discovery box earth special

Beautifully illustrated stories to read aloud Fascinating animal info Answers to children’s first science questions Lovable characters children will relate to Illustrated riddles and po

I live in

an eco-city

Amazing planet

Fun activities

EARTH

SPECIAL

What can you see?

Watch what happens

on a farm as the seasons change.

i live in an ec0-city

Eloise has moved to

a new home Find out how things work in this environmentally friendly city.

activities , games and quizzes

bilia who played

nature zoom in p.12

science quick look p.38

science pics & facts p.29

diy p.43-50

amazing planet

See Earth through these incredible satellite photos!

chlorine-+

cartoons and funfacts

Amazing planet

Lots of satellites orbit (circle) the Earth taking photos and images that help scientists observe our planet in great detail These photos come from

a satellite that’s 830km above the ground

It sees wonderful things!

Does this river flow through a huge old forest?

No, it doesn’t! The satellite image (big picture) shows the Sao Francisco river flowing into the Parana river

in Brazil There are trees along the riverbanks But behind the trees, the land has been farmed by people

You can see fields, villages and roads You can even see a bridge across the river An image like this helps people to watch out for flooding or to choose the best place to build bridges.

Are these flying saucers that have landed in

the desert? No! This is Saudi Arabia and the circles

are fields of food crops, such as wheat The water

for the plants is pumped up from deep underground

In the middle of each field there is a hub or support,

which holds up a 1km-long sprinkler The hub turns

the sprinkler above the plants, keeping them

watered The satellite’s infrared (sensitive to heat)

technology lets agricultural engineers see how

the wheat is growing In the big picture, red shows

where the wheat is ripening.

Why does almost nothing grow around this lake?

Because its water is very salty An explorer who

found the lake in 1897 in the desert in Australia

named it Lake Disappointment Probably he had

hoped to drink the water! Today, we explore the

world with satellites Their accurate images mean

that maps of very remote areas in

the world can be made These are

useful, for example, when rescue

operations need to be organized.

DIY

Mo re in

we see today Some have curly tails and others have straighter tails Wild boars and wart hogs have tails that hang down Some pigs have no tails

at all!

The € euro symbol

The symbol € was the fifth letter in

the ancient Greek alphabet It’s called

epsilon and was said like our letter

e It's also the first letter of the word

Europa She was a princess in ancient

Greek mythology and Europe was

named after her

© NewOpenWorld Foundation

Beautifully illustrated stories to read aloud Fascinating animal info

Answers to children’s first science questions

Lovable characters children will relate to Illustrated riddles and poems

Fun games to develop fine-motor and reasoning skills

Chapter stories with colour pictures on every page to develop reading stamina Photos and illustrations to make sense of the natural world

number skills Fun characters to have a laugh with

A range of topics every month: animals and the natural world ; science ; history and world events ; geography and people…

A quality magazine to share and enjoy with children

An exciting magazine to get kids hooked on reading

A journey of exploration through nature, science and history

For more information and to subscribe, go to our website: www.bayard-magazines.co.uk

Bayard magazines

through the post addressed directly to them!

The four seasons

A wild board

is looking for

acorns.

When does autumn start?

Autumn starts when day and night are

the same length This is the autumn equinox

In 2012 it’s the 22 nd of September After that,

the days become shorter than the nights

There’s less light so the temperature starts

to go down There are more clouds There’s

also more wind and it rains more often.

What work is there to do on the farm?

It’s harvest time Farmers collect apples and pears in the orchard They gather ripe crops, such as wheat, from the fields Then they plough the soil to aerate* it and get it ready for seeds to be planted in spring Grapes are harvested in the vineyard They are crushed and the juice is put into barrels to make wine

Calves born last spring don’t need to drink milk from their mother anymore.

12

Fir and pine trees are evergreen They keep their needles all year round.

A doe can hear

a stag belling (calling) from 2km away.

• turn earth over to add air, make it softer and improve drainage.

What happens to plants?

Many plants have seeds that will be carried away by the wind or by animals The seeds will wait for winter to pass before starting to grow Meanwhile leaves slowly begin to turn yellow, orange and brown Soon they will fall But there are already tiny buds on the branches, ready for next spring!

… and wild animals?

Some birds gather together before migrating south to spend the winter in a warmer place Stags bell (call) in the forest to attract females and mate with them New fawns will be born

in spring Snakes have gone underground Foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels and wild boar eat plenty to build up their fat reserves.

The last fruit to be collected in the orchard are pears and apples.

Crows eat earthworms

in the newly ploughed fields

Seasonal workers come

to pick the ripe fruit.

Deciduous trees have lost their leaves

A stag comes out of the woods looking for food.

Birds fluff up their feathers

to protect themselves from the cold.

When does winter start?

It begins on the shortest day of the year

(about 8 hours long) This is the winter

solstice – 21 st of December in 2012 After that,

each day gets longer by about one minute

In winter the sun is low in the sky Its rays hit

the ground at a slant, giving less heat It’s cold

and icy and it sometimes snows

What work is there to do on the farm?

Farmers fix their equipment and make sure it’s in good working order They keep their animals in the stables and feed them hay* They also start planning what they will plant

in spring They prune (cut back branches) in the orchards and the vineyard so that next year they will have lots of healthy fruit.

Snow plough

• dried grass.

The farmer trims the vines.

Birds eat berries on hedges.

Tench and other fish

hibernate in the mud

at the bottom of

the pond

When it’s very cold, water in small ponds freezes over.

A hedgehog is hibernating under this bush.

What happens to plants?

Nature slows down Sap no longer flows

through tree branches and the leaves fall

They are broken down by bacteria and turned

into humus This is natural compost* that

helps plants to grow when spring comes

The cold kills parasites like aphids that feed

on plants.

… and wild animals?

Frogs, reptiles and insects hide underground

or in dead branches They live on the fat reserves in their bodies Small mammals like bats or hedgehogs go into hibernation Their heartbeat slows and their temperature goes down The fur of larger mammals (such

as foxes and wild boar) grows thicker.

• fertilizer or plant food.

When does spring start?

Spring starts when day and night are the

same length This is the spring equinox After

this, the days get longer The solstices and

equinoxes all happen between the 20 th and

the 23 rd of the month In 2012, spring began

on the 20 th of March In spring there’s more

daylight so the ground heats up.

What work is there to do on the farm?

The farmer looks after the milking cows in the stable He puts the cows that have calves out in the fields to feed on the fresh grass Fruit trees are flowering and the wheat has sprouted The grass grows quickly so at the beginning of June, the farmer cuts it to make hay

Calves drink their mothers’ milk.

Fields of grass

Evergreen trees

New leaves appear

on deciduous trees.

What happens to plants?

The sunlight is stronger and heats the ground

This makes plants start growing again Trees

that have had no leaves over the winter grow

new ones In the woods, the sunlight comes

through the leaves and reaches the ground

Some plants grow flowers, which have pollen

that lets them reproduce

… and wild animals?

As the weather gets warmer, many animals that have been hibernating all winter wake up Hedgehogs, squirrels and grass snakes look for food to give them energy Fish start to swim around in their ponds Birds come back from hotter places and build nests in hedges and trees so they can lay their eggs.

Swallows migrate back from Africa.

Vines

Wheat field

Orchard trees are flowering.

A heron catches tadpoles and frogs.

A tench catches insects.

Ducklings come out of their nest.

The four seasons

When does summer start?

Summer starts on the longest day of the year

(about 16 hours long) This is the summer

solstice – the 21 st of June, in 2012 After that,

each day gets shorter by about a minute

In summer the sun is highest in the sky at

midday when its rays shine at right angles to

the earth This is when the rays are hottest.

What work is there to do on the farm?

Combine harvesters cut the wheat Straw*

and hay are stored in barns Hay is used to feed the animals in winter Straw is used for bedding Some fruit is ready to be picked in the orchard Farmers tie back the leaves

of vines plants so that the fruit gets plenty

Cut hay is rolled into bales.

Summer

• dried stalks of cereal plants such as wheat and barley.

Titre

What happens to plants?

Plants use light energy from the sun and carbon dioxide in the air to grow and produce stores of sugar and give off oxygen into the air This is called photosynthesis

In the woods, the trees have a lot of leaves

Not much light reaches the undergrowth

Only bushes and ferns grow there

… and wild animals?

Birds of prey and foxes hunt rodents (such as mice, voles and shrews) in the fields to feed

to their young Other birds catch insects for the babies in their nests Fruit growing in the hedges attracts insects, birds, reptiles and small mammals Fawns, fox cubs and young rabbits grow big

It is holiday time.

A harvester is used to harvest the wheat.

A heron has caught a frog.

Peach tree Pear tree

The fruit harvest begins.

Apricot tree

Plum tree

Apple tree

Wine growers check the bunches

of grapes as they grow.

At the equinox,

day and night are:

There’s an equinox:

in winter

Calves and lambs are mostly born in:

and improve drainage

C. to kill insects

The winter solstice is:

the year

are the same length

C. the longest night of the year

Answer in Readers’ DIY

The four seasons

To be continued…

Shall I tell you

something about

She brushes her teeth too much!

Because they’re really slippery!

Maybe it’s because you don’t look where you’re going.

Hey, come and see!

I have found a cave!!!

A cave?

I’m not sure that’s

a good idea.

This is great

We can make a den

in here! Actually, Minnie… Come on, let’s explore.

You know I just said

that your mum brushes

her teeth too much?

Yeah, don’t worry about it, Germ! brush them properly! said was she doesn’t What I should have

Why do you say that?

t was late afternoon in a dusty neighbourhood of K inshasa, capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa

Pffffttt… A whistle blew A game

of football was starting!

The pitch was sandy so clouds

of dust rose up around the players

as they chased the ball But they didn’t take any notice of it The

22

I

ilia had number 27 on his

t-shirt There wasn’t usually a

number 27 on a football team but

he had chosen it because it was his

favourite number He was in

prison because he had stolen some

bananas from the market when he

was hungry

That afternoon on the football

pitch, Bilia ran so fast that his feet

hardly seemed to touch the

ground His best shot was an

amazing header to pass the ball to

Justice But Justice was looking the

other way and his feet weren’t in

the right position It was a wasted

chance Too bad!

They played on The score at

half time was nil-nil

“Well done, boys! But now you

really have to go for it Show them

who we are!” said the boys’ trainer,

Misu Milanga

But just after the start of the second half, a long shot by Mbo

c au g ht t he p r i s on t e a m’s goalkeeper off guard and hit the back of the net

Goal!

It was the only goal of the match Afterwards, the prisoners lined up with

sore feet and

t heir t- shirts soaked in sweat

Someone in the crowd shouted, “Well done!”

Milanga tried to cheer his players up “You played well… and remember, the important thing is that you played!”

It was true, they had played

They had managed to prove that people who ended up behind bars were not always good for nothing

Bilia was so fast that his feet hardly seemed

to touch the ground.

23

B

n Italian journalist called

R iccardo was in the crowd, watching the match with interest

“That number 27 is really talented,” he thought “He has

great control of the ball with his left foot and a good understanding of the game too! He could be a champion…”

The next day Riccardo went

to the prison to talk to Corporal Katanga who was in charge

“My name is Riccardo Cerruti

I’m an Italian reporter I love football and I’m very impressed

by your number 27.”

“Oh, you mean Bilia? Well, let

me tell you, that boy is no good!

He has committed very serious crimes and may be kept in prison for some time.”

“But Corporal, the boy is only

13 or 14 years old…”

“That’s old enough to do bad things,” said Katanga in a harsh voice He shouted at a guard,

“Fetch Bilia!”

A few moments later the boy stood in front of the men His grey prison uniform was too big for him and he was wearing sandals made from a tyre

“Bilia,” said the corporal

“This man thinks you are some kind of football genius.”

Bilia was amazed but he managed to smile at the Italian and say, “Thank you, Sir!”

“Do you want to leave here?” asked Katanga

“Only if I deserve to,” said Bilia “I believe everyone should get a second chance If you let

me leave, I promise that you will never see me again, Sir!”

The corporal spent an hour talking to Riccardo Finally, Bilia left the prison with the reporter

The World Cup took

place in South Africa in

2010 It was the first

time Africa had hosted

the competition Africa is

an amazing continent but

it has a lot of economic

problems Many young

Africans dream of

becoming footballers

For them, the sport

stands for hope of

a better future There

are African players in

many of the biggest,

most successful teams

around the world.

AfricAns Are mAd About footbAll!

“Bilia, it seems you’re some kind of

football genius!”

These South African supporters are cheering their team

at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, a big city in South Africa This was one of ten stadiums that hosted the World Cup matches in 2010.

DIY

Mo re in

t was time to speak to the boy’s family Bilia took Riccardo to his home in Ndjili, outside the city

Here a child belonged to the whole community, not just to their parents, and their success

or problems were shared by everyone

Riccardo shook lots of people’s hands and won everyone over with his charming smile Then he met Bilia’s parents and brothers

“I would like to take Bilia

to Italy He will become a great footballer,” Riccardo told them

“Dad,” said Liau, one of Bilia’s brothers “This is a great chance for Bilia We have to let him go.”

“But do you realise that your brother might go and never come back!” said their father, Mbuta Kiesse “He’s so young! When will

we see him again?”

“Would you prefer to see him rot in prison?” said Liau

Then he asked the Italian,

“Will he be able to study where you are taking him?”

“Of course,” said Riccardo

“Bilia will go to school.”

They discussed Bilia’s future for a long time At last Mr Kiesse said the family needed a day or

so to think things over They would call Riccardo when they had made a decision

South Africa

The South African team is

called Bafana

Bafana

Cameroon

The Indomitable Lions have

taken part

in six World Cups This is

a record in Africa.

Ghana

The Ghanaian

team is called The

Black Stars.

Three great African football teams

I

hen he spoke to Riccardo

again, Mr Kiesse told him, “This

child was born feet first For

us, that means his feet are his

destiny If they bring him work,

happiness and a family, then so

be it I give Bilia my blessing to

go with you Riccardo, you will

have to help him along the way

Wherever he goes, the spirit of

our ancestors will be with him I

have spoken.”

Riccardo smiled and looked at Bilia “What about you, Bilia? Do you still want to go?”

“If you think I’m really gifted, I’m ready to follow you and I will try my best not to disappoint you.”

“Thanks, champion! Thank you all! I understand what a big sacrifice it is for you to let Bilia

go But don’t worry, he will be back soon.”

From a story

by Congolese author

P Bakolo Ngoi

This 31-year-old striker from

Cameroon is one of the top

footballers in the world He has

played for Real Madrid, Barcelona,

Inter Milan and Russian team Anzhi

Makhachkala He’s captain of

the Cameroon national team

But Samuel hasn’t forgotten where

he came from “All Africans dream of

a better life I have realised that

dream But when you have played

barefoot like me, you never think

you are better than other people.”

He has set up a foundation for young

footballers in Yaoundé, the capital of

Broccoli ice cream!Broccoli ice cream!

Satellites make 3D maps

There are hundreds of satellites in

space The military uses some of

them while others are earth

observation satellites These can

take pictures to produce detailed

maps The images are so clear that

it’s even possible to spot human

activity Some of the newest

satellites can see things on the

ground that measure just 50cm!

This is a photograph of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in the Arabian Peninsula You can see dots on the beach These are

umbrellas or sunbathers! The latest satellites can even make 3D images

by taking pictures from a number of different angles Engineers use these images to make maps of cities that show the buildings clearly

Map-making

This machine chooses

lunch for you

Professor BaTTy’s

mad machines

Broccoli soup or chocolate ice cream? okay, well, it’s not quite ready yet…

Broccoli ice cream