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School & Career

A Homemade School

Dr Lesley Beeton visited South Africa and visited a school to find out what it’s like to go to school in South Africa.

This is the Drakensberg in South Africa. In English, it means ‘Dragon Mountain’. The children in this part of South Africa face a daily commute to school. In the area where I was staying, the nearest town was Bergville. With the windy roads through the mountains, this journey can take almost an hour. School starts early too, at eight o’clock, so that means getting up around 6 am to be ready for the taxi.

Science, Nature and Tech

SCIENCE NEWS – What is Dengue Fever and Could Genetically-Modified Mosquitoes Prevent It?

Dengue (pronounced den-gee) fever affects between 50-100 million people each year, with around 25,000 people dying from the disease. It’s most common in south America and parts of Africa, and is also known as breakbone fever because it causes such intense pain in the bones. Dengue fever is a virus that’s spread by mosquitoes, and there is no vaccine or effective drug treatment to prevent or cure it.

Poetry By You, Written By You

Birds Eye View – Poetry Written By You

Hi, my name’s Daisy and I have a passion for writing and poetry.

One thing I like to write poems about are birds because they are such free and stunning creatures that fill the skies with their sweet sounding songs and happy chirps. I have written a poem about a bird flying in the Norfolk Countryside because that is where I live.

I wrote this poem when I was 10 years old. I have now just turned twelve so although it is not one of my latest poems I would still like to share it with you. If you know Norfolk you might recognise some of the places in the poem.

Language & Literature

I am Dandelion, Hear Me Roar – The Origin of Dandelion

This little flower gets a raw deal, often regarded as a weed to be dug up, but it is actually quite pretty, with its bright yellow colour and distinctive leaves. Even the etymology of its name is pretty. Millie explains the origin of dandelion, and how people in other countries refer to this cheery flower.

Science, Nature and Tech

What is the Orionid Meteor Shower?

This October Earth will be passing through the tail of Halley’s comet, which will mean a shower of meteors flashing across the night sky. Our science editor Sam Gouldson explains.

What is Halley’s Comet?

A comet is a lump of rocky particles, ice and dust all bound together like a dirty snowball. When the comet nears a star, its surface transforms from a solid to a gas. The star’s light shines through these gases and makes them visible to observers as a fuzzy cloud around the comet’s centre, and a tail streaming out behind.