Innholdsfortegnelse for 271 i The Week Junior

A CAT SECURITY GUARD Ham House, a 17th century mansion in south-west London, has employed a feline guard. It has adopted six-year-old Lord Roscoe from a rescue centre to chase away grey squirrels. The squirrels had been nibbling the toes of statues on the grounds. PLANTING TREES In Yorkshire, England, a local group has begun planting hundreds of trees around the village of Newton-le-Willows. Trees soak up carbon dioxide (CO2), so it is hoped the project will help tackle climate change – long-term changes in weather patterns that are caused by the release of harmful gases, including CO2. A RARE FIND A fisherman has caught a very rare yellow lobster off the coast of Maine, US. He gave the crustacean, who has been named Banana, to a nearby university to…

Andrea Ackroyd is a performance engineer for the Formula E team Mahindra Racing. Formula E is a car-racing competition, like Formula One, but for more eco-friendly, electric-powered cars only. The 2021 season starts on 26 February in Saudi Arabia. As a performance engineer, Ackroyd works to prepare both the car and driver for race day. Speaking to The Week Junior, Ackroyd says it’s a job she was destined to do from an early age. “My dad was a mechanic,” she says, “and I was always hanging around in the garage.” To become an engineer, Ackroyd says you need a strong background in mathematics. “I’m very fortunate that it was one of the subjects I’m naturally good at,” she says. For her A levels, Ackroyd took maths, further maths, physics and…

A white-tailed eagle has returned to the Isle of Wight after a 17-month journey around England. Known as G393, the two-year-old bird travelled an incredible 3,047 miles across the country, flying to the north, east and west of England before returning home. G393 was released on the Isle of Wight by the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation. It was one of 13 white-tailed eagles to be reintroduced to the area in 2019. The birds were fitted with trackers so their journeys could be monitored. The white-tailed eagle is also known as the sea eagle and is the UK’s largest bird of prey. They used to live across the UK but died out around 100 years ago because of hunting and loss of habitat. An official scheme to reintroduce the birds in…

Hamsteria A page on Wikipedia, listed under “Silly Things”, claims that there is a royal family of Syrian hamsters. The page lists all the monarchs, including King Roadrunner. Jordanhill railway station The one millionth article published on the English-language Wikipedia site was about Jordanhill railway station on the outskirts of Glasgow. Kobe Bryant US basketball player Kobe Bryant died in January 2020. The following week, his Wikipedia page had 22 million views – a record for a single week. Cosmic latte One of the more unusual pages is about “cosmic latte” – the average colour of the universe according to a team of astronomers. Latte is a type of coffee and the Italian word for milk, (which is a good fit for the Milky Way too).…

Experts have analysed face cream from 2,700 years ago that was found by archaeologists in a nobleman’s tomb in northern China. Archaeologist study ancient man-made objects to help us understand history. It is the earliest evidence of men using cosmetics (substances used to improve a person’s appearance) in China. The cream was found in 2017 inside a bronze jar that was placed alongside some weapons in the tomb. The study reports that the cream was made from two key ingredients. The first was fat from a plant-eating animal. One of the study’s authors says it probably came from cattle. The second ingredient was a white, creamy substance that forms inside caves and is nicknamed moonmilk. The use of this ingredient may have been influenced by Taoism, a Chinese religion. Early…

101 Dalmatians Apple TV, Chili, Disney+, DVD, PlayStation Store, Prime Video Later this year Disney+ will get a new live-action film based on the 101 Dalmatians story. It’s called Cruella and tells the story of one of Disney’s most famous villains. Although the animated version was released in 1961, Disney has already made two live-action films about Cruella de Vil and lots of little dogs. In 1996, Glenn Close brilliantly played Cruella, and she was pretty scary too. An actress called Cathy Moriaty was also considered for the role, but Disney thought she was a bit too frightening when they tested her out. The film is good fun, and an equally entertaining sequel followed – called (unsurprisingly) 102 Dalmatians.…

Hope Jones Saves the World by Josh Lacey. Illustrated by Beatriz Castro (Andersen Press) Hope’s New Year’s resolution is to give up plastic, and she wants to inspire those around her to do the same. Told through a series of blog posts, this is a funny and fun story that might persuade readers to try and give up plastic too. Effie the Rebel by Laura Wood (Scholastic) When the Highworth Grange Student Council is taken over by a tyrannical villain, the unstoppable Effie Kostas and her friends set out to save the day. This is the sequel to Vote for Effie, which was nominated for the Blue Peter Book Award. It’s joyful, funny, angry and bold – great inspiration for anyone who’s ever wanted to make a difference in the…

This sounds like snow fun A Norwegian man has run a half-marathon (13.1 miles) barefoot in the snow to set a new Guinness World Record. Jonas Felde Sevaldrud wanted to break the record set by Dutch athlete Wim Hof in 2007, who ran a barefoot half-marathon over ice and snow in two hours, 16 minutes and 34 seconds. Sevaldrud ran the same distance in one hour, 44 minutes and eight seconds, and is now waiting for Guinness to confirm the record. Chocolate must be 100% cacao Germany is changing its rules on what can be called chocolate. Now, all chocolate bars must be made from 100% cacao in order to be labelled as chocolate. Cacao is one of the main ingredients in chocolate bars, along with sugar and milk. It…

Do you dream of becoming a writer? If so, enter our competition to win the chance to see your story in our magazine. We have teamed up with our friends at Twinkl, who produce educational resources, to challenge you to become a reporter for the day and write your own news story. If you’ve got a fascinating story to report from your local area, we want to hear from you. Get top tips hot off the press from our editorial team to help get you started. Plus, there are lots of fun activities from Twinkl Parents to help create your story. The winning story will be published in The Week Junior and on the Twinkl website. Find out how to get involved at tinyurl.com/TWJ-twinkl…

Teacher’s name: Mr Howes School: Pierrepont Gamston Primary School, Nottingham Mr Howes is a one-of-a-kind teacher. When we were at school, he always encouraged us with sherbet lemons! In our online lessons, we get a cheery start – there’s a theme song ready for us. We think that everyone in our class would agree with when we say Mr Howes is the best teacher ever!’ Will and Charlotte 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…

On 15 February, Larry the cat celebrated 10 years at No.10 Downing Street. Larry came to the UK Prime Minister’s official residence from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, London, in 2011. Larry was given the title of chief mouser, and has been a pet to three Prime Ministers. Lindsey Quinlan, from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, says Larry shows why animals deserve a second chance. “They could become one of the nation’s beloved political figures,” she says.…

Treezilla is a science project that calls on the UK and Ireland’s citizens to map and monitor the trees in their area. With a measuring tape, camera, pencil and paper, and an internet connection, anyone can join in. Ask an adult to set up an account at treezilla.org and you are ready to head out and start recording trees. Use the identification guide on the website to see if a tree has already been registered. If not, note its location and species. Measure its trunk and photograph its leaves. Then upload the info to the map. Treezilla is particularly interested in trees in towns and cities, where trees provide homes for wildlife and help clean up the air. Got an eco tip? Send it to us at hello@theweekjunior.co.uk ON THE…

• Decorate your journal – it’s fun and helps make it yours. • Write down three things you are thankful for each day. • Try writing non-stop for five to 10 minutes. • Lists are another good way to organise your thoughts. For example, write a list of things that make you smile. • Some journals suggest activities for you, like the Happy Confident Me Journal and The HappySelf Journal. • Try Action For Children’s free toolkit – Can’t Talk, Write – at tinyurl.com/TWJjournal…

Megamind What happens when the bad guy wins? That’s the idea behind this film, available on Netflix. Bored after defeating Metro Man, baddie Megamind decides to make a new enemy to fight. Teen Titans Go! To the Movies Based on the animated series Teen Titans Go!, this film is about young superheroes going to Hollywood in an attempt to get their own film made. It is available to stream now on Netflix. Underdog After an accident in a laboratory, a beagle finds himself with superpowers. Taking to the skies, Underdog vows to use his powers to protect the citizens of Capitol City. Streaming on Disney+.…

Dragon Rider Now on Sky Cinema This animated film is based on the bestselling novel by Cornelia Funke. Firedrake is a dragon who can’t breathe fire. He sets off on a mission to find the land where dragons live in peace, and meets a human teenager called Ben on the way. Side Hustle 5pm on at 22 February, Nickelodeon Best friends Lex and Presley need to come up with a plan to make some money after accidentally setting fire to a boat. Their friend Munchy helps them by creating an app to get jobs to pay off their debt. Lex and Presley decide to take on any tasks, however embarrassing they might be, t raise the ffunds d . The Muppet Show Streaming on Disney+ from 19 February All five…

Vi Spy: Licence to Chill by Maz Evans (Chicken House) Vi comes from a long line of spies. Her mum used to be in the secret service, and her dad was a spy too – until he died diverting a nuclear missile one second before it exploded. At least, that’ what Vi thought.Nowshedisco thather dad is a very alive retired s er-villai . Vi is caught in the middle of her parent’s messy divorce – and to make matters worse, while the two of them are distracted, an evil overlord is planning to take over the world To save the day, Vi will have to turn spy herself. If you enjoyed Maz Evans’s Who Let the Gods Out series, then don’t miss the first book in her new series, which…

What else should I think about when running? Always run with an adult from your household and don’t run too far from home. If you run in a local park or do a circuit on paths nearby, you can return home easily if you get tired. If the weather is dark, wear bright or reflective gear so you are visible and always be careful of any traffic around you. What is a virtual event? A virtual running event lets you take part in a competition by submitting your running time and distance online. They can range from running a certain distance on a certain day to monthly family challenges. Some events cost money but others are free.…

The internet can be a surreal and surprising place. I remember years ago hearing about the fantastical underwater world of the nudibranch – strange sea slugs that roam the bottom of the sea (see our story on page 10). I did a quick Google image search, and quick as a flash, before my eyes, dozens of the most brightly coloured, weird and wonderful creatures appeared on my screen. Some resemble bunny rabbits (I’m not kidding!), others look like extraordinarily beautiful miniature dragons, off to fight their own miniature battles on the sea bed, I imagine. Incredibly, there are thought to be 3,000 types of sea slug. Thanks to the internet, we are lucky enough to have this sort of information at our fingertips. It’s something that Jimmy Wales was keen…

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.…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam@TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week’s Big debate question was “Is event TV better than bingeing.” You said... “I think bingeing is the best because some things are just so good.” “Event TV is better in my opinion.” “Event TV is amazing, but if you’re bored bingeing is also good.” “Bingeing – you might not have time in your day to watch TV live.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

25 February 1986 Cory Aquino named Philippines’ president Thirty-five years ago, Cory Aquino was sworn in as president of the Philippines and led its shift from dictatorship to democracy. A dictatorship is a country ruled by a strict leader. In a democracy people choose political leaders by voting in elections. Aquino took over from Ferdinand Marcos, who became president in 1965. In 1973, he gave himself special powers and ruled as a dictator until early 1986. Aquino was president until 1992 and was celebrated for her commitment to democracy.…

• Fifty years ago, on 15 February 1971, the UK introduced a new money system. It is the one we have today and is made up of pounds and pence. The new money was called the decimal system, and it made it easier for people to work out sums, because 100 pence equals £1. • Before this there were pounds, shillings and pence. This meant that people had to do tricky sums with their money. For example, 12 pence made a shilling and there were 20 shillings in a pound – so there were 240 pence in a pound. • These days, there are more ways to pay than ever, including by phone and watch.…

Nudibranchs are astonishing-looking animals. They can be as small as just 0.6 centimetres but are some of the most colourful and intricately patterned creatures on Earth. This is so that they can camouflage themselves on the brightly coloured sponges and anemones that they eat (some even eat each other). Their colours also warn predators they might be poisonous. The name “nudibranch” means “naked gills” because sea slugs’ gills are visible on their body.…

Only a few dozen spacecraft have travelled to Mars – so why are three suddenly arriving within two weeks? The reason is simple. The distance between Earth and Mars is constantly changing as the two planets travel along their own paths around the Sun. Last July, Earth and Mars happened to line up on the same side of the Sun and closer together than usual. This alignment only happens once every 2.2 years. The average travel time to Mars is usually around nine months, but by launching when they did, these missions were able to cut the journey time down to seven months.…

Scientists from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, have figured out a way to build roads using old face masks. The team says that during the pandemic, around 6.8 billion disposable face masks are being used globally each day, creating huge waste. To prevent this, the team has created a recipe for recycled concrete aggregate (RCA – a material used to make roads) using shredded face masks. They estimate that 1,000 metres of road built with this RCA could save 93 tonnes of face-mask waste. Enjoy these stories? Find more in this month’s The Week Junior Science+Naturemagazinesciencenature.theweekjunior.co.uk…

Team Bath Team Bath won their first two games of the Netball Superleague season, beating Celtic Dragons and Loughborough Lightning. Charlotte Bankes Bankes won gold for Britain in snowboard cross at the World Championships. Snowboard cross is a downhill event where four athletes race against each other. Bayern Munich The German football team beat Tigres, from Mexico, to win the FIFA Club World Cup. Benjamin Pavard scored in Bayern’s 1-0 win. Leicester Riders They beat Sevenoaks Suns to win the Women’s British Basketball League Cup. Captain Kate Oliver won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.…

We asked Francesca Geens, who created The HappySelf Journal, for her top tips: • Try and do it at the same time every day. Just before bed is a good time of day. • Keep your journal ready with a pen or pencil on your pillow or bedside table. • Journalling is not about perfect handwriting or spelling practice. Mistakes and doodles are all good. • You get to decide if you share your journal or keep it private – it’s your choice. • Journalling with an adult is great because it allows you to talk about your day and share your ups and downs.…

What did you want to be when you were younger? Very boringly – a writer. But I thought it was a job only very special, very attractive people did. Thank goodness I was wrong... What gave you the idea to write this book? Divorce affects so many families – my own included. I wanted to let my readers know that however tough it is, it does get better. What is your favourite part of the book? So hard! The characters in the Ex-Villain’s Support League are amongst my favourites, especially Siren, the femme fatale with fatal hygiene... What are you working on next? I have another new series coming out this year for six to nine-year-olds, The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife, illustrated by Chris Jevons. I can’t wait. Are…

Josh Sutton is a member of the Guild of Food Writers. He has written several books about food, and his latest, Food From Childhood, looks at the types of food we eat as we grow from babies to leaving home. Sutton first learned to cook when he got bored of the limited range of his father’s kitchen skills. This beans on toast recipe evolved when Sutton’s wife and daughter turned vegetarian. The recipe makes enough for two people. What you need • 3 cloves of garlic • 1 tbsp olive oil • 4 fresh ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped) • ½ tsp paprika • ½ tsp smoked paprika • 8 whole black peppercorns • A pinch of chilli flakes (optional) • 2 star anise (optional) • 1 tin of…

Name: Lottie “I believe women’s football is really important because when I started to play I didn’t know anything about the sport or what to do. But now, because I do football training at my local club, I know a lot about football and also have learnt some tricks, too. It’s really amazing to play football and maybe one day you can try it too. My favourite thing is tackling. I also like that it’s a team sport. One day I would like to be on a real team, playing matches.” 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…

1 Under which Antarctic ice shelf have scientists found life? a) Filchner-Ronne b) Riiser-Larsen c) King Baudouin a □ b □ c □ 2 True or false? Larry the cat has lived at No. 10 Downing Street for 10 years. 3 Which type of venue is being hired out by gamers in South Korea? 4 How long ago did the UK introduce the decimal system? a) 70 years ago b) 60 years ago c) 50 years ago a □ b □ c □ 5 True or false? Formula E is only for electric-powered cars. 6 A white-tailed eagle returned to where in the UK after a 3,000-mile journey? 7 What was the one millionth article published on the English language Wikipedia site about? a) Jordanhill railway station b) Kobe Bryant…