HOMEWORK WEEK NOVEMBER 2021
Welcome to the first of our new REACH Higher publications, which celebrates some of the wonderful work done by pupils in Key Stage 3 during the REACH Higher Homework Week in November. The work featured in the issue represents a small taste of the many varied and excellent pieces of work received from pupils in Years 7 to 9. The aim of the programme is to stretch and challenge all pupils, whatever their ability, in an offhomework timetable week of academic and practical assignments where pupils select from a menu of tasks. This edition contains poetry inspired by Steve Camden’s novel, ‘My Big Mouth’; thoughts on sustainability in food and fashion; a study of black holes; a history report on The Windrush Generation and a collection of stunning artwork. We hope that you enjoy looking through this edition, and we look forward to celebrating more REACH Higher Homework Week assignments following our second week in February. Mrs Christina McCullough Acting Headteacher
ENGLISH
'My Big Mouth' - poems inspired by Steve Camden's novel
MY BIG MOUTH MEGAN J, YEAR 7 When I'm in the playground with my friend, I tell her some things that make us row. She always says I have a big mouth, But honestly, I really don't see how.
When I try to make everything better, Everything only gets worse. She's crying now, wants to fix her hair! Under my breath myself I curse.
You see, I do tell people things all the time, I just twist them a little, so then I lie. Like the time when my sister grazed her knee, But I said she’d got stitches on her thigh.
I was told a secret once, They trusted me not to share it. But next morning during school, It slowly spread, bit by bit!
At the weekend came gossip to tell, I’d heard a man had disappeared. But when I went to tell my friend, She stopped, and frowned, and sneered.
First the children, then the teachers, In the classroom everyone sat. Throwing giggling glances over at them, Everyone knew, even the cat!
“What stories you tell!" she'd say in my face, “You’re such a drama queen-a love to exaggerate!” “You’re my best friend with a slippery tongue” “I swear you like to agitate!”
Nothing today got better, Especially during French. I chattered too much; Miss Wood moved me! I had to sit at the back on the bench.
Once when she came round to mine, Her parents let her stay for tea. She asked what I thought on her new (rubbish) hairstyle, But I blabbered on ‘till she was staring sadly at her feet.
Finally, the day was over, I had to go to see Dentist South. He says I open very wide, Guess I really do have a big mouth!
MY BIG MOUTH BY ABI F, YEAR 8 My best friend trusted me, And asked if I could keep a secret, I knew I couldn’t but was nosy, So my big mouth said yes. She told me everything, And I hung on to every word, She said that she was an alien, And my big mouth just couldn’t keep it in. In class I couldn’t concentrate, My mind was too distracted All I could think of was the secret, And my big mouth was bound to let it slip. It just felt too hard to keep it in, My excitement was bubbling up inside me, I wanted to yell “My best friend is an alien!” And my big mouth blurted it out. Everyone stared like I was crazy, My face had gone flaming red, I started to feel sick, I was the worst friend ever, My big mouth had done it again.
The next second, I was bombarded with questions, And at first I ran away from them, But then I started to enjoy the attention, And my big mouth told it all. She got teased and wouldn’t talk to me, She sat alone at lunch times and so did I, No one was kind to her anymore, All because of my big mouth. I don’t think anyone really believed me, But they still made fun of her, I decided that I should do something, As my big mouth had done this. She ignored me when I sat by her, But I stayed and wouldn’t let her be teased, I told her I was sorry for betraying her, And she forgave my big mouth. Luckily we became friends again, And I joined in with alien fun, I won’t let anyone stand in our way, And never again will I use my big mouth.
BIG
MOUTH BY SARA B, YEAR 9 Let’s play again,’ Above my audience is where I stood, adored, respected understood, studying my soul, watching me take seat into my dominative role. Praises filled my ears, after all, my best stories were my ideas, my manipulative irony made me grow into a notorious power that could be shown. Watchful eyes pulled my mendacious fibs out of me, like a string of saliva, people wanting more from me wanting my crafted words, my distasteful lies from me, after all my audience was waiting to hear from me. Everything I say was planned like a game of chess, meticulous, with a certain level of carefulness, Extravagant stories filled the air, rich with imagination, my view on an ideal life gave me a form of ignition. Applause, praise and acceptance stuffed my heart, satisfaction scales my spine as happiness rings in my head. ‘Checkmate.’
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION
Stop Food Waste
The UK produces the highest amount of food waste in Europe. UK households binned £13.5 billion worth of edible food in 2015 - that's an average of £5(0 per household. Producing, storing, moving and cooking food uses energy, fuel and water, letting off greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Poppy T, Year 7
The amount of food we waste in the UK each year is enough to fill 90 Royal Albert Halls! Eve A, Year 9
FOOD WASTE THE FACTS...
The main cause of food waste is people throwing away edible food because they believe it is spoilt. People also over-buy on products. E ie S, Year 9
DID YOU KNOW?
When food rots harmful gases are formed. These gases are to"ic towards plants, animals A humans. Larissa H, Year 9
Things do to
n a c u o y help...
Amy C, Year 7
1. Reduce the portions of food you make and give.
2. Use smaller plates. 3. Put your leftovers in the fridge for the next day.
4. Use leftovers for other dishes e.g. 'Bubble & Squeak'.
,
E
Y
S
PI C
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E 7 RA
I
A E D
- GEORGIA
Apple Charlotte Why not present a brand new recipe to your family using leftover items that would otherwise have been thrown away? e.g. stale bread, old apples & lemons With some other ingredients in your cupboard you can easily make Apple Charlotte, a delicious family dessert that can be served with custard or ice cream!
Ingredients 1kg cooking apples 200g breadcrumbs 75g vegetable suet 75g sugar zest and juice 2 lemons 1 tbsp honey 50g raisins 25g butter
Method 1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees C. 2. Put the breadcrumbs, suet, lemon zest and sugar in a mixing bowl. 3. Arrange half of the apple slices on the base of an ovenproof dish. 4. Sprinkle with half of the lemon juice and scatter with raisins. 5. Place a layer of breadcrumb mixture on top (use about half the mixture). 6. Arrange the remaining apple, raisins and lemon juice in a second layer. 7. Drizzle with honey. 8. Add the rest of the breadcrumb mixture on top. 9. Dot the top layer with some butter. 10. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the apples are tender, crisp and golden brown. Enjoy!
FRENCH
'My Day in French' & 'La Suisse'
N I Y A MY D . . . H C N FRE
, F e o Chl 9 r a e Y
LA SUISSE EMILY D, YEAR 7
The Swiss flag is a white cross on a red background. The white cross is known as the 'Swiss Cross'.
e r u t l u C & n o i t Loca
Switzerland sits in the centre of Europe and its neighbours are Germany, Italy, France, Lichtenstein and Romania. The Swiss culture is diverse because it is heavily influenced by its neighbours.
The French speaking cantons (counties) are Geneva, Nauchatel, Vaud and Jura and these make up the region of Romandie.
The geography of Switzerland has also influenced the culture, such as the mountains and lakes. There is skiing and mountaineering and the Swiss enjoy folk arts such as music and dance. There is also a long history of woodcarving in Switzerland.
Education
Education levels are really high in Switzerland. It is ranked number 9 in the world.
School is compulsory from 11 years, up until the age of 15.
There is no uniform or even a dress code and so you can wear whatever you want!
An interesting fact is that they learn three languages, one of which is the language they speak in their canton.
d o o F s s i w S Chocolate such as Toblerone and Lindt Cheese such as Emmental and Gruyère Cheese fondue Alpine macaroni
Famous Swiss things in French... watch - une montre cheese fondue - fondue au fromage chocolate - chocolat banking - bancaire pen knife - stylo couteau cow bell - cloche de vache mountain - montagne lake - lac cukoo clock - coucou
MATHS
Favourite TV Shows
WHAT MAKES A GOOD tv show? Emily D, Year 7
#1
One simple storyline that has drama and rivalry that adds to the backstory.
#2
Really good characters that have interesting backstories and personalities.
#3
There is often a love interest.
#4
There is often rivalry or characters that don't get on.
#5
Friendships.
DATA ANALYSIS Emily D, Year 7
Reducing the data to adventure drama shows the following have a rating above 8.5...
Nearly all of these programmes are series that involve groups of friends going on adventures with some magic or supernatural content. Many are based around (or aimed at) teenagers and nearly all are about 40 minutes long.
MY TV show IDEA - 'A WORLD WITHOUT WINTER'. There are three girls who are all 12 years old and have the power to control their seasons spring, summer and autumn), but when winter should arrive nothing changes and it stays as autumn. The girls meet at a London high school and discover their powers and realise they are destined to be friends and save the world. They go on a quest to find the girl that controls winter before it is too late. Their quest involves a journey with many adventures around London where they have to use their powers to survive. On the way they meet many people. Some are helpful but some try to stop them. They eventually find winter but she comes from a cold and evil family and is initially resistant to joining the other seasons. As the show progresses she gradually warms to the other girls and discovers the fire inside her inner walls of snow.
WHAT'S THE MOST COMMON CERTIFICATE FOR AN ADVENTURE TV SHOW? GEORGI A S , YEAR 7
The most common certificate for an a "ent!re T
Show is a PG-13.
SYNOPSIS OF MY HIT TV SHOW.. An adventure TV Show based on the life of A elia Earhart. This will be an exciting real life biogra hy which will ta e us through her flying travels across the world and record brea ing achieve ents. (Rated PG-13).
HISTORY
The Windrush Generation
WHAT IS THE WIN R SH GENERATI N? BY EDEN L, YEAR 9
The people who landed in the UK from Carribean countries between 1948 and 1970.
The University of Oxford estimates that there are more than 500,000 UK residents who were born in a Commonwealth country and arrived before 1971.
A ship called 'MV Empire Windrush' docked in Tilbury on 22nd June 1948. It brought workers from Jamaica, Tobago, Trinidad and other islands to help fill UK post-war labour shortages.
This ended in 1971 due to the Immigration Act.
WHEN THEY ARRIVED, BRITAIN WASN’T AS THEY HOPED. IT WAS DULL AND ALL THE PEOPLE WERE VERY UNFRIENDLY. THEY WOULD FACE RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION ON A DAILY BASIS. IT PROVED VERY HARD TO FIND HOMES AND TO TALK TO BRITISH PEOPLE. BECAUSE OF THE COLOUR OF THEIR SKIN, MANY OF THE CHILDREN WERE BULLIED AT SCHOOL. RACIAL ATTACKS HAPPENED AND THERE WERE MANY RIOTS. FFION P, YEAR 9
W H E R E A R E T H E Y N O W ?
Many of them, despite living and working in the UK for years, have been told that - because they have no legal documents - they are here illegally. Some were even forced to leave. People started protesting and campaigning against the government and Theresa May apologised for their treatment. DAISY B, YEAR 9
WHY IS THE WIN R SH STORY SI NI I ANT TO AY?
This story is significant because people have been mistreated. It has been going on for 70 years and Parliament have only just dealt with it. I think this story is one to remember and learn from in the future. MILLIE T, YEAR 9
These people were attacked because of the colour of their skin. Today, most people are more accepting and the lack Lives Matter movement shows that things are moving forward in the UK. We need to judge people by their character and their personality, not by how they look. FFION P, YEAR 9
In the opening of the London 2012 Olympics, a model of Empire Windrush was displayed. DAISY B
'Windrush Day' was introduced in June 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the arrival of MV Empire Windrush at the Port of Tilbury. EDEN L, YEAR 9
TEXTILES
Sustainability in Textiles
The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world. The fashion industry has a disastrous impact on the environment and the environmental damage is increasing as the industry grows. Clothes, footwear and house textiles are responsible for water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and landfill. Every year, thousands of hectares of endangered ancient forests are cut down and replaced by plantations of trees used to make wood-based fabrics such as rayon, viscose and modal. DAISY D, YEAR 8
Fast fashion means we now produce and throw away more clothes than ever before. 87% of clothing is landfilled or incinerated and less then 1% is made into new garments. OTTIE M, YEAR 9
Eco-friendly fabric suggestions.. Lucy B, Year 7
Lyocell
The advantage of lyocell is that it doesn't have to be washed as frequently and doesn't smell as quickly.
Sea Cell
The fibres in sea cell contain ground Icelandic seaweed which contains minerals and trace elements, including high levels of antioxidants. It can help to protect your skin.
Soy Fabrics
Soy fabrics are very sustainable because they are made from waste materials. It diverts waste from landfills and gives it another use.
Linens
Linen is quite a sustainable fabric as an entire flax plant can be turned into fibre meaning almost no waste remains.
Organic Cotton
This type of cotton is a lot better for water because it leaves healthy soils that are good for soaking up water and storing it for longer during droughts.
Fashion goes eco-friendly! Oxfam is challenging people around the world to only buy second-hand clothes for 30 or more days. You can go to any charity shop and buy second hand clothes instead of buying new. Lucy L, Year 9 Shop at brands that are ecofriendly! A few of those brands based in the UK are Boden, People Tree and Thought Clothing. Lucy B, Year 7
You are what you wear!
My Eco-friendly Outfit
Isabel B, Year 9
SCIENCE
Science in Space
THE BLACK HOLE BOUNTY DAISY D, YEAR 8
Astronomers have discovered thousands of black holes located near the centre of our galaxy, The Milky Way.
The stellar explosions that produce black holes also spew out elements such as carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.
Massive black holes in the centres of galaxies release so much energy that they play an important role in how the galaxies around them evolve.
The black hole bounty consists of stellar mass black holes which are typically 5 to 30 times the mass of the sun.
Collisions between black holes and neutron stars help to spread heavier elements such as gold and platinum.
GIANT JET SPIED FROM BLACK HOLE IN EARLY UNIVERSE Annabelle W, Year 9
THE MOST DISTANT JET...
Astronomers may have discovered the most distant jet emitting x-rays. The source of this jet is a rapidly growing supermassive black hole, located about 12.7 billion light years away from Earth. Chandra data revealed this jet extends for about 160,000 light years (longer than the entire span of the Milky Way) and may help to explain how the biggest black holes formed so quickly.
A QUASAR...
The giant jet is a quasar. The colours it presents represent the x-rays (purple), the optical light (cyan) and infrared light (red). The jet is located in the constellation Aquarius.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
To the lower left, material is orbiting around a sumermassive black hole in a disk. Once it loses enough speed and energy, the material can fall further inwards to cross the event horizon, the point of no return (shown as a black disk). Meanwhile, some of this material is redirected away from the black hole, forming a narrow beam or 'jet'.
STELLAR SNOWFLAKES The stars of the Globular NGC 6441 sparkle peacefully in the night sky, 13,000 light years from the Milky Way's galactic centre. HARRIET A, YEAR 8
Scientists have observed that these stars take on the appearance of snowflakes, which makes it difficult to calculate the exact number of stars. MIA P, YEAR 7
'GLITTER ON BLACK VELVET' Phoebe C, Year 8 The galaxy KK246 has been described as a large amount of glitter spilled onto a black velvet sheet. The galaxy is a dwarf irregular galaxy located within the local void (an enormous mass of empty space). It is extremely far away from the other galaxies surrounding it. Though the picture above looks like it has lots of galaxies, they are actually outside of the void and belong to other clusters.
THE 16 YEAR OLD MYSTERY In 2004, scientists using NASA's space-based Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) discovered an object in the Milky Way that was unlike anything they'd seen before - a big dim blob of gas with a star at its core. The blob appeared blue in the GALEX photos even though it doesn't emit visible light, and additional studies revealed a thick ring structure within it. It was dubbed the 'Blue Ring Nebula' by researchers. They researched it for the next 16 years, but the more they learned, the stranger it looked. A recent study published in the Journal of Nature on 18th November may have solved the mystery. The authors propose that the nebula - a cloud of gas in space - is made up of debris from two stars that crashed and merged into a single star. It is the youngest known example of two stars merged together. The Blue Ring Nebula is made up of two hollow, cone-shaped clouds of debris travelling out from the centre in opposite directions. One of the cone's bases is approaching Earth. As a result, astronomers observing the nebula see two partially overlapping circles. Most objects spotted by GALEX emit both near (yellow) and far (blue) UV light, but the Blue Ring Nebula emits only far-UV light.
ART
Painting by Annabelle W (Year 9)
EVIE G (YEAR 7)
NATASHA T (YEAR 7)
BLOSSOM B (YEAR 8)
ISABEL B (YEAR 9)
HARRIET A (YEAR 8)
BLOSSOM B (YEAR 8)
EVELYN B-D (YEAR 8)
POPPY D (YEAR 9)
EMILY H (YEAR 8)
AIMEE M (YEAR 7)
NATASHA T (YEAR 7)
MITZI C (YEAR 9)
ISLA G-M (YEAR 8)
LUCY L (YEAR 9)
TILLY C (YEAR 8)
MILLIE R (YEAR 9)
KLEIS L (YEAR 7)
EDIE H (YEAR 7)
LOTTIE S (YEAR 7)
KLEIS L (YEAR 7)