Ecosia : A Tree Planting Search Engine

Ashwariya 7Y

On 7th December 2009 a search engine called Ecosia was created by a man called Christain Kroll. The premise is that every few searches you make, a tree is planted: simple. In the past few years they have really gained traction. They’re planting trees in places like: Haiti, NIcaragua and Columbia. However, is this too good to be true?

This engine sounds perfectly simple but most have their suspicions as it sounds like there has got to be a catch. Well there is no catch! They post their monthly financial reports and tree planting receipts onto their website. However many still remain suspicious. 

Some believe that they take your information, others believe they don’t actually plant the trees they said they would. Well none of this has been proven true. You can't really prove that they are using and selling your data but they have proved to be planting the trees as they have multiple videos of them planting trees. 

How did Ecosia begin? In 2009, Christian Kroll created the search engine Xabble to generate funds for places like India and Nepal so they could get electricity however he abandoned that project. At first Ecosia's funds went to WWF and raised €250,000. However they then started donating to the billion trees project. In the next few years they did multiple campaigns to stop deforestation. 

In some ways then, money does grow on trees. Plus when it’s for such a good cause, what do you have to lose?

Find out more from Ecosia’s website: Ecosia - the search engine that plants trees

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosia

https://www.ecosia.org/

Book Review: A Spoonful of Murder

Dhriti 7Y

A Spoonful of Murder is a detective novel by Robin Stevens and is part of the best selling series: A Murder Most Unladylike. It was published in 2016 but set in 1930s England, with the characters travelling to Hong Kong. The main characters are two girls called Daisy and Hazel who go to Hong Kong because Hazel’s beloved grandfather dies but soon after there are two murders and a kidnapping!

When Hazel Wong (vice president of the Detective Society) was in boarding school (Deepdean School of Girls), she receives a call from her father and he tells her that her grandfather died and that she must go to Hong Kong to mourn. Hazel also wants to bring her English friend Daisy Wells (president of the Detective Society) along too. 

When they arrive, there is a new member of the wealthy Wong family: Hazel has a baby brother, Teddy. A boy in Hong Kong was a life-changer, they were more favoured and valuable. Hazel’s old, most favourite maid was Su Li but she was Teddy’s maid when he was born and no longer Hazel’s so she hated Teddy for it. When Su Li was murdered and Teddy was kidnapped, everyone suspected Hazel and it was up to the Detective Society once again to solve the case and this time, clear Hazel’s name.

Umaima (7Y) said, “It was really enjoyable! You just want to keep reading more even when you get to the end. I liked it a lot and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys detective stories. A five-star rating from me!”

More books in the series are: A Murder Most Unladylike, Arsenic for Tea, First Class Murder, Jolly Foul Play, Misteltoe and Murder, Cream Buns and Crime (a collection of mini cases), Death in the Spotlight and Top Marks for Murder. 

For more information visit A Spoonful of Murder | Robin Stevens.

Race To The Line

Raihan 7V

Schools from all over the world can take part in Race To The Line which makes it an exciting competition. The "Model Rocket Car STEAM Box" includes everything you need to design, build and race model rocket cars across the playground!

“The challenge has so far engaged over 100,000 year 7 students with this real world STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) learning experience. Last season an all-girl team won the global final in the UK with the first 100mph model rocket car in the challenge's history.”

Race To The Line is an event that takes place across many schools in Brent and aims to promote science and physics in a really fun way! This is the second year in a row that Alperton Community School will be taking part, linking subjects science and product design. For this event, year 7 students will work in groups to design and create a rocket car with a real rocket inside of it. 

To make a model ‘rocket car’ students will first have to design a model car in their groups. Once the design is finalised, they will be taken to a product design room to start cutting and smoothing their car into the shape they want it. After this, they will be equipped with a micro-bit and a rocket which will make them ready to race! 

See you at the finish line!

Source: https://www.dendrite.me/competition/view/competitionid/5bed45a207d734cf19729f03#tab:collections

Be Brave. Speak Out.

Iqra 7T

What are the impacts of bullying? How can we work together to make sure that this doesn't affect our school community?

Bullying affects lots of different types of people. Bullying doesn’t just take place in schools but also online which can lead to young people feeling that there is no escape and even committing suicide. Bullying is defined as being repeated, unwanted and sometimes aggressive behaviour that is non-stop. Both the victim and the bully may have serious lasting problems as a result.

Bullying is linked to many negative outcomes including impacts on mental health. Those who are bullied can end up suffering from depression, anxiety and a lot of loneliness in their life. 

However, bullies sometimes have lots of difficulties too which are mostly not realised. Sometimes they could also be being bullied themselves and then end up taking it out on someone else. So many people can be impacted with harmful and threatening actions from bullies. 

You might be wondering why I am telling you this, have a think for yourself, see how you can help us to stop this happening.

Some of my own experiences:

It all started when I moved primary schools in year 5. It was a terrible and heart-breaking moment. It was dreadful having to leave all my classmates and friends but I thought that I could manage. Once I was at my new school I thought I was going to make friends easily. It was harder than I thought. 

Throughout the horrible days I got bullied and taunted for my voice because I was known as the ‘squeaker’ because everyone thought that I had a high-pitched voice. Just because of that I felt I had no value in the school. I tried telling the teachers but I never had the courage to stand up for myself. I was a very lonely person with no friends. They were happy and busy in their own lives. Now here I am in secondary school and there are times when people still make fun of me, but luckily I now have a lot more friends and they all stand up for me. 

Be Brave. Speak Out.

Something that I would say to you is that you should never give up on life no matter how many problems you face. There is always someone out there who cares about you and needs you in their life, even if you do not know it.

Remember that if you are ever worried, upset or concerned then do not hesitate to speak to the staff at school - from the pastoral team, form tutors, teaching assistants, safe-guarding lead team or any teacher you feel comfortable talking to. They are ready to help you in whatever way they can. Don’t suffer in silence.

Inspirational quotes:  

“Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in living creates love.”

By Lao Tzu

“Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad.

Let God deal with the things they do because hate in your heart will consume you too.”

By Will Smith

Book Review: Arsenic for Tea

Dhriti 7Y

Arsenic for Tea is a detective novel by Robin Stevens and is part of a best selling series A Murder Most Unladylike. It is the second book in the series, released in January 2015 but is set in the 1930s in England. It is a detective novel about two young girls, Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, who solve a murder in which a character gets poisoned by arsenic and it is up to the girls to find out who the murderer was.

Daisy and Hazel are going to Daisy’s home - Fallingford - and Lady Hastings (Daisy’s mother) is throwing a tea party to celebrate Daisy’s birthday and her entire family is invited along with her friends. Unfortunately, the party goes horribly wrong and Mr Curtis, invited by Lady Hastings and hated by everyone, falls ill and dies. With a murderer in the household Fallingford becomes extremely dangerous and it is up to The Detective Society (Daisy and Hazel) to solve this mysterious case once again.

Olivia from 7L stated, “I think it’s really funny and exciting. It is also a very interesting tale.” Caroline from 7T found it “very intriguing.” Whilst Umaima from 7Y said “I am really enjoying reading this, I can’t wait to finish. I want to read the whole series!” 

To learn more, visit https://robin-stevens.co.uk/arsenic-for-tea/ . You may also want to read the other books in the series A Murder Most Unladylike; A Murder most Unladylike, First Class Murder, Jolly Foul Play, Mistletoe And Murder, Creambuns And Crime, A Spoonful Of Murder, Death In The Spotlight and Top Marks for Murder.