Innholdsfortegnelse for 222 i The Week Junior

The Italian government has placed the whole of Italy in quarantine, which means people must stay at home and limit their contact with others. The announcement was made on 9 March as part of Italy’s efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes the disease known as Covid-19. What is Covid-19? The Covid-19 disease is caused by a new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). It was discovered in humans in Wuhan, China, at the end of last year. Symptoms of Covid-19 include breathing difficulties, a sore throat and a high temperature. If a person has these symptoms, it does not mean they have Covid-19 – there are many types of coronavirus, including one that causes the common cold. What has the Italian government done? Italy has banned its 60…

15 March 44BC Julius Caesar is assassinated On 15 March 44 BC, Julius Caesar, one of ancient Rome’s most famous leaders, was stabbed to death by senators (senior politicians) at a meeting. Caesar had been made ruler of the Roman Empire for life earlier in 44BC. This angered those who didn’t want him to have so much power, so a group of senators, led by Cassius and Brutus, decided to kill Caesar. Romans called 15 March the Ides of March. In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Caesar is famously told to “beware the Ides of March”.…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about it, tell us what you think by voting in our poll at theweekjunior.co.uk/polls. Vote YES if you think Shakespeare is the greatest writer, 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…

Insects are one of the main food sources for amphibians, but could they soon be on the menu for humans too? Scientists at Ghent University in Belgium are using fly larvae to replace butter in cakes and biscuits. They blend the larvae with water and then extract the fat. They say the grease from insects is better to use than dairy products like butter, because insects use less water than cows. A recent survey of schools in Wales found that 60% of students would be happy to eat food made of insects. Would you?…

A wild peccary has been filmed running at about 30mph in the US state of Arizona. The video, shot from a moving car, has been watched millions of times online. Most people were surprised that the pig-like creatures were so speedy. Watch it here: tinyurl.com/TWJ-Peccary ● LIFESPAN IN THE WILD: Around 10 years. ● HABITAT: Desert scrubland, grasslands and woodland areas throughout the southern US, Central America and some parts of South America. ● DIET: Plants, including beans, cacti and roots. Sometimes they will eat small animals such as birds and lizards. ● FUN FACT: Peccaries mark their territory by rubbing a scent gland on their rump on to rocks or trees.…

Sheffield Steelers The team beat the Cardiff Devils 4-3 to win ice hockey’s Challenge Cup for the first time since 2003. England women’s rugby union team They kept up their unbeaten run in the Six Nations with a 66-7 win over Wales. The 10,545 crowd was a home record for the team outside of a World Cup. Manchester United They beat their local rivals Manchester City 2-0 in the Premier League to maintain their push for a place in next season’s Champions League. Hend Zaza The 11-year-old table tennis player from Syria won a qualifying tournament in Jordan and is set to be the youngest athlete at the Olympics this summer.…

How did you come up with the idea for this book? I heard about the threat mining poses to mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and thought up a young character who might be able to do something about it. Have you ever been to the Congo? Sadly, no. Right now there’s a nasty conflict in the east, where Cloudburst is set, and the UK’s Foreign Office has put it off-limits. I’ve been to many other countries in Africa, however, and one day I’m determined to go. How old were you when you wrote your first story? I can’t remember, but I do know I’ve always enjoyed writing. When I was 10 I wrote a diary for a whole year. It mostly just said what I had for…

Using Lego in the real world often means mixing up different sets and themes: pirates and knights on spaceships, perhaps with Batman or even a Minecraft Creeper along for the ride. The Lego Movies also brought lots of different characters together, even if they argued sometimes. The latest Lego mobile game, for Android and Apple devices, is all about mixing and matching mini-figures. Lego Legacy: Heroes Unboxed is about building your dream team of bricky adventurers and using them in battles against a variety of villains. You start with just a few characters: a tough guy with a ball and chain; a cheerful hiker; and a man in a chicken suit. Each has their special moves: for example, the hiker can whip out a frying pan and start lobbing fried…

This sugar scrub is for use on the skin while taking a bath or shower. It is an exfoliator, which means that it removes dead skin cells. This then leaves the skin feeling nice and smooth. It can be used as well as normal body wash, every two to three days for up to three weeks. Find out how you can make one as a present for this Mother’s Day. What you need ● 1 lemon ● 300 grams of sugar ● 100ml almond, coconut or olive oil ● 2 tbsp honey ● Yellow food colouring ● Empty jar ● A bowl ● Wooden spoon Instructions 1 Wash out the inside of the jar and decorate the outside if you want to. This will be the scrub’s container. 2 Cut…

1 What sort of vegetable has been grown on the International Space Station (ISS)? a) Carrots b) Potatoes c) Lettuce 2 True or false? The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer is Rishi Sunak. 3 How many alternative endings does the book Wonder Crystal have? 4 How many plays is William Shakespeare thought to have written? a) 25 b) 37 c) 42 5 True or false? Lady Macbeth kills King Duncan in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. 6 How many species of red panda are there? 7 Which of these books was not written by Jules Verne? a) Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea b) Journey to the Centre of the Earth c) The War of the Worlds 8 True or false? Earth has a new temporary moon. 9 Which airline has started…

One of our UK readers, Helena, interviewed her friends Pepe, 13, and Emilia, 11, who live in Rome, Italy. Their school is now closed until 3 April. They say that the one positive about having to stay at home is that they’ve been able to have a lie-in in the mornings. They’ve been given homework to do online, but sports clubs and music lessons have been cancelled. Cinemas, libraries and museums have all had to close. Although they miss their friends and say that it’s sometimes “boring” to have to stay at home, they know that it’s important to stick to the rules. “It is better that we don’t see our friends until it’s ok to do so,” they say.…

A BRILLIANT SURPRISE An 11-year-old girl from Florida, in the US, has become the first person to receive a bionic arm similar to the arm worn by Star Wars character Luke Skywalker. It is designed in the style of Skywalker’s droid R2-D2. Mark Hamill, who plays Skywalker in the films, surprised Bella with a video call to congratulate her. The new arm works by picking up signals from Bella’s muscles. A RECORD-BREAKING ROWER At 64 years old, Sara Brewer has become the oldest woman ever to row across the Atlantic Ocean. Brewer and her rowing partner, Ann Prestidge, set off from the Canary Islands in December and rowed 3,000 miles to reach the shore of Antigua on 7 March. They took turns rowing, switching positions every 90 minutes. GROWING…

The tale of Macbeth is one of ghosts and witches, curses and prophecies (predictions of the future), and a man who commits murder so he can become the King of Scotland. That man is Macbeth, the title character of one of William Shakespeare’s spookiest plays. At the start of the story, Macbeth is told by three witches that he will become King of Scotland. When Macbeth confides in his wife, Lady Macbeth, she orders her husband to kill King Duncan so that Macbeth can take the throne himself. Later that night, Macbeth does just that and takes control. With Lady Macbeth’s support, he becomes a cruel and harsh king. Lady Macbeth, who was the mastermind behind the plot, becomes haunted by nightmares about her hands being stained with blood because…

Scientists have made a startling discovery: lots of species of frog and salamander glow under certain types of light. Jennifer Lamb and Matthew Davis, at St Cloud State University in Minnesota, in the US, studied 32 different species of amphibians, mostly frogs and salamanders. Lamb and Davis shone blue torchlight on a salamander that they were studying and were surprised to see it glow green. They wondered how many others would do the same, so they went to an aquarium in Chicago, US, and shone lights on all the amphibians. They found that most of the animals lit up green, an effect that showed more clearly when viewed through a yellow filter. The team say their results have surprised them and they don’t yet know why the amphibians glow like…

Adrian Walls Head of birds, ZSL London Zoo Flamingos’ knees appear to bend backwards, but this is actually not the case. The backwards joint towards the middle of their leg is actually their ankle! Their knee is positioned higher up and is hidden by feathers. This is similar to many wading birds. So technically, flamingos are standing on their tiptoes, and the lower part of their leg is actually a long foot. 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…

Two 99-million-year-old cockroaches have been found in a piece of amber in a cave in Myanmar. Amber is tree resin, a thick, gooey liquid produced by pine trees, that has been fossilised. The roaches are the oldest cave-dwelling creatures ever discovered. They are also the first cave animals to be found from the Cretaceous Period, a time from 145 to 66 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the planet. Until now, the oldest cave-dwelling creatures found were only 65 million years old. Named Crenocticola svadba and Mulleriblattina bowangi, the insects have many of the characteristics of today’s cave dwellers, with small eyes and wings, pale bodies and long arms and antennae. This suggests they had long been adapted to life in the gloomy darkness, and researchers say that the scuttling…

Students taking part in the V&A Museum’s Innovate National Schools Challenge have designed an extendable school shoe to reduce the number of pairs of shoes that get thrown away as children’s feet grow. Every year, London’s V&A Museum invites teams of students from Years 7, 8 and 9 to invent designs to solve everyday problems. This year, one of the winning teams came up with the idea for a school shoe that could be dismantled and rebuilt slightly bigger to allow them to grow with children’s feet. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Nature magazinesciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

The House on Hoarder Hill by Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai (Chicken House) In this spooky tale, Hedy and Spencer are spending Christmas at the strange old house belonging to their magician grandfather. When peculiar messages start to appear on dusty picture frames, they realise that the house they are staying in holds a mystery – and that they must find out the truth about their grandmother’s disappearance. Lost by Ele Fountain (Pushkin Children’s Books) When their father fails to come home one day, Lola and her brother Amit are left alone. They have no money and no idea how to look after themselves, and they are soon living on the streets of an Indian city. This is a powerful and thought-provoking story about two siblings fighting to survive. Darkwhispers…

Deep beneath the sea is a strange world of monsters – some real and some imaginary. For centuries, humans have told stories about undersea beasts, such as mermaids, sea goats and giant krakens (squid-like creatures) the size of entire islands. Surprisingly, what scientists have actually discovered at the bottom of the ocean is sometimes even more amazing than the mythical creatures that humans have imagined. A new exhibition at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth, England, allows visitors to dive into this hidden underwater world to explore centuries-old myths, as well as discover the real wonders living down there. Through an immersive tour, visitors can experience what it would have been like to be a 19th century scientist on board HMS Challenger and experience its on-board laboratory. HMS Challenger…

The Cat Returns Netflix, DVD You may already know that lots of films from Japan’s Studio Ghibli have been added to Netflix in recent weeks. The Cat Returns, made in 2002, isn’t one of the company’s best known, but once you’ve watched My Neighbour Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service, it’s a good one to try next. It actually started life as a short film made for a theme park, but the story was expanded into a longer feature film. It tells of a girl called Haru who saves a cat from being run over. However, she soon discovers that there’s more to this cat than she first thought. Lasting only 75 minutes, this is a nice, short and quite lovely movie. DID YOU KNOW? The word ghibli is Italian for…

Lego Brawls Released for Apple devices last year as part of the Apple Arcade service, this is an all-action fighting game where you design your own mini-figure – and power-ups to help them battle – then pit them against the world. Lego Harry Potter Collection There have been several Harry Potter-themed Lego games down the years, but this brought them together into one collection for consoles. You’ll recognise characters and plots from all the books and films. Lego Worlds Inspired (a little) by Minecraft, Lego Worlds is a console game where you explore a blocky world, collecting bricks and building houses, vehicles and other items. Along the way you meet other characters and go on plenty of quests.…

Do you or your family know an elderly person who may feel lonely? Perhaps you have a grandparent who doesn’t live nearby and who might not see many people. It’s thought there could be more than a million lonely older people in the UK who often feel sad. This might be because they live alone, or they might be in a care home and haven’t got family or friends who visit. Simply writing a letter can help to cheer them up. It’s an easy thing to do but can make a big impact. Being able to write an interesting letter is also a good skill because a lot of modern communication is written and sent by digital messaging and email. Everyday things that you do, such as what you learned…

Junior Bake Off applications are now open If you’re between nine and 15 years old and would like the chance to compete in the famous white tent, you’ll need to send in an application with your parent or guardian, in which you answer several questions about your baking skills and your ambitions. Don’t worry about doing it all at once because the online process lets you save what you’ve written and go back to it later. The deadline for applications is 5 April, but it’s best not to leave it to the very last minute! To apply, go to junior.take-part.co.uk, or you can email applyforjuniorbakeoff@loveproductions.co.uk or call 0207 067 4833.…

“My brother, Zachary, and me on 22 February, just before marching through the streets of London with thousands of others for the Extinction Rebellion ‘Enough is Enough’ march.” Alexis “To celebrate World Book Day, I drew this picture of Amelia Fang from issue 220. I hope you like it!” Zara “It was incredible to hear about Michael Rosen’s long-lost uncles when we met him.” Jai…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Real or rubbish? McDonald’s have released candles which create the smell of a burger. You said... “Believe it or not, IT’S REAL! I think it’s a crazy idea to be honest. Imagine your house smelling of burgers...” “That is a bit strange, but if people want to buy it then they can.” “That’s crazy. No one wants their house smelling of quarter pounder.” “My uncle would buy them.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

A record number of dolphins, porpoises and whales have been spotted in UK waters as part of an annual study. In findings published on 3 March, the Sea Watch Foundation reported 2,130 sightings of 13 different species by the public during its 2019 summer survey. Many sightings included groups of animals, with a total of 11,864 dolphins, porpoises and whales recorded. It is thought that warm weather helped provide more food for the marine mammals.…

William Shakespeare is one of the best known writers in history, but is he the greatest? Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564, he later moved to London, where he wrote his plays and where they were performed. He wrote tragedies and comedies – some of his most famous works include Hamlet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet. These plays are still being performed today, all over the world. Shakespeare also used new words in a way that changed the English language forever. As a result, many people consider him to be the greatest writer in history. However, others question whether the playwright should still be held in such high regard. So is Shakespeare the greatest writer of all time? Yes – He changed our language forever No…

The production and distribution of food can have a huge impact on the planet. Farm animals and crops use up a lot of land and water. Transporting products from around the world to supermarket shelves also means that more gases that contribute to climate change are released. As a result, it is really important to make sure that as little food as possible goes to waste. Coming up with creative ways of using up leftovers is a good start. For example, vegetables that need to be eaten before they go off could be made into a tasty soup or curry. Fruit that is nearly out of date can be great in fruit loaves, like banana bread, or in jams. Why not think up a combination and then give it a…

Reusing chopsticks A Canadian company has reused more than 25 million chopsticks to create new products like tables and chopping boards. ChopValue cleans and compresses used chopsticks from restaurants. The chopsticks are also used in decorations at the restaurants where they were first used for eating. Mount Snowdon Microplastics (tiny particles of plastic) have been found near the summit of Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales. An activist called Laura Sanderson gathered samples from a lake near the top of Snowdon and found an average of three pieces of microplastic per litre of water.…

Science-fiction writers tell tales set in space, on distant planets, far in the future or in alternative realities where anything is possible. Science fiction, also known as sci-fi, is a type of storytelling inspired by science and technology. Today, some of the most famous examples are Doctor Who, Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there is one person who perhaps did more than any other to make the genre what it is today: Jules Verne. The author died 115 years ago this month, but he continues to have a huge influence on sci-fi. With hit books such as Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Around the World in Eighty Days, Verne made the impossible seem possible. Early days Jules Verne…

The airline British Airways has started testing self-driving electric wheelchairs to help passengers with disabilities at John F Kennedy Airport in New York, in the US. The wheelchairs, made by the Japanese technology company Whill, are controlled through an app on people’s mobile phones. Passengers can use the app to tell the wheelchair where in the airport they’d like to go. The chairs have been equipped with sensors, to detect what’s in front of them and avoid bumping into things. Once the person has reached their destination and got out of the chair, the seat drives itself back to a docking station, where it will charge and be available to be picked up by another passenger. British Airways says that almost half a million of its passengers need help getting…

Cloudburst by Wilbur Smith with Chris Wakling (Piccadilly Press) Jack Courtney, aged 14, is heading off on a big adventure: his parents are travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa for an environmental conference, and they’re taking Jack and his friends, Amelia and Xander, with them. Things go wrong when his parents are kidnapped by soldiers, and now it’s down to the three teenagers to brave the jungle, investigate the nearby mines and find out what has happened. With bandits, gorillas and poachers to deal with – not to mention annoying cousin Caleb – saving Jack’s parents is going to be far from a simple operation. Bestselling thriller writer Wilbur Smith worked with Chris Wakling on this action-packed story, and the Courtney family have appeared in…

1 Cìrein-cròin The Cìrein-cròin is the largest animal in the world but it has only been seen once by scientists, because it lives about six miles down in the sea. It is a long serpent that can eat up to seven whales a month in the feeding season. The animal is reported to be able to appear as small as a tiny fish and uses this disguise to catch its prey. 2 Colossal squid This enormous sea monster can weigh up to 150 kilograms and its body and tentacles can grow to around 14 metres. It lives deep in the ocean, more than 1,000 metres below the surface. It has the largest eyes in the animal kingdom. Its eyeballs are around 25 centimetres across, which is bigger than…

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer 8pm on 17 March, Channel 4 Four celebrities are ready to battle it out in the big Bake Off tent while raising money for charity. Each of the contestants, including Scarlett Moffatt and actor James Buckley, who recently appeared on Doctor Who, must complete three bakes, but only one person can win. Connected trailer tinyurl.com/TWJ-connected The trailer for this upcoming Sony Pictures Animation film starts off as a typical family drama, with arguments between different members of a family. However, it is soon revealed that there’s a lot of action too, as robots around the world start attacking any human they encounter. Artemis Fowl trailer tinyurl.com/TWJ-artemis The first look at the long-awaited film adaptation of Eoin Colfer’s hit books is…

Where do I start? Ask your parents if there’s an elderly relative or family friend you can write to and they can help you get started. Your teacher may like to make contact with a local elderly care home so your class can begin writing letters. The leaders of your Scout, Cub, Brownie or Guide group may want to get involved too. What do I need? Plain paper or writing paper, envelopes and stamps. Ask family or friends if they can collect or donate unwanted items like this to you. If you have any decorative coloured pens or gel pens, use them to make your letter even more interesting. How else can I help? There are other ways to help elderly people feel less lonely. For example, knowing the date…

The news that the whole of Italy has been put in quarantine to prevent the spread of coronavirus is pretty shocking. It’s going to make life very difficult for lots of people – but the hope is that it keeps more people safe. One of our readers, Hannah, got in touch with us to let us know how her friends in Rome, Emilia and Pepe, are coping now that their school has closed. Read her fab interview on page 2. Of course, although coronavirus continues to dominate the headlines, there’s plenty more that’s going on in the world – and we’ve crammed quite a lot of it into this week’s magazine. Shakespeare’s most wicked villains; real and imaginary sea monsters; exquisite dinosaur-age cockroaches perfectly preserved in amber; and glow-in-the-dark frogs…

Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk 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 for length, accuracy and suitability. Ensure you have your parent/guardian’s permission before sending anything to us.…

Teacher’s name: Mr White School: Auckley School, Doncaster “Mr White helps me with my work and we always have lots of fun lessons and sport trips. He is a great teacher and we are very lucky to have him two years in a row!” Isabella If we pick your teacher as Teacher of the Week, we’ll sendyourschoolthreefreeissuesof The Week Junior. Send your nominations, along with a picture of your teacher and your school’s full name and address, to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk…

A Japanese company has invented a new type of bed that allows users to play video games in total comfort. The £920 bed includes a desk, a special back support, side table, headphone hanger and a storage unit for drinks and snacks. Double screens are mounted at the foot of the bed and there’s a mobile phone holder that keeps the device where users can see it at all times. Bauhutte, the company that makes the bed, has also made a gaming suit that has built-in features like headphones and game-appropriate mittens.…

Lindsay Demchak, who lives in the US city of New York, gave birth to her second baby on 29 February – exactly four years after the birth of her first son. It means that both her children were born on a day that only exists once every four years. Demchak had joked there was no chance both would be born on the same date. Scout, the new baby, will celebrate her birthday on 1 March, and big brother Omri will have his parties on 28 February. On leap years, they’ll celebrate together.…