©ABC 2013

Questions for discussion

Senate

1. Which political party has been elected as the government of Australia?

2. The Senate is also referred to as the __________ house.

3. What is another name for the lower house?

4. Which person has to finally approve a new piece of legislation?

a. Governor-General

b. Prime Minister

c. Leader of the Senate

5. What colour is the Senate room?

6. How many senators are there in the Australian Parliament?

7. How many senators are elected to represent each state and territory?

8. What voting system is used to elect our senators?

9. In the Senate minor parties and independents don’t have much influence on the Government. True or false?

10. Illustrate an aspect of this story.

Test your knowledge in the Senate quiz. Go to the BtN website and follow the links.

Data Security

1. What are Christina’s favourite online sites?

2. Where was the data from Christina’s apps sent? Locate these places using Google Maps.

3. What is meant by the term ‘targeted advertising’?

4. What surprised Alexi about the test that the internet security expert ran on his mobile apps?

5. What sort of signal can traffic lights pick up from mobile phones to track information?

a. Bluetooth

b. Wifi

c. Satellite

6. What websites and apps do you use?

7. What is your digital footprint? Think about the information that you post online.

8. Make a list of people or organisations that might track your online activity?

9. How important is data security to you? Discuss as a class.

10. What can you do to secure your data?

Check out BtN’s Data Security teacher resource. Students will use comprehension strategies to analyse data security and online privacy and use their findings to inform other young people. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130917-datasecurity.pdf

Energy Drinks

1. Why is there a debate about energy drinks?

2. How are energy drinks advertised? Discuss as a class.

3. What drink, other than energy drinks, contains caffeine?

4. What effect does caffeine have?

5. Energy drinks contain about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. True or false?

6. Energy drinks contain up to....

a. 1 teaspoon of sugar

b. 10 teaspoons of sugar

Episode 27

17th September 2013

©ABC 2013

c. 13 teaspoons of sugar

7. Describe the experiment seen in the BtN Energy Drinks story.

8. In the experiment, the researchers found that their blood became very __________ after having the energy drinks.

9. How can energy drinks be dangerous?

10. List some healthy drinks and then list some unhealthy drinks.

Check out BtN’s Energy Drinks teacher resource. Students will investigate the associated dangers with drinking energy drinks. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/resources/teacher/episode/20130917-energydrinks.pdf

Should children be allowed to buy energy drinks? Have your say in the BtN online poll. To vote head to the BtN website http://abc.net.au/btn/polls.htm

Alopecia

1. Can kids be affected by alopecia areata?

2. There is a cure for alopecia areata. True or false?

3. Describe the condition called alopecia areata.

4. Scientists think alopecia areata is caused by a problem in our...

a. Circulatory system

b. Immune system

c. Lymphatic system

5. What sort of treatment did Hannah go through?

6. Many people with alopecia choose to wear a _____.

7. What are the wigs in the Alopecia story made from?

8. Specially made wigs can be very expensive. True or false?

9. What did the reporter in the Alopecia story do to help people with alopecia?

10. What substance gives hair its colour?

a. Melatonin

b. Keratin

c. Melanin

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the BtN Alopecia story page. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3845656.htm

Rabbit Jumping

1. In which part of the world did rabbit jumping start? Locate using Google Maps.

2. Rabbit jumping started in the...

a. 1940s

b. 1970s

c. 2000s

3. What is the name of the rabbit that is known as ‘the rabbit to beat’ in show jumping?

4. Show jumping involves several events. What do they judge?

5. How long is the show jumping track?

6. Why was Alvin chosen as a show jumper?

7. Who is Alvin’s arch rival?

8. Who wins the first place trophy in the BtN Rabbit Jumping story?

9. Illustrate an aspect of the Rabbit Jumping story.

10. Draw a family tree including Alvin and his relatives.

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the BtN Rabbit Jumping story page. http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3845659.htm

©ABC 2013

Activity

Data Security

Key Learning Students will use comprehension strategies to analyse data security and online privacy and use their findings to inform other young people. Students will reflect on their own digital footprint.

The Australian Curriculum

English / Literacy / Interacting with others

Use interaction skills when discussing and presenting ideas and information, selecting body language, voice qualities and other elements, (for example music and sound) to add interest and meaning (ACELY1804)

Use interaction skills, varying conventions of spoken interactions such as voice volume, tone, pitch and pace, according to group size, formality of interaction and needs and expertise of the audience (ACELY1816)

Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing, questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues and choose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriate for different audiences and purposes (ACELY1796)

English / Literacy / Creating texts

Use comprehension strategies to interpret, analyse and

synthesise ideas and information, critiquing ideas and issues

from a variety of textual sources (ACELY1723)

Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse

information and ideas, comparing content from a variety of

textual sources including media and digital texts (ACELY1713)

Use comprehension strategies to analyse information,

integrating and linking ideas from a variety of print and digital

sources (ACELY1703)

Discussion Questions

1. What are Christina’s favourite online sites?

2. Where was the data from Christina’s apps sent? Locate these places using Google Maps.

3. What is meant by the term ‘targeted advertising’?

4. What surprised Alexi about the test that the internet security expert ran on his mobile apps?

5. What sort of signal can traffic lights pick up from mobile phones to track information?

a. Bluetooth

b. Wifi

c. Satellite

6. What websites and apps do you use?

7. What is your digital footprint? Think about the information that you post online.

8. Make a list of people or organisations that might track your online activity?

9. How important is data security to you? Discuss as a class.

10. What can you do to secure your data?

Episode 27

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©ABC 2013

Activities

How is your information tracked?

Everywhere you go, you leave a digital footprint. Thanks to new and evolving technology, more of us are

connected all the time. Any piece of information, no matter how unimportant it might seem, can travel really

fast, and be seen by a lot of people.

As a class think about your day to day activities and the information you share on the internet, and then

answer the following questions.

Glossary of data security terms

Have you ever wondered what all these terms mean?

Students will create their own classroom glossary of

data security terms which will underpin their

understanding.

Follow up this activity with a class discussion to ensure

students understand these terms in the context of data

security.

Visit the budd-e and staysmartonline websites for a

glossary of terms.

Students will present their glossary in an interesting

way...

Wordle word cloud http://www.wordle.net/

A handbook for other students to use

A poster to go up around your school

Use these words to form your own sentences

Illustrate these terms in an interesting way.

Below are some illustrative examples.

Discussion questions

How might your information be tracked, either in your day to day activities or through the technological

devices you use?

Who is looking at your information? (Think about police, advertisers and hackers)

Why would they want your information? How is it valuable?

Do you think it is an invasion of your privacy? Think about the advantages and disadvantages of your

information being used. Give examples.

Padlock Wordle Cookie Spider Identity theft

©ABC 2013

Understanding your digital footprint?

Do you use the internet to share information about yourself or others, communicate with friends, comment on

what you see online, play games, get material for an assignment or buy stuff online? If you answered YES to

any of these, you are a digital citizen.

Provide students with the opportunity to create a mind map on their digital footprint. Students will need to

consider about the following:

Websites and apps they use.

Technological devices they use to view these websites and apps.

Issues related to data security

Get the facts: Digital Footprint

http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Ki

ds/Get%20the%20facts/Digital%

20footprint.aspx

Mind mapping tools

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/

school/teachers/support/pages/

mind.aspx

Bubbl: brainstorming made

simple https://bubbl.us/

Visit the Digital Citizenship website for

more info, activities, games and

videos to learn more.

http://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.

au/Prim_Splash/index.htm

Watch BtN’s Digital Footprint story to

learn more about what information is

online and how information can be

protected.

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3220

088.htm

©ABC 2013

Students will design and create their own piece of digital footprint artwork and then display. Students will trace their own foot and then illustrate including information they have collected in their mind maps. Below are some examples.

A practical guide to data security and protecting your privacy

Complete one or more of the following activities and then create a public awareness poster or short video

that tells young people about data security and protecting their privacy online.

Watch BtN’s Password Power story http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3374197.htm. Follow up with the

password power teacher resource. Students will identify the features of a strong password and understand

that they are an important part of cyber security.

If your phone isn't secure and it is lost or stolen, your personal information, including passwords, banking

details, emails and photos could be used to access your money or to steal your identity. Visit the

staysmartonline website for their top tips!

http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/home_users/Secure_your_mobile_phone_and_devices

Follow these 10 easy steps to help keep your information private and your computer secure.

http://www.childnet.com/sorted/top10.aspx

©ABC 2013

Related Research Links

ABC Four Corners – In Google We Trust

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/09/09/3842009.htm

CBBC Newsround – Privacy debate after Prism spy operation details leaked

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/22841713

Behind the News – Digital Footprint

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3220088.htm

Digital Education Revolution NSW – Digital Citizenship

http://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/

Behind the News – Spy Leak

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3779416.htm

Behind the News – Internet Privacy

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2910968.htm

Behind the News – Password Power

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3374197.htm

Visual.ly – How to protect yourself from hackers

http://visual.ly/how-protect-yourself-hackers

©ABC 2013

Activity

Energy Drinks

Key Learning Students will investigate the associated dangers with drinking energy drinks. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the structural framework and language features of persuasive texts.

The Australian Curriculum

English / Literacy / Creating texts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, selecting aspects of subject matter and particular language, visual, and audio features to convey information and ideas (ACELY1725)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive print and multimodal texts, choosing text structures, language features, images and sound appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1704)

English / Literacy / Creating texts

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)

Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts containing key information and supporting details for a widening range of audiences, demonstrating increasing control over text structures and language features (ACELY1694)

Discussion Questions

1. Why is there a debate about energy drinks?

2. How are energy drinks advertised? Discuss as a class.

3. What drink, other than energy drinks, contains caffeine?

4. What effect does caffeine have?

5. Energy drinks contain about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. True or false?

6. Energy drinks contain up to....

a. 1 teaspoon of sugar

b. 10 teaspoons of sugar

c. 13 teaspoons of sugar

7. Describe the experiment seen in the BtN Energy Drinks story.

8. In the experiment, the researchers found that their blood became very __________ after having the

energy drinks.

9. How can energy drinks be dangerous?

10. List some healthy drinks and then list some unhealthy drinks.

Episode 27

17th September 2013

©ABC 2013

Activities

Classroom discussion

Before watching the BtN Energy Drinks story hold a class discussion. Find out what your students know

about energy drinks and what questions they have about the topic. Hold a class discussion using the

following questions.

Watch the BtN story Energy Drinks and ask students to summarise the story in their own words. Hold a

group discussion, and reflect on the issue of energy drinks and the affect they have on children’s health.

Language features of persuasive texts

This activity introduces the structural framework and language features of persuasive texts to the students

and allows them to gain an understanding of the purposes of each sentence within a paragraph.

Discuss the sentences below and ask the students to rank them from low modality to high modality. Explain

that modalities can be high, medium or low and that these have an impact on the certainty of the argument of

the writer. Explain that modality can be expressed through choice of auxiliaries, verbs, adverbs, adjectives

and nouns.

Discussion questions (before watching Energy Drinks)

What is an energy drink?

Who drinks energy drinks?

How do energy drinks affect people?

What drinks do you like to drink?

List some healthy drinks and then list some unhealthy drinks.

Discussion questions (after watching Energy Drinks)

How did you feel after watching the BtN Energy Drinks story?

What words, emotions and images do you associate with this story?

What surprised you about this story?

Why do you think BtN covered this story?

Further discussion:

How do energy drinks affect our health?

Why do some people want to ban kids from drinking energy drinks?

©ABC 2013

Write the following sentences on the classroom whiteboard and ask your students to rank the arguments

from low modality to high modality.

Persuasive text writing

Explain that students will be constructing a persuasive text about the effects of energy drinks. Students will

turn the question above into a statement and explain why they think kids should or shouldn’t drink energy

drinks.

Students can also then:

Design an advertisement for their school newsletter, school radio station and/or council website.

Create a “did you know fact sheet” about energy drinks

Use the persuasion map

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/persuasion_map/

Rank the following arguments from the weakest to the strongest

It may/could be a good idea to ban kids from drinking energy drinks. (possibility – low modality)

It will be a good idea that kids are banned from drinking energy drinks (probability – medium modality)

We need to/should ban kids from drinking energy drinks. (obligation – medium modality)

We must ban kids from drinking energy drinks. (obligation – high modality)

We have to ban kids from drinking energy drinks (obligation – high modality)

©ABC 2013

Related Research Links

CBBC Newsround – Kids’ caffeine intake should be controlled

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/23251617

ABC Science – Energy drinks put kids at risk: report

http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/02/15/3139247.htm

Child and Youth Health – Caffeine

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=1630

Nutrition Australia – Drinks for Children

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/resource/drinks-children

Nutrition Australia – Caffeine and Energy Drinks

http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/sites/default/files/Caffeine%20and%20Energy%20Drinks.pdf

Australian Drug Foundation – Energy drinks: do they really give you wings?

http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/fact-sheets/energy-drinks-do-they-really-give-you-wings-web-fact-sheet

Behind the News – Energy Drinks

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2358488.htm

Behind the News – Caffeine Culture

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2953654.htm

©ABC 2013

Activity

End of Term Quiz

1. Royals William and Kate are the Duke and

Duchess of...

a. Cambridge

b. Cornwall

c. Duke

2. Where is Shepparton?

a. New South Wales

b. Victoria

c. South Australia

3. Who wrote the story James and the Giant

Peach?

a. Enid Blyton

b. Roald Dahl

c. Paul Jennings

4. At the beach it’s important to...

a. Slip Slop Slap

b. Flip Flop Flap

c. Clip clop Clap

5. Falling off your surfboard because of a big

wave is known as...

a. Hang Ten

b. Eskimo Roll

c. Wipe-Out

6. In which war did Australia come under direct

attack?

a. World War I

b. World War II

c. Cold War

7. Which one is a computer/video war game?

a. Kamaria

b. Call of Duty

c. Minecraft

8. What type of social media uses tweeting?

a. YouTube

b. Facebook

c. Twitter

9. What is the name of the Aboriginal people that

live in Arnhem Land?

a. Yolngu

b. Kaurna

c. Koori

10. When did Australia become a federation?

a. 1899

b. 1901

c. 1910

11. Which Australian bank note does Parliament

House appear on?

a. $5 note

b. $10 note

c. $20 note

12. Which one of these isn’t a political party?

a. Liberal Party of Australia

b. Australian Blues

c. Australian Labor Party

13. Sugar is a...

a. Protein

b. Carbohydrate

c. Fat

14. Which one is an astronaut originally from

Australia?

a. Clay Anderson

b. Buzz Aldrin

c. Andy Thomas

Episode 27

17th September 2013

©ABC 2013

15. What does NASA stand for?

a. National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

b. North American Space Academy

c. National American Space Administration

16. What is the name of the force holding us to the

Earth?

a. Gravity

b. Buoyancy

c. Weightlessness

17. Which galaxy is Earth part of?

a. Whirlpool

b. Milky Way

c. Andromeda

18. In which war did Australian soldiers fight a

battle along the Kokoda Track?

a. World War I

b. World War II

c. Korean War

19. Which country does NOT boarder

Afghanistan?

a. Pakistan

b. China

c. India

20. What famous quote comes from the Karate Kid

movie?

a. May the force be with you

b. Wax on, wax off

c. Make my day

©ABC 2013

Answers

1. a. Cambridge

2. b. Victoria

3. b. Roald Dahl

4. a. Slip Slop Slap

5. c. Wipe-Out

6. b. World War II

7. b. Call of Duty

8. c. Twitter

9. a. Yolngu

10. b. 1901

11. a. $5 note

12. b. Australian Blues

13. b. Carbohydrate

14. c. Andy Thomas

15. a. National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

16. a. Gravity

17. b. Milky Way

18. b. World War II

19. c. India

20. b. Wax on, wax off

©ABC 2013

BtN: Episode 27 Transcript 17/9/13 On this week's Behind the News

We look at the other half of Australia's Parliament: the Senate. Why is it there and what does it do?

Are you being watched? We meet one family who are pretty shocked to discover how they're being spied on.

And we check out energy drinks. Is there a down side to these popular pick-me-ups? Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News. Also on the show today we meet a champion animal athlete. And is it a horse? Is it a dog? No, it's a rabbit! But first.

Senate Reporter: Sarah Larsen INTRO: As you probably know by now, the Liberal and National Parties have been elected as Australia's new government. But there are some little-known political parties who had unexpected success in the election. Have you heard of the Motoring Enthusiasts Party? How about the Sporting Party? No? Well a lot of people hadn't but now it looks like they have seats in the Upper House of Parliament, the Senate. So what is the Senate and how do we choose its members? Here's Sarah. KID: As leader of the galactic council I command a trade blockade. Also, destroy that planet! SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: If sci-fi movies have taught us anything it's that not all leaders do the right thing all the time. Lucky for us, Australia's politicians aren't evil emperors bent on intergalactic domination. But because you can never be too careful, Australia's founders built some checks and balances into our system of government. Before any new law can pass it has to be voted on in the lower house, or House of Representatives, where the Government has most of the power. Then it goes to the Senate, or the upper house, where at least half of the senators have to agree it's a good idea before it's approved by the Governor-General. KID: Um, your evilness. KID: What.

©ABC 2013

KID: It's the Senate. They've agreed to the blockade, but they've voted against blowing up the planet. KID: I am angry. Who are these senators? Good question. While we can't speak for galaxies far, far away, in Australia there are 76 senators from right around the country. There are 12 from each state and two from each of the territories. And this is where they sit, in the red Senate room. Let’s take a look at how the Senate looks right now (the Australian one, that is). These senators are on the Government's side and these ones are in the Labor Party. Then there are these minor parties in the middle. At the moment, neither of the main parties has more than half the seats, which means to pass a bill or block one they need the help of these guys. It means in the Senate minor parties and independents are pretty powerful. KID: Why do they have many senators from minor parties? Why aren't they all from the ruling party? There are a few reasons for that. For starters, some people like the idea of smaller parties keeping the big ones in check. But it also has a lot to do with the way voting for the Senate works. Just like the lower house, it's preferential so you can give candidates a number. One for your favourite, two for your second favourite and so on. Except instead of three or four candidates in the Senate there can be more than 100! People who don't want to fill out all those numbers can just vote for their number one and let that candidate decide where the preferences go. It's complicated but sometimes it means candidates with not many number one votes end up winning seats. That's what happened this year. New, senators might include a guy from the Motoring Enthusiasts' Party: a group devoted to cars. And a guy from a group called the Sports Party. They could play a big part in deciding whether or not the Government's laws get passed. And some say that's not right. Last week there were calls for changes to the way senators are elected to make sure only the most popular candidates win a seat. But these soon-to-be-senators say they're happy with the way the system works and some others agree. They say it's all part of Australian democracy and making sure there are lots of voices in this place to make sure our leaders do the right thing. PRESENTER: Let's see what else is making the news. Here's Tash with the Wire.

The Wire Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott has announced his new leadership team. The big winner was WA Senator Mathias Cormann. He's never served in government before he's scored the position of Finance Minister. While there's only one woman in the cabinet and that's Julie Bishop. While it was bad news for Ian Macdonald and Terese Gambaro, they've both lost their positions.

©ABC 2013

***** The US and Russia have made a deal with Syria to surrender its chemical weapons. The deal still needs to be approved by the United Nations. But if all goes well the weapons will be destroyed by mid next year. It's thought chemical weapons were used to kill hundreds of people during fighting in Syria. ****** The New South Wales Rural Fire Commission is investigating last week's bushfires in Sydney's west and in the Blue Mountains. Hundreds of fire-fighters battled the blazes. One home was destroyed and several fires suffered minor burns. It's believed one of the fires might have been deliberately lit. ****** And the Voyager One spacecraft has become the first man-made object to exit the solar system. It's one of two spacecraft that were launched back in 1977 with the job of exploring Earth's neighbourhood and beyond. It beamed back up-close photos of the planets showing us the red-spot of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn. It took 36 years to reach the edge of the solar system and last week scientists confirmed that it's officially crossed into interstellar space. The region between the stars!

Data Security Reporter: Matt Holbrook INTRO: Did you know the devices you use, the places you go and the things you do can all be tracked? And you might not even know it's happening. It's not as unbelievable as it might sound. Matt checks out one Aussie family who have just discovered how they've left a big trail of information that's being spied on. It's morning, and Christina and Alexi are getting ready for school. And while their day starts with a good breakfast, for them, and the rest of the family, technology's never far away. They're about to find out just how much of what they do is tracked and traced over 24 hours CHRISTINA: First of all, I'd probably check my Instagram. Christina's 12. Her favourite things online are Youtube, Tumblr and Instagram. CHRISTINA: I like it because you can check out what people are getting up to and what they're doing, you can usually see what celebrities are up to. Out of all the family, she's the busiest online at this time of day. And as she leaves for school, the data from those apps is already travelling to America, the Netherlands, and Britain.

©ABC 2013

Two dozen sites she's never even clicked on know she likes Selena Gomez, and have watched her look at photos of friends, and plan a trip to the movies. But what would anyone want with that information? And who is looking at it? Well, it's valuable stuff for advertisers. Websites can make sure she sees ads about things she's interested in. That's called targeted advertising. But Christina says it doesn't really bother her. CHRISTINA: I don't really mind because I'm not doing anything that secret on my accounts, so it's not a big deal to me. Back at home, Alexi's on his smart phone. He has more apps than anyone else in the family! TROY: Basically as soon as you open a webpage on your phone, all your requests can be intercepted by people sitting in the middle of the traffic. Troy's an internet security expert. He's helping Alexi work out how apps are using his information. In one app, he puts in fake details and credit card information, only to find those exact details are sent out over the internet without any protection. If this were for real, those credit card numbers could have ended up in the hands of criminals. ALEXI: Just kind of shocked me a bit the apps that I thought were official and trustworthy, they're not what they seem. It's just kind of interesting that something I trust isn't trustworthy at all. This family had no idea how much information they were sharing, or was being collected about them. So what can you do to protect your data and privacy? MATT: Well, there are no guarantees. But you can try to be more careful about the sites and apps you use. That could mean doing a bit of research before downloading a new app, or having a think about how you share your personal details. But the reality is as we become more and more connected, our information trails are only getting bigger.

Quiz 1 Ok, let's have a quiz about technology. The question is: What year was the first mobile phone released for sale? 1975 1983 1991 Answer: 1983

©ABC 2013

The first mobile phone was sold in the United States and cost nearly $4,000 US.

Energy Drinks Reporter: Natasha Thiele INTRO: Since energy drinks hit our shelves more than a decade ago there's been a lot of debate about their health benefits. Researchers have found that some of the brightly-coloured drinks can actually do more harm than good. So what affect can they have on our bodies? Tash takes a look. NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Energy drinks are designed to give us, well more energy right? But hold on. Do you know what's going into your body when you drink them? Let's find out. There's a belief that energy drinks can make people perform better and they're advertised as being able to give us a boost of energy. Most of that energy comes from caffeine, the stuff that's found in coffee. It can stimulate our nerves and make us feel more alert. REPORTER: A standard energy drink like this can have up to 80 milligrams of caffeine. That's about the same as a cup of coffee. But there's other stuff in energy drinks too that we should think about. For starters, there's plenty of sugar. There can be up to 13 teaspoons in just one can. And if you look on the label there's a whole bunch of funny-sounding ingredients. Some people say the mix of different ingredients in energy drinks can be bad for our health. Researchers helped ABC show Catalyst to perform an experiment on reporter Anja and some volunteers. They had to drink two energy drinks each, one after the other. They then gave blood which was tested in a lab. The researchers found that their blood became very sticky after having the energy drinks. This can be dangerous because it can block veins and arteries and could lead to heart attack and stroke. In one person, the blood stickiness actually doubled! In another, it was up to four times more sticky! RESEARCHER: I think Lauren was up to three-fold and Laura four-fold. ANJA TAYLOR, CATALYST REPORTER: Right, so every single person had sticky blood after drinking the energy drinks. RESEARCHER: Yes. They don't know exactly what causes sticky blood. They say it's probably not caffeine alone, but it could be a mixture of that and the other ingredients. Australia has some of the toughest rules on energy drinks in the world. Packaging needs to be clearly labelled. They need to say that they're not recommended for children. The drinks also need to state how much there is of each ingredient. With caffeine for example, there can be no more than what's in an instant coffee. Whereas in the places like the US, there's no limit on how much caffeine can be added. Some medical experts would like to see more restrictions. At the moment anyone can buy them from the shops including kids. So some people would like to see age restrictions on who can buy them. But not everyone reckons there's a problem. The energy drink industry

©ABC 2013

doesn't think we need tougher rules. It says their drinks are clearly labelled and that they're safe to drink. So while we all need an energy boost every now and again, you might want to take a closer look at what's going into your body.

Online Poll OK let's make that our poll this week. The question is: Should children be allowed to buy energy drinks? To vote just head to our website. Last week we asked you if it's ok for animal rights campaigners to use drones to collect information. 59% of you said yes 41% said no. Thanks for voting.

Alopecia Reporter: Emma Davis INTRO: Have you ever heard of a skin disease called alopecia areata? Most people haven't. It makes a person's hair fall out and can happen to boys and girls of any age. At the moment there's no real known cause or cure. Emma caught up with two girls who have alopecia to see what it's like to live with the condition. EMMA DAVIS, REPORTER: We all go for a trim, snip, shave, cut or style every now and again. But very few of us can say we leave the hairdresser with more hair than we arrived with. This is Hannah and Rebecca. They're here for their hairdressers’ appointment. But their trip is quite a bit different to most people! That's because they have alopecia areata. REBECCA: Alopecia is where you lose your hair and you can lose it on your arms and legs. Scientists think it's caused by a problem in our immune system. Signals are sent from your brain to these hair follicles causing it to fall out. Alopecia doesn't make you sick and it's not catching. But losing your hair can be a scary thing to go through. REBECCA: First mum noticed it and then she told me and then I was a bit scared because I thought I was going to lose my eyebrows and that. There are some treatments that can help. HANNAH: Well I had to take tablets for a bit for I think 7 weeks and then I put foam on my head and I'm still on that.

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But many people with alopecia choose to wear a wig. REBECCA: I had blonde hair before so I wanted to get a blonde one and I wanted it long but then I had to wear it up so I got it cut to short. But these aren't just wigs you might see at a fancy dress shop. Wigs for people with alopecia are usually made to order and need to be specially fitted. First the hairdresser checks out how much hair the person already has. Then they mark up where the hairline of the wig would sit. Once the measurements are taken, the info is sent away so a mould can be made. HAIRDRESSER: It's a bit like going to a tailoress and having a dress made specially for you to fit your body shape and size. REPORTER: Okay, so tell me a little bit about some of the wigs you have here, like the one in your hands right now. This is on a basis of say 1 to 10 this is on a cheaper base. There are heaps of different types of wigs depending on your needs. REPORTER: And there's one over here that I see, now this one right here, that’s made with human hair right? So this is human hair. How expensive is this type of thing? WOODROW: One like that, because it's not a full head, we'd be looking at 3 and a half to 4 thousand dollars. Wow, and that's just for, like that's not even a full head? A three quarter base, yeah. On average, wigs can range from one thousand to five thousand dollars! A lot of wigs are handmade and it takes a huge amount of painstaking work to get each wig looking perfect. It can take between 8 and 10 weeks to complete the whole process. So you have to be patient! But there is another vital ingredient you need besides time. You need hair! And that's something I thought I could help with. As you can see my hair was pretty long, so I decided it was time for a change! REPORTER: This used to be attached to my head! But I had it all cut off so it can be used to make a wig for someone with alopecia areata. I'll put it in the postbag then send it away, so hopefully it can go to someone who needs it a lot more than I do! Meanwhile back at the salon, Rebecca has already been measured up for her wig and today she's here to be fitted. The hair has to be styled so it looks just right. A new smile to match the new style.

Quiz 2 Let's have a quiz about hair. The question is: What substance gives hair its colour? Melatonin

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Keratin Melanin Answer: Melanin The more melanin your hair has, the darker its colour. How much melanin you have depends on your genes, which you get from your parents. Now for all the news in sport here's Matt with the Score

The Score Australia's back in the world group of the Davis Cup for the first time in six years. Bernard Tomic helped secure the spot, winning both his matches in the tie against Poland. The Davis Cup is played between 130 countries, with the world group made up of the top 16. ****** It's been a controversial weekend in the NRL. North Queensland's season is over, after losing to the sharks by two points. But a referee's mistake looks to have cost them the win. The NRL confirmed Cronulla shouldn't have been awarded their opening try. Meanwhile, Newcastle is through to the semi finals after beating Canterbury by 22 points. ****** Sydney beat Carlton by 24 points. They'll face Freo in next week's prelim final. Geelong beat Port Adelaide by 16 points. They'll play the Hawks in the prelim winner of each game will go through to the grand final on the 28th of September

And in the AFL finals, Sydney will take on Fremantle in next week's preliminary final, after beating Carlton by 24 points. Geelong had a 16-point win over Port Adelaide and will now play Hawthorn in the other prelim. The winner of each game will go through to the Grand Final on September 28.

Jumping Rabbits Reporter: Rebecca Opie INTRO: When you own a pet, it's a lot of fun training them and teaching them new tricks. Dogs and horses are all commonly entered in competitions to show off their skills. But lately another pet has been dominating the show world. And it's probably not one you'd expect! Here's Bec.

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REBECCA OPIE, REPORTER: This is Alvin. Don't let the cute and fluffy look deceive you. This is one serious athlete and he's in training for the bunny sporting event of the year. Yep, rabbit show jumping. Strange as it might seem, competitive hopping has been around for a while, rabbit jumping started in Scandinavia in the 1970s and now it's catching on in Australia. In his two years as a competitive jumper Alvin has earned an impressive reputation. DONNA: Last year he won three trophies and the year before that I think he won about four trophies because he's done quite well since he started so Alvin is known as the rabbit to beat in the show jumping competition, everyone is striving to beat Alvin. Show jumping involves several events, testing the bunnies' speed, their ability to navigate obstacles, jump high and to jump long. Of course bouncing comes naturally to most rabbits but getting them to follow a course can be challenging and that's where bunny coaches like Donna come in, coaxing their furry friends down the 8-metre track. DONNA: I picked Alvin because he's a little bit of a scatterbrain, so Alvin likes following me around, he likes chasing me so we put Alvin onto the harness and over the hurdles and he just loves following me so that's generally why Alvin makes a good show jumper. Donna always knew that one day Alvin would be a champ. After all, he comes from a long line of top athletes. DONNA: In the mid here we have Jordan. He's Alvin's dad, at the top here we have Pipi, who's Alvin's grandmother, she's the one who won 4 trophies in the show jumping competition at the show and down the bottom here he have Mocha who's Alvin's brother. But good jumping genes are no substitute for hard work and dedication. And as the big race approached I thought I'd see how Alvin was faring. BEC: So word on the street is you're the rabbit to beat! Is the pressure getting to you? Well, Alvin's keeping quiet. He must be saving his concentration for his race. Or maybe he needs his pre-competition good luck ritual a sugar hit for energy and with that it's off to the show! BEC: The crowd is gathering here at the show and inside the rabbit show jumping is in full swing, let's see how Alvin's going. DONNA: Alvin's feeling a little bit nervous, there's a few people for him to compete against today so I think he's a bit concerned how that's going to go today. Looks like arch rival "Licorice" is going to give Alvin a run for his money. But at the end of the day, it comes down to the judge. SUZIE, RABBIT SHOWJUMPING JUDGE: A champion show jumping rabbit is usually one that's really excitable, so that way they really like to jump over things and you don't put them on a table and they end like a bit of a pancake, like some of them we've seen today

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As the crowd looks on and his competitors re-hydrate it's Alvin's time to shine! And it's a winning run! Alvin's training has paid off and he'll add another trophy to his collection! And while the other bunnies missed out this year they're honoured to be in the presence of a true show jumping champion.

Closer

That's it for the show. You can jump onto our website if you want to get more info on any of the stories. You can send us your comments and don't forget to vote in this week's poll. I'll see you next time.