Year 9 “Thinking Harder”All Subjects

Week 4: 27 Apr – 1 May

Reading “Thinking Harder” Article One Week 4: 27 April – 1 May

Title: New York chooses city of Beatles as its twinREWORD IT

Read the title and source and highlight any words you are unsure of. Use powerthesaurus.org to help

you understand them.

AT FIRST blush, it seems an unlikely pairing. Liverpool, long associated with urban decay, is to forge new links

with hip, cosmopolitan New York.

The transatlantic link, due to be formally blessed by the mayors of the two cities later this year or early next,

will see close ties between businesses, police, schools, sport and the arts. The emphasis is on practical

development rather than ceremony - a "sister city" arrangement between two cities looking to brighter futures

but with much restructuring to do.

The love affair between New York and Liverpool has a long history. Radio stations in the United States

regularly have Beatles Weekends, with the Fab Four dominating the airways for up to 48 hours. A three-acre

plot of land in Central Park, called Strawberry Fields, is dedicated to the memory of John Lennon, who lived

opposite in the Dakota apartment building until he was shot dead by a crazed fan in December 1980. It was

said Lennon picked the Dakota because the view reminded him of looking out over the parks in his native

Liverpool.

"This is one way of getting Liverpool moving again and giving its people the confidence to believe they

actually have a great city. They'll be able to say, `Look, we're on a par with New York.' But they'll only be

able to say that if we make sure the emphasis is on practical links. We don't just want the pomp and ceremony

that you usually get with twinning events. People have to really benefit."

Since the tree planting, a steady stream of ambassadors has been jetting across the Atlantic from Liverpool to

drum up business and draw the cities together. The latest was James Moores of the Liverpool family that

founded Littlewoods. I found him deep in discussion in a former warehouse near the Hudson river with a team

from the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art, a major new painting exhibition being launched this autumn.

He has put up pounds 1m and was in New York to persuade others to follow suit.

The concert promoter Sidney Bernstein brought the Beatles to Shea Stadium after twisting Brian Epstein's arm,

and has remained a loyal fan not only of the group but of the city that spawned them.

From his roof garden last week, he looked out across Manhattan and spoke of his latest venture: "I want to

bring the best of New York and Liverpool music to Liverpool next year in a huge concert. I'm looking

at Aintree as the venue," he said."This is the biggest thing I've done for years. There will be no fees, no

expenses: all the money is to go to charity. It's my way of saying thank you to Liverpool. I love that city so

much."

SUMMARISE ITIn your own words, write 5

full bullet points summarising the purpose and planned outcomes of

the pairing.CRUNCH ITSkim read the source and identify six words that best describe the

pairing of Liverpool and New York.

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5. 6.

FIND ITHighlight and annotate with inferences:

• Where the article suggests this twinning will be different to others

• Examples that suggest the cities already have connections

• Where the article makes references to the benefits for both Liverpool and New York.

SHARE ITWhich city do you think

would benefit more from this pairing? How? Why?

Share your thoughts and feelings on this question with a friend or family

member you could even read the article with them.

Reading “Thinking Harder” Article Two Week 4: 27 April – 1 May

Title: Why Tech Support Is (Purposely) UnbearableREWORD IT

Read the title and source and highlight any words you are unsure of. Use powerthesaurus.org to help

you understand them.

You may consider yourself even-keeled, the kind of person who is unflappable when those around you

are losing their cool. But all that goes out the window when you call tech support. Then you fume. Your

face turns red. You shout things into the phone that would appall your mother.

It’s called tech support rage.

And you are not alone. Getting caught in a tech support loop — waiting on hold, interacting with

automated systems, talking to people reading from unhelpful scripts and then finding yourself on hold

yet again — is a peculiar kind of aggravation that mental health experts say can provoke rage in even the

most mild-mannered person.

Worse, just as you suspected, companies are aware of the torture they are putting you through.

According to a survey conducted last year by the industry group International Customer Management

Institute, or ICMI, 92 percent of customer service managers said their agents could be more effective and

74 percent said their company procedures prevented agents from providing satisfactory experiences.

Moreover, 73 percent said the complexity of tech support calls is increasing as customers have become

more technologically sophisticated and can resolve simpler issues on their own.

Many organizations are running a cost-per-contact model, which limits the time agents can be on the

phone with you, hence the agony of round-robin transfers and continually being placed on hold, said

Justin Robbins, who was once a tech support agent himself and now oversees research and editorial at

ICMI.

“Don’t think companies haven’t studied how far they can take things in providing the minimal level of

service,” Mr. Robbins said. “Some organizations have even monetized it by intentionally engineering it so

you have to wait an hour at least to speak to someone in support, and while you are on hold, you’re

hearing messages like, ‘If you’d like premium support, call this number and for a fee, we will get to you

immediately.’”

The most egregious offenders are companies like cable and mobile service providers, which typically

have little competition and whose customers are bound by contracts or would be considerably

inconvenienced if they canceled their service. Not surprisingly, cable and mobile service providers are

consistently ranked by consumers as providing the worst customer support.

SUMMARISE ITIn your own words, write 5

full bullet points summarising why companies

might be providing bad service.CRUNCH IT

Skim read the source and identify six words that best show how the writer feels about tech support.

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

FIND ITHighlight and annotate with inferences:• Where the article highlights

problems tech support calls can cause.

• Where the article explains why companies deliberately provide bad service.

• Where the article shows companies can risk taking advantage of their customers.

DEBATE ITUltimately, tech support is a specialised service that people should pay for, if that means companies make customers wait ,

whilst making money for the call and ensuring the

actually need help, the that is just the way it goes.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this

statement, and why?

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the ten most

significant words

Italian Reference - Showbie folder: LA GEOGRAFIA DELL’ITALIA> read pag.3 & 4

il PIEMONTE DEBATE ITCULTURAL COMPARISON

Do you know any other REGIONS IN ITALY?

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CONCLUSIONHave you learnt anything new about Italian culture? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading these pages?

FIND ITFind sentences/keywords which

explain:

1) One fact about il PIEMONTE

2) Something you didn’t know

3) What does “PIEMONTE” mean?

IDENTIFYWrite down 5 pieces of set present in

the picture

Overall response -

Extract - IDEASWhat genre of show do you think this is?

How would you feel if you were sat in the audience? How does the set design

influence this?

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ConclusionsWhat do we know? What do you want to know more about? Do you have any opinions on what you can see?

SUGGESTIONSWho are these characters? How are they feeling? What are they doing?

Drama Year 9 ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27th-01st April/May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall argument – Animals share emotions and behaviours just like humans.

DEBATE IT- Animals deserve rights too!Around the world animals are hunted for their furs, bones or for captive pets. How do you feel about this

now having read the article? Can you find another article about animal rights? What laws does England have to protect its animals from harm?

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Imagine- What would be the advantage of being a chimpanzee instead of a human being? Research their lifestyle, habitat, skills and diet. Would you rather be a human with a monkey brain or a monkey with a

human brain? What does your family think about your ideas?

Find itWhat key behaviours and emotions did

Jane see in Chimpanzees which humans also share?

KS3 Science ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 April – 1 May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall idea – How do tracing apps work?

Extract – Read the article at the link, complete this document and upload to Showbie.

https://www.theverge.com/interface/2020/4/14/21219289/apple-google-contact-tracing-app-android-ios-pros-cons-quarantine-testing

TechnologyWhat computing

technology is discussed in this article?

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ConclusionsHas the article changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itSome people have concerns about what Apple and Google will do with the data after the pandemic. How

have Apple and Google responded?

Year 9 Computing ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 April - 1 May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the ten most

significant words

Title: ELIUD KIPCHOGE ACHIEVES HIS MOON-LANDING MOMENTOverall conclusion from this article:

Extract:

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Research it

How many attempts did it take Kipchoge to break the 2hr marathon with the assistance of Nike & Ineos?

Is Kipchoge’s 1.59 marathon time recognised as a world record?

What technology and help was provided to Kipchoge when he was running?

What did Kipchoge do immediately after finishing the marathon?

Year 9 PE ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27th April- 1st May

With precision Eliud Kipchoge raced into history on the Hauptallee in Vienna by becoming the first man to achieve the barrier-breaking sub-two-hour marathon as part of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.The greatest marathon runner of all time Eliud achieved a jaw-dropping time of 1:59:40.2 to secure his moon-landing moment.He was supported by a world-class team including an electric pace car complete with futuristic lasers and a fabulous team of world-class pacemakers, featuring some of the best athletes in the world.Dissecting the last great barrier in athletics with remarkable consistency – he completed 24km of the 42.2km distance in precisely the pre-designated pace of 2:50 – his slowest kilometre was 2:52 and his fastest 2:48. It was a performance which perfectly encapsulated Eliud the man - calm, consistent, patient and totally unflappable. “This was the best moment of my life,” Eliud explained after the race.“From the first kilometre today I was really comfortable. In my heart and my mind I hoped to run under two hours and make history. I hoped to leave a positive message to the whole world that no human is limited.”He admitted to facing the pressure. Calls from the Kenyan President plus tens of thousands of encouraging messages around the world inevitably intensified expectation levels.Yet following 18 years of hard, consistent training under the tutelage of his coach and mentor, Patrick Sang, the wise management of Valentijn Trouw and the additional support of INEOS he was able to achieve a moment in human history to match that of Sir Roger Bannister’s first sub-four-minute mile in 1954 and Neil Armstrong first moon-landing in 1969.“I was really calm, I just wanted to maintain the pace,”added Eliud whose wife, Grace and three children; Lynne, Griffin and Gordon were watching him compete for the first time.“I followed the instructions of the pacemakers. At 35km and 40km my mind was focused on running. I did not think it was 50-50.”Passing the halfway mark ten seconds under the required pace, ensured that there was no bleeding of time in the second half of the race like Eliud had experienced in Monza when taking part in the Breaking2 project when he fell a tantalising 26 seconds shy of his goal.Since that first sub-two-hour marathon attempt in May 2017 the 34-year-old has further cemented his status as the greatest marathoner in history.Last year he obliterated the world marathon record with a stunning 2:01:39 clocking in Berlin and earlier this year he secured a record-breaking fourth London Marathon title.Only a sub-two-hour marathon was missing from his incomparable CV.His consistency throughout a lengthy career has been mind-boggling. On the track he won two Olympic 5000m crowns and a world title.Modest and showing typical humility, Eliud praised the key role the 41 pacemakers played in his success. He said they too had “bought into his dream” and the pacemakers too were humbled to have played their part in history.Two-time Olympian Lopez Lomong said: “It means the world to me. Eliud said we needed to be able to come to the moon and back and we did today. This was a momentous day. The whole world will be watching with many people putting their shoes on thinking about breaking two hours.Bernard Lagat, the former world 1500m and 5000m champion and two-time Olympic1500m medallist, who grew up in the neighbouring village to Eliud, was similarly humbled.“Eliud told the world that if you set your mind to something nothing is impossible. This is a special day today. Looking at the 1:59:40 time I got so emotional. He worked so hard for it and inspired us. It is something special. Eliud proved no human was limited and he did it.”Team INEOS Team Principal Sir Dave Brailsford was also hugely praiseworthy of Eliud’s accomplishments in the Prater in Vienna.The final word should go to Eliud, who celebrated wildly in the latter stages and after he crossed the line.“Sport can help unify people, I wanted to sell that message to the whole world. Truly no human is limited.”

Debate it

Is Kipchoge the greatest marathon runner of all time?

‘Those Superfast Nike Shoes Are Creating a Problem’. Kipchoge's shoes contain carbon fibre plates creating a ‘spring-like mechanism’. Is there a need for the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) to put restrictions on running-shoe technology?

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overview – ‘The Red Room’ is an extract from ‘Jane Eyre.’ It’s the story of a young orphan who is brought up by her Aunt – the wife of her Uncle, who has died. Mrs Reed (the aunt) resents having to look after Jane, and her cousins treat her terribly. One day, after being tormented by her cousin, John, Jane loses her temper and she is punished by being banished to the ‘red room’.The red room is rarely used in the house, and Jane feels afraid while she is in there.

Extract:The red-room was a square chamber, very seldom slept in, I might say never, indeed, unless when a chance influx of visitors at Gateshead Hall rendered it necessary to turn to account all the accommodation it contained: yet it was one of the largest and stateliest chambers in the mansion. A bed supported on massive pillars of mahogany, hung with curtains of deep red damask, stood out like a tabernacle in the centre; the two large windows, with their blinds always drawn down, were half shrouded in festoons and falls of similar drapery; the carpet was red; the table at the foot of the bed was covered with a crimson cloth; the walls were a soft fawn colour with a blush of pink in it; the wardrobe, the toilet-table, the chairs were of darkly polished old mahogany. Out of these deep surrounding shades rose high, and glared white, the piled-up mattresses and pillows of the bed, spread with a snowy Marseilles counterpane. Scarcely less prominent was an ample cushioned easy-chair near the head of the bed, also white, with a footstool before it; and looking, as I thought, like a pale throne.This room was chill, because it seldom had a fire; it was silent, because remote from the nursery and kitchen; solemn, because it was known to be so seldom entered. The house-maid alone came here on Saturdays, to wipe from the mirrors and the furniture a week's quiet dust: and Mrs. Reed herself, at far intervals, visited it to review the contents of a certain secret drawer in the wardrobe, where were stored divers parchments, her jewel-casket, and a miniature of her deceased husband; and in those last words lies the secret of the red-room--the spell which kept it so lonely in spite of its grandeur.

DEBATE ITWhich quotation do you think is the most effective? Explain your reasons

why.1

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ConclusionsWhat are your overall impressions of this extract? Do you like it? Is it fearful?

FIND ITFind sentences/keywords which create fear

and tension:

Year 9 English: ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Brontë Week 4: 27 – 1 May

Extract from the Bible: The Ten Commandments/ The Decalogue (Exodus 19:20- 20: 17)

When the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the Lord summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to the Lord to look; otherwise many of them will perish. Even the priests who approach the Lord must consecrate themselves or the Lord will break out against them.” Moses said to the Lord, “The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.’” The Lord said to him, “Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you; but do not let either the priests or the people break through to come up to the Lord; otherwise he will break out against them.” So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten CommandmentsThen God spoke all these words:I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.You shall not murder.You shall not commit adultery.You shall not steal.You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Year 9 RE ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 April- 1 May

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CRUNCH ITChoose five words which you don’t understand from this text. Look up the definition for each and then write this

down in your own words.

RESEARCHThe Ten Commandments are found in the book of Exodus. This scripture is relevant to both Jews and Christians.

Jews call the section on the Bible which contain the laws, the Torah. The Torah contains five smaller books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

There are some laws contained within the Torah which Christians do not follow, such as ‘Kashrut laws’. Look up, and write down what Kashrut laws are. Provide three specific examples of these laws.

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall argument -

Extract –Many of the historians who wrote in the 1960s and

1970s about the Civil Rights Movement had taken part in it. They focused on heroes of the movement, such as Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks, and the national campaigns which led to the civil rights laws. Many historians see these people as the ones who won rights for black Americans.

However, others think that these people were just the figureheads of the struggle. They think that all of those people who did little things to resist discrimination or challenge white supremacy were equally heroes. For example, it was Rosa Park’s refusal to give up her seat which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. But it was thousands of people, both black and white, who refused to travel by bus in Montgomery for over a year who really won desegregation of transport there.

DEBATE ITDo you believe that is was the famous individuals who won rights for black Americans?

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ConclusionsHas the article changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which…• Mention key individuals of civil

rights movement• Mention others who fought for the

civil rights movement

Year 9 History ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27th-1st May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the ten most

significant words / statistics

French Reference - http://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/discover/normandy-must-sees/the-10-top-normandy-must-sees/mont-saint-michel-106-2.html

EXTRACT – Mont-Saint-Michel

The Mont-Saint-Michel is one of Europe’s most unforgettable sights.Set in the mesmerising bay where Normandy and Brittany merge, theisland draws the eye from great distances.The staggering location has long inspired awe and the imagination.The story of how the mount turned into a great place of Christianpilgrimage is colourful. Aubert, bishop of the nearby hilltop town ofAvranches early in the 8th century, claimed that the ArchangelMichael himself pressured him into having a church built atop theisland just out to sea.From 966 onwards, the dukes of Normandy, followed by French kings,supported the development of a major Benedictine abbey on theMont-Saint-Michel. Magnificent monastic buildings were addedthrough medieval times, one vertiginous section being nicknamed TheMarvel. The abbey became a renowned centre of learning, attractingsome of the greatest minds and manuscript illuminators in Europe.Vast numbers of pilgrims visited, despite warring cross-Channel royals.However, the ramparts at the base of the island were built to keepEnglish forces out. Other fine buildings went up along the steepvillage street, now converted into museums, hotels, restaurants andboutiques for today’s tourists to discover and enjoy.

EXPLORE IT FURTHERWIDER CONTEXT

Your main task this week is to research tourism in the

Normandy region. What other key tourist sites can you identify in Normandy?

Normandy and Brittany are two French regions – how many

others can you name?

There are still some people who live on Mont-Saint-Michel –

can you research how many?

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CONCLUSIONCan you explain why the Mont-Saint-Michel is the most popular tourist site in France (outside of Paris)?

Would you like to visit it? Why/why not?

FIND ITFind sentences/keywords which

explain:

1) Where the Mont-Saint-Michel is located:

2) Why a church was first built on the island:

3) Who visited the abbey in the past:

CRUNCH IT:Reduce the extract to the ten most

significant words

Title: Food Waste Overall conclusion from this article:

Extract -The best thing that can happen to food is that it makes it to our plates and is enjoyed.Avoiding throwing out food that could have been eaten will save you money and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, some food waste is inevitable - egg shells, banana skins and tea bags are never going to be on the menu.Home composting is a great way to stop this sort of waste ending up in landfill, and our gardens will really thank us for it.If you live in an area that has a local food waste recycling collection service, you can use this to dispose of anything you can't eat, or compost at home. It can be recycled into a good quality soil improver or fertiliser and even generate electricity that can be fed back into the national grid. You can check whether your local authority offer a food waste collection service on our Recycling Locator.Did you know?Around 7 million tonnes of food is thrown away by households in the UK every year, and most of it could have been eaten.How is it recycled?Many councils now collect food waste, which can be recycled in several ways including:In-vessel composting involves mixing food waste with garden waste – shredding it and then composting it in an enclosed system for around 2-4 weeks. The material is then left outside to mature for a further 1-3 months with regular turning and checks to ensure quality before going on to be used as soil conditioner.Anaerobic Digestion uses microorganisms to break down food waste, animal manure, slurries and energy crops in the absence of oxygen, inside an enclosed system. As it breaks down it gives off methane, which is collected and converted into biogas and used to generate electricity, heat or transport fuels.Reducing food waste is a major issue and not just about good food going to waste; wasting food costs the average family with children almost £60 a month and has serious environmental implications too.

DEBATE IT:Do you think we do enough to reduce food waste in the UK?

What do you think we should be doing more of to reduce food waste?

If you had the opportunity to invent a new food waste scheme, what would you plan?

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HOW COULD YOU…Reduce the amount of food waste from a

Christmas roast dinner?Write your ideas below considering starter

and main course.

Year 9 DT ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 April-1 May

CRUNCH ITReduce the extract to the five most significant words and define them

Overall argument – Minimalism in Music

Extract – DEBATE ITIn your opinion should the piece 4:33 be considered a piece of music at all? Make sure to back up your opinion! It might be worth doing a bit of research on this piece.

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ConclusionsHas the video changed your opinion? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your understanding?

Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which:

Year 9 Music ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27 – 1 May

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoAbXwr3qkg

2. KEYWORDSTo describe the artwork.

6. DEBATE IT

Is this Graffiti?Why do you think Banksy's wife

hates it when he works from home?

Does this represent the British public rushing to buy toilet rolls

a few weeks ago? Or is he describing what it's like working or schooling from home with the mess and the cheekiness of the

rats?8. CONCLUSIONS

Can you answer any of your questions that you originally had about this artwork? OR can you add any additional thoughts to any of the other questions here. Has your opinion changed about the artwork? Why?

4. DESCRIBEWhat can you see in the image?

The composition (arrangement / layout)What’s happening in the artwork?

ART ”Thinking Harder” Look at the artwork either write down or discuss with a member of your household the answers to the questions Week 4: 27 – 1 May

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7. WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?Do you like or dislike the artwork?

Why?

Artist: Banksy Title: ‘My wife hates it when I work from home’ 2020

3. IDENTIFY What formal elements are in this piece of artwork and where and how have they been used?

COLOUR, LINE, FORM, PATTERN, SHAPE, TEXTURE, TONE

1. QUESTIONS? What questions do you have about this artwork?

5. CONSIDER / RESEARCHWhat materials and techniques have been used to create this artwork? How have they been

used?

What is Graffiti?What could the tally represent?

Why do you think he used rats in his artwork?

Geography

CRUNCH ITReduce the video to the five most significant words and define them

Title – Tour of China

Link –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIpm2PWBzow

Watch the following video on YouTube

DEBATE ITWhich elements of the video do you

find linked the most to what you learnt in the textbook or in class?

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ConclusionsHas the video changed your opinion of China as a country? Have you learnt anything new? Has it improved your

understanding? Do you have any questions after reading the article?

Find itFind sentences/keywords which relate to

the physical geography of china and define them:

Year 9 ”Thinking Harder” Week 4: 27-1 May