Innehållsförteckning för Issue 121 från The Week Junior US

US lawmakers have put forward a new bill to combat climate change (long-term changes in weather patterns, largely due to human activities). If it passes, the Inflation Reduction Act will be the most significant climate legislation in US history. What happened? The bill was written by Democrats in the Senate (one half of Congress, the branch of government that makes laws), who took 18 months to finalize it because members of the party disagreed over what to include. Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, refused to vote for earlier versions of the bill because they would have raised taxes and affected the coal industry in his state. Many people thought the bill would never be completed, but on July 27, Manchin made a surprising announcement: He and Senator…

Last April, when Rachel Balkovec took over as manager of the Tampa Tarpons, a New York Yankees affiliate minor league team, she became the first woman in baseball history to serve as a full-time manager of a minor league team. While she’s said the job has its challenges, it’s also been an opportunity to learn and grow. Balkovec, age 35, began her sports career as a player. She played college softball at Creighton University and the University of New Mexico. In 2014, with the St. Louis Cardinals, she became the first woman to be a full-time strength and conditioning coach for a minor league team. In 2019, she joined the Yankees organization and became the first woman to work as a full-time hitting coach for a minor league team. It…

For such a big bear, the giant panda’s favorite food—bamboo—is surprising. It’s a tough, stick-like plant with relatively few nutrients, so the panda has to eat it all day long just to sustain itself. That amounts to about 30 pounds a day for a 300-pound panda. How do they do it? The answer is in their paws. Each one has a sixth digit, which scientists call a “pseudothumb.” It is actually an extension of the panda’s wrist bone. “It’s not nearly as good of a thumb as ours, so they can’t make tools or complex movements,” said Xiaoming Wang, a paleontologist (scientist who studies fossils) at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in California. But the pseudothumb is shaped like a hook, and it helps the bear tightly…

Visayan warty pigs The Newquay Zoo in Cornwall, England, is celebrating the arrival of two piglets born to Visayan warty pig parents. These rare pigs are native to forests in the Philippines, but there may be as few as 200 of them left in the wild. California birds At least 44 California wildfires from 2014 through 2018 were caused by birds getting electrocuted on power lines and their feathers catching fire, according to a recent study. It recommends modifying power poles to reduce the risk to birds.…

Discover the group of islands that became America’s 50th state. Hawaii, the only US state surrounded by water, is located in the Pacific Ocean, about 2,500 miles from California. It is the largest chain of islands in the world. How the islands were formed About 40 to 70 million years ago, the islands of Hawaii were formed by a hot spot of volcanoes. A hot spot is where a volcano erupts from under the water, and the magma (hot underground lava) rises to the surface. Hawaii's eight main islands are the best known, but there are 137 islands altogether. Early settlers The islands were settled in 400 CE by Polynesians from the Marquesas Islands to the south, who rowed more than 2,000 miles by canoe. Tribes established fishing and farming…

Apositive outlook may help people live longer. A new study from Harvard University in Massachusetts found that women who are more optimistic are more likely to have longer life spans and to live past age 90. This was true for women across different racial and ethnic groups. The team collected data from 159,255 women ages 50 to 79. They tracked the subjects for up to 26 years and found that women among the 25% most optimistic had longer life spans. These women were 10% likelier to live past 90 than those who were least optimistic. The findings supported an earlier study by the same researchers. That study, however, had focused on a mostly white population, and the team wanted to expand their work. Another group of researchers found in a…

2022 AUDUBON PHOTOGRAPHY AWA RD FINALISTS…

From July 26 to July 30, the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships were held in Irvine, California. The competition, which is one of the most prestigious US swim meets, had not been held since 2019. Many of the best swimmers in the country participated. On the first day of racing, Olympian Katie Ledecky had a huge victory in her best event, the 800-meter freestyle. She finished in 8:12, nearly 20 seconds ahead of Mariah Denigan, who came in second. Ledecky now owns the 29 fastest times in the history of the 800-meter freestyle. On the second day, five swimmers earned their first National Championship titles. Luke Hobson won the men’s 200-meter freestyle, beating Kieran Smith by .18 seconds. The women’s 200-meter breaststroke was also close, with Mackenzie Looze edging out…

Luck, a new animated film about what determines the good and bad in life, is now streaming on Apple TV+. The writers of the comedy worked on hit films including Raya and the Last Dragon, Cars, Kung Fu Panda 2, and Trolls. The main character in Luck is Sam Greenfield, a young woman who grew up in foster care (a temporary home for someone waiting to be adopted). She believes she is the unluckiest person in the world. After she meets a mysterious cat and finds a lucky penny, she ends up following the cat to the Land of Luck. It is run by a dragon and is home to characters including leprechauns and a unicorn. There, she learns what really makes good and bad things happen. While working on…

Chariots of Fire (1981) Available to stream on Kanopy or to rent or buy on all major platforms This award-winning drama tells the true story of two British runners who competed in the 1924 Olympics. Harold Abrahams is a Jewish student at Cambridge University, and Eric Liddell is a devout Scottish missionary (a person who promotes Christianity). Despite being fast runners, pursuing their athletic dreams isn’t easy. Harold experiences discrimination because of his religion, while Eric is conflicted about putting aside his missionary work to train. After Harold loses to Eric in a race, he nearly quits running but instead sets a goal to become the world’s fastest man. At the Olympics, Eric faces a difficult decision when a race is set for a Sunday, a day of religious observance.…

By Judith Eagle, illustrated by Jo Rioux (Walker Books US) Penelope’s mean parents forget to pick her up from boarding school. When she finally gets home on her own, she learns they’re planning a trip to Paris. She begs to go with them because she wants to find Pear, a nanny who took care of her when she was younger. Penelope is worried about Pear, who stopped writing to her. Penelope gets to go to Paris, where her parents ignore her. She tries to find Pear using details from old letters. But she comes up empty-handed, and her parents want to go to Italy. Xavier, a boy who works at the hotel where Pear is staying, helps her stay behind in Paris’s underground tunnels. Meanwhile, she learns that a mysterious…

Kids Guide to Movie Making By Shelley Frost (Independently published) Written by a director of children’s movies, this book contains samples of scripts that kids can cast and film. It provides tips on topics like writing movies and planning and shooting scenes. One chapter describes how to make an animated movie. Ages 9 and up The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary: The Next Chapter By Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books) This book takes you behind the scenes as the movie The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul is filmed. Jeff Kinney wrote the ninth volume of the Wimpy Kid series with the idea of making it into a movie. It contains details about the casting process, props, and more. Ages 8 and up Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger…

National Tell a Joke Day is on August 16. To mark the day, follow the tips below to help you deliver funny jokes that will get people chuckling. 1. Find inspiration. If you don’t have a joke in mind, many libraries stock books with jokes for kids. Ask a librarian to help you find one, or ask a parent to help you look up jokes for kids online. You can memorize jokes you find or use them as inspiration for writing your own jokes. 2. Know your audience. Think about who you will be telling the joke to and what they might find humorous. For example, if your joke has to do with Minecraft, it might be funnier to a friend than to a grandparent. 3. Practice first. Try telling…

Word search Can you find all these types of birds in the grid? They are hidden horizontally, vertically, or diagonally and can be forward or backward. When you’re done, read the remaining letters to get a bonus message. AUK BLUE JAY CANARY CARDINAL CONDOR CROW CUCKOO DOVE DUCK EAGLE FLAMINGO GOOSE GULL HAWK LARK NIGHTINGALE OSTRICH PARROT PEACOCK PELICAN PENGUIN QUAIL RAVEN ROBIN SWAN TOUCAN TURKEY WREN FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence so that the second word is the same as the first word with a pair of double letters inserted, like BEAR and BEGGAR. (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) OFF SIDES Make three different five-letter words by using the letters given to fill in the blanks. Out of order…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. White School: Aquebogue Elementary School “Mrs. White gives us fun math strategies for learning multiplication and division tables. She encourages us to read any genre we love. When we are writing, she also writes a funny story. We have 30-second dance parties, and she lets us play fun learning games. She made my third grade year the best! Thank you, Mrs. White.”Ryan, 9, New York Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

1 What do male wolf spiders do in order to attract female mates? a) Dance b) Sing c) Jump a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 2 True or false? Jackie Robinson played in his first Major League Baseball game on April 15, 1947. True ⬜ False ⬜ 3 What is the name of the gas that trees absorb from the atmosphere? 4 In the book The Pear Affair, where does Penelope go to look for her former nanny? a) London b) Milan c) Paris a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 5 Going forward, what percentage of the vehicles purchased by the US Postal Service will be electric? a) 10% b) 33% c) 40% a ⬜ b ⬜ c ⬜ 6 True or false? The characters Toto and Gal from the…

In the eastern part of Kentucky, government officials and rescue workers are working to help those in need after widespread and historic flooding devastated the area. Other parts of the country are also recovering from damage caused by extreme flooding. What happened in Kentucky? Heavy rainfall (nearly 11 inches in some areas) on July 27 caused massive flooding. The deep water ruined hundreds of homes, caused at least 28 state roads to become impassable, and destroyed or damaged as many as 50 bridges. More than 25,000 homes and businesses lost power. When The Week Junior went to press on August 2, at least 37 people had died and rescue workers were searching for people who remained missing. What else happened? Several other states, including Missouri, also experienced severe flooding. On…

Artist Claes Oldenburg, famous for his gigantic sculptures of everyday objects such as brooms and clothespins, died on July 18 at the age of 93. Oldenburg was born in Sweden and moved to the US in 1936, at age 7. He rose to fame in the New York City art scene during the 1950s and 1960s. He famously collaborated with his wife, Coosje, on more than 40 projects, including the iconic cherry balancing on a spoon at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Oldenburg once told NPR, “I’ve always been very interested in deriving my art from my surroundings, from my daily experiences.”…

Native Americans once believed that a dune in Sleeping Bear Dunes, on the shores of Lake Michigan, resembled a sleeping mother bear, giving the park its name. Today, there are dunes rising more than 400 feet above the lake. Also within the park are forests, lakes, and marshes. Michigan’s only species of bear, black bears, live here, and white-tailed deer and red foxes are commonly seen. Numerous species of frogs, such as the northern leopard frog, and grasshoppers inhabit the park. Bald eagles nest on Lake Michigan’s shoreline and fly above, hunting for fish.…

High numbers of bottlenose dolphins have been visiting New York Harbor in recent years and have been spotted close to New York City. Experts say the increase in visits could be because the water has gotten cleaner and less polluted. • LIFE SPAN: 45 to 50 years in the wild • SIZE: 10 to 14 feet long and about 1,100 pounds • HABITAT: Warm waters all over the world • DIET: Includes fish, squid, crabs, and shrimp • FUN FACT: The bottlenose dolphin can swim at speeds of more than 18 miles an hour.…

A newly identified ancient species could help shed light on a commonly asked question about giraffes: Why do they have such long necks? A team of paleontologists (scientists who study the past through fossils) recently studied the fossils of a creature found in northern China. The animal, which scientists named Discokeryx xiezhi, lived about 17 million years ago and was a relative of modern giraffes. Its unusual features offer new clues to the distinct shape of today’s giraffes. The giraffe’s long neck is often used as an example of a scientific idea called evolution by natural selection. This theory explains how species adapt and change over many generations. Individuals with features that make them better suited to their environment than others are more likely to survive. They’re also more likely…

From July 24 to July 31, the Tour de France Femmes, a 639-mile cycling race, took place in France. It was a spin-off of the Tour de France, the most famous and important men’s cycling race. This was the first time since 1989 that female athletes participated in their own Tour. Dutch cyclist Annemiek van Vleuten, the number one cyclist in the world, was the winner. The first Tour de France was held in 1903. Over the years, women competed in the official event only five times. The organization of the Tour de France Femmes was considered a major advancement in women’s sports. The race included the largest prize pool in women’s cycling, with a total fund of about $250,000 and the winner receiving about $50,000. By contrast, the men’s…

Coach’s Name: Gaurav Harnal (Coach G) Team: Arlington Developmental Program Surf (soccer) “Coach G is my Super Dad and also an awesome coach! He makes practices fun but also teaches us how to stay focused. He always tells us to do our best, and if we have had a loss he will say, ‘We will do better next time!’ He helps my teammates practice what they need to get better at and how we can be a better team together. He surprises the team with prizes when they show they have improved in a skill. My team is always excited to learn from him!” Meher, 10, Virginia To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and…

Swedish horse Hand-painted wooden Dala horses have been made in Sweden for centuries. They are an unofficial symbol of the country. Many people consider them lucky. German pig Pigs are a lucky creature in many different cultures. In Germany, where they are called Glücksschwein, it is a New Year’s tradition to give someone a pig made out of marzipan (a type of sweet) to bring them luck. Japanese cat The Maneki-neko (“beckoning cat” in Japanese) is said to bring luck to businesses. It comes in different colors and designs to symbolize different desires. A raised left paw is for attracting customers.…

Generation Gap (ABC) Thursdays at 9 pm ET This funny new game show hosted by TV personality Kelly Ripa features pairs of older and younger family members. They are challenged to answer questions about pop culture from each other’s generation. The more they guess correctly, the more money they win. Super Giant Robot Brothers! (Netflix) Giant robot siblings Shiny and Thunder are the stars of this new animated series. With help from the brainy inventor who created them, they must defend Earth from invading space monsters. A bigger challenge may be getting along with each other. I Am Groot (Disney+) Fans of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films can see what childhood was like for lovable alien Groot in this new collection of five original shorts. The series follows the…

Out of My Mind By Sharon M. Draper “This book follows Melody Brooks—an intelligent fifth grader who can’t walk or speak because of cerebral palsy—as she learns new things and faces challenges. When she finds a device that lets her communicate for the first time, she gets to show everyone who she really is—and all the great things she’s capable of. I recommend this book for ages 9 to 12, but everyone can enjoy it!” Corinne, 9, New Jersey Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

If you’re looking for a fun activity for a group, consider planning a scavenger hunt. This is a game in which individuals or teams try to find a list of items in a backyard, park, or other place. The person or team who finds all the items first, or has found the most items when time is up, is the winner. Here’s how to plan one. Choose a location First, decide where the scavenger hunt will be held. It could be in your home or backyard, around your neighborhood, or in a local park. Whatever area you choose, take a walk around and search for interesting things that people could be asked to find on the hunt. Look for a mix of objects that participants can pick up and take…

One way to reduce your impact on the environment is to be careful about purchases you make. While it’s smart to buy items made of eco-friendly or recyclable materials, it’s even better to avoid purchasing items you don’t need. This is because all goods use resources, such as water and gas, when they’re produced. If there is an item you and your family are considering purchasing, first ask this: Is it replacing an item that no longer works? Is it something you have been hoping to buy for a while? You may end up deciding you should buy the item, and that’s OK. But by thinking it through, you may also decide to skip other purchases in the future.…

Penguins have expensive taste When an aquarium in Japan changed up its daily meals, the penguins were not impressed. The birds were used to eating aji, a type of fish also known as Japanese horse mackerel. Aji prices soared this year, so the aquarium opted for a less expensive type of mackerel called saba. But the penguins refused to eat the second-rate fare, turning their beaks away and even spitting it back out when keepers offered it to them. Finally, they reached a compromise—the birds would try the cheap fish as long as it was mixed with some aji. Real OR fake? Lost pup wins prize at dog show The unexpected star of a UK dog show was a missing pet. John Wilmer was driving to the show with his…

Sign up and follow @theweekjuniorus on PopJam, a social media platform for kids 7–12. Ask an adult to download the app from iTunes or Google Play. We asked: What ride would you go on first at a water park? “The fast ones. They are so fun!” “The big slides that you go down in a tube with other people.” “Lazy river. You can peacefully relax.” “A racing slide so I could race my friends and family.” In the big debate, we asked: Is abstract art better than realistic art? “No, people understand realistic art better.” “Abstract because there are no limits to what you can create.” “I like realistic with a twist of abstract.” “All that matters is that the artist likes it and is proud.” Now tell us: What…

When you give a gift of The Week Junior, you inspire a child in your life to explore interests, read about the world around them, and learn something new every week. Smart, fun, educational. Written for kids ages 8-14. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or anytime you want to delight a child you love. They'll thank you every week. Give 25 weekly issues, save 66% off the cover price, and get a FREE GIFT. ORDER ONLINE AT THEWEEKJUNIOR.COM/SPACE or scan to subscribe…

ROWING TO A RECORD Four women rowed more than 2,400 nautical miles from San Francisco, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, in a record-setting 34 days, 14 hours, and 11 minutes. Rower Sophia Denison-Johnston said she felt overwhelmed “in the best way.” A BIG BID Astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s space jacket sold at a New York City auction for nearly $2.8 million. Aldrin wore it on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, when he and Neil Armstrong became the first people to set foot on the Moon. Aldrin, now 92, said the jacket was “much more comfortable” than the spacesuit he changed into for the lunar walk. MAKING A SPLASH The Pony Swim, a 97-year-old tradition in Virginia, returned for the first time since the pandemic began. About 200 wild ponies that live…

An estimated 15 billion trees are lost every year to deforestation (when people cut down trees for building or agriculture) or wildfires. That loss has a major effect on the planet. To help, many companies are pledging to plant a tree for each product sold, and groups like the Trillion Tree project are planting as many trees as possible. But some experts say it’s not about the numbers. They say it’s more important to plant the right trees in the right ecosystem (a group of living things that rely upon one another). Trees planted where they don’t belong might not provide the right home or food to wildlife and could even cause harm. What do you think? Is planting trees hurting nature? Yes—it’s wrong for the environment It’s not about…

Male wolf spiders use fancy dance moves to capture and keep the attention of their female counterparts, according to a new study at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Researchers found that female spiders are more attracted to males who use more complex moves. There are about 2,400 wolf spider species, which live throughout the US and around the world. Before mating, male wolf spiders will perform a sophisticated dance, tapping their legs and moving their abdomen, that lasts anywhere from five to 45 minutes. The researchers analyzed 44 spider dances. Nine of the spiders had elaborate two-step moves. These males were preferred by females. Scientists want to know why male wolf spiders use such complex moves, which can be exhausting and attract predators. They would also like to understand why female…

Josh Mancebo Keeper, Zoo Atlanta Elephant tusks are special teeth, and instead of using them for eating, elephants use them as tools. An elephant can tusk the ground to dig holes, pick things up like a forklift, and rub them against trees to strip the bark for a snack. They will also use them as weapons if they feel threatened. Do you have a question for a zookeeper? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Zoo Atlanta at zooatlanta.org.…

Scientists at Harvard University have created a food wrap that prevents waste and rinses off in water. They used natural materials, including some that stop bacteria from growing, such as thyme oil. The team was inspired by medical technology they created to keep wounds clean and protected. The system works like a cotton candy machine, spinning and spraying the liquid material in thin fibers directly onto the food. They tested the flavorless wrap on avocados, which stayed 40% fresher than unwrapped avocados for seven days.…

The Green Planet, a new five-part nature series, offers a look at plant life like never before. It reveals incredible features of plants and some of their very surprising behaviors. The series is hosted by Sir David Attenborough, a world-famous naturalist (person who studies nature). It was filmed in 27 countries and explores several different environments, such as desert, tropical, and freshwater. Episodes are on PBS.com and the PBS app. Plants move and change slowly, so “they seem to do nothing,” executive producer Michael Gunton said. In order to show what they are really up to, the series was filmed with special high-tech cameras and time-lapse photography. Gunton said that by using the technology, “it’s like parting a curtain to go into a parallel universe.” One part of plant life…

Lost in Play is a new adventure puzzle game. It will be released on August 10 for the Nintendo Switch and PC. The game centers around older brother Toto and his sister, Gal. They love dreaming up fantasy worlds and imaginary animals. One day, they are attacked by an angry cloud, struck by lightning, and trapped in their own imagination. There, they come face-to-face with some of the monsters and villains they’ve dreamed up. To get home, they’ll need to solve all kinds of puzzles and explore their own dreams, which means they’re in for a wild journey. Toto and Gal’s imagination is filled with magical landscapes and incredible creatures such as big frogs in crowns, massive fish with treasure islands on their backs, and sheep that can be flown.…

What inspired this book? A newspaper story I saved reported how police in France stumbled upon a cinema below the streets of Paris. I wondered: What would it be like if children had access to this world? How do you see Pear? I think Pear is the ideal big sister. She’s fun and funny, old enough to take care of you, but young enough to be excited by the same things you are. Have you been to Paris? I went on a family trip when I was 12. Now my daughter lives there, so I have the best excuse to visit! Does Paris really have underground tunnels? Yes! There are miles of galleries and passageways that people once used. Which decade would you like to travel back to? I’d say…

Use the clues The main difference between a treasure hunt and a scavenger hunt is that a treasure hunt involves solving clues. For example, a clue might say “a place where kids can fly” and you have to figure out that it means the swing set and go there to find the next clue. Select a place With an adult, decide when and where to host a treasure hunt. It could be in your home, your yard, or a local park. Invite the participants. Build the hunt For your first treasure hunt, aim to come up with five to seven clues. Write them down on paper and put them in their hiding spots. Give people the first clue at the starting point, then have them find the rest. Decide on…

When Klondike announced this week that it would stop making its Choco Taco ice cream treats after nearly 40 years, our team was sorry to hear it (p5). In fact, one of our staff meetings included a lively discussion of what made this frozen novelty so great. “It combined my favorite things—chocolate and tacos—in a perfect handheld snack,” said staff writer Felissa. “It never disappointed,” added associate editor Brielle. “It was sweet and creamy and packed a crunch.” We were not the only ones talking about Choco Tacos. Thousands of people across the US begged Klondike to continue making them. A US senator even tweeted that he would invoke the Defense Production Act to require it. (He was kidding!) Klondike responded to the attention by saying it may bring back…

“I made your sweet slushie recipe and it was delicious! My whole family enjoyed it.”Micah, 11, Wisconsin “It was so much fun to find the actual spiral staircase at the Convent of Christ in Portugal from a recent issue of The Week Junior.”Ronak (left), and Amisha, 9, North Carolina “My favorite sections of the magazine are the Book Club section, because I absolutely love books, and the That’s Unbelievable section, because I love weird but true information.”Ben, 8, California…