Innholdsfortegnelse for 373 i The Week Junior

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced his plan to fix emergency care in the National Health Service (NHS). Waiting times for ambulances, as well as in accident and emergency departments, have increased in recent months. Speaking in Darlington, England, on 30 January, Sunak promised “the largest and fastest improvement in emergency waiting times in the NHS’s history”. What was announced? The Prime Minister announced several changes to the NHS that he hopes will help patients. One idea is to create “virtual wards”, which would allow patients to stay at home and speak to doctors and nurses by video call. He also said that over two years, the Government will spend £1 billion on 800 new ambulances, 100 mental health vehicles and 5,000 hospital beds. Sunak also hopes to train more…

Paris, France Giant sculpture of artist appears A large sculpture of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama has appeared above a designer clothing shop in Paris. Kusama is known as the “Princess of Polka Dots” because her work features colourful dots. The fashion brand, Louis Vuitton, is working with Kusama on a clothing collection and has covered its shops in large polka dots. Hawaii, US Lifeguard wins surfing competition A local lifeguard who competed during breaks as he watched the beach has won a surfing contest in Hawaii. Luke Shepardson won the £8,000 prize with an almost perfect score. The competition only takes place when the waves are big enough, so this is the first time the event has taken place since 2016. Nigeria Celebrating Yoruba culture Photographer and artist Asiko uses…

A relative of the buttercup, the lesser celandine has a similar cheerful yellow flower. It brightens up dark and damp places between February and April, including ditches, hedgerows, river banks and woodland paths, as well as gardens and meadows. Topping long stalks, the leaves are shiny, dark green and heart-shaped. The glossy yellow flowers have eight to 12 petals. Being one of the first plants to flower after winter, they’re an important source of nectar for pollinators as they wake up after hibernation, such as queen bumblebees. In C. S. Lewis’s novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, he writes how Narnia’s woods burst into spring when Aslan the lion returns, and he describes celandines.…

The first signs that an animal is feeling unwell are often changes in behaviour. They may be grumpy or more sleepy and less active than normal. There may be changes in their appetite or obvious signs such as limping or sneezing. Zookeepers know the personalities and normal behaviours of the animals they look after – meaning changes are spotted quickly and they can be treated quickly too. 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…

Objects in the night sky are gradually disappearing from view because of light pollution, according to astronomers (scientists who study space). Outdoor lights like street lamps cause light pollution, which makes stars and the planets harder to see from Earth. Dr Christopher Kyba and his team took 50,000 star observations between 2011 and 2022. They concluded that the stars are becoming less visible each year because of increasing levels of light from towns and cities. “If the brightening of the night sky continues at the current rate,” Kyba said, “A child born in a place where 250 stars are visible will only be able to see 100 stars by the time they turned 18.” The issue affects the whole world but it is particularly bad in North America, where 80%…

Great Britain’s Alfie Hewett won the Australian Open men’s wheelchair singles title. The player from Norfolk, England, lost in the final in both 2022 and 2021 but it was third time lucky for Hewett after he beat Japan’s Tokito Oda. Hewett also won the men’s wheelchair doubles. Hewett now has seven Grand Slam titles and he says he hopes that his success will inspire people to watch wheelchair tennis. “I would love to be a figurehead for this sport,” he explains.…

He lives in a pineapple under the sea, but SpongeBob SquarePants is exploring places far from home in his latest game, which has just been released for PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a 3D platform adventure where the bright yellow hero and his friend Patrick journey into seven “Wishworlds” to rescue their friends. Each Wishworld has a different theme. SpongeBob is transported to the Wild West to face cowboys, tussles with pirates on the oceans and even gets slimy in a prehistoric world of snails. For each Wishworld, you can choose one of 30 costumes for SpongeBob. Once you’ve entered a Wishworld, watch out – you’re going to encounter some colourful enemy characters. You can blow bubbles and perform a spin attack to defeat…

Ever found a fossil? When I was growing up I used to find imprints of shells in rocks on the beach but I didn’t know they were fossils. Favourite writing spot? I love rooms with big, north-facing windows. When I was at art college, the painting studios faced this way. I think there is something soothing about the cool light that comes from the north. How do you relax? I’m one of those annoying people who only relaxes by doing work. I find manual work, like digging over my allotment, is relaxing and good for my mental health too. Best birthday present? I was so homesick when I first left home, I used to dream of the skeins of geese flying low over the estuary where I grew up. My…

Holly King-Mand was nicknamed “the nation’s favourite English teacher” after helping thousands of pupils with online lessons during the Covid-19 pandemic. Parents and guardians can find out more about Holly’s brilliant interactive online classes at hollysclassroom.com This week we look at how to create imaginative and intriguing characters in your writing. The trick is to describe and develop them so that your characters take centre stage and really bring your fabulous stories to life. Here are Holly’s four top tips and tricks that will make your characters come alive – and keep your readers’ attention. 1 What’s in a name? What do you call your character? Naming your character is actually really important. A character’s name can give your reader clues about them. They can communicate the period in history…

The National Lobster Hatchery The marine conservation, education and research charity works with the local fishing industry to stock enhance European lobsters. It does so by rearing them through their vulnerable life stages in its onsite maternity ward, then releases them back into the wild. Its work has significantly improved survival rate, up to 1,000%. Pay a visit to the charity’s visitor centre in Cornwall to discover more about these creatures and this charity’s conservation work. Nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk…

The NHS has been affected by strike action this winter, which is when workers officially stop working to protest against their job conditions and pay. Nurses and ambulance staff have both gone on strike asking for better pay to deal with rising costs. Strikes due to take place in the week of 6 February are set to be the biggest in the history of the NHS. NHS leaders have urged the Government to end the disruption and discuss pay rises with trade unions (workers organised into a group to call for better conditions) representing NHS staff.…

A CHARITY SHOP’S FORTUNES An expensive watch that turned up in a charity shop has been sold for £9,766 online. The British Heart Foundation (which owns the shop in Hounslow, London, where the watch was found) said the 18-carat gold watch was the most valuable item it has sold. LITTLE PIGS FINDING A NEW HOME An animal sanctuary in Kent, England, has found a home for a pair of rescued micro pigs. The abandoned animals were saved by a passer-by who took them to the Lord Whisky Sanctuary Fund. Recently, the number of unwanted pets arriving at the animal charity has gone up. The pigs, named Dawnie and Dixie, have now found a new home. A LIFE-CHANGING VOLUNTEER Nuala O’Toole, from Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, has been recognised for her…

In December 2022, the Prime drink, promoted by online influencers KSI and Logan Paul, went on sale in UK shops. The sports drink comes in a few fruity flavours, including orange, grape and blue raspberry, and has been very popular with young people. Many shops sold out and others have had customers queuing before they open just to buy the drinks. Although its official price is £2, it’s been such a hit that some shops have been selling it for £10 or more per bottle. One shop has even said it has charged £100 for a bottle. During the pandemic some shops heavily increased the prices of masks, toilet roll and hand sanitiser because they were in demand. Lots of people think this is unfair. What do you think? Should…

Researchers have discovered that a population of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise, from the Yangtze River in China, showed signs of recovery after sand mining was stopped. Around the world, 50 billion tonnes of sand are mined (dug up to be sold) every year. Other than water, it is the most in-demand natural resource. Sand is tiny bits of rock that have worn down over millions of years. It’s used to make building materials such as bricks, concrete and glass. It is also sometimes shifted about to create artificial beaches or barriers that protect seaside towns and villages from flooding. However, moving sand from its original location can harm the species that live there. From 2006 to 2019, scientists studied Yangtze finless porpoises in Dongting Lake, which is connected…

In New Zealand, 6 February is a big day. People across the country come together to mark Waitangi Day. This was the date New Zealand’s founding document was signed by the British Government and Maori tribes. Today, there are more than 800,000 people of Maori heritage living in New Zealand, around 17% of the population. Find out about Maori culture and what happens on this day. The island’s first inhabitants Maori tribes are believed to be the first people to live on the islands now known as New Zealand. Maori tribes arrived between AD1200 and 1300 in wooden canoes from a group of islands in Polynesia, in the South Pacific Ocean. For hundreds of years, Maori people lived on the island. They were skilled at wood carving, weaving and painting,…

Zoe Atkin Great Britain’s Atkin won her first winter X Games gold medal. She won the Ski Superpipe at the event in Colorado, US. India under-19 cricket team They defeated England in the Women’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup final in South Africa. India bowled England out for 68 runs and won by seven wickets. Arsenal Women In the Women’s FA Cup, Arsenal beat Leeds 9-0. Manchester City also enjoyed a big win as they beat Sheffield United 7-0. Keely Hodgkinson The British runner set a record time of one minute 23.41 seconds in the 600 metres race at the World Indoor Tour in Manchester, England.…

From 8 to 18 February, the annual Imagine Children’s Festival returns to the Southbank Centre in London. More than 100 events – half of them free of charge – are aimed at young people up to the age of 11. They include comedy, dance, music, poetry, storytelling and visual arts. Famous people such as author Michael Rosen and TV presenter Stephen Mulhern will be there, with plenty of chances to get involved and be creative. Music and dance shows include the world’s youngest DJ, Archie, playing tunes to get people dancing at his Daytime Rave. ZooNation Youth Company will be leading a workshop about storytelling using hip-hop moves. You can also get involved at the Mighty Kids Comedy Beatbox Show, a loud and funny event hosted by comedian Jarred Christmas…

How to Manage Your Eco-Anxiety by Anouchka Grose. Illustrated by Lauriane Bohémier (Magic Cat) This little book is all about how to manage any worries about the environment. Follow 10 easy steps to understand feelings of eco-anxiety; learn about some helpful tools and techniques; and find out how you can channel your worries in positive new directions. Good News by Rashmi Sirdeshpande. Illustrated by Adam Hayes (Hachette Children’s) From climate change to war, sometimes it can feel as if the world is full of bad news, but this uplifting and empowering book will help you look on the bright side. Find out how to be a “fake news detective”, working out what’s true and what isn’t and shining a light on the globe’s good news. How You Can Save The…

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to fly through the sky then riding on a zip wire is one fun way to find out. Also known as a zip line, this is a thrilling ride where you sit in a harness that’s attached to a long cable at the top of a raised platform. When released, you whizz down the cable and get a big buzz as you feel as if you are flying. Zip lines are open all year, if the weather conditions are safe. Most are in quiet and beautiful places in the countryside such as forests, lakes and quarries across the UK. Others are in cities such as Go Ape in Battersea, London and or near shopping centres such as Hangloose near Bluewater in Kent.…

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 106 237 260 837 946 4 numbers 2434 6444 7215 7476 5 numbers 37723 65361 88315 6 numbers 252596 444345 809438 7 numbers 6033857 6333737 9743757 8 numbers 45617606 46601323 90117225 96457303 9 numbers 126824542 417440731 846944019 Sudoku Place the numbers from 1 to 6 exactly once in each row, column and 2x3 bold-lined box, to complete the grid. ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 29 Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. CALF CHICK CYGNET DUCKLING ELVER FARROW FAWN FOAL GOSLING HEIFER JOEY JUVENILE KITTEN LAMB LEVERET…

Name: Lily “On 20 November, in Quinta do Lago, Portugal, 60-year-old Graham Morgan broke the Guinness World Record for the highest number of chin-ups achieved within 24 hours. Graham did 7,479 verified (meaning accurate and justified) chin-ups in 24 hours. He started to train six and a half months prior to his incredible goal in support of Chin-ups for Children in aid of charity Save the Children. I was so happy to meet Graham at the start, during and after his challenge. Graham’s advice to anyone wanting to break a World Record is not to think of the final big target, but to break it down into smaller pieces rather than one big effort. This helped him also during the night when it was quite tough. His endurance, winning mindset…

“On a recent trip to Fuerteventura, we climbed volcanoes and found some interesting shaped volcanic rocks including a beautiful heart-shaped rock.”Reeva and Viren “I read The Week Junior at Lighthouse English Center in Jeju, South Korea. It is really fun with kid friendly words, and if I don’t understand a paragraph, the pictures help me to understand.”Jenny “I completed a challenge on Christmas Eve, raising over £1,500 for The Toy Trust! I walked a mile a day dressed as a Lego man! Find out more at tinyurl.com/TWJ-LegoMan”Bodi…

Officials in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, have advised people to wear face masks when they are outdoors and to work from home because the air has become very polluted with tiny particles that can harm human, animal and plant health. The authorities are also asking people to use public transport instead of their own cars if they have to go out, to avoid causing more pollution. The air quality across Thailand often gets worse between December and April because of forest fires and farmers setting fire to their land to clear fields for growing new crops. This adds to the already high levels of air pollution in Bangkok caused by traffic, building sites and factories in and around the city. The number of people with health problems linked…

The Royal Opera House in London has ended its 33-year sponsorship deal with energy company BP. Under the deal, BP gave the Royal Opera House money in return for having its name on display beside projects and exhibitions. Why is this important? For many years, environmental campaigners have asked the Royal Opera House to end its partnership with BP, one of the richest oil and gas companies in the word. Oil and gas are fossil fuels, which cause climate change (long-term changes in world weather patterns, including rising temperatures). BP has also been criticised for not putting enough money into alternative, more sustainable energy sources, such as solar and wind farms. There are still several cultural organisations that accept sponsorship from fossil fuel companies but others, including the Royal Shakespeare…

Most people may not recognise the name Jack Andrews – but they might have heard his voice. The nine-year-old from Hertford, England, has an award-winning podcast called Jack to the Future. Two years ago, during the Covid-19 lockdowns, Jack appeared on a local radio station in his home town of Hertford, telling jokes. He enjoyed the on-air experience so much that he decided to record his own podcast. His first task was to come up with a name for the show – he based it on the title of his favourite film, Back to the Future, which he’s seen five times. The theme of the podcast is all things to do with the future. Jack tackles challenging and fun topics, such as the future of fast food, rail travel and…

Scientists have known for a long time that humans and other apes, such as chimpanzees, have lots of physical similarities. Now, new research has shown that we may also share a language – because we use the same physical gestures (signs) to communicate. Researchers already knew that great apes (a family of apes very closely related to humans, including bonobos, chimpanzees and gorillas) have more than 80 gestures that they use to communicate with each other. Scratching their chests is a way to say “groom me” to another ape; pointing fingers down beside them means “come here”. They might also ask for food from each other by cupping a hand under another ape’s chin. To test if humans can understand these gestures, scientists from the University of St Andrews in…

Narwhal The Inuit, a group of people who live in and around the Arctic regions, believe that narwhals are being driven out of their natural habitat due to noisy ships, which are travelling more widely as the sea ice melts. Narwhals are a species of whale nicknamed the “unicorns of the sea”. • LIFESPAN: 30 to 40 years. • HABITAT: The cold waters of northern Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. • SIZE: Four to six metres long. • DIET: Fish and crustaceans like molluscs and shrimp • FUN FACT: Narwhals’ spiralled tusks are actually a very sensitive enlarged tooth, which usually only grows on males and can be more than three metres long.…

Dame Whina Cooper Whina Cooper was a Maori activist during the 20th century. She fought for Maori communities to have equal access to education, healthcare and housing services, and to keep access to their land. Rieko Ioane Rieko plays for New Zealand’s national rugby union team, the All Blacks, along with his brother, Akira Ioane. They are a sporty family: their mother played for the Black Ferns, New Zealand’s women’s rugby team, and their father played rugby for Samoa. Taika Waititi Taika Waititi is an actor and film director. He is famous as the voice of Korg, the creature made of rocks in the Marvel films. Waititi has worked on several films that have featured the stories of Maori people, to increase representation and diversity.…

Victory at the Australian Open in Melbourne gave tennis stars Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka the first Grand Slam single titles of 2023.Along with Wimbledon, the US Open and the French Open, the Australian Open is one of the four biggest tennis competitions each year. These are called Grand Slams. It was Djokovic’s 22nd Grand Slam title and he now has the same number of men’s Grand Slam singles titles as Spain’s Rafael Nadal. Djokovic, from Serbia, beat Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas by three sets to zero. It is the 10th time Djokovic has been Australian Open champion. He has also won Wimbledon seven times, won the US Open three times and has twice been French Open champion. This was the first time Sabalenka had played in a Grand Slam final.…

Has a person ever held a door open for you and smiled? How do you feel after playing with friends? And what would you say is your favourite family memory? These questions have one thing in common: they’re all about connecting with people. “Let’s Connect” is the theme of this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week (6–12 February). It promotes wellbeing and better mental health, which are strengthened by building healthy social connections. Connecting is important Human beings are sociable creatures who naturally connect with others, whether that’s family, friends or people in our community. Healthy connections give people energy and support – we all need people we can celebrate and share our worries with. Social connections aren’t just about mental wellbeing; they boost physical health too, helping you to live…

by Hannah Foley (Zephyr) In 1880s London, 12-year-old Emma Linden lives hidden away in her father’s house, dreaming of following in the footsteps of the famous fossil hunter Mary Anning. When her brother James becomes intensely interested in a tiger at the Natural History Museum, Emma’s world is turned upside down. In present-day Devon, Jude finds his classmate Rosie Linden, who has been missing for four days and has a strange tale to tell. Before long, family secrets begin to unravel. This story spans 140 years and it explores the experiences of two very different girls whose lives are both affected by mental health issues. Unusual and beautifully written, it will make you think about friendship, hope and the power of empathy. WIN! We’re giving away five copies of The Tiger…

How can I try it? With the help of an adult, search online for a zip line near you. Check if you need to be a minimum age or height first. You will need to book in advance as zip lines can get busy at weekends and during school holidays. Some centres arrange for school trips too. Where can I go? The Zip World centre at Penrhyn Quarry, in Wales, is famous for its Quarry Flyer ride. The Quarry Flyer has two lines; the first is 110 metres long and ends in landing on a tower before you take another zip line to the end. There are some sites in Manchester, Lake District and Kent, all in England, that offer zipwiring.…

A park ranger in Australia has discovered a giant toad. The enormous amphibian weighs 2.7 kilograms and might be the largest cane toad ever found. Ranger Kylee Gray spotted the toad in Conway National Park in Queensland, describing it as “like a football with legs”. She believes the giant toad has probably been gorging on a diet of endless insects, reptiles and small mammals such as mice. “A cane toad that size will eat anything it can fit into its mouth,” she said. The toad has since been given a nickname, “Toadzilla”.…

Every week I learn some incredible things, working here at The Week Junior. You would think my sense of wonder would run out eventually, but it shows no signs of it yet. I had no idea that sand mining was such a huge industry (page 11), nor that it can affect so many animals and plants. It hadn’t occurred to me that apes and humans use similar signs to communicate with each other (page 10), nor that there is a comet near Earth (page 14), nor that there exists a toad as big as a cushion (page 27). That last one made me feel a bit funny, actually. The fact that came as no surprise at all, however, is that we all enjoy a really good story (page 5). Hearing…

An art competition celebrating springtime Cheltenham-based Park Gallery has launched a brand-new art competition with the theme “New Life” in association with Cheltenham’s Christian Arts Festival. The competition has two categories, an Open category for all ages, and a Schools category, open to years nine to 13. Painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture are accepted, and people of all religions, ages and skill levels are invited to take part. First and second place in both the Open and Schools categories will receive cash prizes and representation at Park Gallery for a limited time. To enter your artwork, go to tinyurl.com/TWJ-NewLife ahead of the 27 February deadline. GET INVOLVED 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…

Teacher’s name: Miss Shah School: Stamford Park Primary School, Altrincham, Cheshire “If there was a teacher of the year it would be Miss Shah every single time. Everyone LOVES her because she is so kind and always there for us when we need her. She is funny, she knows lots of great stories. Overall, she is the most inspiring person ever and makes every lesson fun, even French!” Mia 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…

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 Easter eggs should be on sale in January… “It’s only a chocolate egg, just enjoy it!” “Yes, I think Easter eggs should be on sale any time, but not necessarily branded as Easter eggs.” “No, because the Easter eggs will probably have melted by Easter.” “I think it would be more special and traditional to have Easter eggs on sale closer to Easter.”…

1 A statue of which mythical figure was found underneath Rome? □ a) Hercules □ b) Saturn □ c) Jupiter 2 True or false? The oldest story in history dates back around 4,000 years. □ True □ False 3 What is Petr Pavel’s new job? 4 How much did one shop charge for four toilet rolls in the pandemic? □ a) £12 □ b) £16 □ c) £25 5 True or false? Jack to the Future is Jack Andrews’ award-winning television show. □ True □ False 6 How many gestures do great apes use to communicate, according to researchers? 7 What does Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand, mean? □ a) Long white cloud □ b) Cloud in the sky □ c) Small cloud 8 True or false? Turtles…