Monday, 13 September, 2021
Vaccines for kids at chemists; Zebras escape from the zoo; Emily the teenage tennis champ; and Bruce the beakless bird.
LINKS
Bruce the beakless bird : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbARqC8g2xQ
Masked Singer Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAr9oZpNrL8
Dannii Minogue https://www.danniiminogue.com/
Squiz Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en
Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Send us an email at [email protected]
Squiz Kids is proudly supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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And it’s a big thank you very much to the European countries of Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria for sharing the joy and sending one million doses of COVID vaccine our way in the coming week — and not just any vaccine – this time it’s the Moderna vax which has been approved for use by kids as young as 12.
According to the government, your local neighbourhood pharmacy should be able to jab entire families at the same time – in a move that should turbocharge the vaccination effort – and bring those states in lockdown out of it sooner – and lessen the chances of other states being sent into lockdown.
Why are these European countries sending so many doses of vaccine our way? Because they have more than they can use. And because that’s what good friends do for one another.
The news of the vaccine delivery comes as people in NSW prepare to enjoy a slight easing of restrictions … including what’s been called picnic day – with the chief health officer giving fully vaccinated adults outside of the communities worst hit by COVID the green light to get together outdoors in small groups.
Meanwhile, down Melbourne way, there were glimmers of hope too following the announcement some schools and religious centres would be turned into pop up vaccination centres, following the announcement that 400,000 doses of vaccine had been prioritised for the city’s worst affected suburbs. Hang in there team. You’ve got this.
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops. And today we’ve landed in Maryland, in the United States where five zebras have escaped from a zoo and are on the run.
The zebras ran off from the zoo almost two weeks ago – and despite zoo keepers best efforts to try to trap them and return them to their home, they’re having none of it. Far too happy wandering through people’s backyards, grazing in the woods and enjoying the great outdoors.
They’re zebras afterall.
Zebras are not native to the United States. They tend to only be found on the savannah in Africa. So when they show up in people’s suburban backyards, they’ve been causing quite a stir.
And thanks to their stripes, they’ve managed to camouflage themselves – which means to hide – in the forest really, really well.
Zebras on the run. Sounds like something from a Madagascar movie.
SPORT TIME
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Two weeks ago, few people on the planet could have told you who Emma Raducanu was. But yesterday, the 18-year-old was getting tweets from the Queen of England, the Spice Girls, and a truckload of other famous people, after she won the US Open.
But Emma didn’t just win a tennis match.
*Emma won without dropping a single set for the entire two-week tournament, and in so doing, became the first British woman to hold the championship trophy since 1977.
And the best bit? This year’s final was played by two teenagers. Emma won in a great game against 19 year old Canadian Leylah Fernandez. They were the youngest US Open finalists for more than 20 years. Wow.
There’s still much more excitement left in the US Open. Aussie wheelchair tennis legend Dylan Alcott will today try to become the first man on the planet to win a Golden Slam… that’s all four majors, plus Olympic Gold. Let’s go, Aussie!
And the two teams to fight it out in the AFL Grand Final have been decided. It’s going to be the Western Bulldogs versus the Melbourne Demons in Perth in two week’s time. Let the games begin!
ANIMAL KINGDOM
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And so to New Zealand .. where a parrot called Bruce has amazed scientists by working out a way to preen his feathers despite not having a beak.
Kea parrots are native to New Zealand and have great big beaks they use to get little bugs out of their feathers and also to keep themselves clean. It’s called preening. And lots of animals do it – including cats and dogs.
But it’s thought that Bruce lost the top part of his beak when he was young. But the clever parrot has worked out a way to balance a pebble between his tongue and lower beak to comb through his feathers and keep himself spick and span.
There’s a link in today’s episode notes to video of Bruce doing his thing. You know what they say: where there’s a pebble there’s a way.
Q+A CALL OUT
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Hands up who’s planning to watch the Masked Singer tonight? I’m going for the singing pavlova … I don’t know about you.
Don’t forget that we’ve lined up a very special guest for the next Squiz Kids Q+A … it’s the Masked Singer judge and all round excellent person – a long time supporter of Squiz Kids – Ms Dannii Minogue.
Now’s your chance to ask one of Australia’s best known entertainers anything you want to know about life as a singer, dancer and TV presenter.
What does she do when she’s not on TV or making music? What would she have done if she didn’t become an entertainer? And is being famous all it’s cracked up to be? So many excellent questions – so little time.
Take a look at the links to the Masked Singer promo video and Dannii’s website in today’s episode notes for inspiration. Then get sending your questions to [email protected]. You’ve only got until tomorrow — so get busy!
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- Name one of the European countries sending Moderna vaccines our way?
- Bruce the beakless parrot is a kea bird – which is native to which neighbouring country?
- What sort of animals have escaped from a zoo in Maryland?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s September 13 .. birthday of awesome kids’ author Roald Dahl … he’s the bloke responsible for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, James And The Giant Peach, The Twits and Matilda – to name just a few. If you’ve never picked up a Roald Dahl book, do yourself a favour.
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today .. Ben from Randwick, Liam from Croydon Park, Rachael from Canberra, Beau from Ararat, Finley from Adelaide, William from Baldivis, Emily from Trangie and Sophia – who’s listening all the way over there in Colombia (in South America!!)
Belated birthday shout outs to Ivy from Geelong and Adelaide from Williamstown.
Plus!! … Because our friends in Melbourne, Canberra and most of NSW are in lockdown – we’re sending out Home Learning Herograms ….
To James and William from Sydney, your dad is very proud of how much you’re loving Squiz Kids – he wrote and told us about it.
Another herogram goes to Mr Lockey, the principal at Shoal Bay Public School – the staff and teachers say thank you for all your hard work during lockdown and happy birthday for today!!
Louis and Bonnie send a herogram to all the students and staff at Merrivale Primary School in Warrnambool and Chelsea in Grade 6 sends one to her teacher Mrs Murphy at Minnamurra Public School.
Home learning shout outs go to Grade 5 and Mr Lau at Burwood Public School and Grade 5H and Mrs Harrison at Waitara Public School. Daniel at Ivanhoe Primary School would like to send a herogram to his teacher Mr O’Callaghan and also would like to say thank you for making home learning very cool. And lastly Hunter sends a herogram to his teacher Mr Campbell and all of his class 5E at Pearcedale Primary School. He misses everyone at school and hopes the lockdown ends soon! We hear you Hunter …
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic or Bulgaria
- New Zealand
- Zebras