Table of contents for 363 in The Week Junior

During the COP27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, an important deal on “loss and damage” was agreed. COP27 is short for the 27th annual Conference of the Parties, where world leaders from more than 100 countries met to discuss ways to tackle climate change (long-term changes in world weather patterns, including rising temperatures). What does loss and damage mean? Loss and damage means the damaging impact of climate change on developing countries, such as the floods in Pakistan this summer. For nearly 30 years, poorer countries have been asking richer countries for money to help to protect communities from the effects of climate change. Richer countries have produced the most greenhouse gases (gases that trap the Sun’s heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, making temperatures rise) but poorer countries are…

A CHIMP MEETING HER BABY A chimpanzee mum meeting her newborn baby has been caught on camera. Vets at a zoo in Kansas, in the US, helped deliver the baby. After the operation, mum Mahale spotted her newborn, Kucheza, and gave him a huge cuddle. FINDING A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE A family had a surprise when a plumber found a 135-year-old message in a bottle under their floorboards. Eilidh Stimpson from Edinburgh waited until her children, aged eight and 10, were back from school to smash the bottle open. The note said, “James Ritchie and John Grieve laid this floor… October 6th 1887.” FUNDRAISING FOR A FRIEND Retired rugby star Kevin Sinfield has raised £2 million for motor neurone disease charities. Sinfield was inspired to raise money when his…

Sandro Farmhouse may not have won the trophy on The Great British Bake Off this year, but the finalist earned lots of fans with his wonderful bakes, positive attitude and big smile. Nelsandro Farmhouse (his full name) had tried to enter the cooking competition many times before but admitted he had always “chickened out”. When the Londoner finally made it onto the show, he was very happy. “Dreams do come true,” he said. Life hasn’t always been easy for Farmhouse. Born in Angola, a country in Africa, he and his mum fled their home country to escape war and moved to England. His dad died when he was young, and he said he struggled at school – but Farmhouse discovered that baking made him feel better. Now he bakes all…

It’s long been known that pigs are intelligent, but a new study has revealed more about these sensitive animals and how they help each other out. Scientists have found that when two pigs get into a fight, a third pig will step in to calm things down. Scientists from the University of Turin in Italy spent six months studying 104 pigs on a farm, watching to see what happened during and after fights. Pigs often quarrel over things like food, mud where they can wallow, or spots of shade to sit in. They bite, push each other or knock heads. The scientists suspected that the pigs might have ways of sorting out squabbles too, just like humans. They observed that a third, peace-making pig often approaches fighting pigs after they…

One hundred years ago, on 26 November 1922, Charles M. Schulz was born in Minnesota, US. Schulz would become the creator of the Peanuts comic strips, which feature Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy and their friends, and his drawings would become some of the most recognised in the world. We remember Schulz and the characters that still win fans today. Charles the artist “All I ever wanted to do was draw funny pictures,” said Schulz. He grew up reading “the funnies” (comic strips) in the Sunday newspapers, and he always loved to draw. When he was 14 years old, his drawing of his dog, Spike, was published in a newspaper. It would not be the only time Schulz’s pet would inspire his art. He went on to study illustration at…

More than 30 years after Roald Dahl’s book was published, and more than 10 years since the musical first took to the stage, Matilda the Musical has been released in cinemas. The film tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, a curious girl with a rich imagination and a sharp mind. Her nasty parents love watching terrible TV and taking part in dodgy money-making schemes but Matilda loves reading books. She’s excited to start at her new school, Crunchem Hall, but is shocked to find out just how evil the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, really is. Inspired by her kind teacher, Miss Honey, her new school friends and her unusual magical powers, Matilda hatches a plan to teach the mean Miss Trunchbull a lesson. The musical originally opened in a theatre in…

Bristol Bears As the Premier 15s rugby union season started, Bristol Bears beat Wasps 62-0. Lucy Burgess and Grace White got two tries each as the Bears scored 10 tries. Novak Djokovic The famous tennis player from Serbia won the ATP Finals title for the sixth time. It was Djokovic’s first ATP Finals title since 2015. Australian rugby teams At the Rugby League World Cup, Australia’s women beat New Zealand and the men’s team beat Samoa to become world champions. England won the wheelchair final. Alessia Russo England international footballer Russo scored a late winner as Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-2 in the Women’s Super League.…

Favourite ways to protect the planet? Riding my bicycle, sharing my world with animals and sea creatures (instead of eating them) and writing stories that help people understand all the incredible jobs nature does to look after us. What inspired your interest in nature? Being outside. I grew up fairly wild in South London and Guyana, South America. South London has wonderful commons to roam around, full of fantastic trees and plants. Guyana is a stunning rainforest country where we’d see neon-green iguanas, electric blue morpho butterflies and scarlet hibiscus. The natural world seemed full of the most magical creatures and spaces and once you’ve felt that magic, it never leaves you. Why did you write Bright New World? I wanted to answer the question, “How do we help equip…

How can I get involved? With the help of an adult, look online for a musical theatre group or stage school near to you. They usually offer a beginner session, where you can try it first. If you don’t have a local group, why not ask a drama teacher at your school if you can help? There’s usually a school play or show in December. How much time does it take? Musical theatre requires a lot of rehearsing, practice and patience. You usually have a class every week, learning sections of the show before putting them all together. It can take a few months to prepare for a show, but it will be worth it!…

A company in Italy has come up with a design for a vast ship shaped like a turtle. At 550 metres long and 610 metres at its widest point, the ship would be the largest ever floating structure and could carry up to 60,000 passengers. On board, there would be shops, parks and hotels, and even docks for other ships to moor. It is called Pangeos, after Pangea, the supercontinent that existed millions of years ago and contained most of world’s land. So far it is only a plan but building the real thing would take eight years and cost about £6.8 billion.…

This week the middle of the magazine has been taken over by a book guide – have you spotted anything you want to grab? I love reading, and it doesn’t really matter to me whether it is a book, a comic strip or (of course!) a magazine. I found our report on the life of the Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz (page 12) fascinating. I didn’t realise that Charlie Brown was based on the creator, and that Schulz had always wanted to draw comics. On The Week Junior team we grew up with Snoopy and his friends – and in fact as soon as we decided we were going to feature them, Dave the art director told me that he wanted to do them on the cover. Our Wellbeing feature…

The Tree Council’s Young Tree Champions Junior Ambassador programme aims to train and empower young people and teachers to be a #ForceForNature. Schools need to sign up as a Young Tree Champion club before they can nominate two of their Young Tree Champions (students) to become Junior Ambassadors. Participating schools gain free access to club space, trees, tech kits and teacher training to help them deliver exciting activities, and Junior Ambassadors can attend lots of fun, inspiring masterclasses. To get started, find out if your school is part of the Young Tree Champion programme already, and if not, speak to a teacher about signing up. Discover more at youngtreechampions.org GET INVOLVED Email your news, views and pictures to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk Please include your full name and address so that we can…

Follow The Week Junior on PopJam @TheWeekJunior. You can download the PopJam app from the App Store or Google Play. Last week, we asked you if searching for aliens is worth it… “I want to see if they talk in our language and I want to see what they look like.” “There’s no such thing as aliens.” “Yes, because it is interesting!” “We should not go searching for aliens because it is a waste of time and money.” “It would be really worth it if there were aliens or alien supplies out there.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

For the first time during a COP conference, young people had a special space to take part in workshops and discussions. It was called the Children and Youth Pavilion and gave them a platform to share their voices. Txai Suruí, from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, said, “People need to act now and we need everyone.” Patience Nabukalu from Uganda also had a message for world leaders. She said, “Africa alone contributes less than 3% of global emissions, but we suffer most from the devastating impacts of climate change. We need action and right now.”…

Around a month’s worth of rain fell on Scotland’s east coast within 36 hours this week. The heavy rain meant that railway lines and roads flooded, and some schools had to close. In some areas, support centres were opened for people who had to leave their homes. River levels also rose, and the River Don, in Aberdeenshire, burst its banks. After three days the water levels dropped, and many roads and rail lines have now reopened.…

Nova Scotia, Canada Tides harnessed for clean energy Renewable energy (energy from sources that do not run out, such as solar, wind and water) is being made using the tides in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. The bay has the highest tides in the world. Power is generated with floating turbines – devices that use energy from tides and turn it into electricity. The tides will power 250 homes. Mexico Famous rescue dog remembered On 15 November, Mexico’s navy announced that Frida, a Labrador retriever rescue dog, had died. Frida became famous after an earthquake in Mexico City in 2017, when she helped rescue people. She wore goggles and boots on missions. Celeste Byers, who painted a mural of Frida, said she was a “symbol of strength and…

November is a great time to find fungi, including collared earthstars, which grow across much of the UK. You’re most likely to find them under trees that lose their leaves in autumn. At first they look like a small brown bulb, up to 10 centimetres across, but then the outer skin splits open into a star shape with four to eight points that start to curl back. In the middle is the white spore bag. This has a small hole at the top called a peristome and if the bag is touched, by a raindrop for example, it lets out dust-like spores. Spores are like seeds for fungi, helping them to reproduce. Some Native Americans called collared earthstars ka-ka-toos – or “fallen stars” – and believed them to be a…

The space missions In the 1960s, the US space agency NASA asked Schulz if Snoopy could become its official safety mascot. Snoopy remains NASA’s mascot to this day, and he is currently on board the Artemis I mission to the Moon. Read more about his NASA mission on page 14. The animations In 1965, the first animated TV version of Peanuts was shown. It was the first of 45 TV specials. In 2015 The Peanuts Movie (see picture) was released. It was partly written and produced by Craig and Bryan Schulz, Charles’s son and grandson. The museums In California, US, there is a Charles M. Schulz Museum where visitors can learn more about the illustrator’s work. More than one million people have visited since it opened 20 years ago. A…

When you feel out of sorts it can be hard to know where the feeling comes from or what to do about it. Stop and HALT When you notice you feel grumpy, HALT. As well as meaning “stop”, “HALT” stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. You can use it to help you find out what’s causing you to feel out of sorts and how to help yourself feel better. So when you’re grumpy, pause and ask yourself how each of these words applies to you. Are you hungry or angry? The H in HALT stands for hungry, so check if it’s a long time since you last ate. When you’re hungry, your blood sugar is lower than usual and this can affect your thinking and how you feel. Psychologist (an…

Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak (Nosy Crow) Clementine is the smartest mouse in history. Bred in a science laboratory, she’s managed to escape – and now she’s on the run. With the help of some new friends, can she outsmart the scientists on her trail and find freedom? Funny and heart-warming, this book is a delight to read. Grimwood: Let the Fur Fly by Nadia Shireen (Simon & Schuster Children’s) In the second instalment of the brilliantly hilarious Grimwood series, fox cubs Ted and Nancy return for a new adventure. This time, the dastardly mayor of neighbouring town Twinklenuts is trying to take over Grimwood and kick everyone out. The siblings, with the help of their friends, must set out on a mission to save their forest home. The Fire…

Name: Olivia Kay’s Anatomy by Adam Kay “Hilarious, gripping, fascinating. Have you ever wondered what different life can be hiding inside our bodies?” YOUR TURN Email your book review to hello@theweekjunior.co.uk. If your review is printed in the magazine you’ll receive a Roving Reporter badge. Tell us what you liked about the book and why you’d recommend it to others, and don’t forget to include your name and address.* *If you are the competition winner, we will only use the details you provide to contact you and arrange delivery of your competition prize. Further details about how we manage the data you provide can be found at www.futureplc.com/privacy-policy…

Money may not buy happiness, but it helps. It pays for the things we need to live and can make us feel secure. Stories about rising food and energy prices in the news show how important it is to be careful with money and feel confident about saving and spending it. According to GoHenry, the children’s savings app, 77% of young people want to learn how to manage money before they go out into the world. So The Week Junior asked Dr Mara Harvey, money expert and author of the children’s book A Smart Way to Start, to share her top tips. 1 Learn to earn Ask parents, grandparents and neighbours if you can do chores to earn extra pocket money. These could include washing a car, sorting out the…

Blue Cross Blue Cross is a national charity that has been helping pets for 125 years. Every month it helps thousands of pets and people by providing veterinary care, expert behaviour advice and finds homeless pets loving families. It also offers education for potential pet owners, plus support when a pet dies. Pets can make a massive difference to people and the Blue Cross offers lifelong support and advice to help those wonderful friendships. Find out more at bluecross.org.uk…

Teacher’s name: Miss Micklewright School: Kellett School, Hong Kong “I would like to nominate my teacher Miss Micklewright as Teacher of the Week. She is kind and funny and caring and everyone loves her. She teaches Year 5 and is the best teacher ever.”Saskia 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…

1 Who is the captain of Iran’s football team? □ a) Ehsan Haji Safi □ b) Harry Kane □ c) Gareth Bale 2 True or false? The Autumn Statement was delivered by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. □ True □ False 3 Which bay in Nova Scotia, Canada, has the highest tides in the world? 4 What percentage of UK schools have compulsory school uniforms? □ a) 100% □ b) 90% □ c) 50% 5 True or false? Sammie Vance managed to get benches made out of plastic bottle caps. □ True □ False 6 How do pigs calm other pigs that have been fighting? 7 What is Charlie Brown’s dog called? □ a) Thomas □ b) Snoopy □ c) Luna 8 True or false? The Artemis I mission, which…

Protests against the Iranian government are continuing both in Iran and abroad. In Qatar, where the men’s football World Cup is taking place, the Iranian team did not sing their national anthem before their match against England on 21 November. Some Iranian supporters booed the anthem and held signs saying “Woman, life, freedom”. The team’s captain, Ehsan Haji Safi, said, “The conditions in our country are not right and our people are not happy.” In Iran, protesters have set fire to the childhood home of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who founded modern Iran in 1979. Khomeini died in 1989, but burning down his house is seen as people expressing their unhappiness against the government’s strict rules and harsh treatment of women. Protests in Iran started in September when a woman called…

On 17 November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer (the person in charge of the UK’s money), Jeremy Hunt, announced the Government’s autumn budget. This is its plan for how to organise the UK’s money from April 2023. Hunt has raised taxes and cut Government spending because he says the UK is in a recession. This is when the economy (the way a country organises its workers, money and resources) is doing badly. What was announced? Hunt didn’t increase the basic rate of income tax (money paid to the Government out of people’s wages). However, he changed the rules for who pays the top rate of income tax (a higher rate for people who earn lots of money). This means more people will pay it. The household energy price cap sets…

Most schools have some items of uniform, such as a blazer or fleece, branded with their logo. Often they can only be bought from certain shops or from the school, and are very expensive. For example, a branded blazer starts at around £30 – and can be much more – but unbranded ones can cost as little as £12. Many schools have tried to keep costs down, allowing pupils to wear plain shirts, trousers and skirts bought from supermarkets. In Wales and Scotland, politicians are hoping to make school clothing cheaper. Some have suggested giving logos to families to iron or sew on to plain items. However, some people believe that logos help create an identity for schools and pupils. What do you think? Should branded school uniforms be scrapped?…

Almost exactly 50 years after the last Apollo mission to the Moon took off, a new mission to the Moon has started. On 16 November, NASA (the US space agency) successfully launched its Artemis I spacecraft, and it reached the Moon on 21 November. This is the start of a mission to get a man and a woman to the Moon by 2025 and to build a base for humans to live on and research the Moon. The mission was meant to launch earlier this year, but it got delayed. The first launch, which was due to take place on 29 August, was cancelled because there were problems with the engine. The second launch, less than a week later, was cancelled because the fuel supply of liquid hydrogen was leaking.…

On 20 November, Enner Valencia scored the first goals of the men’s 2022 World Cup finals. Valencia is the captain of Ecuador and he scored twice as his country beat Qatar 2-0 in the tournament’s opening game. Qatar, a small country in the Middle East that’s mainly desert, is hosting the World Cup. This is also the first time Qatar has played at the world’s biggest football competition. The match was played at the Al Bayt Stadium, which is designed to look like a traditional tent from the region. Ecuador made a great start and Valencia thought he had scored after just three minutes, but his goal was ruled out by the referee. By the 31st minute, though, Ecuador had raced to a 2-0 lead thanks to Valencia. Qatar were…

by Cindy Forde (Welbeck Kids) Do you ever wonder how can we tackle the difficult problems facing our world – such as climate change and pollution – and build a better future? We already have the answers. In this inspiring non-fiction book, environmentalist Cindy Forde presents a vision of a bright new world in which we have come together to fight climate change, pollution, poverty and inequality. Here you’ll find restored coral reefs; cars powered by sunlight; factories that purify the air instead of polluting it; and lots of other amazing advances, all of which are based on real-life ideas and new technologies. You’ll also learn about the young activists, entrepreneurs and inventors, who are working together to make this future a real possibility – and how you can help…

Do you like dancing, singing and acting? In musical theatre, you get to do all three. Musical theatre shows are performed on stage in front of an audience, and they’re often just known as “musicals”. Popular musicals include Mamma Mia!, Matilda and Mary Poppins. Often, the stories of musicals are based on a book or a film, and the plot is linked together by songs, which is why it’s called a musical. Some of the actors will sing to the music and they may perform a dance routine at the same time. Some big musical theatre productions might have their own orchestra or group of musicians playing live at the front of the stage. As well as singing and dancing, a musical will include a third skill: acting. This involves…

Crossword Read the clues carefully and write the answers into the grid. Across 1 French fry (4) 3 Thigh-length trousers for PE (6) 8 Party decoration on a string (7) 9 Frozen water (3) 10 Modern high-rise building (5,5) 13 Luxury car manufacturer (5-5) 17 Taxi (3) 18 Low-toned woodwind instrument (7) 19 Military gesture of respect (6) 20 Make with needles and wool (4) Down 1 3-D square (4) 2 Arctic dwelling (5) 4 Female chicken (3) 5 Big, horned, African animal (5) 6 Talks (6) 7 Cowboy competitions (6) 11 Shirt-like garment (6) 12 Lego pieces (6) 14 Clothing tag (5) 15 Headdress for a king or queen (5) 16 Tangle (in string, say) (4) 18 Creature that sleeps hanging upside down (3) Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled…