Innehållsförteckning för Issue 170 från The Week Junior US

At the end of its 2022–2023 term, the US Supreme Court handed down two decisions that will affect millions of past, present, and future college students throughout the nation. What is the Supreme Court? The Supreme Court is the nation’s most powerful court of law. It is made up of nine judges (called justices) whose job is to uphold the US Constitution (the country’s highest law). Legal cases go to the Supreme Court after they are argued in lower state or federal courts. The justices listen to both sides and make a final decision by majority vote. What were the decisions? On June 29, the court voted 6–3 to end affirmative action, which is a set of procedures created to give people of all races a fair chance of being…

United Kingdom President Biden visits the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III of the UK met with US President Joe Biden, who was on a three-nation tour in Europe. Biden discussed the war in Ukraine with Sunak and climate change with Charles III. Biden was on his way to Lithuania for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, a military alliance of countries) summit, held July 11–12 as The Week Junior went to press. His last stop was set for Finland. Havana, Cuba Water supplies run low Thousands of people are without water in Cuba’s capital city during a hot summer. Local officials said drought (a long period without rain) and an aging water system caused the water shortage. At least 100,000 people are unable to access tap…

This area was established as America’s first national preserve in 1974 to protect a diverse natural landscape north of Everglades National Park. The preserve spans about 729,000 acres, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island. It is mainly a freshwater swamp but also contains prairies, pinelands, and hardwood hammocks (elevated areas similar to tropical forests). Visitors can enjoy canoeing, hiking, and ranger-led tours. The preserve is the largest habitat for panthers in South Florida. Manatees, egrets, and alligators also live there.…

“What makes deer different from caribou?” Henry, 10, California Katherine Camp Hoofstock Keeper II, Phoenix Zoo Caribou are actually a species of deer! Also known as reindeer, caribou are the only deer that have ever been successfully semi-domesticated (living partly under human control). They have adaptations for cold climates, such as fur that covers their noses and a coat with two layers of fur. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the Phoenix Zoo at phoenixzoo.org.…

Researchers have discovered a 3,000-year-old network of Maya cities and roads under the dense rainforest in northern Guatemala. The discovery suggests that the ancient Maya civilization developed far earlier than scientists previously thought. The Maya are an Indigenous people (first people known to inhabit a place) who have lived in Central America and Mexico for 4,000 years. The ancient Maya had a written language and calendar and excelled at astronomy, farming, architecture, and math. For the recent study, a team of archaeologists used light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology. LiDAR bounces laser beams off the ground and counts how long it takes the light to come back. It uses that data to create a virtual 3D map and reveal things that are hidden beneath the thick vegetation and tree canopy…

The hit Netflix baking competition series Is It Cake?, a show that has people trying to figure out if everyday objects are real or baked, is back for a second season. The new batch of episodes is called Is It Cake, Too? and has new rules, higher stakes, and bigger edible creations. The series was inspired by videos that went viral in 2020. They featured items such as purses or food being cut with a knife, revealing cake inside. The contestants on the show are hyper-realistic cake artists. Each episode begins with a group of them looking at items from a distance and guessing which items they think are cake. Those who guess correctly first earn a spot baking their own cake objects. If they can fool the show’s celebrity…

Park Beyond is a new theme park simulator video game. It is out now for the PlayStation 5, Xbox systems, and PC. In the game, players take on the role of a Visioneer, someone who designs and runs theme parks. Your mission in Campaign Mode is to turn a struggling one into a popular destination. You’ll have control over every aspect of the park including its games, rides, stores, merchandise, and staff. Roller coaster designs are fully customizable, so you can add many twists and turns for maximum excitement. Every aspect of the park is judged on three factors: money, fun, and amazement. Visioneers are presented with detailed reports about what visitors like and dislike, what people of different ages want in a shop or ride, and how much profit…

If you could swap memories with someone, who would it be? I’d choose a rock star. I’d love to know what it feels like to be onstage in an arena with 30,000 screaming fans. What was your favorite book growing up? I was in fourth grade when Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume was published, and that’s when I forged a love of middle-grade books. Did you always want to be a writer? No! When I was 2 years old, I wanted to be a dog. I’d even eat dinner under the table sometimes. What teacher influenced you? In seventh grade, the track and field coach had to teach English. He gave us a lot of time to write, and that’s when I wrote what became my…

1. Find a good rock. The best stones for skipping are mostly flat on the top and bottom and no bigger than the palm of your hand. They should also be light—about the weight of a tennis ball. 2. Grip it. Hold the rock between your thumb and your middle finger. Your thumb should be on top, your middle finger on the bottom, and your index (or pointer) finger should wrap around the edge of the rock. 3. Get in position. When you throw the rock, it needs to be spinning fast in order to repel off the water’s surface. Stand by the water’s edge and point the stone toward the water at a slight downward angle. 4. Let it spin. Flick your wrist back and quickly fling the rock…

Word ladder To change the word LONG into the word JUMP, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. STEPPING STONES Each figure hides the name of a seven-letter word you might hear in a courtroom. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 29. Spot the difference These two pictures of a surfing dog appear to be the same, but take a closer look. There are actually five differences. Can you see them? Crossmath hint: The symbol next to the 8 is a division sign. DETOURS…

The US will rejoin an international organization dedicated to promoting peace through global cooperation. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has 193 member states. The US was a founding member of UNESCO in 1945 but withdrew in 2017 when former President Donald Trump disagreed with some of the organization’s decisions. UNESCO’s mission includes ensuring access to education worldwide, using science to protect the planet and help people, and fighting for gender equality. One of UNESCO’s most well-known initiatives is preserving important heritage sites around the world that have “outstanding universal value to humanity.” By rejoining UNESCO, the US will have a voice in these and other global issues. The US was readmitted by a majority vote of member nations. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said rejoining…

The US government has approved the creation of the nation’s largest offshore wind farm. The Ocean Wind 1 project will be built off the coast of New Jersey and aims to generate enough power to provide electricity for up to 500,000 homes. What are wind farms? A wind farm, also called a wind park, contains a group of turbines, which look like giant fans. When wind blows, the turbine’s long blades begin to turn, which spins a generator and creates electricity. Humans have been using wind energy for thousands of years, and the first US wind turbine created to produce electricity was built in 1888. There are now nearly 73,000 wind turbines in the US, providing 9.2% of the nation’s electricity and powering about 20 million homes. Why is this…

Imagine picking up a new book that you’re excited to read, cozying up in your favorite spot, and…flipping to the last chapter. While most readers open to page one, there are many people who jump right into the juiciest part of the book—the end—before going back to the beginning and starting from there. Because doing that changes the overall experience of reading the book, some people say readers should always begin with the first chapter. Others think starting at the end is perfectly acceptable and may even be the best way to read a book. What do you think? Is it OK to read the last chapter first? Yes—it gives you a new perspective There are many different ways to enjoy a book, and none of them are wrong. Starting…

Scientists may have caught video footage of an octopus having dreams. Costello, a male Brazilian reef octopus, lived in a laboratory at Rockefeller University in New York. Researchers began watching videos of Costello sleeping after noticing ink in his water tank one morning. Over the course of a month, researchers saw four instances of Costello acting as if he were being attacked while he slept. The octopus flailed his tentacles, tried to make himself look bigger, and shot out jets of ink. “It was really bizarre because it looked like he was in pain,” researcher Eric Angel Ramos told Live Science. “And then he just got up like nothing had happened.” The researchers think this behavior could have been triggered by a nightmare resulting from Costello’s experience losing a tentacle…

The FIFA Women’s World Cup will kick off in Australia and New Zealand this summer, with matches being played from July 20 to August 20. How it started The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the global governing body for soccer, organized the first Men’s World Cup in Uruguay in 1930, but it would be decades before the organization held an international championship for women. A women’s World Cup not affiliated with FIFA was held in Italy in 1970. At a FIFA meeting in 1986, a Norwegian soccer player, Ellen Wille, criticized the organization for not supporting the women’s game. A tournament was held in 1988 to test the popularity of a women’s cup, and it was a success. The first official FIFA Women’s World Cup was held in 1991…

Researchers in the UK created a single-use soap that could help reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Tab Soap is made of bamboo material infused with soap. It allows handwashing in areas where people don’t have easy access to soap and running water. Tab Soap comes in a roll or can be torn off a sheet, making it easy to carry anywhere. The scientists tested it in Tanzania, in East Africa. People wet their hands, used the soap, and threw away the material, which is biodegradable (able to break down).…

On July 9, Major League Baseball (MLB) ended the first part of the 2023 season and paused for the All-Star break. At the time, the Atlanta Braves of the National League (NL) had a record of 60–29 (60 wins and 29 losses), the best in the MLB. The Tampa Bay Rays, meanwhile, led the American League (AL) with a record of 58–35. Players from several different teams have been exceptional this season. One of them is Cincinnati Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz, who came up from the minors on June 6. On July 8, he became the first MLB player to ever record 40 hits and 15 stolen bases in the first 30 games of their career. In the game, he also stole second base, third base, and home…

A new animated series, Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, is bringing stories from Africa to the rest of the world. The series is made up of short, futuristic sci-fi films that were inspired by the history and culture of Africa. It is now on Disney+. Kizazi Moto is produced by Triggerfish Animation, a studio based in South Africa and Ireland. Executive producer Tendayi Nyeke told The Week Junior the goal of the series was to give African people a chance to share their visions for the future. Seventy filmmakers pitched ideas, and 10 films were made by a total of 14 directors from six countries: Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt. The goal was always for them to have a global audience, Nyeke said. She added, “I would love…

The Rocketeer (Disney+ or rent on demand) “This film is full of action and suspense, and it is funny. It takes place in California in 1938. The main character is Cliff Secord, a test pilot who accidentally gets involved with mobsters and finds an experimental rocket pack that allows him to fly. He then discovers that a famous actor is secretly a Nazi agent. Mobsters and Nazi operatives end up chasing Cliff, and there is a dramatic fight on top of a blimp! My favorite character is Cliff because he’s cool. He is a great hero because no other hero has a rocket pack and he fights for good. Also, he is a regular guy and not a superhero.” Darby, 8, Kansas Do you have a film or TV show…

By Gordon Korman (Scholastic) Reef and Theo were born on the same day in the same hospital. But they don’t meet until something bizarre happens to their memories. Reef starts forgetting about his mother who died and the family he now lives with, including Declan, an older boy who bullies him. All of a sudden, Reef knows karate and thinks about a rabbit named Jaws. Reef and Theo’s memories are being swapped, and it’s getting worse every day. At school, they struggle to take tests because they can’t remember what they studied! After finding out there was a lightning strike when they were newborns in the hospital, they come up with a plan to be struck by lightning again. They confide in one unlikely character. After weeks of tracking weather…

Balancing on a surfboard while riding a wave may look intimidating, but even beginner surfers can become better with just a few days of practice. A good goal for your first surfing experience is to get a feel for how it works and to have fun so you’ll want to do it again. Here’s how to get started. Get comfortable Before you take out a surfboard, it’s important to be a strong ocean swimmer. Practice swimming in the ocean with a family member and near a lifeguard. Before getting on a surfboard, you might want to try a boogie board, a foam board that you rest your belly and chest on to ride waves. Boogie boarding is a good first step to help you get a feel for the waves…

Do you love taking photos of flowers, trees, and wildlife? If so, now is your chance to use your creativity, curiosity, and skills to enter The Week Junior’s Nature Photo Contest. The entry form for 8- to 10-year-olds is at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-2023PhotoContest-8-10 and for 11- to 14-year-olds at tinyurl.com/TWJUS-2023PhotoContest-11-14. Winning entries will be featured in a September 2023 issue of the magazine. See official rules at theweekjunior.com/photocontestrules.…

If visitors to Eryri National Park in the UK are looking for some time to themselves, all they need to do is head down to the world’s deepest overnight accommodation. Visitors can stay 1,375 feet underground in a luxury cave room or heated log cabins. To get to the cavern—which was once part of a slate mine—guests must climb down miners’ stairs and cross some very old bridges. The journey is worth it, though, because guests have described it as the “best sleep of their lives.”…

“Inspired by our town’s No Mow May campaign, we came up with the idea of Air Dry July. We are asking people to air-dry their clothes, instead of putting them in a dryer, for the month of July (or longer). When we started discussing easy ways to help the environment with our parents, we decided to stop using a dryer and hang our clothes on a drying rack instead. Our family has saved tons of energy by making this simple change. If everyone in the US did this for a single load of laundry, enough electricity could be saved to power many American homes for a day. If you can spread the word to your family and friends, we can all do our part to help the cause!” Have you…

“I love the books and movies The Week Junior recommends. I loved ‘The 50 Books Kids Love Most.’ It filled up my summer reading list!”Kate, 9, Maryland “I was reading The Week Junior, and when I saw the Chihuly article, I couldn’t believe it! My family had plans to go there the next night. It was fun to learn more about the exhibit. Seeing the glass in person was incredible!”Charlie, 9, Missouri “I made onion dip from the June 9 issue and it was so yummy!”Olivia, 10, California…

1 What did journalist Lester Holt do in his favorite segment of his news show for kids? a) Jumped rope b) Skipped c) Juggled a ◻ b ◻ c ◻ 2 True or false? Beekeepers in the UK have noted an increase in honeybee swarms. True ◻ False ◻ 3 The US will rejoin what international group after withdrawing from it in 2017? ______________ 4 The new series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire consists of short films inspired by which continent? a) Africa b) Asia c) Australia a ◻ b ◻ c ◻ 5 True or false? A recent study found that young children value the lives of animals more than adults do. True ◻ False ◻ 6 What NASA space shuttle is being moved to a new museum? ______________ 7…

DEVOURING DESSERT Joshua Mogle, age 38, won a Key lime pie eating contest on July 4 in Key West, Florida. The dessert, made with local limes and lots of whipped cream, is Florida’s official state pie. Contestants couldn’t use their hands to eat it. A MESSAGE FROM MARS After 63 days of silence, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter sent a message from Mars. The four-pound aircraft, which traveled to the planet with the Perseverance rover in 2021, lost contact after setting out on its 52nd mission. “We’re excited to be back in communications range,” NASA said. A SPECIAL CELEBRATION A giant panda named Yuan Zai celebrated his 10th birthday with a cake made of bamboo, pineapple, carrots, and kiwi fruit. Yuan Zai, who lives at the Taipei Zoo in Taiwan, was the…

Lester Holt, an award-winning journalist and news anchor, launched NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition, a digital newscast for young people, in 2020. On its third anniversary, Holt spoke about his career with The Week Junior’s Junior Council member Sam, 10, of New Hampshire. Sam: What was your first job in the journalism world? Holt: I started my broadcasting career playing music at a radio station. I got my first big break when the station made me a news reporter. Sam: How do you decide which stories to cover on your kids’ show? Holt: My team and I first look at what stories people are talking about most. We then try to figure out which stories kids might find confusing and tell them in a way that makes them easier to…

New “smart eggs” could be a key to saving California condors. A team of experts is using the high-tech eggs at the Oregon Zoo. They believe the technology could help restore the population of the critically endangered bird. California condors were listed as endangered in 1967, and their population dropped to 22 birds by 1982. To prevent the condors from becoming extinct (no longer existing), experts trapped the birds and began breeding them in captivity. Condors sometimes injure their eggs accidentally, so the Oregon Zoo now puts the eggs in incubators—machines that keep the eggs warm and safe until they begin to hatch. However, scientists cannot go into nests that are being protected by condor parents, so they were not sure exactly how to re-create the natural conditions of the…

Binturong Two binturong “binlets” were born at Cotswold Wildlife Park in the UK. Barry and Bennie began life in a nest box, whereas in the wild they would have clung to their mother as she climbed trees. Binlets snort and purr when they are happy. • LIFE SPAN: 16 to 18 years • HABITAT: Tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia • SIZE: 4 to 6 feet from nose to tail • DIET: Fruit and sometimes birds, fish, and insects • FUN FACT: Binturongs give off a scent similar to the smell of buttered popcorn.…

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that electricity can be drawn from the air with just about any material, as long as that material has microscopic holes. The method works by drawing electricity from water molecules (the smallest portion of a substance having the properties of the substance) in the air. “The air contains an enormous amount of electricity,” said Jun Yao, the study’s senior author. “Think of a cloud, which is nothing more than a mass of water droplets. Each of those droplets contains a charge, and when conditions are right, the cloud can produce a lightning bolt.” Yao’s team developed a device to harvest the electricity, using a thin film with holes smaller than 100 nanometers—less than a thousandth of the width of a human hair.…

From July 6–9, the US Women’s Open golf tournament was held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. The event is one of the five major tournaments on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour each year. Pebble Beach is known as one of the best courses in the world. It has hosted six men’s US Opens, but this was the first US Women’s Open that took place there. Allisen Corpuz, who is from Hawaii, was the champion. It is her first LPGA title. She won a trophy and a $2 million prize, which was part of a record-setting $11 million purse, the most overall prize money awarded at a women’s tournament. Corpuz is in her second year on the pro tour. Coming into the tournament, she was…

Coach’s Name: Kate Mane Organization: PALS summer camp (judo) “Sensei Kate always helps us be the best we can be. She teaches judo in a very fun way so all the kids are excited to learn. She can make stuff that seems dull be exciting by making it a partner activity. Whenever somebody needs help, she makes sure we get it. When I could not figure out how to do a hip wheel, she helped me a lot. She makes sure nobody gets left out. Also, she always says, ‘You win or learn.’” Olivia, 8, Indiana 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 a few reasons why your coach is great.…

Nations There are currently 48 countries on the continent plus six island nations. There are also two regions in Africa that are under dispute: Western Sahara and Somaliland. Great lakes Africa has seven major great lakes. The largest one is Lake Victoria, also known as Victoria Nyanza. It is about the size of Scotland and is home to hundreds of species of cichlids, a type of colorful fish that people often put in home aquariums. Cities By 2100, Africa is projected to have 13 of the 20 largest urban areas in the world. Lagos, Nigeria, is expected to have about 80 million people, which would make it the world’s most populous city.…

Never Say Never with Jeff Jenkins (Nat Geo) (Hulu) (Disney+) Join travel journalist Jeff Jenkins on exciting trips around the world. He not only meets with locals to find out more about where and how they live, but he also puts himself through tough challenges, such as climbing a 70-foot mountain and sailing in a windstorm. Wake Up, Carlo! (Netflix) This new animated series is from Brazil, but it’s been released in English. It follows Carlo, an adventurous 7-year-old who has just woken up after magically falling asleep for 22 years. His friends are now adults, so he makes it his mission to remind them of the fun they once had. Human Footprint: Man’s Best Friend (PBS) July 19 at 9 pm ET Biologist Shane Campbell-Staton hosts this series about…

Should Reef have told an adult that Declan was bullying him? What do Reef and Theo learn about themselves by having each other’s memories? Did you prefer reading the chapters told from Reef’s perspective or the chapters from Theo’s perspective? Why? Is Declan a sympathetic character in the book? Why or why not? What aspect of the story could you relate to personally? Who do you think is the most essential character in the book, and why? What memory would you never want to lose?…

Gold Coast, Australia Located on the country’s east coast, this area is known for its waves that break to the right of the person on the board, which is helpful for surfing. Jeffreys Bay, South Africa This beach town in South Africa is famous for its “supertube” waves, which can be the length of almost three football fields put together. Bukit Peninsula, Bali, Indonesia In the 1970s, the southernmost tip of Bali became the area’s first famous surf destination. It has perfect waves for surfing almost every day from March to November. Oahu, Hawaii This area’s pipelines, meaning waves that crash in a tube shape that surfers can ride through, are considered the best in the world. The state of Hawaii is also the birthplace of modern surfing.…

This week’s Big Debate, about whether it’s OK to read the last chapter of a book first (p8), inspired a lively discussion among The Week Junior staff. Opinions were strong on both sides! Mindy said, “I often skim the last chapters. I don’t think reading ahead spoils the experience.” Paul had a different view—and an interesting comparison: “Reading the ending first is like beginning with a cupcake’s frosting—it’s great to get right to the good stuff, but then there’s nothing left to look forward to.” Joey and Nataki agreed with him: “I don’t understand why you would want to spoil the story,” they said. For Brielle, Jen, Felissa, and Alisa, the answer was “sometimes”—such as when they are invested in a certain character and want to know what happens to…

At The Week Junior, we’re planning our back-to-school coverage now for the magazine’s August and September issues! This year, we want to publish ideas from kids to kids about managing school life. What advice would you like to give to parents, teachers, and administrators for making school days even better for students? With an adult, go to tinyurl.com/TWJUS-SchoolSurvey to answer a few questions and share your opinions. Your ideas could appear in an upcoming issue when we publish the results of the survey!…

Teacher’s Name: Ivan Sabau School: Lyseth Elementary School “I nominate my fifth grade teacher, Ivan Sabau, because we do the funnest things! He teaches Spanish, so I’m in a Spanish immersion program. Instead of teaching us math with a book, he shows us math stories. We also filmed a real movie. We had green paper for the green screen and had roles to play. He is kind and funny and gives us second chances. He deserves to be noticed for all the hard work he has done.” Adele, 10, Maine 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.…