“Generations to come...willscarcely believe that such a one asthis ever in fl�esh and bloodwalked upon earth”. AlbertEinstein’s words from 1944 beartestimony to the near­mythicalstatus held by Mahatma Gandhiin his own lifetime.

Campaigning fi�rst in SouthAfrica against racial oppression ofIndian immigrants, then againstBritish rule in India where he roseto lead the Congress Party, heespoused strategies thatgraduated from orderly petitionto passive resistance to civildisobedience ­­ but never violence.

Eschewing the material wealthavailable to him as a lawyer, hewalked the world stage in awhite loincloth, steel­rimmedspectacles and pauper’s shoes,causing Winston Churchill topass unpleasant remarks againsthim. 

In fact, Gandhiji’s adoptedstyle was the result of harshpersonal scrutiny and deepconsideration of the moralstructure of the world. He readwidely across all religions andwas greatly infl�uenced towardsan ascetic life by the writings of

Leo Tolstoy.Gandhiji was imprisoned

several times, notably at theheight of his Non­CooperationMovement and after the defi�ningact of civil disobedience ­­ when heled thousands of peasants in amarch to the ocean to evaporatesea water into salt in protest atthe British monopoly on saltproduction.

Not just an anti­colonialist, healso campaigned against thecaste system and for religioustolerance between Muslims andhis own Hindus. This lastcampaign, in the overheatedatmosphere of newly­partitionedIndia, prompted Hindu fanaticNathuram Godse to fi�re the threegunshots that ended Gandhiji’slife.

Several decades afterGandhiji’s assassination, thelegacy of the man offi�ciallyaccorded the status of Father ofthe Nation remains as powerfulas ever. The United NationsGeneral Assembly unanimouslyadopted a resolution declaringOctober 2, Gandhiji’s birthday, tobe the “International Day ofNon­Violence”.

PATH OF PEACE Mahatma Gandhi. A 1940 file photo from The HIndu Archives.

The dugong, commonly known as seacow, is a marine mammal found in theGulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, Gulf ofKutch, and the Andaman and Nicobarislands in India. In a fi�rst for thecountry, Tamil Nadu will establish aconservation reserve for the animal.Why is such a reserve necessary? Come,let’s fi�nd out.

Listed as “Vulnerable” on the IUCNRed List of Threatened Species, the seacow’s range is spread across “48countries within the tropical andsubtropical coastal and island watersbetween east Africa and Vanuatu inOceana”. Largely a herbivore, it feedsprimarily on sea grass, and this helpsmaintain a healthy coastal ecosystem.How? By constantly browsing sea grass,the mammal helps in grass regrowth,ensuring the habitat remains healthyand welcoming of several other marinecreatures. 

However, dugong populations acrossthe globe have been diminishing due toseveral reasons such as habitat loss,fatalities caused by gill nets, pollution,and illegal hunting. Adding to the

pressure, they also have a “slow rate ofreproduction”, which could be pushingthem further towards extinction.Abundant in Indian waters once, thedugong population is said to be a mere200 today. And the Tamil Nadu regionhas a good number of these mammals,which is why the idea of setting up aconservation reserve has come up. Thereserve will be established in the Gulf ofMannar and Palk Bay area, spanning500 sq km.

Did you know?

The dugong and the three species ofmanatees are related. They also hadanother cousin called the Steller’s seacow, now extinct. Said to have beenmassive at about 30 feet, weighing over10 tonnes, and larger than manymodern whales, it was discovered in1741 in the sub­Arctic waters by Germanbiologist Georg Wilhelm Steller, afterwhom it was named. “Within just 27years of being formally described,humans had completely eradicated amarine mammal” ­ hunted toextinction for fur. 

Why should dugongsbe conserved?

PHOTO: JULIEN WILLEM / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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An aerial view of thenormally busy PrincesBridge that crosses the YarraRiver and forms a gatewayinto the central city fromthe south on September 28,2021 in Melbourne,Australia. Lockdownrestrictions remain in placeacross Melbourne as Victoriacontinues to record newCOVID-19 cases. Melbourneis set to become the world'smost locked-down city onOctober 4, surpassingArgentina's capital cityBuenos Aires's record of 245days in lockdown. Iflockdown lifts in Melbourneas planned on October 26,Victoria's capital will havespent a total of 267 days ornine months, under strictstay-at-home health orderssince the beginning of thepandemic in early 2020.PHOTO: DARRIAN

TRAYNOR/GETTY IMAGES

MELBOURNE, MOST LOCKED-DOWN CITY?

PARIS, FRANCE: Barcelona plunged even furtherinto crisis on Wednesday with a thumpingChampions League defeat at Benfi�ca whileholders Chelsea were beaten by Juventus butCristiano Ronaldo grabbed a precious last­gaspwinner for Manchester United.

Ronald Koeman's Barcelona side alreadylook at real risk of an early exit from thisseason's Champions League after suff�ering asecond 3­0 defeat in as many games in Group Eand fi�nishing the match in Lisbon with 10men.

Nunez, Benfica’s heroUruguayan forward Darwin Nunez starred forBenfi�ca, opening the scoring early on and thenhitting the post early in the second half. Helater completed the rout from the penalty spotfollowing a Sergino Dest handball, while inbetween Rafa Silva also netted for thePortuguese former European Cup winners.

Barca, who had Eric Garcia sent off�, are rockbottom of their group while Bayern followedtheir victory at the Camp Nou a fortnight agowith a 5­0 home win over Dynamo Kiev, withRobert Lewandowski's fi�rst­half brace setting theBavarians on their way.

Lewandowski, who netted the opener fromthe penalty spot, now has a career tally of 77Champions League goals, third in the all­timelist behind Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Eric MaximChoupo­Moting added further goals after thebreak for a rampant Bayern.

Barcelona's defeat leaves Koeman in an evenmore fragile position. They have made it to theknockout rounds in each of the last 17 seasons.

"I can't say anything because I don't knowwhat the club feels about this," said Koemanabout his future. "We'll see."

Juventus impressChelsea will still be expected to qualify for thelast 16 despite losing 1­0 to Juventus in Turinwith Federico Chiesa scoring the only goal ofthe game 10 seconds into the second half.

The star of Italy's Euro 2020­winning sidelatched onto Federico Bernardeschi's assist tobeat Edouard Mendy and give MassimilianoAllegri's team a second straight win in Group H.

Juve are still adapting to life since the returnof Allegri as coach and the departure ofRonaldo but this could be a formative result forthem against the holders. AFP

Barcelona thumped by Benfi�ca; Juventus defeat defending champions Chelsea in Champions League

Ronaldo rescues Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo (left). PHOTO: AP

RememberingGandhiji...... whose campaign of non-violentopposition to British rule was instrumentalin securing India's independence.

Mahatma Gandhi led India’snationalist movement against Britishrule. His doctrine of non-violentprotest has inspired civil rightsmovements worldwide. A look at hislife and times...

Brown bear cub 128(front) stands by ariver fattening upbefore hibernationat Katmai NationalPark and Preserve inAlaska in the U.S.Can you describe thepicture in a fewwords. Be creative!

Picturestory

Caption this

Reuters

Unusual but true

When it comes to seahorses, it is the malethat gets pregnant and gives birth to baby

seahorses. The female swims to the surface of thewater with the interested male in tow. It

transfers its orange eggs into the pouch of themale which then adds its sperm and seals theopening. The growing babies will remain in

their dad's pouch till they develop. Once they areborn the babies are on their own. Q. A male seahorse gives birth to__________ of babies at one go.

Fun fact

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384

Fill the empty cells using numbers from 1 to 64 each only once such that 1) Each row, column and two main diagonals of each 4x4 sub square

give the magic sum of 130. 2) Each 2 x 2 square marked in the same colour gives the sum of 130.3) The center 2 x 2 marked in black border in each 4x4 sub square give a

sum of 130.4) Group of cells in boxes within dotted lines is a cage.Cage sum is mentioned at the top in respective colours

Puzzles by www.magicsquarepuzzles.com

PUZZLE

ANSWER

Magic Square

Journal Writing

Dear Diary,

If I were asked to mentor my juniors in school, I would tell them to....

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

Use your imagination and write a note in 150 words. Mail it to school@thehindu.co.in with thesubject line: Journal Writing. Do remember to mention your details such as name, class, school andcity in the same mail. The best pieces will be published on Page 3 in the Inbox column from Mondayto Friday.

AnswerThousands

1. Ahmed Shah’s Tomb.

2. Humayun’s Tomb.

3. Gumbaz.

4. Gol Gumbaz.

5. Paigah Tombs.

a. Bijapur.

b. Srirangapatna.

c. Ahmedabad.

d. Hyderabad.

e. Delhi.

Answers: 1. c, 2. e, 3. b, 4. a, 5. d.

High fiveMatch the tombs with the places they are in

Shiv

Ku

ma

r P

ush

pa

ka

r

Word of thedayPlethoraThe word "plethora" means anabundance or excessive amountof something.

OriginPlethora has been derived from asimilar Greek word meaning"fullness." It was first used inEnglish in the 16th century todescribe a supposed medical

condition marked by an excessvolume. These days, however,"plethora" is more often used ina general context, with themeaning "excess" or"abundance."

ExamplesHaving scored top marks in herexams, she had a plethora ofcolleges open to her.

ActivityUse the word of the day in asentence of your own

1. As a lawyer, M.K. Gandhi spent 21years in this country, where he also begana campaign for civil rights.

2. Gandhi studied law in this country.

3. In this year, Mahatma Gandhi led theDandi March from Sabarmati Ashram toDandi in Gujarat.

4. He launched the Quit India Movementat the Bombay session of the All IndiaCongress Committee in this year.

5. This Russian novelist introducedGandhi to classic Tamil text Thirukkural.

PHOTO: V.V. KRISHNAN

Find the right match How well do you know the Father of our nation?

A. England

B. 1930

C. South Africa

D. Leo Tolstoy

E. 1942

Answer: 1. C, 2. A, 3.B, 4. E, 5. D

If you have been following the IPL, you musthave noticed that Royal ChallengersBangalore defeated Rajasthan Royals on theback of a solid bowling performance onWednesday. Do you know why it is importantto pay heed to Yuzvendra Chahal’sperformance in particular? Do you think youcan guess the reason for this? Fill in the spaceprovided and check it with the answer below.

Answer: __________________________________________________________________________________________

The W CornerWHY is it important to take note of Yuzvendra Chahal’s recent

performances in the IPL?

PHOTO: PTI

Answer:Royal Challengers Bangalore dished out a clinical display with both bat and ball to record acomprehensive seven-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday,boosting their prospects of a top-two finish.

Chasing 150, RCB completed the task with as many as 17 balls to spare. RCB staged an excellent comebackas Rajasthan Royals blew away a blistering start to finish at 149 for nine.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed (2/10) and leg-break bowler Yuzvendra Chahal (2/18) triggered the slideafter RR were cruising at 100 for one in the 11th over.

Chahal, who was declared as the player of the match, was out of form during the Indian-leg of the IPL. Inthe first seven RCB matches that were played in India, Chahal picked up just four wickets at an average of47.50. Since the IPL resumed at the UAE, Chahal has picked up seven wickets in four matches at an average of11.14 and an economy rate of 5.57.

It is important to take note of Chahal’s performances because the upcoming T20 World Cup will be played inthe UAE. Chahal, however, is not part of the World Cup squad as the selectors preferred Rahul Chahar’s leg spinwhen announcing the squad before the resumption of the IPL. It would interesting to see if the selectors makeany changes to the squad based on performances in the ongoing IPL. (with PTI inputs)

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THE HINDU IN SCHOOL

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SIGNPOST

Which country’s team is celebrating here after winning the Bocuse d’or pastrycompetition? PHOTO: AFP

One-minute GK

Answer: Italy

Sound sense!

ANSWER: Splash, Gurgle, Beep, Chatter, Ring, Snort

This week's Easy Searches are on English Languageand vocabulary. Spot six words used to describesounds in the grid below:

Two-minute word search

ANSWER: Magna

SPOT THE RIGHT ANSWER: Melted or melting rock inside the earth iscalled............

In how manyminutes did youcomplete today’sactivities?

It has been more than a week since thousands made homeless byan eviction drive by the Assam government, which left two peopleincluding a 12-year-old boy dead here, are living either inmakeshift shanties or under open skies.

Forced to cross the Nanoi, a channel of the Brahmaputra, over7,000 people uprooted from their homes and farms in Darrangdistrict now use the stream’s muddy water to drink and cook anddefecate in the open as `Swach Bharat’ toilets built in their villagesare now guarded by policemen who do not allow them to re-enterany part of the lands they have been thrown out of.

Local public health experts, on conditions of anonymity, saidthe crowded conditions, lack of safe water and open defecationmay well lead to a health epidemic in the area.

The district administration however, asserted that tube-wellsand toilets were provided, besides health camps established forpeople who say they have been forced to turn into `refugees' for theState’s ambitious Gorukhuti Agriculture Project.

Some help and relief have started trickling in since Sundayfrom the public at large and a few non-governmentalorganisations, but state agencies were not visible on the ground.PTI

1. What may well lead to a health epidemic in the area? ______________________________________________________2. Which project has driven thousands to homelessness?______________________________________________________

Two-minute comprehension

Read the paragraphs below and answer the questions

Menaing: Convert or be converted into vapour.

Unscramble - in a minute

Answer:Vaporise.

R O P E S I V A

x x x x x x x x

Published by N. Ravi at Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai-600002 on behalf of THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., and Printed by D. Rajkumar at Plot B-6 & B-7, CMDA Industrial Complex, Maraimalai Nagar, Chengleput Taluk, Kancheepuram Dist., Pin: 603209. Group Editorial Officer: Krishna Prasad. Editor: Suresh Nambath (Responsible for selection of news under the PRB Act).

Regd. TN/ARD/17/2012-2014 ● RNI No. 1001/1957 ● ISSN 0971 - 751X ● Vol. 144 ● No. 235

Disclaimer: Readers are requested to verify &make appropriate enquiries to satisfy themselvesabout the veracity of an advertisement beforeresponding to any published in this newspaper.THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD., the Publisher & Ownerof this newspaper, does not vouch for theauthenticity of any advertisement or advertiser orfor any of the advertiser’s products and/orservices. In no event can the Owner, Publisher,Printer, Editor, Director/s, Employees of thisnewspaper/company be held responsible/liable inany manner whatsoever for any claims and/ordamages for advertisements in this newspaper.

There’s a reason plastic pollution is oneof the major causes of concern globallytoday. Most of the plastics used byhumans the world over reach landfills oroceans; only a very small part of that isrecycled. Since plastic takes a very longtime to disintegrate, it remains in theplanet for an incredibly long time. Andsince as humans we use land and waterfor several purposes, the plastic has a wayof returning to our lives. How? Here’s how- as microplastic.

What is microplastic? These are extremely small plastic pieces - less than fivemillimeters long. They can percolate soil, float in water, and travel in the air webreathe. Due to how tiny they are, they end up being consumed by several landand marine creatures too. Since some of these are creatures we consume too -think sea food - the plastic that we created and flung out, return to us, to harmus. Over a long period of time, the accumulation of plastic can cause healthproblems. These are concerns apart from how microplastic pollutes land andharm wildlife.

ACTIVITY CORNER1. What is AQI? _______________________________________________________2. Several everyday products such as toothpaste contain microplastics.True or false? _______________________________________________________

Answers: 1. Air Quality Index, 2. True.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Magna

Minerals

Lava

Eruption

Debris

Armaan Mulla, Class X, D.A.V Public School, Nerul,Navi Mumbai.

Dibyashree Priyadarshini, Class IV, GBN SeniorSecondary School, Faridabad.

Saesha Goon, Class IV, GBN Senior Secondary School,Faridabad.

VanshikaChoudhary, III, GBN Sr. Sec.School ,Faridabad.

ARTIVITY

A INSCHOOL INBOX c

A space to showcase your creativityHere are some of the best “Journal Writing” and “Artivity” entries we received

Dear Diary, Teenage us one of the best times in our lives. If Iwere to tell you three reasons why, they would be…

Valuable friendships

Teenage us one of the best times inour lives. If I were to tell you threereasons why, they would be…

1) We can do many things on ourown and we will also be able to helpour siblings when needed.

2) We learn the real value of truefriendship and can have good friendswho can stay forever in our life.

3) And this is the time when wewill be able to choose our careeroptions.

- Kundana Vanmai Kotte, ClassVII, Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan’sAtmakuri Rama Rao School,Hyderabad, Telangana

The best time of our lives

Teenage is one of the best times in our lives.Here are three reasons why – firstly, teenageyears are some of the most terrifying, horrible,and exciting, hopeful years of our lives. It’s atime for mistakes, awkward moments, andconfusion. But it is also about having more funand drama than we can in any other decadeof our lives. Sure, teenagers might dress in wayswe find ‘unusual’. Their music might drive usup the wall too. But if we take everyopportunity we can to connect with them, theywill amaze us with how awesome they are,and how much they want to be a part of ourlives.

-- Mohana Krishna, Class VII,B.V.B.A.R.R.S, Hyderabad

Eavesdropping

A promise is an assurance to do something without fail. However, this isone promise I broke. Here’s what happened...Around 6:30 AM, my fathergot a sudden call after which he decided to take us on a picnic. The picnicspot was just 70 kilometres away from my home. I overheard this whilehiding behind the curtain. My mother, who was watching me, becameangry. I was so happy at the thought of going to a picnic that I did noteven realise that my mother was angrily coming towards me. She said,“Son, are you listening to calls again?” I was afraid and confused becauselast night I had promised her that I will not hide behind the curtain andeavesdrop on other people’s telephonic conversations. This was the firstpromise which I gave to my mother and I broke it. From now on I hope tokeep all my promises.

-- Shashwat Swarup Pradhan, Class VIII, Sainik School,Bhubaneswar Odisha

Dear Diary, Today l am going to tellyou about a promise I broke ...

Send your entries toschool@thehindu.co.inalong with yourname, class andschool. [Topic is givenon page 2.]

Three-minute fun reads

Just a minute - zoom in!

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THE HINDU IN SCHOOL

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OPINION

Online safety of studentsA new Children’s Code has been put in place in the U.K. to protect theprivacy of children online. What can schools in India do to ensurecyber safety of students? Let’s see what Principals have got to say...

A LEADERBOARD c

Create awareness among students

about cybercrimes

The U.K. Government’s Children’s Codeaimed at protecting children andyoung adults online is highlylaudable. The Indian Government toocan follow the same technique forensuring the cybersecurity of studentsand young adults. Our schools arealso trying to ensure the cybersecurityof students, but what we have is not a

foolproof system. Cyber crimes in India are on the riseand students are soft targets. Diff�erent ways are beingemployed to cheat students. 

In this pandemic, education has changeddramatically with teaching completely shifting online.As a result, students are using smartphones and tabletsfor online classes. They are also using diff�erent apps andsocial media sites. Fraudsters use misleadingadvertisements or false promises to target gulliblestudents who unknowingly fall prey to online frauds.We, the school principals and teachers, can createawareness among students and parents aboutcybercrimes. Sessions on cybersecurity may be arrangedfor students so as to make them aware of possiblethreats. We must keep tabs on students during onlineclasses. Parents may be urged to have a close watch ontheir wards when they use smartphones and tablets. 

Vipin Kumar TyagiPrincipal, K V No 1 Roorkee

Educate students on safe surfing

This pandemic has forced us to shiftto online teaching and learning.Many school assignments andactivities are designed in such a waythat a student needs to surf theInternet in order to complete them. Itcannot be denied that theinformation available on the Netmakes learning easier. But we all need to understandthat online browsing is not without risks.

As teachers, we need to educate our children on safeInternet surfi�ng, which means not navigating dubioussites even if they tempt us to log in. Unsafe surfi�ngmight throw up inappropriate content. It’s high timethat schools started setting aside some hours foreducating children on cybersafety. Conducting acybersecurity week with lots of activities could be aneyeopener for students and parents. Children need tobe briefed on the reasons for age restrictions andtaught to keep their personal information limited andsafe. They should be urged to keep the privacy settingsalways on. Very importantly, students should beeducated on how to identify whether a link is safe ormalicious before downloading. They need to knowthat strong, secure passwords are essential inmaintaining privacy. They need to be advised againstdownloading apps that look suspicious or that arefrom a site they don't trust. They should be instructedto keep the antivirus updated. If they follow these tips,browsing the Net will turn out to be a great learningexperience for students. 

K.K. Ganesh,Principal, ELGI Matriculation 

Hr. Sec School, Coimbatore

Cyber safety, a priority

The Internet is an astounding invention of mankindwhich can provide 24x7 information about every topicthe human brain can fathom. As education has movedinto a virtual learning space, students and teachers arespending most of their time online, using variousapplications, including social media, for interaction andlearning. But excessive and uncontrolled usage creates anegative impact on students as they tend to come across inappropriate contentor become victims of cyberbullying and cyber predators. So, schools andparents should play a pivotal role in teaching students digital citizenship anddigital resilience for their safety.

The National Commission for Child Rights, the MHRD and the CBSE havecome out with detailed manuals on cyber safety for children. Schools shouldframe safety rules in the form of Dos and Don’ts. They should invest in astrong network security system. Students should use only licensed softwareand operating systems, create unique and strong passwords, install antivirussoftware/ web fi�ltering, communicate only with known people, and report toteachers and parents on malicious, and threatening messages. They shouldn’tshare any personal details, post unwanted pictures or forward photographs ormessages, accept invitations from unknown people, and download gameapplications involving money. Teachers should make students aware of safetyrules, phishing emails, cyber hygiene etiquette and challenges in cyberspaceand save children from opening the “Pandora’s box of the digital world!”.

Muraleedharan NairSenior Principal

MGM Group of Schools, Thiruvananthapuram

Celebrate Cybersecurity Week

The COVID­19pandemic hasdrastically changedpeople’s lives. Schoolclosures have deeplyimpacted students,making onlineeducation compulsory.Increased screen timecan make childrenprone to cyber threats

such as malware, cyber predators,malicious advertisements and identitytheft. 

As teachers and parents, it is ourresponsibility to protect students from suchthreats. In addition to making studentsaware of these, schools can celebrateCybersecurity Week before the beginning ofa session and one week after the mid­term.Teachers can educate students on the rulesof safety to be followed while surfi�ng theNet. Students should be asked not to sharetheir personal information with anyone.They may be asked to use virus protection,keep software updated, be on guard forphishing, and to not respond to unknownemails, messages or online lotteries.

During Cybersecurity Week, schools mayconduct various competitions focussing oncyber safety such as debates, poster makingand slogan writing. These activities willhelp children to know about the potentialthreats online and prevent them fromfalling prey to these. 

Sanjay Kumar PatilHeadmaster, Kendriya Vidyalaya No 2,

AFS Lohegaon, Pune

Ensure cyber safety of students

Ensuring cyber safety of students is of paramount importance in thispandemic period, when students are glued to their mobile or desktop fora considerable period of time attending online classes. Students, by andlarge, are quite ignorant of the hidden dangers in cyberspace such ascyberbullying. It is important that schools inculcate healthy cyberpractices in students. Sensitizing students on the dangers of straying intounwanted sites is essential . Here parents have an equally important roleto play. They can block suspicious sites. Schools can familiarise students with the cybersafety guidelines brought out by educational boards such as the CBSE. It is also essentialthat parents and teachers build a rapport with students so as to make them feel free toshare their bitter experiences in the cyberworld. Students should be instructed not to click anyunsolicited links. They need to be taught about digital resilience. They should not beallowed to get overly immersed in online games. Schools can invite experts to interact withstudents on cyber safety and sound cyber practices.

Krishnaprasad. SPrincipal, Sree Narayana Public School, 

Elappully, Palakkad, Kerala

Age-wise login important

From September 2021, the companies that off�er certain types ofonline services have been directed to implement a new code ofpractice governing the handling of children’s personal data inthe U.K. (The Children’s Code or Code). In India, it is a bigchallenge to protect children's personal data online. First, weneed to control and check the genuineness of any user.Age­wise login is important so that age­appropriate contentcan be accessed by the user. Schools must fi�rst enlighten parents and then childrenabout cyber risks. Logging in with their correct age and parental control are veryimportant. Blocking inappropriate sites and advertisements is mandatory. Cyberlaws also need to be improved so that unnecessary sites, videos, games, news andadvertisements are not accessible to children and their data will be protected whenthey log in with their original ID. Schools can continuously make children awareof cyber threats, and parents should constantly monitor children. 

Sofia AnbuchezianBlessings Mat. Hr. Sec. School,

Keerapakkam, Thirukalukundram

Teach children safe

Internet practices

Cyber safety is a seriousmatter to be deliberatedupon by all concerned.Students are generallydrawn towardselectronic gadgets. Soinstead of keepingthem away from thegadgets, they need tobe taught how to be

safe online from childhood. Schools canarrange awareness sessions and groupdiscussions with the help of experts tosensitise students on cybersecurity and thedangers lurking in the cyber world. Parentsat home should make sure the Internet is notmisused. Teachers should enlighten studentson appropriate sites and warn them againststraying into unwanted ones. Parents can dofrequent browsing audits of children. It isgood that parents restrict the web time ofchildren and not allow them to browse inprivate. Teachers can make students aware ofthe prevailing cybercrimes and the prescribedpunishments. Students should be made totake a pledge on digital citizenship, which isthe need of the hour. They can beencouraged to write articles on cyber safety.Schools can put up on the noticeboardnewspaper clippings on cyber crimes andpunitive action taken so as to createawareness among students.

S. SripriyaPrincipal, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, 

Tattamangalam, Palakkad, Kerala

Our next Leaderboard topic: “Time torethink traditional exam patterns /assessments”.

Principals can send their 150­word responses withtheir photograph to school@thehindu.co.in alongwith the subject ­ Leaderboard: Traditional exampatterns. Mention name, school, city, and contactdetails. 

Last date for entries: October 4. The next Leaderboard column will appear on

October 15. 

Principals, Write to us!

Something that caught my attention

when I looked outside the window

Something I consciously said

‘No’ to during tea time

A broad smile that strikes the screenevery day in the morning illuminatesand motivates me to stay connectedto the real truth that I am a studentin this virtual world of learning.

The untiring energy, the invinciblecourage, the indispensable patienceand the indisputable love for thestudents make our teachers the ‘torchbearers’ to enlighten the darkenedpathway that has been anomalousand atypical for long.

Teachers are like a ray of hope,guiding us towards a brighter, bettertomorrow. Their utmost commitmenttowards quickly grasping thetechnological requisite for conductingvirtual classes inspires me to adapt tochange with grace and ease.

Blackboard is swapped withPowerPoint presentations, pen andpaper with clicks and ticks. But ‘YOU’as a teacher have borne theresponsibility to peruse the process atevery level of execution.

Instructions such as “Keep yourcamera on”, “Mute yourself”, “Don’tdoodle on the screen” have becomecommon in your class, yet youforgive us, embrace us with yoursermons that sound so sensibleblanketed with the realities of life.

Your “What’s up” reminders for ourassignments, your messages ofencouragement on a performanceday, your online training for a

perfect assembly presentation are justa few to show your persistentcommitment to the role of a teacher.

The witty jokes you crack tobrighten up the mood on a gloomyday and the short stories you narrateto kindle a righteous thoughtmotivate me to give my best. 

I extend my heartfelt gratitude toall the teachers who have woven theirlives with the yarn of teaching tomould every student into anenduring personage.

Thank you for visiting us virtuallyevery day, keeping us busy in thisidle world and making us forget thatwe are confi�ned within the four

walls. We love you teachers for

incessantly bonding with us in theseinexplicable and grief­stricken times.You fi�rmly stand as my radar ofsupport to help me navigate theocean of learning and reach theshore of success for sure.

You will be revered andremembered as‘teacher’ forever.

G. AnanditaVIII­E,

Delhi PublicSchool,

Secunderabad

The impeccable you (My teacher)G. Anandita pays tribute to teachers who have made a big diff�erence to the livesof students during this pandemic

A MY SPACE c

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THE HINDU IN SCHOOL

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VARIETY

A mind game and apuzzle that you solvewith reasoning andlogic. Fill in the gridwith digits in such amanner that every row,every column andevery 3x3 boxaccommodates thedigits 1 to 9, withoutrepeating any. The solution to the puzzle isat right.

A SUDOKU cCan you identifythe person in thepicture?

This tennis ace haspulled out of theupcoming Indian WellsMasters. Send youranswers toschool@thehindu.co.inalong with your name,class and school. [Subject:Person.] Yesterday’sanswer: BarackObama. Congrats toAnagha B, Class IX,Abiram.R, Class VII, KVCLRI Chennai; S.Shreya.Class VIII, KendriyaVidyalaya Anna Nagar;Pavneet Singh, Class II,GBN Sr Sec School,Faridabad;K.P.Shrikrithika, Class III,Thammina Girish, ClassVIII, KV Nagercoil; and R.Harshitha, Class VIII,Sacred Heart Girls HigherSecondary School,Thanjavur. 

FACE TO FACE

“STAR WARS”“Star Wars” is an epic space opera created byGeorge Lucas. The fi�rst “Star Wars” fi�lm, which wasretroactively subtitled Episode IV: A New Hope,released in 1977. It was followed by sequelsEpisode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) andEpisode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), forming theoriginal Star Wars trilogy. Since then, the franchisehas been expanded into various fi�lms and othermedia, including television series, video games,novels, comic books, and theme park attractions.Some of the popular characters from the series areYoda, Hans Solo, RTD2 and Chewbacca.Chewbacca's voice in the "Star Wars" movies wascreated using a variety of noises including therumbling growl of a dromedary camel.

DROMEDARY CAMELThe dromedary is the tallest of the three species ofcamel. A large even­toed ungulate, it has onehump on its back. Dromedaries are mainly activeduring daylight hours. They form herds of about20 individuals, which are led by a dominantmale. They feed on foliage and desert vegetation.And several adaptations, such as the ability totolerate losing more than 30% of its total watercontent, allow it to thrive in its desert habitat. Thedromedary is closely related to the vicuna.

VICUNAThe vicuna is one of the two wild South Americancamelids, which live in the high alpine areas ofthe Andes. They are related to the llama and thewild ancestor of domesticated alpacas. Vicunasproduce small amounts of extremely fi�ne wool,which is very expensive because the animal canonly be shorn every three years and has to becaught from the wild. When knitted together, theproduct of the vicuna's wool is very soft and warm.The Inca valued vicunas highly for their wool, andit was against the law for anyone but royalty towear vicuna garments; today, the vicuna is thenational animal of Peru. It appears on thePeruvian coat of arms.

PHOTOS: PTI, AP, AND REUTERS

RUBIK’S CUBEThe Rubik's Cube is a puzzle invented in 1974 byHungarian sculptor and professor of architectureErno Rubik. A 3D combination puzzle, it isnotoriously diffi�cult to solve. In 1980, it won theGerman Game of the Year special award for BestPuzzle. The faces of the cube have six solid colours:white, red, blue, orange, green, and yellow. Forthe puzzle to be solved, each face must bereturned to have only one colour. Rubik’s Cubeenthusiasts are known as speedcubers. They alsocompete for the fastest times in various categories.Since 2003, the World Cube Association, theinternational governing body of the Rubik'sCube, has organised competitions worldwideand recognises world records. Rubik’s Cubes havealso been made in diff�erent themes such as “StarWars”.

A QWIKIPEDIA: A DAILY SEARCH-AND-LEARN ACTIVITY c

Ever been on Wikipedia to search for something? More often than not we start with one topic, click a few links and within no time, are eagerly reading something else.

Qwikipedia is a game that tries to quench our curiosity to learn something new. Start with one search from aspecific article in this newspaper, and get started on a journey of learning with multiple clicks.

Surprise yourself by finding new routes each time!

THE FRIDAY’S FREERIDER ROUTE: RUBIK’S CUBE → VICUNA

So, the path we have travelled today is Rubik’s Cube → “Star Wars” → Dromedary camel → VicunaThree Clicks! Hop over! It’s time for the next question.

Monday’s MarauderGol Gumbaz → Dugong

Send in your paths for the above to school@thehindu.co.in with the Subject: Qwikipedia.

A fi�sh swims near rescuedFlorida’s Coral Reef atFlorida Coral RescueCenter in Orlando,Florida, on September 20,2021. At a laboratory incentral Florida, biologistAaron Gavin and histeam have diligentlyrecreated the coral reefhabitat found in thewaters off� the southerntip of the U.S. State,complete with artifi�cialcurrents and local fi�sh.They are tending to hugeaquariums full of thecorals, hoping to preventthem from suff�ering thesame mysterious diseaseaff�ecting their wildcousins. PHOTO: REUTERS

ARTIFICIAL

CORAL

DID YOU KNOW?Healing hands

Before Louisa May Alcott wrote “Little Women”, she worked as a Civil War nursein Washington, D.C. Alcott recorded her experiences tending to soldiers in her fi�rstbestselling work “Hospital Sketches” (1863). Unfortunately, Alcott contractedtyphoid and was “treated” with mercury afterwards, which led to Alcott’suntimely death in 1888.

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THE HINDU IN SCHOOL

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WORKSHEET/ SPORT