Tuesday, 17 August, 2021

Afghanistan explained; India’s dancing policeman; Peter Bol’s big race win; and the really tall giraffe baby. 

 

LINKS 

Squiz Kids Survey … (just for adults!)https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DWMQFJW

Interview with Amol Kamble, the dancing constable: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-india-58184026 

The Dancing Constable’s TikToks:  https://www.tiktok.com/@bunty2799?lang=en

Dancing Constable’s Insta: https://www.instagram.com/amolkamble2799/ 

Dolly the giraffe – video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzvjr29xG4o

 

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

A country you’re going to hear a lot about in the news in the next week or so is Afghanistan. And that’s because in the early hours of yesterday morning, the capital city Kabul was taken over by a group called the Taliban.

It saw the government of Afghanistan, including its president, flee the country which in turn provoked scenes of panic on the streets of Kabul and at its airport as many ordinary Afghans tried to get out too.

Afghans is the name given to people who come from Afghanistan.

The Taliban ruled Afghanistan 20 years ago, putting in place many laws at the time that were condemned by the international community … including laws that meant girls could not go to school, that television and movies were not allowed in the country and women were forbidden from appearing in public without all-body covering and a male escort. There are fears now that those laws will be reintroduced.  

So what does it have to do with us here? Well – some ??? Afghans live in Australia. And until very recently, Australia had troops in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban. And many local Afghans worked alongside our troops – helping them with the language and helping them navigate the foreign culture and countryside. Now the safety of those Afghans who helped us is threatened  – and the pressure is on the Australian government to bring as many of them to Australia as possible. 

 

Closer to home and playground closures, a night time curfew and restrictions on the number of people from any household allowed to exercise together are among measures announced yesterday as part of a two-week extension of Melbourne lockdown … Sorry Melbourne…

It means, of course, more home learning for Melbourne students. Which you would have to admit you’re the country’s best at, having had so much practice. That’s called trying to put a silver lining on a dark  cloud … don’t forget we’re doing Home Learning Herograms – for any parents or teachers or kids in lockdown who want to send a shout out to their kids class or classmates. Keep listening for details …

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 India, where a police officer in the country’s largest city, Mumbai, has become internet famous… for dancing! 

Before he became a constable in the force, Amol Kamble performed folk dances with his brother, and even considered becoming a professional dancer. The 39-year-old Dad taught himself what he calls Western dance moves—the kind you see on TikTok all the time—and started posting videos to that platform. He had 2.5 million likes and more than 100,000 followers before TikTok was banned in India. He’s now switched over to Instagram, and has already racked up more than 28,000 followers. Busting moves AND fighting crime … what a guy. Even if his Dad dancing is next level daggy … I’ve put links to a video of the dancing cop in your episode notes. 

SPORT TIME

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You know what the mark of a true sporting champion is? Never giving in. Picking yourself up no matter what the result, dusting yourself down and getting ready to crush it in your next game, race or competition. 

Which is exactly what Australian middle distance runner Peter Bol has gone and done – winning an 800 metre race in Poland yesterday. 

Remember how Peter set Australia on fire during the Olympics when he ran in the 800 metre final and came in fourth place? 

And the best bit? He beat the bloke from Poland who beat him to the bronze medal in Tokyo. 

Peter Bol – we salute you.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

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And so the American city of Boston, where zookeepers are still celebrating the birth of a baby giraffe. And astounded by how tall it is.

Dolly the giraffe was born just over two weeks ago. And while giraffes are known to be tall – even the baby ones – Dolly has still surprised her keepers by measuring a whopping six feet tall at birth. 

That’s the height of a tall human.

And she weighed a whopping 68 kilograms at birth. For comparison, the average weight for a human baby at birth is 3.5 kilograms.

And if that doesn’t give you some cool maths work to get on with today – I don’t know what will … 

There’s video in today’s episode notes of not-so little Dolly. Those eyelashes of hers are epic … 

SURVEY CALL-OUT

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Attention all parents and teachers …. Squiz Kids needs you…  You know that we love bringing you the podcast every day – and we’ve been humbled at how you and your kids have embraced us and brought us into your lives. It’s a lot of work each day: and we have one small favour to ask in return. 

So that we can make Squiz Kids even betterwe’ve come up with a survey to find out what we’re doing well, what we could do better – and what others sorts of resources you might like to see from us. It only takes five minutes to do, the link is in your episode notes, and everyone that fills it out goes into the draw to win a $200 Booktopia voucher. I know right? So generous. 

Oh – and kids – I know you’re champing at the bit, but this one’s just for the big people. Thanks.

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 …

  1.  In which country has a dancing policeman gone viral?
  2.  What’s the name of the Aussie runner who just won a race in Poland?
  3. Dolly was born at six feet tall. What sort of animal is she?

SHOUT OUTS

——————-– 

It’s August 17 … Independence Day in our neighbouring country, Indonesia – and National Vanilla Custard Day in the United States. Not sure why they have so many national days for desserts there … 

 

It’s a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today… Hayden from Nowra, Max from Balgownie, Zali from Oatley, Beatrice from Whale Beach, Harrison from Gymea Bay, Edith from Ivanhoe, Evie from Sydney, India from Shoal Bay and Katherine and Hili from Hornsby.

A Belated birthday shout out goes to… Yash-shah from Canberra.

Plus!!  … Because our friends in Melbourne and all of NSW are in lockdown – we’re sending out Home Learning Herograms …

First up – Akein would like to send a hero gram to his teacher Miss Brown at Mount View Primary School in Glen Waverley. 

Another herogram from class 3/4A at St Anne’s Primary school in Park Orchards  – they want to send a big  thank you to their teacher Mrs Arbuthnot for making home learning lots of fun.  

Dara in Class 5B at St Charles Primary School in Waverley, sends a home learning shout out to her class who have been homeschooling for 6 weeks.

And one more Herogram goes to the Stage 3 teachers at Woongarrah Public School from your Grade 5 students. 

Plus a couple of classroom shout outs to those of you not in lockdown…

Class 2B and Miss Goode at St. Ignatius School in Toowong. Class 5.2 at All Hallows’ School in Brisbane and lastly to Class 5G at Francis Jordan Catholic School in Currambine in Western Australia..

The S’Quiz Answers:

  1. India
  2. Peter Bol
  3. Giraffe