Innehållsförteckning för Issue 223 från The Week Junior US

The Republican National Convention (RNC) opened this week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after a shooting occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, two days earlier. On July 13, gunshots were fired at a campaign rally for Donald Trump, the Republican who served as President from 2017–2021 and is seeking a second term in this year’s election. Trump and two other people were injured, and two people died, including the gunman. Trump recovered and, on July 15, he announced his pick for Vice President and attended the convention. What happened on July 13? A few minutes after Trump began speaking at the rally, held outdoors at a fairground, several shots were fired toward him from a rooftop outside the arena. A bullet grazed Trump’s right ear. He ducked behind the lectern and was immediately surrounded…

A SWEET CELEBRATION July 21 marks the 40th anniversary of National Ice Cream Day. To celebrate, the Museum of Ice Cream is throwing an “epic ice cream party” at locations around the world. Guests can enjoy free scoops and jump in “sprinkle pools.” TOPPING A TUBE RECORD Eight teens from the UK set a new record for the London Tube Challenge, visiting all 272 stations on the London Underground train system in 18 hours, 8 minutes, and 13 seconds. It was the third try for the friends, who overcame train delays and power outages. It was “incredible,” one said. RETURNING TO THE WILD After spending three months at a turtle medical center recovering from flipper injuries, a 375-pound loggerhead sea turtle named Bubba was returned to the Atlantic Ocean, off…

Your parents and grandparents probably spent long summer afternoons playing outside near their homes. These days, however, kids in the US spend no more than four hours a week outdoors, according to some studies. That’s due in part to safety concerns, as more cars are on the streets than ever. To get children back outside, many US cities have “open streets” programs, which close off streets to cars so children can play freely and safely. While many parents and children’s health experts applaud these efforts, others say it causes problems, like heavy traffic and fewer customers for shops and businesses. What do you think? Should streets be closed so kids can play? Yes—reclaim the roads Why should cars have priority over kids? Closing streets to vehicles lets children get as…

Ross Edgley is an adventurer, athlete, and world-record holder who is famous for taking on extraordinary physical challenges. In 2018, he became the first person to swim around the coast of Great Britain, covering nearly 1,800 miles over 157 days. In the new National Geographic special Shark vs. Ross Edgley, now streaming on Disney+, he tests his abilities against those of the sharks. Edgley, age 38, grew up in Grantham, England. His father, a tennis coach, and his mother, a schoolteacher, instilled in him a passion for setting and achieving goals from an early age. He excelled in swimming and earned a spot on England’s national water polo team at the junior level. Edgley went on to study sports business and developed theories on physical training at Loughborough University in…

A new study sheds light on how sharks became important marine predators—and it looks like ocean warming played a big part in their rise. Millions of years ago, all sharks lived in the depths of the oceans, as many species still do today. These ancient bottom-dwellers were smaller and less powerful than modern sharks, but eventually some evolved into the large, fast, deadly carnivores that exist today, such as the great white shark. Scientists wanted to find out why. A team of experts from California recorded body and fin measurements from more than 500 shark species, both living and fossilized (preserved traces of ancient animals). This allowed them to see how sharks changed over time. The researchers think sharks moved up from the seabed after volcanic eruptions about 93 million…

The Summer Olympics, one of the world’s biggest sporting events, officially starts in Paris, France, on July 26. The two-week competition will feature 32 sports and about 10,500 athletes from around the world. Check out this four-page preview to learn about the mascots, the medals, the star athletes, and more! This year’s Olympics Paris will host the Games for the third time—100 years after it last hosted in 1924. This year’s theme is “Games wide open,” and organizers have created a special open-air arena in the heart of the city. For the first time in Summer Olympics history, every medal winner will be invited to celebrate with fans in this public space. In another first this year, breaking will make its debut as an Olympic sport. Surfing, skateboarding, and sport…

Fossils stashed away in a museum drawer for 25 years were found to belong to egg-laying mammals that lived about 100 million years ago. They included three newly identified species. Egg-laying mammals are called monotremes. Only two kinds of them exist today—the echidna and the platypus. But millions of years ago, many different monotremes roamed what is now an area called Lightning Ridge, in Australia. That’s where the rare fossils, which were five pieces of jawbone, were originally found. The fossils were stored at the Australian Museum until two years ago, when scientist Tim Flannery found them. He and his team determined that two of the fossils were from previously known monotremes, but three were from new species with combinations of features that hadn’t been seen before. One, called Opalios…

July 14 marked the end of two major international soccer tournaments: the Copa America, which featured teams from the Americas and the Caribbean; and the UEFA European Football Championship. Argentina won the Copa America, earning a record-setting 16th title for that tournament, while Spain won a record-setting fourth Euro title. The US hosted the Copa America, and the final, between world number one Argentina and 12th-ranked Colombia, was held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. Argentina, the 2022 World Cup champions, were eyeing their third international title in three years. Colombia had not been in a Copa America final since 2001 but were unbeaten in their previous 28 matches. The US Men’s National Team, ranked 11th in the world, did not advance past the group stage. The start of…

Coach’s Name: Julia Adams Activity: Ballet “Ms. Julia is the best! She always explains combinations well and answers any questions we have. She gives great corrections and explains them in different ways depending on a dancer’s needs. Ms. Julia also finds ways to compliment each dancer on their strengths—especially when they’ve put in extra effort outside class. Even when I make a mistake, she notices my hard work, says, ‘Good thinking,’ and helps me correct it.” Mathilda, 12, California 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.…

Escape to Witch Mountain In this 1975 film, twins Tony and Tia Malone mysteriously develop mental powers and the ability to communicate with animals. Spider-Man: Homecoming As fans of this 2017 blockbuster and other Spider-Man stories know, Spidey is the alter ego of high school student Peter Parker, who was bitten by a radioactive spider. It left him with super strength and agility plus heightened senses. The Girl Who Drank the Moon Kelly Barnhill’s novel is about Luna, a girl raised by a witch. As a baby, Luna accidentally got magical powers, and now she is able to cast spells, detect lies, and heal injuries.…

Kamp Koral (Paramount+) July 17 marked the 25th anniversary of the series SpongeBob SquarePants. This prequel series, which has returned for a second season, follows 10-year-old SpongeBob and his friends at camp. New episodes include an overnight out of the water and a competition to be the camp mascot. Simone Biles: Rising (Netflix) At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, top US gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the competition to focus on her mental health. In this new four-part documentary, Biles discusses what happened and how she is preparing for the upcoming Olympics in Paris, France. It is rated TV-14. NFL Flag Football Championships (ABC) (ESPN+) (Disney+) The first Championship Tournament for youth flag football began on July 18. The event, which is for players ages 9 to 18, has 280…

How does being on the team help Aliya adjust to her new hometown? Should Aliya have been named co-captain since she’s only a freshman? Why or why not? What do you think contributed most to the team’s improvement? How does the team stand up to prejudice and bias? Do you think the portrayal of Aliya having to juggle school and basketball was realistic? Why or why not? What qualities do you like best about the team’s coach?…

Gold-medal cupcakes Ingredients • 2 cups white frosting• Blue food coloring• 12 cupcakes• 12 (4-inch) strips sour tape candy• 12 gold coin foil-wrapped chocolates Instructions 1. Tint the frosting with the food coloring.2. Working with one cupcake at a time, cover a cupcake with an even layer of frosting.3. Fold a sour tape strip in half and press it onto the cupcake, as shown.4. Add a gold coin at the cut ends of the sour tape.5. Repeat above steps with the remaining cupcakes. Makes 12 cupcakes. Glowing tea light torch Ingredients • Paper towel tube or cardboard tube from wrapping paper, cut to your desired length• Scrap corrugated cardboard (such as from a shipping or moving box)• Scissors• Gold craft paint and paintbrush• Yellow, orange, and red tissue paper• Glue…

Long bike goes for short ride A man in the Netherlands has achieved his childhood dream of building the world’s longest bicycle. “I’ve been thinking about the idea for years,” said Ivan Schalk, 39, who teamed up with engineers in his town to create a 180-footlong bike. With one person steering handlebars at the front and one pedaling in the back, the contraption traveled 328 feet to earn a world record. The team then added extra pedals and zoomed past another record for a tandem bicycle designed for multiple riders. The bike is now in a local history museum. Cool down at the squirrel spa While humans can beat the summer heat at a beach or pool, animals don’t always have the same options. After noticing that squirrels kept sitting…

“I am committed to giving children an outlet to reduce anxiety through various activities. Over the past five years, I’ve invited children to do service with me through our community’s adopt-a-highway program. I donate to several food banks and shelters, and I have built my own blessing box with the help of my dad. I fill it up every week with food. I have planned book drives as well as empowerment programs for girls, such as high teas and learning workshops. I want to spread awareness on the importance of serving.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.com.…

“I loved reading about the orangutans and how they build their nests.”Jordy, 10, Illinois “I made this bookmark from the How To section. It was fun.”Akhil, 8, Virginia “I love reading The Week Junior with my cat Nacho. The magazine helps me learn about the world.”Emily, 11, Montana…

Teacher’s Name: Flora School: Central Park East II “Flora was the best teacher. She taught subjects in different ways to help us understand them better. When she finished graduate school, she wrote all of our names on her cap and said we all went to graduation with her. She went out of her way to make us feel comfortable and safe in the classroom and always made sure everyone was included. She is the best teacher ever.” Shula, 10, 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 Louisiana’s new “I Voted” sticker has what kind of cartoon animal on it? a) Crawfish b) Oyster c) Shrimp a ▢ b ▢ c ▢ 2 True or false? Scientists think LHS 1140 b, the “eyeball planet,” is made of gas, like Neptune. True ▢ False ▢ 3 How many major tennis championships have been won by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain? a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 a ▢ b ▢ c ▢ 4 In the new sci-fi series Me, what superpower does Ben wake up with one morning? a) Flight b) Shape-shifting c) Teleportation a ▢ b ▢ c ▢ 5 What are the National High School Musical Theatre Awards known as? 6 How many species of egg-laying mammals exist today? a) 2 b) 4 c) 6 a…

• Studies show that over the past few decades, there’s been a drop in the number of children who regularly play on their street. Many parents say it’s because cars make streets unsafe.• Many studies show that playing outdoors is vital to young people’s mental and physical well-being.• Health experts recommend that kids ages 6 to 17 should have 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day.• In some places, there aren’t enough parks or outdoor spaces for children.…

A new study found that women tolerate the physical challenges of space travel better than men and recover faster when they return to Earth. People who travel into space can experience changes to bones, muscles, and brain function. Researchers studied data collected from the crew of the Inspiration4 mission. The world’s first space mission with an all-civilian crew, meaning they were not professional astronauts, orbited Earth for three days in 2021. The team of scientists measured certain health indicators in the Inspiration4 crew before, during, and after their journey into space. These included heart rate, oxygen levels, memory and attention, and mood. The researchers compared that data to information gathered from 64 trained astronauts, who had spent at least six months on the International Space Station. In particular, the researchers…

College sports fans are celebrating the release of EA Sports College Football 25. The game is out now for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S. The EA College Football franchise began in 1993, and the last one was released in 2013. It was a big hit, but EA stopped making it because of rules about using the name, image, and likeness of real college athletes. The rules have changed since then, and active players are now in some areas of the game. Three players made the cover: University of Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, University of Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter, and University of Michigan running back Donovan Edwards. The game includes all 134 colleges in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), the highest level of competition in the…

July 21, 2007 Final Harry Potter book is released On July 21, 2007, the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was published. The 759-page book was released one minute after midnight, and bookstores hosted special parties that night to sell it to fans. More than 8 million copies were sold in the first 24 hours. The series has been translated into more than 80 languages.…

Now that you’ve read a bit more about this issue, visit kids.theweekjunior.com/polls so you can vote in our debate. Vote YES if you think streets should be closed so kids can play or NO if you don’t. We’ll publish the results next week. The goal of the big debate is to present two sides of an issue fairly in order to stimulate discussion and allow our readers to make up their minds. The views on this page do not reflect those of The Week Junior, and the page is not funded by third parties.…

Ross MacPhee Mammal expert, American Museum of Natural History For an elephant, a trunk is like a hand but so much more. It helps them gather food, breathe, make sounds, drink water (trunks are straws!), and remove obstacles in their way. Mothers caress and clean their babies with their trunks, and adults greet one another with a “trunk shake.” Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the American Museum of Natural History at amnh.org.…

A YouTuber in the Netherlands named Sten built a printer made entirely of Legos, which prints art using small Lego bricks. The Pixelbot 3000 uses artificial intelligence to generate a cartoon-like image. It scans the image and converts it into pixel art, which consists of small blocks of color that, together, form a larger image. Pixelbot 3000 has gears and sensors for precision brick placement. To create the Lego version of the image, it picks up one small brick at a time and places it on a base plate. The bricks function as pixels, forming the colorful artwork.…

Middle school can be tricky, but for the main character in the new sci-fi series Me, it comes with an extra challenge: dealing with new superpowers. The show, which recently premiered on Apple TV+, mixes action and mystery with a story about self-discovery. Me was created by Barry L. Levy, and he told The Week Junior it was inspired by bedtime conversations in which he would ask his son, “If you could be anyone, who would you be?” When the series begins, 12-year-old Ben has started a new school after his mother remarries, and he goes to bed wanting to reinvent himself. The next morning, he wakes up with the power to shape-shift. Some of his schoolmates also end up with special powers, and like Ben’s, they are related to…

Raya and the Last Dragon PG (Disney+ or rent on other platforms) “This is my favorite movie because it has action, dragons, and fantasy. Early on, Raya meets a girl who betrays her trust and tries to steal a 500-year-old Dragon Gem that Raya’s family has been guarding. The gem protects humans from the evil Druun, but after it gets broken in a fight, the Druun return. Six years later, Raya searches for the gem’s pieces across the five regions of her world. In one, she unlocks Sisu, the last living dragon, whose siblings made the gem. The pair make more friends in their travels, and together they try to use the gem to stop the Druun.” Annette, 9, Virginia Do you have a film or TV show to recommend…

By Hena Khan, illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui (Knopf Books for Young Readers) A few weeks into the school year, Aliya’s family moves to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to live closer to her grandparents. Her new all-Muslim high school is much bigger than the one she attended in Florida. On the first day, her gym teacher asks her to shoot a basketball layup. Aliya does it perfectly, and her classmates realize she’s an experienced player. They encourage her to try out for the school’s team, which has had a losing record. Aliya makes the team and is named co-captain. At first, the team isn’t in sync, and Aliya has a hard time balancing practice and homework. The coach helps the team regroup and comes up with the motto “We Are More Than the…

What team is the book based on? A teacher sent me a news story about the Salam School‘s girls’ varsity basketball team in Milwaukee that had a turnaround season. She knew I liked basketball and had previously set books in Milwaukee. Did you talk to the players on the team? I interviewed the coach and four players, then wrote the story based on their responses. For instance, one player told me she had recently moved and another said she’s hard on herself as a player. I incorporated those elements into the character of Aliya. Why did you decide to make the story a graphic novel? The team’s story felt cinematic, and I wanted to portray the diversity among the Muslim girls on the team. Plus, the art makes it easier…

Word search Can you find all these words associated with the Olympics? 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. ANTHEM ARENA ATHLETE COACH CROWD EVENT FLAGS GOLD HOST JUDGE MASCOT MEDAL COUNT OLYMPIC RINGS PARADE OF NATIONS PODIUM POOL RACE RECORD SCORE SPORT STADIUM TEAM TIMER TORCH TRACK WINNER FILL IN THE BLANKS Fill in the blanks in each sentence with two words so the second word uses every other letter of the first word, like CHAIR and CAR. Only the letters on the red blanks are used in the shorter word. 1. After training all day in the heat, the runners were hot and ——————, but they knew that hard work…

Three days before this issue went to press, a shooting occurred at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump (p2). All of us on the editorial team were upset by the news, and we agree with President Joe Biden and the other leaders who said afterward that violence has no place in our democracy. We also know, and want you to know too, that events like this become big news because they are very rare. On November 5, our country will vote in an election not only for President but also for many other offices in Congress and at the state and local levels of government. We encourage you to follow along as the campaign moves forward so you can become informed about the candidates’ positions and what is…

Enter to win books! This is the sixth issue of our Summer of Reading campaign! We hope you enjoy our interview with Author Ambassador Hena Khan and a review of her new book We Are Big Time (p23). Our reading challenge continues! Once you’ve finished reading any three books, go to tinyurl.co/TWJUS-ReadingChallenge with an adult to enter our sweepstakes. Four winners will receive books, and one will win books and a video call with an Author Ambassador. For our list of “The 50 Books Kids Love Most,” go to kids.theweekjunior.com/summerofreading. JOKE OF THE WEEK How was that book about helium? I couldn’t put it down! IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com. We want to hear from you! To have your letters, photos, nominations, recommendations, or…