Table of contents for 377 in The Week Junior

The UK and the European Union (EU) have reached an agreement about how to move goods to and from Northern Ireland. The EU is a group of 27 countries that work and trade together. In 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU, a move known as Brexit. This led to problems in Northern Ireland because it is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with an EU member country – Ireland. What happened? Since Brexit, Northern Ireland (in the UK) has had different trading rules to those of Ireland (in the EU). The EU has strict rules and wanted to check certain foods and other goods before they entered Ireland. Officials from the UK and EU have spent a lot of time and effort working…

A strip of land between North and South Korea, which acts as a boundary between the two countries, has become a wildlife haven. The land, known as the demilitarised zone (DMZ), was created when the Korean War ended. The North invaded the South in 1950 and the war lasted until 1953. When the fighting ended, an area 2.5 miles wide was created to separate the two countries. Since then, not many people have been allowed into the 150-mile-long DMZ, which has helped nature to thrive. Scientists studying the DMZ have found 6,168 species of wildlife living there. This includes golden eagles, mountain goats and otters. Using remote cameras, the scientists also spotted wildcats and an Asiatic black bear cub, which is a threatened species. There are different types of environment…

Sheffield, England, has become the UK’s latest city to introduce a clean air zone (CAZ) in the city centre as a way to reduce pollution. Since 27 February, drivers of polluting buses, lorries, taxis and vans have had to pay a daily charge of either £10 or £50 if they drive through parts of Sheffield covered by the CAZ. The price depends on how big the vehicle is and how much pollution it creates. Drivers of private (not used as a person’s job) cars and motorbikes won’t have to pay. This is because even though they make up 80% of traffic in the city centre, they only produce 50% of pollution. In some cities, like London, private vehicles do have to pay. Sheffield City Council first announced the CAZ in…

A family have created their own TV A show for Sky Kids, all about a black British family just like them. Cynthia and Anthony Deluola and their three children live in London and are of Ghanaian and Nigerian heritage. It all started when their five-year-old daughter Elise, now nine, dressed up for World Book Day in a traditional Ghanaian costume, but she felt out of place among her classmates. The Deluolas realised how few books featured families like them, so they wrote four and made a cartoon, with family members voicing the characters. The family sent them to Sky, where bosses were so impressed that they invited the family to help create a TV show. Ama’s Story first aired on 24 February. It is a mix of live actors and…

Do you enjoy wildlife watching? The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), a UK wildlife charity, is asking for people all over the country to help with its annual Living with Mammals survey, starting this March. The volunteer project will continue throughout the year and aims to record as many sightings of wild UK mammals as possible. It doesn’t matter where you live, you might spot a mammal in your garden, a park or even on a school sports field. Mammals that live wild in the UK include badgers, bats, dormice, water voles and weasels. PTES will use the information from the survey to find out where conservation projects are most needed. The charity hopes the survey will help it understand the UK’s changing environments, so it can encourage wildlife…

On 26 February, the English and Scottish men’s football League Cup finals were played. In England, Manchester United beat Newcastle United 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in London. In Scotland, Celtic defeated Rangers 2-1 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Manchester United had won the competition five times in their history but not in the last six years. Newcastle had gone even longer without success and were aiming to win their first important cup since 1969. Brazil international Casemiro opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. An own goal from Newcastle’s Sven Botman gave Manchester United a 2-0 lead at half-time. Newcastle were unable to find a way past David de Gea, the Manchester United goalkeeper, and the team in red celebrated on the famous Wembley pitch when the referee blew the…

From 10 to 19 March, people in the UK will be marking British Science Week with exciting events around the country. The idea is to raise awareness of all the incredible things you can learn and do related to STEM, and to get more people involved in it. At the Science and Media Museum in Bradford, England, visitors can have an out-of-this-world experience at the Space Explorers: Family Fun Day on 18 March. Discover how scientists use telescopes, satellites and rockets to explore the universe and learn what’s in our galaxy. You can also learn to build your own mini space station game using paper and computers. Also in England, Coventry Transport Museum’s Saturday Play Day on 11 March lets families try some engineering and test their problem-solving. There is…

Vita and the Gladiator by Ally Sherrick (Chicken House) In Roman London, Vita dreams of writing plays, but instead she must get married. Then her father is murdered and before long she has become a slave, sharing a cell with a gladiator, Brea, and her wolf. Vita and Brea have the same enemy and together they must fight for justice. Blackbeard’s Treasure by Iszi Lawrence (Bloomsbury Education) It’s 1717. Pirate ships sail the oceans and brutal slave masters control the plantations. In the Caribbean, 11-year-old Abigail lives a sheltered, comfortable life – until pirates attack and she finds herself plunged into adventure. This swashbuckling story is inspired by real tales of 18th century pirates and is packed with fascinating historical detail. The Clockwork Queen by Peter Bunzl. Illustrated by Lia…

Mountain biking is a great way to explore outside and do some fun exercise while riding with friends and family. Despite the sport’s name, there are actually no mountains involved – and you don’t even need to ride up and down hills if you don’t want to. You need a bike that can handle being off-road. Mountain bikes have a strong but lightweight frame, chunky tyres for good grip, strong brakes and gears to help with any steep climbs and rough ground. Some mountain bikes have suspension, which helps to absorb the bumps in the ground. There are lots of different mountain bike activities and routes (called “trails”) to suit all ages and experience. Trails include country paths, parks, through woodland and man-made tracks and courses. Most people start with…

Word fill in All these words fit in the grid. Can you work out where each word goes to complete it? 3 letters DOG PUG SIT VET 4 letters CHOW HEEL LEAD TAIL 5 letters CORGI GROOM HOUND 7 letters LURCHER SHELTIE 8 letters ALSATIAN LABRADOR 9 letters GREYHOUND MICROCHIP 10 letters POMERANIAN ROTTWEILER Wordsearch Can you find all of the words listed here? They are hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and may read forwards or backwards. BELL BOARD CHANGE DEPOT DOOR DRIVER FARE GARAGE JOURNEY NUMBER QUEUE REQUEST SEAT SHELTER STAIRS STOP TICKET TIMETABLE WAIT WINDOW Word jumble Rearrange the scrambled letters to form four words that are types of books. Number tower Place a number in every circle to complete the tower. The value in each circle is…

Cure Parkinson’s Parkinson’s disease affects the part of the brain that controls movement. This charity aims to stop Parkinson’s getting worse, and even make it better. It does this by researching treatments that could perhaps slow, stop or reverse the effects of Parkinson’s. To raise money and awareness for Parkinson’s research, a cyclist called Kate Osborne has cycled across the US. In total, her challenge has raised nearly £10,000. To find out more about what else the charity does have a look at cureparkinsons.org.uk…

“Here is a picture of me making pancakes with my mum using your brilliant pancake recipe. I even managed to flip one all by myself. They were delicious.”Aaryan “Here’s a photo of the 45 magazines I have collected. I love seeing the crafts and reading the jokes.”Alisa “Our dog Laika, reading the end of year issue. She is taking a keen interest in the other featured pets.”Hamish…

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 cash is more useful than cards. You said… “Yeah, because you can use as much cash but there is a limit on card.” “No, because you can lose cash.” “Yes, as it is quick and easy to use.” “Children need to learn how money works right in front of them.” Tell us what you think of this week’s issue and we’ll print some of the best comments here.…

1 Who is the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party? □ a) Jeffrey Donaldson □ b) Rishi Sunak □ c) Ursula von der Leyen 2 True or false? Newcastle is the latest city to launch a clean air zone. □ True □ False 3 What kind of building is causing debate in Ghana? ___________________________ 4 Where did Roald Dahl write his books? □ a) The kitchen □ b) The bath □ c) His shed 5 True or false? Canada’s national anthem is O Canada. □ True □ False 6 The average American woman own seven pairs of what? ________________ 7 Which actor starred in the film Rebel Without a Cause? □ a) Marlon Brando □ b) Levi Strauss □ c) James Dean 8 True or false? Neuroscientists study the brain.…

FOR PROTECTING PANGOLINS The conservation charity ZSL is helping to protect pangolins from being illegally taken and sold. Two police-trained Labradors, Buster and Bess, will go to Thailand to work with a ZSL team. The dogs will sniff out pangolins so they can be rescued and released back into the wild. BRIDES TO BE More than 100 wedding dresses have been donated to British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity shops in Kent, England. The donated gowns include expensive designer dresses and have already raised around £5,000. Michelle Maidstone, from one of the BHF charity shops, said the donation was “a massive boost”. LOOKING FOR A NEW DOCTOR In Cornwall, England, a heart-warming song and video have been created by local people in an effort to attract a new GP (doctor). Dr…

For the first time, a woman has been appointed as the Government’s chief scientific adviser. Dame Angela McLean is a professor of mathematical biology at the University of Oxford, and she is an expert on infectious diseases. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was involved in meetings with the Government to help decide how they would deal with infections. An important part of her new role will be to help the Prime Minister and the Government use the latest scientific knowledge when taking decisions and making plans for the country. McLean said she was delighted to accept the job.…

Do you prefer working on school projects with a friend, rather than alone? Neuroscientists (scientists who study the brain) from Keio University in Japan have discovered that when two people work together on a task their brains actually synchronise (start working in the same way). For their study, the scientists picked 78 people, paired them up and set them a task to design the inside of a room without any limits on time or how much they spoke to each other. Each pair sat opposite each other and completed one task together and one on their own. When they worked together, the participants had to create a room that satisfied them both. The pairs sat with their brains wired up through a special kind of headwear that monitors how the…

Dina Asher-Smith, Keely Hodgkinson and Neil Gourley They all won – and set British records – at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Final in Birmingham. Mia Brookes The 16-year-old British snowboarder made history by winning the country’s first snowboard slopestyle world title in Bakuriani, Georgia. England men’s rugby union team In the Six Nations competition, England enjoyed a 20-10 victory against Wales in Cardiff. Australia women’s cricket team Australia won the T20 World Cup for the sixth time with a 19-run victory over South Africa.…

by Gill Lewis. Illustrated by Pippa Curnick (David Fickling) Tilbury Twitch-Whiskers is a young dockland rat who lives with his family on the banks of London’s River Thames. He’s small, shy and timid, preferring to stay at home in the attic rather than looking out for excitement like his sister, Nimble-Quick. He seems the least likely creature to become a brave hero but things happen that take him off on the adventure of a lifetime. To fulfil an ancient prophecy (prediction of events) he journeys across the sea to return a legendary diamond called the Cursed Night to its rightful owners. Along the way he faces terrible danger, visits strange lands, encounters sinister villains and learns a lot about himself. Set in a rich, imaginative world, this is a thrilling…

How can I get involved? If you have a bike that can handle light, off-road cycling, plan a short ride along a route nearby with an adult. If you want to take it more seriously, ask a grown-up to help you search online for a local club. Most have events where you can try cycling trails, practise your skills and even join a race when you’re ready. Any other tips? Keep your bike in good working order. Most importantly, this means the tyres are inflated to the correct pressure and brakes and gears work properly. If you join a cycling club, ask the organisers if they can teach you about basic maintenance and how to look after your bike.…

A badger caused chaos in a petrol station by chasing a customer around the shop. Molly Padget stopped at the garage in Stafford, England, to fill up with petrol and buy some dinner. The badger chased her down two aisles, causing her to drop her curry in shock. The badger didn’t come in to shop however, as he made a dash for the bathroom. “He didn’t take anything, he just ran into the loos,” Molly said. Another customer asked staff for a broom and used it to guide the badger back outside. It then hurried off home.…

Name: Caitriona “Recently I climbed the three peaks (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon) for my Cubs personal challenge. My last climb was Scafell Pike on International Lego Day. Scafell Pike was really tricky – we got to the top when it was turning dark. That meant we had to go down the corridor route in the dark and mist. It was quite scary at some points, but when we got to the main track we got to our van fairly quickly. Climbing the three peaks has been an amazing experience, I recommend trying it!” 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?…

Supermarkets across the UK have been introducing limits on the number of fruits and vegetables that people can buy, following a shortage of foods including cucumbers, lettuces, peppers and tomatoes. Why are there shortages? Supermarkets sell most fruits and vegetables all year round but they can’t be grown all year round in the UK. Products like tomatoes need lots of sunlight and warmth to grow, so they are often imported (shipped in from other countries) during winter. The UK imports around 95% of its tomatoes and 90% of its lettuces during winter, mostly from Spain and Morocco. However, unusually cold weather in southern Spain and floods in Morocco have damaged crops. Also, storms have delayed or stopped ferries that deliver produce. Some produce is grown in heated greenhouses by farmers…

The book publisher, Puffin, has changed some of the words in stories by the popular author Roald Dahl to remove language that it believes to be offensive. The publisher said it made the changes so that the books “can be enjoyed by all”. The changes were recommended by people whose job it is to study books and highlight words readers might find upsetting. They include removing words that describe characters as “fat” and “ugly”. This has upset lots of people because they think the changes aren’t needed and could lead to lots of classic books being changed. However, other people think that there is nothing wrong with slightly changing outdated and hurtful language in books written many years ago. What do you think? Is it ok to rewrite old books?…

March is the month when golden daffodils spring up in parks and gardens across the UK but did you know that we have a wild daffodil population too? Narcissus pseudonarcissus flowers have a trumpet-shaped tube at the centre, in an egg-yolk yellow, with paler yellow petals around it. The grey-green leaves are long, thin and flat. They are shorter than the ornamental daffodils that are planted in gardens, and more difficult to find. Look for them in March and April in damp meadows and woodlands. Once found all over the UK, they now only appear in parts of England and Wales. Wild daffodils are also known as the “Lent lily” or “‘Easter lily”. In Wales, they’re sometimes called “Peter’s leek”.…

Have you ever been told there are things you cannot do because of your gender (whether you’re male, female or non-binary)? For many girls and women around the world, this happens a lot. That’s why every year on 8 March, International Women’s Day (IWD) celebrates women’s achievements and calls for a more equal world. This year’s theme is “embrace equity”, which means fairness and allowing everyone the means to succeed. Are boys and girls equal? Everyone should have certain rights (known as human rights), such as the right to education. However, women have often had fewer rights and choices than men. Globally, women make up fewer than a quarter of people in parliaments, where laws are made. In the UK, two thirds of girls aged 11 to 21 see or…

There’s a phrase people often say when they want to describe something that’s easy to learn: “It’s not rocket science!” However, a new game called Kerbal Space Program 2 is based on exactly that – the science of building and launching rockets, not to mention exploring the galaxy. It’s the second game in its series and was originally supposed to come out in 2020. Following delays, an early access version of the game came out for PCs on 24 February. It’s based on serious science but the game gives you lots of advice to help you build your first rocket. There are new animated tutorials showing you how to fit parts together – there are more than 350 to choose from – to make a craft that can take off…

Why did you make your main character rats? Rats share many qualities with humans; they’re very smart, funny and have so much character. They are quick to love and quick to hate, capable of generosity or greed. They are brave at heart and perfect to send on adventures. Last time on a boat? Last July on a ferry to Lundy Island to see seabirds and seals. Tilbury wouldn’t have been allowed. There’s a “no rat” policy because they eat rare birds’ eggs. What’s the best thing about your hero, Tilbury? He’s an imperfect hero. He’s timid and terrified of everything. He gets things wrong and learns from his mistakes. His curiosity helps him overcome his fears but he recognises that he needs help from others to be brave. Who is…

Holly King-Mand is a writer and presenter who champions literacy (the ability to read and write). She was nicknamed “The Nation’s Favourite English Teacher”, after giving thousands of pupils online lessons during the Covid-19 pandemic, and she loves to help children create magical fiction. Parents and guardians can find out more about Holly’s live and interactive online classes at hollysclassroom.com This week we look at how to end a story, which can be a lot harder than starting one. Great writing isn’t just about well-written sentences, it is also how a story is put together – what’s known as structure. Here are Holly’s ideas for how to use your structure to make sure your stories finish with a bang. 1 Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is a way of preparing your reader for…

Are you in a cucumber crisis? Pining for peppers? Sad about salad? We explain what has caused these shortages and what supermarkets are doing about it on page 4. It’s a serious story but we couldn’t help having some fun on the cover. The whole team joined in with opinions and advice, so I was fascinated to read that the more we work together, the more our brains work in a similar way (page 14). It’s British Science Week coming up soon, and on page 20 we’ve got a selection of some of the fun activities taking place across the UK. On page 9, we’ve got a profile of Dame Angela McLean, who has been appointed the UK’s chief scientific adviser – the first woman to take up the role.…

Young people aged from 11 to 18 are invited to submit stories on the theme of “Me and My World” as part of the BBC Young Reporter Competition. To get involved, you don’t need to write or record a finished report, just provide the outline of a story idea. This can be submitted in writing or as a video or audio clip. With the help of BBC journalists and programme makers, competition winners will produce and have their report shared on the BBC’s TV and radio channels and online. Find out how you can get your story heard at tinyurl.com/TWJ-BBCYoungreporter. The deadline for entries is 31 March. 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…

Teacher’s name: Mrs Lunn School: Windmill Hill Primary, Sheffield, South Yorkshire “I would like to nominate my lovely teacher Mrs Lunn, for being a great teacher. Ever since I started at this school she’s been really kind to me and helped me in lots of different ways. I also really like her because we both absolutely love maths. I think she’s the best teacher ever.”Finlay 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…