Thursday, 28 October, 2021
Pfizer jab for kids in America; bats v. birds in New Zealand; cyclists v. bears in Alaska; and the NBA goes giddy for Giddey.
LINKS
Vote in New Zealand’s Bird of the Year comp: https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/
Pekapeka’s page: https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/long-tailed-bat
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]
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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Twenty eight million kids in America are getting ready to roll up their sleeves after health authorities there yesterday gave the green light for the Pfizer COVID vaccine to be given to children aged five and over.
With a few more checks and balances needing to take place, the vaccine could be available to the kids of America from as early as next week.
Kids will get a lower dose of the vaccine than adults. Because, kids are smaller, and don’t need as much.
According to the companies producing the drugs – and in trials that were reviewed by America’s top drug approval body – the vaccine is 90 percent effective against the coronavirus.
What does it mean for Aussie kids aged 5-11? Nothing yet. There’s still a whole process to go through with the government and vaccine experts to work that out.
Aussie kids aged 12 and over, however, can get themselves jabbed for free whenever they want – and are being encouraged to do so. Especially as we all return to school and start mingling again ..
In other COVID news: fully vaccinated Australians will be allowed to travel overseas from November 1. Now, the trick will be remembering where you put your passport ..
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 New Zealand, where our neighbours seem… a little confused about what a bird is. Every year, New Zealand runs an online election to vote for bird of the year. This year, the bird coming first is… a bat – called pekapeka.
The bat was allowed into the competition this year because it is critically endangered. And pekapeka has winning form—it’s been Bat of the Year multiple times. Voting is continuing – and right now, in second place to the bat is a bird that doesn’t fly – the kakapo – and a bird that’s renowned for stealing stuff from tourists – the kea.
With apologies for what I assume will be a dreadful attempt at pronunciation.
If you want to cast a vote for yourself, there’s a link in today’s episode notes. … May the best critter win.
SPORT TIME
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And it’s back to the United States of America we go, where the country’s number one basketball league – and arguably the best basketball competition in the world – has gone giddy for Giddey.
I’m talking Josh Giddey – the 19 yo from Melbourne has only played four games in the big league and is already making the experts, fans and commentators sit up and take notice.
Josh – who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder – held his own against some of the game’s best yesterday – when the Thunder took on Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors.
Finishing the game with seven points, nine rebounds and four assists – the young Aussie has wasted no time making a mark.
The Warriors won 106-98 – but not before Josh had announced to all of America that he was yet another Aussie basketball star in the making. Watch this space …
ANIMAL KINGDOM
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When you last rode your bike – I’m going to guess the scariest thing you may have come across would have been the neighbour’s dog. Am I right? Well, just be glad you don’t live in Alaska .. where a cyclist has had to fight off a bear attack while cycling through a forest.
According to newspaper reports, the man was pedalling along a riverbed when a 225kg bear lumbered out of the woods and jumped on him. He hit the deck, curled up in a ball and hoped for the best. Luckily a few well-aimed kicks to the bear’s head seemed to scare it away. The man took himself to hospital where he was treated for a bear bite.
You see, this is why I don’t cycle.
Park rangers in Alaska reckon its highly unusual for a bear to attack a cyclist. Still not convinced to do it though …
SQUIZ KIDS FOR SCHOOLS
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Well, well, well … what an enthusiastic bunch of teachers you all have … this week, to celebrate World Teacher’s Day, we’re giving away the chance to win a year’s subscription to our brand new offering, Squiz Kids for Schools. One lucky teacher who signs up this week to the free trial will go into the draw. And the entries have been flooding in …
Squiz Kids for Schools is a set of classroom resources – aligned to the curriculum, scaffolded to varying abilities, tied to each day’s podcast, designed by our very own, fully qualified teacher, Amanda – and delivered to your in-box every day.
You’ve got until Friday to go into the draw. So if you’re a teacher and you haven’t signed up for the free trial – get your skates on. Pop on over to squizkids.com.au … you’ll be glad you did.
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 …
- What animal did a cyclist have to fight off in Alaska this week?
- What animal is currently leading in New Zealand’s poll to discover the nation’s favourite bird?
- Aussie basketballer Josh Giddey plays for which NBA team?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s October 28 .. It’s National Chocolate Day in the United States … oh man … why can’t we have that here?
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today …
Patrick from Gosford East, Kade from Goomalling, Gavin from Shoal Bay, Billie from Bermagui, Jordy from Kempsey, Celina from Chester Hill and Hugh from Coburg.
And because we’re all transitioning back to the classroom (CHEER) … we’re taking all the home learning herogram requests you’ve sent in and are turning them into classroom shout outs …
Classroom shout outs today go to…to class 3J at Alamanda College in Point Cook, to class 5/6C at Exeter Public School, to classes 3/4D and 4C at Lindsay Park Public School in Wollongong.
To Ms Nixon and Ms Hill and all of Grade 6 at Drummoyne Public School and Mrs Roda and the 5/6 class at Kearns Public School. Class 5/6H at Abbotsford Public School send a shout out to their awesome teacher, Mr Hull and it’s also a shout to the year 6 students and Mrs Purdon at St Therese Catholic Primary School in Padstow.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Bear
- Bat
- Oklahoma City Thunder