Innholdsfortegnelse for 352 i The Week Junior

Mikhail Gorbachev, a former leader of the Soviet Union, died on 30 August, aged 91. Thousands of people attended his funeral in Moscow, the Russian capital, on 3 September. However, the current Russian president, Vladimir Putin, did not go. Who was Mikhail Gorbachev? Mikhail Gorbachev was the last leader of the Soviet Union (see panel above). He took charge from 1985 to 1991 and became well known for important reforms (changes) in the Soviet Union, and also for ending the Cold War. His reforms gave Soviet people and businesses a lot more freedom. When Gorbachev first came to power, the Soviet Union’s economy (the way a country organises its workers, money and resources) was not doing well, and the reforms were Gorbachev’s attempt to help it. However, the changes eventually…

Lesein Mutunkei is a 17-year-old student from Kenya with two goals: to play football and plant trees. After learning about the problem of deforestation (when forests are chopped down on a large scale), he decided to take action. Lesein combined his passion for football and the environment and came up with an amazing idea: Trees4Goals. To take part in Trees4Goals, players plant a tree for each goal they score a goal in a football match. This project isn’t just for professional players, however. Lesein is keen for anyone who plays football to join in. “The climate change crisis is a universal challenge and football is a universal game,” he said. Since starting out in 2018, Lesein has stepped up his eco efforts: he now plants 11 trees (the same as…

A new study into ladybirds has revealed that not enough attention has been given to these spotty bugs, which are important pest controllers. Recently, their survival has come under threat, so researchers are calling for citizen scientists (volunteer members of the public who help with scientific research) to help work out how to protect them. There are more than 6,000 species of ladybird around the world, including 47 in the UK, but their populations are decreasing fast. Ladybirds help to protect plants, including food crops, by eating smaller insects, such as aphids, that feed on the plants and can damage them. The ladybird study was done by an international group of experts, including researchers from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. It shows that not enough is known about…

Hofburg Palace Where is it? Vienna, Austria. When was it built? The oldest parts were built in the 13th century. Who lives there? President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen. Number of rooms: 2,600. Did you know? The palace is so large it has its own museum. The White House Where is it? Washington DC, US. When was it built? 1792–1800. Who lives there? President of the US, Joe Biden. Number of rooms: 132, including a bowling alley and a restaurant. Did you know? It takes 570 gallons of paint to cover the White House. The Élysée Palace Where is it? Paris, France. When was it built? 1718–1722. Who lives there? President of France, Emmanuel Macron. Number of rooms: 365. Did you know? Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte moved into the palace…

Many sporting world championships take place in amazing stadiums with superstar athletes, huge crowds and millions more watching on television. At the World Bog Snorkelling Championships at the end of August, the scene was very different. The competition is held each year near the town of Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales. Those brave enough to take part in the wacky event had to snorkel along a boggy channel in the fastest time they could. The channel is a shallow, muddy trench cut through a wetland area. Wearing a snorkel, mask and flippers, and often dressed in funny costumes, competitors moved through the cold and muddy water. They had to complete two lengths of the 60-metre bog, keeping their face in the water and kicking their legs. They couldn’t use proper swimming…

Step back in time at the Goodwood Revival festival this September, in West Sussex, England. This yearly event celebrates the Goodwood Circuit, a motor racing track that was open between 1948 and 1966. All the cars and motorcycles at the event are from the same period of time and most people – adults and children – who attend the event dress up in clothes and wear hairstyles from the same time. The Goodwood Circuit was one of the most important venues for motor racing in the UK and hosted races such as the Glover Trophy for Grand Prix cars. The Goodwood Revival started in 1998 and attracts 150,000 people every year, who come to watch races on the famous track. Many rare and priceless (so precious that a value cannot…

Dogs in Space Season 2 Netflix 15 September Returning for a second season, this series follows a group of dogs who have been given human intelligence by scientists. Join them as they explore the universe in search of a new planet for humanity. Cars on the Road Disney+ 8 September Continuing where the film Cars left off, this TV series sees two of the cars – Lightning McQueen and Mater – go on a road trip, with some hilarious surprises in store.…

(Nosy Crow) Writing in the introduction to this new poetry anthology (collection of poems), Ella Risbridger says, “I hope the poems in this book light your way to all sorts of things. Think of these poems not like still pictures but more like doors: things that you can push on and will open on to other things.” It’s a selection of poems by women and girls, beautifully illustrated by Anna Shepeta, and includes words and pictures that reflect every mood and feeling. You’ll find poems by well-loved writers such as Maya Angelou, Christina Rossetti, Carol Ann Duffy and Grace Nichols, as well as newer voices including Triska Hamid, Amineh Abou Kerech and Nikita Gill, who you might not have heard before. Unexpected, playful and delightful, this collection of poetry will…

Holly King-Mand is one of the nation’s favourite English teachers, and thousands of young people joined her free online lessons during lockdown. She loves books, libraries, creative writing and interesting vocabulary. You can find lots more advice at hollysclassroom.com 1 The basics Spelling words correctly usually relies on how we hear a word and how we transfer what we hear into letters on the page. Sometimes what we hear isn’t always spelt accordingly, so it’s wise to learn unusual spelling patterns and rules. 2 Breaking the rules Some spellings are an exception to the rules. The rule: “I before E except after C” frequently doesn’t work. Exceptions include leisure, eight and forfeit. The only way to know the exceptions is to learn them all individually as you go along. 3…

Serena Williams’ final tennis match (p3) is a happy-sad moment. What she’s achieved since playing her first professional match as a 14-year-old is incredible and inspiring. Through hard work, focus and the support of her family, Serena’s risen from humble beginnings to be recognised as one of the greatest athletes of all time. Serena reached for the stars, and got there. Our Wellbeing page (p19) explains how reaching for the stars, and setting yourself goals to achieve, help you to learn about yourself. It also sets out how to achieve goals – by breaking the challenge down into small steps and giving thought to how you might tackle obstacles you come up against. This issue is full of super-interesting, inspiring stories, like the scientists who have developed a way of…

Teacher’s name: Ms Wheatley School: St Mary’s C of E School, Walthamstow, London “Ms Wheatley is the best teacher! She understands if we need help with our work and is always super kind to every single one of us. She makes lessons fun and we all love her.”Lilia 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…

The Soviet Union was founded by Vladimir Lenin in 1922 after a revolution. It was a huge territory containing lots of countries that had formerly been known as the Russian Empire. It was the largest country in the world. The capital city was Moscow – which is the capital of modern-day Russia. The Soviets fought on the same side as the UK and the US during the Second World War (1939–1945). After this a rivalry known as the Cold War developed between the Soviet Union and the US. In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart and many of its former territories, including Ukraine and Belarus, became independent countries.…

SELLING A MOVIE PROP A model blaster used by Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) on the set of the original Star Wars film has sold for more than £900,000 at auction. It is the last of three blasters that were used during filming, and it sold for more than double the expected price. A YOUNG DRUMMER During a tribute concert for the Foo Fighters’ drummer, Taylor Hawkins, who died in March, 12-year-old Nandi Bushell played the drums on stage at Wembley Stadium. She used drumsticks given to her by Hawkins last year when she met him, and described playing the gig as the greatest honour of her life. A TWO-HEADED TORTOISE On 3 September, Janus the two-headed tortoise celebrated his 25th birthday. Janus also has two hearts and two…

A ban on swimming caps designed for Afro hair has been lifted by FINA, an organisation in charge of international swimming competitions. The headwear, created by a company called Soul Cap, protects Afro hair, braids and dreadlocks from damage caused by pool chemicals. FINA once said the hats weren’t suitable for competitions because they “didn’t follow the natural form of the head”. Soul Cap called the new decision “a huge step in the right direction”.…

Buñol, Spain Tomato-throwing festival takes place Spain’s La Tomatina festival, where thousands of people throw tomatoes at each other, returned after being cancelled for two years because of the pandemic. The festival, often described as “the world’s biggest food fight”, started in 1945. Although rotten tomatoes are used in the festival, some people say it is a waste of food. Hawaii, US State to rely on renewable energy As part of Hawaii’s plan to use 100% renewable energy by 2045, its only coal power station closed on 1 September. Renewable energy is generated by unlimited sources such as the sun or wind. Previously the power station provided 20% of Hawaii’s electricity. This will now be generated from renewable energy and heat from nearby volcanoes. Santiago, Chile New constitution is rejected…

In Italy, one doctor has an unusual way of visiting his patients – on horseback. Every day, Dr Roberto Anfosso packs his saddle bag and stethoscope and prepares Ambra, his horse. Each week they travel up to 62 miles around the region of Piedmont in north of Italy, visiting between 15 and 20 people at home. His patients are always glad to see Dr Anfosso, and also Ambra who is a source of comfort for them. Dr Anfosso loves going to work with his horse and it has been a dream of his since he began riding horses at the age of 14. The doctor told the BBC, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!”…

The swallow is a summer visitor to the UK, and by early September it is preparing to travel back to Africa. This shiny bird is about 18 centimetres long, with a 34-centimetre wingspan. Its feathers are dark-blue and black on top, and white below, and it has a dark-red forehead and throat, a black band across its chest and a long, forked tail. At this time of year swallows fly about a lot, and often gather on telegraph wires or in reedy wetlands before starting their six-week journey to southern Africa. They live in the UK between April and October, and build mud and straw nests on ledges – often in farm buildings or under the roofs of houses. They like open fields near water, and feed on flying insects.…

Patients who are suffering from a superbug that causes diarrhoea can now be given poo transplants to help them fight it. Known officially as a faecal microbiota transplant (FMT), a poo transplant is when doctors take poo from a healthy person and put it into a sick person’s gut (a part of our bodies that digests food). Experts from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an organisation that gives the Government advice on health care, have approved the use of poo transplants for people with a superbug called Clostridium difficile (C. diff). A superbug is an illness caused by bacteria (germs) that cannot be killed off by an antibiotic – a drug that usually kills germs. C. diff often affects people who have taken antibiotics already. The…

Corbin Strong The cyclist from New Zealand won the first stage of the men’s Tour of Britain competition. England women’s football team They qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup after a 2-0 victory against Austria. The World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand next July. Trent Rockets and Oval Invincibles Trent Rockets won the men’s Hundred cricket competition, defeating Manchester Originals. In the women’s final Oval Invincibles defeated Southern Brave. England women’s rugby union team They beat the US for the 24th time in a row, a record in rugby. The score was 52-14.…

Welcome to Dreamlight Valley, a magical world where Disney and Pixar characters live, work and play together. From old favourites such as Mickey Mouse and Goofy to newer stars such as Olaf from Frozen; Buzz and Woody from Toy Story; Timon, Pumbaa and Simba from The Lion King; and Moana from, well, Moana. Dreamlight Valley isn’t officially released until 2023, but gamers will have the first chance to play this month. The Disney game is ready to play in “early access mode” which means that players can try it out on consoles (Switch, PlayStation and Xbox devices) and computers (PC and Mac). Dreamlight Valley’s gameplay combines elements from “life simulation” games such as The Sims – where you’re in control of a community and character’s lives – and “adventure” games…

Grab your running shoes and get ready to jump on your bike. A duathlon is an exciting sporting event where you take part in a run, then a cycle and then finish with another run. This may sound exhausting but it’s a lot of fun and there are duathlon clubs and competitions for all age ranges and abilities. Duathlons can be set across any distance – there’s no fixed rule. In competitions, the youngest age you can join is usually eight. For this age group, a typical event will begin with a 400-metre run, followed by a cycle of 1.5 kilometres (almost a mile) and finally a 200-metre sprint. For older children, the distances may increase to running 1.5 kilometres, cycling 4.5 kilometres (2.8 miles) and finishing with a 500-metre…

Number fit All of these numbers fit in the grid. Can you work out where they go? We’ve placed one to start you off. 3 numbers 225 446 871 931 4 numbers 6143 6246 8227 8661 5 numbers 64233 68843 72205 80140 6 numbers 602246 643123 658706 7 numbers 1680530 6280516 8542710 8760656 8 numbers 11742701 56668331 68240020 90384557 9 numbers 407733131 410763308 Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. ALGEBRA ART BIOLOGY CHEMISTRY COMPUTING DESIGN DRAMA FRENCH GAMES GEOGRAPHY GEOMETRY GERMAN HISTORY LATIN MATHS MUSIC NETBALL PHYSICS SCIENCE SPANISH Puzzles page and quiz answers…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week we asked if homework should be banned. You said… “Yes, people have other things to do after school and on the weekends.” “Teachers should limit homework so we can spend more time with our family.” “No, doing homework makes sure that we understand the subject.” “If people want to do extra school work, they’ll make their own time to do it.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here. THE WEEK Junior SHOW If you’ve enjoyed this issue of The Week Junior, why not listen to our podcast, The Week Junior Show by scanning the QR code below.…

1 Who was the last leader of the Soviet Union? □ a) Joseph Stalin □ b) Nikita Khrushchev □ c) Mikhail Gorbachev 2 True or false? Before she was a Conservative, Liz Truss was a member of the Liberal Democrats. □ True □ False 3 What did people throw at each other in Spain’s La Tomatina festival? ______________ 4 Which Russian author was banned from an Italian university after the invasion of Ukraine? □ a) Fyodor Dostoyevsky □ b) Leo Tolstoy □ c) Vasily Grossman 5 True or false? Every time Lesein Mutunkei wins a karate match, he plants a tree. □ True □ False 6 How many species of ladybird are there in the UK? ____________ 7 Which part of London is 10 Downing Street located in? □ a)…

On 5 September, Liz Truss was announced as the next leader of the Conservative Party, and the UK’s new Prime Minister, replacing Boris Johnson. She won 57% of the vote to beat Rishi Sunak. Who is Liz Truss? Born in Oxford in 1975, Truss was interested in politics from an early age. She joined the Liberal Democrat party when she was a student at Oxford University, but then joined the Conservative Party. Before she became a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) in 2010, she worked for an oil and gas company and then a communications company. In 2021, she was appointed as Foreign Secretary in Boris Johnson’s Government. How was Truss picked? After Johnson resigned on 7 July, several Conservative MPs put themselves forward to be the next party leader.…

When Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the world was horrified. To show their support for Ukraine, and disapproval of Russia’s actions, venues in countries – including the UK, US and Europe – took a stand. Many stopped hosting Russian performers and refused to show films, music and other works made in Russia. For example, the Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra removed music by the Russian composer Tchaikovsky from a concert, while organisers of the 2022 Eurovision song contest did not allow Russia to take part. Some argue that Russian musicians, writers and dancers shouldn’t be punished for the actions of their president and government. After all, it wasn’t the Russian public’s decision to invade Ukraine. What do you think? Is it fair to ban Russian culture? Yes – it shows support…

On 6 September, Liz Truss officially became the UK’s new Prime Minister. Not only will she face the challenge of running the country – she will also move into a new home in London: 10 Downing Street. The address is where Prime Ministers have lived and worked for more than 275 years. Not many people are allowed in, so we have uncovered the house’s most surprising secrets involving swamps and cats, ghosts and rats. From swamp to street Downing Street is in central London. The street lies off Whitehall, the road that runs from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament. More than 1,000 years ago, the area was very different: it was a swamp. Then, King Canute (reigned 1016–1035) built a palace nearby, and his successors Edward the Confessor…

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, or a challenge you’d like to overcome? The start of a new school year can be a great time to set some realistic goals for yourself, as these can help you feel positive and hopeful about the future. What does setting goals mean? Setting goals means thinking of something you want to do and then working out how to do it. So if you want to improve your piano skills or join a sports team, try making a plan to practise your music or sport every day. The Week Junior reader Lowri, aged 12, sets goals to organise her school work. “I like to get my homework finished on time so I don’t stress about it. So I write down a list…

Channel 4 has announced that The Great British Bake Off will return to British TV screens for its 13th series later this month. The popular television show includes Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith as judges, deciding who makes the best cakes, biscuits, bread, and other tasty baked things. Matt Lucas and Noel Fielding will also return as presenters. The series starts with 12 bakers, who will be judged on three baking challenges each week until only three contestants remain for the final. Last year, Giuseppe Dell’Anno from Bristol won after creating a display of treats themed around the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Leith told The Mirror newspaper that this series will be a lot harder than previous years, with challenges based around custard, Halloween…

Hetty and the Battle of the Books by Anna James. Illustrated by Jez Tuya (Barrington Stoke) Hetty loves the library, and since she fell out with her best friends, Ali, Mei and Rocket, she’s been spending even more time there. When she learns that the headteacher plans to close it, she is horrified. So Hetty tries to reunite her friends so they can save the library together. The Worst Class in the World Goes Wild by Joanna Nadin. Illustrated by Rikin Parekh (Bloomsbury Children’s) In the latest hilarious book about Class 4B (the worst class in the world), there are more crazy capers when Stanley and Manjit set a dog loose in school and explode fizzy foam all over their headteacher. Full of illustrations, these wacky adventures are an easy…

What do I need? A bike, a helmet, a pair of running shoes and some comfortable clothes are all you need to get started. As you continue to train and even race, you could consider more technical kit – such as running tights, cycling shorts and special lightweight pedals for bikes but you don’t need all that when you start. How can I join a club? Joining a duathlon club is the best way to get started. With the help of an adult, go to britishtriathlon.org and click on the clubs tab where you can search for clubs near to you.…

The Giant Slide at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, US, has been a popular attraction since 1967, so locals were excited when the steel slide finally reopened after being closed for two years because of the pandemic. Just four hours later, however, the slide had to close again because a new coat of wax had made it so slippery that riders were being bounced up into the air. “I was going down way faster than I thought I would,” said one brave child after an especially bumpy ride. Now, after its second closure, the slide is finally safe to ride.…

Reading is magic From 26 to 30 September, the Reading is Magic Festival brings together children’s authors and illustrators from all over the world, for events that can be watched from school or home. The idea came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when book festivals were cancelled. The organisers realised that if they went online they could get lots more authors and illustrators from all over the world. This year you can join a class of Nigerian children, learn Manga with artists from Hungary, Senegal and the US, and watch Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho introduce his new book, The Boy Lost in the Maze. You can also watch shows from the last two years for £5. To find out more, see: readingismagicfestival.com GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to…