Innholdsfortegnelse for 263/264 i The Week Junior

A race to the Red Planet This summer, three countries launched missions to Mars. China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US all took advantage of a short period when the Earth and Mars were at their closest point to send unmanned craft into space. On 19 July, the UAE was the first country to blast off to the Red Planet. It launched the Al Amal probe on a rocket from Tanegashima Space Centre in Japan. The probe is now on a journey of more than 300 million miles to study the planet’s weather and climate. The country is hoping to become the first Arab nation to send an orbiter to Mars. Al amal is Arabic for “hope”. A few days later, on 23 July, China launched Tianwen-1. Tianwen…

Scientists solve koala conundrum In May, scientists in Australia solved a long-running mystery of how koalas get enough water to survive. For many years it was thought that the tree-dwelling animals got most of their water from moisture contained in the leaves they eat. In a new study, researchers showed for the first time that koalas do not rely solely on water from leaves. They also quench their thirst by licking water droplets that run down tree trunks when it is raining. From 2006 to 2019, there were 46 sightings of koalas licking water from tree trunks in the wild. It was observed that the animals chose to drink like this even when there were puddles or lakes nearby. Koalas spend most of their time in trees and rely on…

Liverpool Football Club Liverpool fans will never forget this year. Even though they are one of the most famous and successful football clubs in the world, the last time Liverpool had won the top league in England was 30 years earlier, in 1990. That changed on 22 July, when they lifted the Premier League trophy for the first time after a very impressive season. The Reds, which is Liverpool’s nickname, lost only three games all season and finished 18 points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. Christine Sinclair On 29 January, footballer Christine Sinclair scored her 185th goal for Canada, making her the world’s highest-scoring international footballer of all time. The achievement broke the record of 184 goals that was set by US striker Abby Wambach in 2015. Sinclair first played…

Each Thursday, three of The Week Junior team catch up with Bex from Fun Kids, and producer Adam, to make the podcast. Before March, this meant Adam and Bex coming into the office and the podcasters gathering around a big table, but since the first lockdown the show has been recorded remotely. We use an online platform called Cleanfeed, which allows everyone taking part to record their audio separately. It makes it easier for the podcast to be edited and for any unwanted sounds (like barking dogs or ringing doorbells) to be cut. Bex told us, “It’s good to keep up with what’s going on in the world right now, and it’s always fun to chat to the contributors – every episode has different guests so each one has a…

Brightening up communities Despite having to stay at home for a large part of the year, local communities came together to thank key workers and cheer each other up. Pictures of rainbows were put in windows, and every Thursday at 8pm for 10 weeks, many people stood on their doorsteps to take part in Clap For Our Carers. This was done so that people could show their appreciation for National Health Service (NHS) staff and other key workers who were helping in the battle against coronavirus. There were also community art projects, and one of the biggest was a Covid-19 snake made out of hand-painted stones It was started by Fabienne Muhiddin, who wanted to unite people and raise spirits during lockdown. She said, “We didn’t think it was going…

Olaf Falafel is an author, illustrator, dad and stand-up comedian. Here’s an eye-boggling art project he’s created for you to have a go at over the holidays. Over to you, Olaf… “During the first lockdown, I started an online art club, imaginatively named Olaf Falafel’s Art Club. Each episode featured stupid jokes, useful drawing tips, funny animations and occasionally some almost educational stuff about my favourite artists. I often think it would be really cool to be so important that you have an invention named after you. The Duke of Wellington gave his name to wellington boots (or wellies), Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone and Jeremy Bubblewrap invented bubblewrap (by the way, I haven t fact-checked that last one, so it could be wrong!). The thing that I’m going to…

1 On which date did the UK leave the EU? a) 31 December 2019 b) 31 January 2020 c) 21 February 2020 a □ b □ c □ 2 Who is the youngest of the three MacLean brothers who rowed across the Atlantic Ocean? 3 Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to which country from the UK? 4 True or false? Sport Relief raised more than £40 million this year. 5 What was Keir Starmer’s job before he became a politician? 6 On which date in 1945 was VE Day celebrated? a) 6 May b) 7 May c) 8 May a □ b □ c □ 7 What song did people sing on their doorsteps after the Queen’s speech for the 75th anniversary of VE Day? 8 In which month…

JANUARY UK leaves the EU At 11pm on 31 January 2020, the UK left the European Union (EU). The EU is a group of countries that trade together and follow the same rules. The UK is the first country to leave the EU, so this was an important moment in European and British history. The day came more than three and a half years after the British public voted for Brexit (the decision to leave the EU). On 23 June 2016, a public vote known as a referendum was held. Around 52% of those who voted wanted to leave the EU, whereas 48% wanted the UK to remain part of it. The result caused the Prime Minister at the time, David Cameron, to resign. He was replaced by Theresa May,…

The rise of the robots In 2020, many robots took up jobs, giving both humans and animals a helping hand. A hospital ward treating coronavirus patients in Wuhan, China, was run entirely by robots. The bots looked after patients with the mildest symptoms, delivering food and keeping the hospital clean. This reduced the risk of doctors and nurses catching the disease. Meanwhile, a robot called Ginger led a dance class for those who were well enough to take part. If a patient fell more seriously ill they were sent to a human-run part of the hospital for more treatment. In May, a robot dog enforced social-distancing rules to stop the spread of coronavirus in Singapore. Spot, made by US company Boston Dynamics, patrolled Singapore’s Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to check…

Greta’s £900,000 giveaway In July, Greta Thunberg – the 17-year-old Swedish schoolgirl who started a global environmental protest movement – was awarded the first Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity. The prize is worth more than £900,000. She pledged to give the money to organisations whose work involves protecting the planet. The prize money was given by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, an organisation based in Portugal that aims to improve quality of life through art, charity, science and education. Jorge Sampaio, who chaired the grand jury judging the prize, said it was given to Thunberg to recognise the way she “has been able to mobilise younger generations”. Thunberg has inspired millions of people around the world to think about the planet and how we can all look after it. She began her…

For most of 2020, The Week Junior has been made from our homes. On 16 March, The Week Junior team met up for the last time in 2020. We have spent the rest of the year working from home. Gone are the in-person weekly editorial conferences, during which the team planned which stories would feature in the next issue. They were replaced by online meetings, complete with cries of “You’re on mute!”, and daily video huddles to check in with each other. Another challenge was finding good news to share with our readers. Although Covid-19 dominated the headlines, we wanted to cover other topics in the magazine, too. Whether it was tales of bravery and kindness, scientific breakthroughs, historic discoveries or wildlife recoveries, the team focused on finding and sharing…

What I am grateful for in 2020 Take some time to think about, and say thank you for, good things and special people. “Without the kindness and generosity of the community I had around me, there wouldn’t be the Marcus Rashford u see to .”Marcus Rashford yo day My resolutions for 2021 What are you looking forward to in 2021? What are your goals? “The moment we decide to fulfil something, we can do anyt ”Greta berg hing.Thun “My reading resolution this year is not to feel guilty if I read during the work day.”Francesca Simon, author of Horrid Henry DID YOU KNOW? The word “grateful” comes from the Latin word gratus, meaning pleasing or appealing. SLEEP EASY Several scientific studies have shown that, among other benefits, being grateful helps…

The inventor of the Agamograph was born in Israel in 1928. “My intention was to create a work of art which cannot be perceived except in stages,” Agam said of his creation. “My aim is to show what can be seen within the limits of possibility.” In 1996 he was awarded the Jan Amos Comenius Medal in recognition of the role his art played in educating young people. The picture above shows one of Agam’s most famous kinetic artworks – the Fire and Water Fountain in Tel Aviv, Israel. The colourful sculpture is made up of jagged wheels that display bold geometric shapes and patterns. The images that are seen differ depending on the angle from which the fountain is viewed.…

Dave, artt director I have a lot of favourites from 2020, but I think that the one that was most fun to make was Apollo 13. As there are no images available we took various elements (an artist’s impression of the module, a photo of the Moon and a nice space image) and put them all together to capture the excitement of this daring mission. We also added some exploding fragments (you might have noticed that one of them has broken our logo) and venting gas, to add to the drama. Ben, features editor When we had to start making the magazine at home, it meant I could do a lot more running in my local area. One morning I ran past a couple of houses with rainbows…

Captain Sir Tom Moore “To all those people finding it difficult at the moment, the Sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.” Before this year, only his friends and family knew who Captain Tom Moore was. Now, he has been knighted by the Queen and is a national hero after his fundraising efforts for charities supporting the National Health Service (NHS). Ahead of his 100th birthday on 30 April, Sir Tom decided to walk 100 laps of his garden to raise money for NHS charities. As well as that, Sir Tom recorded and released a single with singer Michael Ball. It was a hit and all the money from sales went to NHS charities. Sir Tom raised almost £39 million in total and inspired others…

On a roll After many shops sold out of toilet paper, a baker in Dortmund, Germany, made cake shaped like a loo roll. Now you see me… Goats in Llandudno, Wales, took advantage of the quiet streets. Keeping it bottled up A Filipino artist poses with a makeshift mask he created from recycled materials. The magic of music The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra plays to an audience of plants in London. Roar down the road A person in a dinosaur costume crosses a road in Callander, Scotland, during the first lockdown. In harmony A musical couple entertain neighbours from their balcony in Germany.…

The Youth Climate Summit, a week-long festival of climate action for UK schools, started on 9 November 2020. During the week, hundreds of schools signed up to the Let’s Go Zero campaign, aiming to become carbon zero by 2030. A carbon-zero school is one that does not contribute to climate change by emitting carbon. Schools that signed up promised to cut down their carbon emissions in seven areas, including where they get their food and how they use water and recycle waste.…

Kaye’s story I started cycling in Clissold Park, London, and ended up doing longer distances as I got more confident. Instead of taking the Tube I took my bike. It was fun getting to see London on a different mode of transport and I was surprised by how much faster it got me places. Vanessa’s story When I didn’t have to travel to work every day I explored my local area. I found lots of wild blackberries and turned them into jam. The berries stain and the brambles get caught on your arms, but it’s worth the effort! It’s so delicious I often eat it straight from the jar with a spoon. Hugh’s story I started growing things – just as the garden centres closed for lockdown. Undeterred, I discovered…

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! by Fiona Waters. Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup (Nosy Crow) This illustrated poetry collection is a celebration of the animal kingdom. There’s a different poem for every day of the year, each with stunning artwork. Turn over the vibrant, brightly coloured pages to discover poems by Lewis Carroll, Ted Hughes, Grace Nichols, Christina Rossetti, Roger McGough and many more. WINNER BOOKS ARE MY BAG READERS AWARDS 2020: POETRY Rise Up: Ordinary Kids with Extraordinary Stories by Amanda Li and Amy Blackwell (Buster Books) Discover the amazing stories of 29 young people from around the world in this enthralling collection of true-life tales. There’s lots of inspiration to be found in the colourful pages, including activists, ballet dancers, chess champions and explorers. WINNER WINNER OF BLUE PETER BOOK…

Jo Pratt is a food writer, food stylist and author of many cookbooks. Her two children, Olly and Rosa, are her chief taste testers (and also fans of The Week Junior) and both think readers will enjoy making this pudding. “If you have a sudden desire to make a pudding, take a look around your kitchen and it’s quite likely you’ll find all that’s required to whip up this rather tasty recipe – just a few basic baking ingredients,” says Pratt. “Tinned peaches and frozen raspberries are what we are using here but you could always swap them for any tinned and frozen fruits you have, such as tinned pears or pineapple and frozen blueberries or blackberries.” Make peach and raspberry pud What you need (Makes 8 portions) • 200g…