Year 9 “Thinking Harder”All Subjects

Week 6: 11-15 May

Reading “Thinking Harder” Article One Week 6: 11 – 15 May

Title: Fur flies over fickle love of Ozzy the catREWORD IT

Read the title and source and highlight any words you are unsure of. Use powerthesaurus.org to help

you understand them.

Should cats be allowed to choose their owners? A bitter row has erupted in public over a majestic Maine

Coon cat that started spending most of its time enjoying the high life away from home.

On a brisk morning in West London, Ozzy the cat slinks his way down the street. He is heading home. But

which home will he go to today?

Ozzy has a clear choice. He can go to his official residence and his legal “parents” John Hall and his wife

Jackie, a children’s art therapist. Very decent people. Perfectly nice ironing to lie on. Regular meals.

Or he can go to the rather comfy hotel he has discovered just 10 doors down the street.

In August 2018, the Halls realised that Ozzy’s forays were emphatically more than occasional when they

noticed his collar had gone. In its place was a new one bearing Nicola Lesbirel’s phone number.

This declaration of war triggered a complex and bitter neighbourhood row, culminating in a £20,000

court settlement.

And Ozzy? On the advice of a vet, he is confined to barracks for several months to re-adjust before he is

let outside again – and then only with a GPS collar fitted.

The drama has sharply divided cat lovers.

“Poor Ozzy. I think he’s entitled to choose where he wishes to be, and it’s sad that humans have to be so

controlling,” said one.

“I don’t agree,” retorted another angrily. “This seems a clear case of cat grooming.”

Beneath it all lies one of the big questions of existence: should cats be allowed to choose their owners?

Paws for thought

No, say those who believe that law is the ultimate authority. Legally, a cat is a possession like a car or a

pair of earrings. If you own a cat, there are laws that forbid anyone else claiming it is theirs – for

example, by removing a collar and replacing it with their own.

Yes, say those who believe that truth is more important than the law. The truth is that a cat – unlike a

dog – still has a wild soul. No human has the right to “own” this wildness. We cannot own the waves or

the wind.

SUMMARISE ITIn your own words, write 5

full bullet points summarising the issue of ownership involving Ozzy

CRUNCH ITSkim read the source and identify

six words that best capture the row over Ozzy the cat

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5. 6.

FIND ITHighlight and annotate with inferences:

• Where the writer suggest the argument over Ozzy has been hostile

• Where the writer suggests Ozzy enjoys luxury over homely stability

• Where the writer suggests that Ozzy is sneaky.

CONSIDER ITTo what extent do you

believe that we own our pets and why?

Write a paragraph explaining your

perspective.

Reading “Thinking Harder” Article Two Week 6: 11 – 15 May

Title: Esports industry set to break $1bn barrierREWORD IT

Read the title and source and highlight any words you are unsure of. Use powerthesaurus.org to help

you understand them.

An addictive waste of time or a serious competitive sport? After a US teenager won $3m in the first-ever

Fortnight World Cup on Sunday, the debate over the future of esports has exploded.

Kyle Giersdorf steps up onto the winner’s podium. He holds the trophy above his head. At 16 years old, he

triumphantly announces that “the grind has paid off”.

On the giant screens above, 20,000 cheering fans and thousands more watching live broadcasts see his

family embrace him. As of this moment, he is $3m richer. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the announcer

bellows, “Your Fortnite World Champion!”

This week, the esports industry — which is small but growing rapidly — is expected to break the $1bn

barrier by the end of this year, and grow its global audience to 545 million.

Yet it has struggled to be seen as a mainstream sport — when over 40 million players across the world had

competed in the online qualifying rounds.

To these players, gaming is not just a hobby. Many teenagers train for over eight hours a day, managing

social media accounts, and earning millions by competing in global tournaments.

But in 2018, at the height of the Fortnite craze, the World Health Organisation officially classed gaming

addiction as a mental illness.

Last month, British MPs asked if game developers did enough to prove the age of players or encourage

them to take breaks.

Are they a serious sport or a waste of time?

Absolutely serious, say some. Players compete in regional and international competitions, streamed live

around the world. The biggest teams live together, training for hours a day to improve their skills. Top

players can perform up to 500 “actions” a minute. It is old-fashioned to say that esports are not “real”

sports.

How ridiculous, argue others. Fornite may have millions of players around the world, but for how long? If

your only skill is moving your thumbs quickly, you’re not athlete. Great sports require greatest of mind,

body and soul. To compare an esports champion to Lionel Messi is a joke.

SUMMARISE ITIn your own words, write 5

full bullet points summarising the debate

around EsportsCRUNCH IT

Skim read the source and identify six words that describe the

development of ESports

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5. 6.

FIND ITHighlight and annotate with inferences:

• Where it is suggested that gaming isn’t as straight forward as it seems

• Where it is suggested that there is a split opinion on those dedicated to gaming.

• Where it is suggested that sport requires physical prowess.

CONSIDER ITHow would you define what makes a sport?

Write a paragraph outlining your criteria for what sport is. Do Esports pass your test? Why/ Why

not?

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Title – Quirky design house lets the customers also be designers By Lauren Izso JANUARY 6, 2020, 8:00 AM

https://www.israel21c.org/quirky-design-house-lets-the-customers-also-be-designers/

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Find it

What is the Jumbo and why is it better than other existing products?

What is the Egguins and why has It been described as ‘the best thing since sliced

bread’?

Year 9 DT ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11 – 15 May

Quirky Israeli brand Peleg Design offers customers a chance to send ideas online. But that’s only one source of Shahar Peleg’s inspiration.

From optical illusion flower vases to playful elephant-shaped cutlery drainers, Shahar Peleg wants his products to bring his customers joy, but first and foremost to fulfill a need. How does he figure out what those needs are? “In many ways,” the designer and founder of the brand tells ISRAEL21c.

ConclusionsHow are Peleg different to other design companies?

Egguins, one of Peleg Design’s cute and functional creations.

Bag Bunny was inspired by a customer’s suggestion.

Peleg Design’s Magnetic Vase is a best seller.

Jumbo, a cutlery holder that drains into the sink.

One of those ways is from his customers. “Some of the ideas came to us while daydreaming, some in the shower, some we woke up with and some just came to us by email,” reads Peleg Design website’s “Suggest an Idea” section. People from all over the world reach out, he says. “Once in a while we get a great idea, and we pay royalties to the designers or inventors. It’s really amazing because a lot of people have a lot of ideas,” Peleg says. For example, the Bag Bunny, a magnetic bunny-shaped tool for easily opening plastic packaging, was inspired by a customer suggestion.

Founded in 2005 and based in Tel Aviv, Peleg Design’s online store offers around 100 unique products that stem from everyday needs, each with quirks, twists or optical illusions that Peleg describes as “magical.” Nothing, he says, is really what it seems. The product that kicked off the company’s success was a vase Peleg designed for his own wedding in 2005. These “floating” vases are anchored by magnetic bases hidden underneath the tablecloth.

To this day, the Magnetic Vase set is one of Peleg Design’s best sellers. “It was a huge hit,” he says. “That’s what really began to generate business.” Another universal problem Peleg wanted to solve was grime building up at the bottom of a cutlery drainer. His answer was Jumbo, an elephant-shaped cutlery holder that drains water out of its trunk, directly into the sink.

Peleg says function is key, and design is secondary to usefulness. But still, he hopes his customers will fall in love with his “cute” designs. His newest item, the Egguins, is a great example of that. The penguin-shaped eggholder makes it easy to remove hot hard-boiled eggs from boiling water and store them in the fridge — and also makes the eggs much cuter. One comment on Peleg Design’s Instagram page calls the item “the best thing since sliced bread.”

Many of Peleg’s products are made from plastic but they are meant to last. Sensitive to environmental issues, he explains that he wants his customers to develop an emotional connection to the items and use them for as long as possible before throwing them away.

Passion and professionGrowing up, Peleg dreamed of being an astronaut, but he would eventually find his passion in a different form of exploration: design. “It started off as a one man show,” he says. Peleg studied interior design at the Holon Institute of Design. A class project made him realize he had an eye for creating quirky but useful knick-knacks. He had made a wine-bottle holder that seemed to defy gravity. He was able to sell a few even before graduating. “It started from selling one product in two or three stores in Tel Aviv,” Peleg tells ISRAEL21C. “It’s now become both my passion and my profession.”

CRUNCH ITReduce the article to the five most significant words and define them

Title – Life in Sichuan as a Farmer

Link –

https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-11/19/content_392991.htm

Read the following article

DEBATE ITWhich elements of the article do you find linked the most to what you learnt from research or in

class?1

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ConclusionsHas the video changed your opinion of China? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your

understanding? Do you have any questions after watching this?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which relate

to life in Sichuan and define them:

Year 9 Geography ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11-15 May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall Idea – History of the drum kit

Extract – DEBATE IT• What do you associate with

drums?

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ConclusionsHas the video changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which:

Year 9 Music ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 – 1 May

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI-j7wci-Y0

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall argument – The Casinnispace mission cost $3.27 billion, but it was money well spent.

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Imagine- The passage describes Titan as a moon which shares similar environmental conditions to Early Earth. It has rain, wind, rivers, lakes and sea’s of methane gas. It is covered n volcanoes. Imagine you are the first scientist to document life on this moon. Draw a scientific diagram of the alien microorganism (unicellular creature so tiny you need a microscope to see it) you have found,

label how it has adapted to survive! Would it be more likely to resemble a plant cell or animal cell… discuss!

Stretch: Watch this GCSE video on the evolution of the Early Earths atmosphere! Can you make a similar movie if you have time?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwGeH9O8Rx4&t=87s

Find it• Find a sentence in the passage that shows the reader how far away Saturn is

in real terms…

• Find a sentence that explains how studying Saturn helps us to learn about early Earth…

• Find a sentence that supports the authors claim that “Saturn’s moons are some of the most exciting places in the solar system!”

KS3 Science ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 4th May-8th May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall idea - How will the contact–tracing app work on the Isle of Wight?

Extract – Go to the link

https://www.digitalhealth.net/2020/05/covid-19-nhs-contact-tracing-app-launched-in-isle-of-wight/

Complete this sheet and upload to Showbie.

TechnologyWhat computing

technology is discussed in this article?

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ConclusionsHas the article changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itWhat technology will be working in

the background to gather data?

Year 9 Computing ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11 - 15 May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall argument -

Extract –On 1 December 1955, Parks finished a tiring Thursday as a department store seamstress and boarded a bus to go home, taking a seat right behind the whites-only section. All the seats were soon taken, and so when a white man got on and stood in the aisle, bus driver James Blake instructed four black passengers, including the 42-year-old Parks, to move.This was not her first run-in with Blake as, in 1943, he kicked her off his bus for entering through the front door rather than the back. The others got up; Parks remained seated. She wasn’t physically tired, as was claimed afterwards, but tired of giving in. Parks had been a passionate activist and member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for years already, and knew the consequences of her refusal to move. She was arrested.Her story came to the attention of Edgar Nixon, head of the local NAACP chapter, and lawyer Fred Gray, who had been waiting for an opportune case to attack segregation in the courts. They considered Parks to be the ideal spokesperson and she agreed, at great personal cost. Parks lost her job, put her family in danger and received death threats for her commitment.A one-day bus boycott was organised for the day of her trial, 5 December, but this was only the beginning. The resulting Montgomery Bus Boycott, lasting 381 days, successfully ended segregation on Alabama buses and signalled the next steps in the civil rights march: mass mobilisation, non-violence and the emergence of a charismatic leader, Martin Luther King.

DEBATE IT‘The actions of Rosa Parks cost her too much.’ Discuss.

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ConclusionsHas the article changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which show

the positive consequences of Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat:

Year 9 History ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11th-15th May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the ten most

significant words

Italian Reference - Showbie folder: LA GEOGRAFIA DELL’ITALIA> read pag.7 & 8

LOMBARDIA DEBATE ITCULTURAL COMPARISON

Have you visited other regions in Italy?

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CONCLUSIONHave you learnt anything new about Italian culture? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading these pages?

FIND ITFind sentences/keywords which

explain:

1) What is Milan famous for?

2) Something you didn’t know

3) Name 2 famous Italian dishes from Milan!

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the ten most

significant words

French Reference - https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zw9rcdm/revision/1

EXTRACT – La Francophonie Part 2

Here are some of the Francophone parts of the world:French CanadaA large part of Canada is French-speaking. Quebec is a region of Canada whose official language is French and its culture has a strong French influence. It is the only part of Canada where French is the official language. Of the 8 million people who live in Quebec, about 80 per cent speak French.Quebec was a French colony for more than two centuries from 1534 to 1760. Most of the former French colonies are now English-speaking.Tourist information will often be given in both French and English and many people will often speak English and French. However, there are laws in place to restrict the amount of English that can be used in shops. Quebec is keen to protect its French language and culture.South AmericaIn French Guiana the official languages are French and Creole. It is the only French-speaking territory in South America. It was occupied by France in the 17th century. The CaribbeanThe official languages of Guadeloupe are French and Creole. The capital city is Basse-Terre. It has been a region of France since the 1980s. It has also been occupied by Britain and Sweden.In Martinique they also speak French and Creole. Fort-de-France is the capital city and the country produces bananas, petrol and rum. It has been occupied by France since 1635 although it has been occupied by Britain at different times since then.AfricaOver 100 million people speak French across 31 different African countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal.Senegal was a French colony until it gained independence on 4th April 1959. Every year, this date is celebrated as a national holiday. St Louis in Senegal still shows the impact of French culture as it was a major city in the French Empire. It was a port for traders travelling between France and the Caribbean. There are still pâtisseries and boulangeries in the main cities selling croissants for breakfast.French is also spoken in (La Mauritanie), Mali (Le Mali), French Guinea (La Guinée), Ivory Coast (La Côte d'Ivoire), Burkina Faso (Le Burkina Faso), Benin (Le Bénin) and Niger (Le Niger).South PacificTahiti is one of the French Polynesian islands that speak French as well as Tahitian. French Polynesia includes 118 different islands and 5 archipelagos. In 2004, the islands were classed as a French 'overseas country'. The tiny island of New Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie) near Australia is also owned by France and has contentiously been used as a base for French nuclear trials in the Pacific.

EXPLAIN ITIn your own words, explain the following words from the text. You may need to look up the

words.

French colony

Creole

Archipelago

Contentiously

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CONCLUSION

Have you learnt anything new about Francophone culture?Do you have any questions after reading the article?

EBI: Pick one of the Francophone countries mentioned in this text and do some further research.

FIND ITFind sentences/keywords which

explain:1) Why is Quebec a French-speaking

region?

2) Which of the Caribbean islands mentioned has been a part of France for around 40 years?

3) What French influences can still be seen in Senegal today?

4) What is the island of New Caledonia known for?

Year 9 RE ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11-15 May

‘What makes Jerusalem so holy?’ (BBC, 30 Oct 2014)Click link for short videos attached to article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26934435

Jerusalem - its name resonates in the hearts of Christians, Jews and Muslims alike and echoes through centuries of shared and disputed history.

Known in Hebrew as Yerushalayim and in Arabic as al-Quds, it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been conquered, destroyed and rebuilt time and again, and every layer of its earth reveals a different piece of the past. While it has often been the focus of stories of division and conflict among people of different religions, they are united in their reverence for this holy ground. At its core is the Old City, a maze of narrow alleyways and historic architecture that characterises its four quarters - Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. It is surrounded by a fortress-like stone wall and home to some of the holiest sites in the world. Each quarter represents its own population. The Christians have two, because Armenians are also Christians, and their quarter, the smallest of the four, is one of the oldest Armenian centres in the world. It is unique in that their community has preserved its own particular culture and civilisation inside the St James Church and monastery, which comprises most of their section.

The Church

Inside the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a significant focus for Christians all over the world. It is located on a site which is central to the story of Jesus, his death, crucifixion and resurrection. According to most Christian traditions, Jesus was crucified there, on Golgotha, or the hill of Calvary, his tomb is located inside the sepulchre and this was also the site of his resurrection. The church is managed jointly by representatives of different Christian denominations, mainly the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Franciscan friars from the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Patriarchate, but also by the Ethiopians, Coptics and Syrian Orthodox Church. It is one of the main pilgrimage destinations for millions of Christians worldwide who visit the empty tomb of Jesus and seek solace and redemption in prayer at the site.

The Mosque

The Muslim Quarter is the largest of the four and contains the shrine of the Dome of Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque on a plateau known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary. The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is under the administration of an Islamic trust called the Waqf. Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad travelled here from Mecca during his night journey and prayed with the souls of all the prophets. A few steps away, the shrine of the Dome of the Rock holds the foundation stone, where Muslims believe Muhammad then ascended to heaven. Muslims visit the holy site all year round, but every Friday during the holy month of Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Muslims come to pray at the mosque.

The wall

The Jewish Quarter is home to the Kotel, or the Western Wall, a remnant of the retaining wall of the mount on which the Holy Temple once stood. Inside the temple was the Holy of Holies, the most sacred site in Judaism. Jews believe that this was the location of the foundation stone from which the world was created, and where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Many Jews believe the Dome of the Rock is the site of the Holy of Holies. Today, the Western Wall is the closest place Jews can pray to the Holy of Holies. It is managed by the Rabbi of the Western Wall and every year hosts millions of visitors. Jewish people from all over the world visit this place to pray and connect to their heritage, especially during the High Holidays.

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CRUNCH ITWrite down the definition for ten words in this article which you did not know. To really understand what some of these words mean, you may need to do

some extra research, rather than simply typing them into an online dictionary.

2. KEYWORDSTo describe the artwork.

6. DEBATE IT

8. CONCLUSIONSCan you answer any of your questions that you originally had about this artwork? OR can you add any additional thoughts to any of the other questions here. Has your opinion changed about the artwork? Why?

4. DESCRIBEWhat can you see in the artwork?

The composition (arrangement / layout)What’s happening in the artwork?

How does it make you feel?

KS3 ”Thinking Harder” Look at the artwork either write down or discuss with a member of your household the answers to the questions Week 6: 11 – 15 May

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7. WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?Do you like or dislike the artwork?

Why?

Artist: KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAITitle: The Great Wave of Kanagawa 1829 / 1833

3. IDENTIFY What formal elements are in this piece of artwork where and how have they been used?

COLOUR, LINE, FORM, PATTERN, SHAPE, TEXTURE, TONE

1. QUESTIONS? What questions do you have about this artwork?

5. CONSIDER / RESEARCHWhat materials and techniques have been used to create this

artwork?

WHY is the giant wave on the left hand side of the image?

Who

IWHAT is the possible hidden meaning behind this piece of

work?

Is humankind able to control and tame nature?

CRUNCH ITWho is Joe Wicks? Fins 10 words to

summarise who he and what he does?

Overall argument – Is Joe Wicks the Body Coach a PE Teacher?Link to Joe Wick the body Coach’s Lessons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1DCBvypjNw

Extract – DEBATE ITWhat do you think your own PE teacher aim to teach you during your lessons? Is Joe Wicks able to

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ConclusionsDo you think Joe Wicks would be

a good PE teacher? Are there elements of his lessons that could

be incorporated to your PE lessons? What do you think PE will

look like after lockdown?

Find itWhat are the benefits of doing PE with

Joe Wicks?

What are Joe Wicks aims of his PE lessons?

Year 9 PE ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11-15th May

Joe is technically not a PE teacher but he has a whole host of other qualifications to be proud of and he has done plenty of work with people of all ages. Wicks is a fitness coach and he calls himself "a man on a mission to rescue people from the awful dieting industry", not wanting to see people go hungry on poorly-planned diets. He has been a personal trainer for five years and has a 1st degree in sports science, so he definitely knows what he is talking about.

Joe has also taught for three years as an online nutrition coach, saying he can transform someone's body in just 90 days. Fans have fallen in love with his online PE sessions, during which he dresses up and creates fun moves especially for children.

Joe has a number of plans to cater for different groups including a veggie 90-day plan and a graduate plan for people to build on existing progress. The Telegraph reported Wicks wanted to be "the Jamie Oliver of kids' fitness" as he has big plans to get the country's children moving. He was due to take part in a tour around schools, inspiring youngsters to stay active and eat healthily, but his plans were put on hold as schools closed following the coronavirus lockdown.

Instead he set up PE with Joe, a revolutionary online PE class for children and their families to take part in during isolation. The fitness classes, which start from 9am every morning and are half an hour long, have gone down a storm with families across the world.Joe is aware people of all ages and abilities have been taking part in his online PE sessions and he has catered for everyone. The classes are not just aimed at children, as parents have been joining in too, as well as people with limited mobility.

But Joe has been getting creative with his exercises and has introduced some fun and quirky moves especially for children. Fan-favourites so far have been the "Spider-Man" lunge and the "bunny bounces", during which Joe uses his hands to create bunny ears. He has plenty of charm and is great when it comes to interacting with children and their families. Joe has been pausing every now and then to read out messages from fans and do shout-outs to those who are taking part across the globe.

VOICEWhich 5 ways could the actor change

their voice in this extract? (E,g, high/low pitch, volume etc.)

Overall response -

Extract - IDEASWhat kind of person do you think this character is? Who are they talking to?

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ConclusionsWhat do we know from reading the text? What can we assume? What would you still like to find out?

ACTIONHow else should the actor be using his performance skills while delivering this

extract?

Year 9 Drama ”Thinking Harder” Week 6: 11-15 May