and cousin Minnie, Dennis sets out on a quest to reach the mysterious Chamber of Mischief, but to get his hands on the pea-shooter, he’ll have to tackle everything from a giant octopus to a ghost knight to a zombie teacher. As well as a funny illustrated story, this epic new Dennis adventure features a set of puzzles you’ll have to complete to help Dennis…

The Breadwinner Deborah Ellis based this book on the real-life stories she heard from women living in Afghan refugee camps. The novel tells the story of Parvana, who changes her identity in order to help her family. My Name is Parvana Set four years after The Breadwinner, this sequel follows the now-15-year-old Parvana. The situations she faces include being suspected of being a terrorist and being imprisoned by US troops in Afghanistan. Mud City Shauzia, Parvana’s best friend, manages to fulfil her dream of escaping Kabul, only to end up in a refugee camp in Pakistan. This book documents her struggle to survive there.…

The Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle From 9am on 19 May, BBC, ITV and Sky News People all around the world will be watching the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales (Prince Harry) and Meghan Markle, at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, with TV coverage throughout the day. The NHS Heroes Awards 8:30pm on 21 May, ITV To mark the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service (NHS), staff will be recognised for the incredible work they do at The NHS Heroes Awards. Winners include surgeons, doctors and midwives, as well as members of the public who have helped raise money. The FA Cup Final 3:20pm on 19 May, BBC One It’s time for one of the biggest matches of the football season as…

“I was given the Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set for my 12th birthday. Starter sets are very good at introducing the rules. I like the storytelling side of D&D, and the optimisation side – making your character or campaign as good as it can be – but most of all I like having fun with my friends. There are six of us who get together and play. The biggest challenge for my group is trying to arrange when we can meet up!”…

The past week may have been a tough one if you are in Year 6 in England, as you will probably have been taking your Sats. One school in Portsmouth helped prepare its pupils for the tests by teaching them to do a “power pose”. This involves standing straight with your feet apart, hands on hips and head held high, while thinking positive thoughts. While there’s no scientific evidence to suggest that it works, many people claim that this exercise can help them to feel more focussed and confident. This trick can be tried anytime you feel a bit anxious or worried about something – and there are other things you can do that can help reduce stress. For example, controlling your breathing can keep nerves under control: try breathing…

“Here I am in hospital recovering from what was (thankfully only) suspected appendicitis. My dad brought in last week’s issue of The Week Junior to keep me entertained.” Laurence, Year 3 “My friend Scarlett and I made the chocolate and vanilla swirl cookies from issue 125. When they were cooked, I sat down and read The Week Junior .” Coco, Year 5 “We had a fantastic afternoon watching the women’s FA cup final at Wembley last weekend. It was great to join 45,000 other people supporting women’s sport.” Olivia, Year 4, and William, Year 2…

Bee calm! A man in the US drove for 40 miles surrounded by a swarm of 3,000 bees. Wallace Leatherwood had bought about 18,000 of them and was taking them home in three boxes when he stopped briefly for a break. With no shady place to keep them, he put the boxes in the cab of his lorry. When he returned, thousands had got out and, since he didn’t want to lose them, he decided to continue his journey, despite the insects flying around him. The only time he got stung was when he was unloading them into their new home. Medals for mutts The first Common Woof Games were held in Melbourne, Australia, on 4–6 May. Competitive canines from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK battled it out…

On Saturday 19 May, three billion TV viewers around the world will watch Meghan Markle marry Prince Harry. It will mark a new chapter in Markle’s life, as she swaps acting for a future as a princess. Markle was born in Los Angeles, US, in 1981. Her father, Thomas, was in charge of lighting and set-building for TV shows, and her mum, Doria, was a yoga instructor. Growing up with a white dad and a black mum was challenging for Markle. She says she experienced discrimination because of her mixed race, but her parents always made her feel special, not different. Her parents nicknamed her “Flower” and “Bud” as a baby, names that have stuck with her. As a child, Markle was known for standing up for what she believed…

Researchers have unmasked a seed-stealing, furry bandit that pinches millions of pounds-worth of food from UK gardens every year. Scientists caught naughty grey squirrels in the act, filming their looting antics as they raided bird feeders and tables – leaving our feathered friends hungry and gardeners short-changed. Nearly half of UK homes put food out for birds. This amounts to around 150,000 tonnes of food a year, costing approximately £210 million. After filming more than 33,000 visits to bird feeders, scientists from the University of Reading found that the seemingly cute rodents regularly snaffle more than half of the nosh. “By using uncaged feeders, much of the food we provide may be going to unintended recipients. It’s not only that birds lose out on a source of food, but we…

Environmental officials believe they have found a way to clean up rivers that have been polluted by metal mining. Mining metal hit its peak in the UK during the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, but almost all mines have since closed. These abandoned mines have had a serious effect on their surrounding environment, leaking acidic metal-rich waters into waterways. The contamination can lead to the deaths of fish and other wildlife. It’s estimated that each year eight tonnes of metal, including iron, chromium and zinc, finds its way into the River Rheidol, in the Welsh county of Ceredigion. Since the 1960s, this polluted water has been gathered in large “settling ponds” in order to try to filter out the metal, but this has been largely unsuccessful. Now,…

Sam Aberdeen Keeper at ZSL London Zoo On land, the largest snail is the giant African tiger snail (Achatina achatina), weighing 900 grams with a 30 centimetre-long shell. The biggest gastropods (slugs and snails), however, live in the oceans. As far as we know, the world’s largest snail is the Australian trumpet (Syrinx aruanus). Its monster shell measures up to 91 centimetres and it can weigh 18 kilograms. 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…

Objects appear red because they reflect red light and absorb other colours. Blood’s colour comes from the red blood cells it carries. These cells pick up oxygen from our lungs and carry it to where it is needed in the body. But why are they red in the first place? Well, it’s all about our bodies’ chemistry. Red blood cells have a protein in them called haemoglobin that contains iron. When oxygen is bound to the iron, the haemoglobin reflects red light, so the blood appears bright red in colour. However, when oxygen is released, haemoglobin interacts with light slightly differently, making the blood now appear a much darker, maroon colour. Email questions to hello@theweekjunior.co.ukwith the words SCIENCE QUESTION in the subject line. See more from Fran Scott in our…

Cardiff Blues The Welsh club won rugby’s European Challenge Cup for a second time after an exciting 31-30 win against English team Gloucester in Bilbao, Spain. Kyle Edmund The British tennis player reached the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open tournament. Edmund is now ranked 19th in the world. Great Britain Paratriathlon team They won seven medals, including three golds, at the ITU World Paratriathlon Series event in Japan. Jordyn Smith and Lauren Williams The British teenagers won medals at the European Taekwondo Championships. Smith took bronze and Williams won gold.…

What four things would you take to a desert island? Gnasher, a catapult, a suitcase full of biscuits, a TV and a games console! I know that’s five things but I’m hiding the catapult in my pocket so you don’t know I’ve got it. What’s your favourite prank? The whoopee cushion is always funny, and you can’t go wrong there. It only works on mum though, dad pumps anyway every time he sits down, and he doesn’t care. If you use your favourite whoopee cushion on him, he’ll just pump on it! If you could go back in time, where would you go and why? Dinosaur times, which I think was before the 1970s. Because – dinosaurs. What’s your favourite school subjects? Home time, art and PE but mostly home…

TinyClouds iOS (£0.99) There are lots of smartphone ways to check the weather, from serious forecasting apps like BBC Weather to jokey apps like Carrot Weather. Another app, Dark Sky, even warns you if it’s going to rain on your street in the next hour. TinyClouds is different again, and it’s great fun. It shows you the weather forecast for wherever you are as a little on-screen city, which looks a lot like a mobile game. You can tap the temperature at the bottom to pull up more information, such as how warm and sunny it’s going to be today and through the rest of the week. TinyClouds also lets you add places to your weather list. For example, if you’re going on holiday, you could check out what’s happening…

Are RPGs for me? RPGs are brilliant for anyone with a vivid imagination, but it helps if you’re also prepared to study all the instructions. Where can I play? You’ll probably play at home or at your friends’ houses. As you get older it could be in a shop or café. How long is an average game? There is no such thing as an average game! You can spend as long as you want on one campaign. One fan has been playing the same game for 35 years, tinyurl.com/TWJ-neverendinggame RPG for beginners One of the simplest (and totally free) RPGs for complete beginners (or those who don’t want to spend ages reading rulebooks) is Shadows. Take a look here tinyurl.com/TWJ-shadows…

“I was reading my copy of The Week Junior, and with great interest I read about the first London Marathon and that the youngest person who took part was 15. My mum told me this 15-year-old was actually my aunty Clare. When she entered, no one told her she was too young, so she did all her training alongside my granddad. Just before the marathon she was told she was too young to take part. Then, the organisers eventually said she could run but not to go through the finish line. So she ran, but ended up getting swooped through the finish with a very respectable time. She had to give lots of interviews. Clare later went on to be a world champion in windsurfing. ” What’s going on at…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Harris School: Norton-sub-Hamdon Primary School, Somerset “Mrs Harris is an amazing teacher because she is kind, helpful and thoughtful. Sadly, she is retiring at the end of the year, but she has taught at the school for 25 years. Mrs Harris organises all the sporting events the school participates in. We’re sure everyone she teaches will agree with us that she is amazing!” Isabelle, Year 4, and Rosie, Year 3 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…

1On which day did Ramadan begin this year? a) 15 April b) 15 May c) 15 June 2What broke a speed record on a Welsh beach last week? 3True or false? The Leaning Tower of Pisa is in Italy. 4Where can the UK’s smallest museum be found? 5What instrument does Lauren Zhang, winner of the BBC’s Young Musician 2018 competition, play? a) Piano b) Tuba c) Recorder 6True or false? Grey squirrels arrived in the UK during the 14th century. 7Which one of these is NOT a famous abstract artist? a) Mark Rothko b) Barbara Hepworth c) J.K. Rowling 8What type of spider was the BionicWheelBot inspired by? 9True or false? Rats at Bristol Zoo Gardens like to read books. 10What was Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah given for being the…