Tag: grade 5

Breaking News News

Riots And Looting In London, England

Wide-spread riots broke out in London, England last week.

People ran into the streets, breaking store windows and stealing merchandise (known as “looting”), and setting fires to buildings and cars.

Hundreds of people have been arrested and at least five people died in the riots.

There are many different reasons people joined the riots.

Some people looted because they thought they could get away with it in the crowds.

Some rioted because everyone else around them was doing it or they considered it fun.

Animals Environment Science

“Extinct” Rainbow Toad Found In Borneo

A colourful, spindly-legged toad was recently spotted by scientists in Borneo.

The last time anyone had seen it was 1924, when it was reported by European explorers.

The bright green, purple and red toad is known as the Sambas Stream Toad, or the Borneo Rainbow Toad.

Many people had assumed it was extinct.

In July, three of the toads were found on three separate trees in Borneo, Indonesia which is an island off the coast of Southeast Asia. Borneo is the third-largest island in the world.

A professor at the Sarawak Malaysia University led the expedition to look for the toads.

Science

100-Year-Old Shipwreck Found In Lake Ontario

In 1906, a ship carrying 480 tons of coal sank in Lake Ontario.
The ship was a schooner, with three huge masts, and it was called Queen of the Lakes.

The ship ran into bad weather near Lake Ontario’s southern shore, and started to leak. It sank quickly.
The six crew members abandoned the ship and rowed safely to shore.

Some people, whose hobby is looking for sunken ships, located the in 2009 using a sonar machine.
The Queen of the Lakes was in water that was too deep for divers to reach her.

Entertainment

Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters… Arrrr!

Have you ever wondered what life was like for the pirates who terrorized the high seas from the 17th to 19th centuries?

Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters is an incredible interactive exhibit in Quebec City, Quebec.

It invites you to climb aboard a historically accurate reproduction of a pirate ship (complete with pirates) and experience the life and living conditions of these treasure-seeking scoundrels.

Unlike what Hollywood movies would have you believe, women were not permitted on pirate ships.

Pirates considered them bad luck – along with dice, rabbits and whistling.

But superstition did not stop adventurous females from disguising themselves as men and living the pirate life.

Two of the most successful were Anne Bonney and Mary Read.

News Science

Judge Looks At New 3-D Images Of Titanic

Four kilometres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean lies the most famous shipwreck in the world.

The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage on April 12, 1912, about 650 kilometres off the coast of Newfoundland.

More than 1,500 passengers and crew died after the supposedly “unsinkable” ocean liner hit an iceberg and sank.

In 2010, scientists used sophisticated equipment to take very detailed photographs of the Titanic and the wreck site.

The photos were “stitched together” to provide an incredible visual record of every centimeter of the outside of the ship. Many of the photos will eventually be shown to the public.

News

Justice League To Get An Upgrade

There will soon be new costumes and facelifts for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and many other superheroes.

Collectively known as the Justice League, these comic book superheroes have been battling evil for decades.

Justice League is produced by DC Comics, and the company is facing increasing pressure from its biggest competitor, Marvel Comics.

That’s why they’re upgrading their best-loved comic heroes, starting Aug. 1.

Many of the heroes will take on a more youthful appearance, and about 50 will get new costumes.

Lighter

Why You Shouldn’t Tell Will To Keep His Fork

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Will and Kate) are coming to Canada this week.

There is certain etiquette–things you should and should not do–in dealing with, and speaking to, royalty.

Etiquette is a type of “manners.”

It can also be called “protocol” in the case of the royals.

For instance, protocol demands that Will and Kate be addressed as “Your Royal Highness,” followed by “sir” or “ma’am.”

Men can then bow from the neck and ladies can curtsy to the royals.

Over the years there have been plenty of “breaches of protocol” — mistakes that people have made around royalty.

Arts Entertainment

Canadians Inducted Into Walk Of Fame

Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar is one of the latest Canadians who will join Canada’s Walk of Fame.

The Walk of Fame is, literally, a set of sidewalk tiles with the names of famous Canadians set into them.

It’s along King Street and Simcoe Street in downtown Toronto.

But much more importantly, the Walk of Fame is a symbol for excellence.

Each sidewalk tile represents someone Canadians value highly for their artistry, intelligence, innovation or service to our country.

They are people who have somehow influenced Canada in the areas of: music, film, television, sports, science, innovation, literature, theatre or the visual arts.

Sports

The Loss That Felt Like A Win

One sports writer called it, “a loss that felt like a win,” and indeed it was.

The Canadian women’s soccer team lost its first game 2-1 to Germany in the Women’s World Cup in Berlin on Sunday.

But during that game, one player in particular showed what she was made of–courage, skill and determination.

Going into the match, Germany was heavily favoured to win.

They had already won the World Cup twice before. In 2007 they won the Cup without giving up a single goal.

In fact, they haven’t given up a single goal in competition since October.

But something happened around half-time.

News

Betty Fox Kept The Marathon Of Hope Alive

Betty Fox, mother of Canadian icon Terry Fox, has died.

Her son, Terry, became a national hero in Canada when he ran across the country to raise money for cancer research.

Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope in April 1980 after he had lost a leg to bone cancer.

He had to end his run half-way across Canada—after more than 5,300 kilometres—when the cancer spread to his lungs.

It claimed his life in 1981, when he was just 22.

Like her famous son, Betty Fox was also a Canadian icon.

After her son died she kept his Marathon of Hope alive by publicizing it in the media, doing interviews and helping with the many Marathons of Hope that still spring up across the country each year in Terry’s honour.