Innehållsförteckning för Issue 234 från The Week Junior US

A massive hurricane struck the southeastern region of the US, hammering six states and devastating North Carolina. Hurricane Helene unleashed record-breaking floods and destroyed entire towns over a span of more than 600 miles. What happened? Just after 11 p.m. on September 26, Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, as a Category 4 hurricane (Category 5 is the most severe). Winds reached 140 miles per hour, and a storm surge (rise of seawater) of up to 15 feet along Florida’s west coast occurred, flooding the Tampa Bay area. Over the next two days, the storm headed north, causing torrential rains in northern Georgia, western North Carolina, and parts of South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Creeks and rivers overflowed, resulting in the worst flooding in parts of Georgia and the Carolinas…

AN EMOJI EXPANSION Eight new emojis will appear on smartphones soon. The latest symbols—shown below and approved by a nonprofit group called the Unicode Consortium—include a tired face, a fingerprint, a root vegetable, and a harp. A STAR FOR A SUPERHERO Batman became the first superhero to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California. The Caped Crusader, who first appeared in a comic book in 1939, has been “a symbol of determination, courage, and justice to generations of fans,” said city officials. REVIVING A FAVORITE Nearly 50 years after her debut, a character from a classic children’s book is going viral for her calm and cozy vibe. People are saying online that they want to be just like Strega Nona, a good-natured…

Stretching across nearly 11,000 acres in the Flint Hills of Kansas, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is the world’s biggest tallgrass prairie, a habitat known for growing grasses that are taller than people. The park supports more than 500 species of plants, including wildflowers that bloom from March to October, as well as grazing animals, amphibians, reptiles, and other wildlife. Visitors can view a herd of bison roaming the Windmill Pasture, visit the historic Spring Hill Ranch House, and take a tour to learn about the history and culture of the area.…

“Can certain types of ants fly?”Emma, 12, Maryland Marco Wendt Wildlife ambassador, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Yes, some certainly can! A young, winged queen leaves her colony on her first and only flight with a number of winged males. At certain times of the year, such swarms of flying ants are a common sight. These winged ants are often called alates, swarmers, or reproductives. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the San Diego Zoo at sandiegozoo.org.…

Movie night takes on a whole new meaning with the GV50 Ceiling Projector made by BenQ. The portable device can be angled to project a movie or show onto the ceiling so viewers can get comfortable in bed and look up to watch. The GV50 has an adjustable base and rotates so users can find the perfect viewing angle, either on the ceiling or a wall. The projector plays for 150 minutes on one battery charge and includes a sleep timer, which shuts it off if viewers fall asleep while watching.…

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports, a new arcade game, is out now for the Nintendo Switch, the PlayStation systems, Xbox platforms, and PC. The game stars nine characters from the famous Looney Tunes cartoons, including Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the Road Runner. As they compete in basketball, soccer, golf, or tennis, they turn the competitions into slapstick showdowns. Looney Tunes fans will recognize many of the levels where the action takes place, such as Porky Pig’s barn, Wile E. Coyote’s desert canyon, and Marvin the Martian’s command center. As the title of the game suggests, the action in Wacky World of Sports has wild twists. In two-on-two basketball, for example, the court is stacked with falling anvils and doesn’t seem to be affected by gravity, and…

Is it fair that Percy needs three letters of recommendation? Explain your reasoning. Do you think Grover took the potion to try to keep Percy from going away to college? Can Percy be too hard on himself sometimes? Why or why not? Which character’s return were you happiest to read about? How did Percy and his friends use problem-solving skills? What made you laugh the most in the story? If you could ask Percy any question you wanted, what would it be?…

Keyword crossword Once you have completed the crossword, transfer the letters in the yellow boxes, in order, into the boxes below to get the answer to the Keyword question. ACROSS 1 Person who writes computer code 7 Word after vacant or parking 8 #1 ice cream flavor worldwide 9 Surprising turn in a story or movie 10 Like the air near a campfire 12 Animal that gives us wool 14 Pair of babies born together 16 The highest singing voice 18 The fourth word seen at the start of all Star Wars movies 19 Creamy sandwich spread DOWN 1 Voice heard over a plane’s intercom 2 A drawn shape that has no interior details 3 Construction item used to fasten steel beams together 4 Opposite of plus 5 Slender, sometimes…

“I love reading The Week Junior and learning about so many world issues. I especially love reading about kids my age making a difference in their communities. I am currently the local Youth Heart Hero Ambassador for Orange County and have raised more than $1,500 for the American Heart Association, which fights heart disease. Our school participates in the group’s Kids Heart Challenge that is focused on inspiring kids to choose healthy habits. I encourage fellow classmates to donate and raise funds for a great cause. I also work hard to inspire peers and family to stay active and eat healthy. I love helping those in need and want to inspire kids my age to make a positive difference.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause…

In 2018, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg held her first school strike urging politicians to take action on climate change. The strikes, known as “Fridays for Future,” grew and soon inspired hundreds of thousands of young people around the world to take part. And the strikes made a difference. One study found that 30% of people changed their habits to be more environmentally friendly as a result of protests by kids. Many people argue that it’s important for young people to protest for causes they believe in—even if the demonstrations are scheduled during the school day. What do you think? Is it OK if students miss school to protest? Yes—it’s a way to express their views Throughout history, young protesters have helped bring about major change in our society, from…

2024 BRITISH ECOLOGY SOCIETY CAPTURING ECOLOGY AWARD FINALISTS…

Piece by Piece is an upcoming film about the life of singer, music producer, and fashion designer Pharrell Williams, the artist behind the popular song “Happy.” Unlike typical documentaries, this one has a fun twist: All of the stories and people in it are animated with Lego bricks and mini-figures. The film, which arrives in theaters on October 11, explores Williams’ remarkable creativity and the importance of dreams. Williams, age 51, grew up in Virginia Beach and is known for making music that blends genres and has an eclectic sound. He has worked with major artists such as Madonna and Kendrick Lamar, and he won 13 Grammys (top music award), including two for the song “Get Lucky,” a collaboration with the electronic duo Daft Punk. Piece by Piece starts with…

The InBESTigators (Netflix) “This is a fun series filled with humor and unique, relatable characters. It is about a group of fifth graders at an Australian school who become close friends. Maudie, the new girl, is really smart, Ezra is tech-savvy, Ava is business-savvy, and Kyle is really good at sports. Ezra suggests that they start a detective agency, and the others agree. They call themselves ‘Inbestigators’ because they consider themselves the best investigators around. They work together to solve mysteries in their neighborhood, such as playground robberies and missing science fair experiments.” Hannah, 10, Texas Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

WHISTLED LANGUAGE tinyurl.com/TWJUS-Whistling In a mountain town in Turkey, locals communicate across long distances by whistling. This video from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) explores their special language and highlights how cell phones put the form of expression at risk.…

How did you become a writer? I taught middle school, and my students loved it when I told them stories. I was also writing mysteries for adults, and my students asked why I wasn’t writing books for them. As is so often the case, the kids were right, and that’s when I started creating the Percy Jackson series. Who is Percy based on? Percy is based on my oldest son, who was struggling with ADHD and dyslexia when I started the series. While Percy in Wrath of the Triple Goddess still has the same challenges, he’s learned how to deal with them. It’s gotten easier for Percy, just like it did for my son. What has it been like to write for a TV show? TV is a team sport…

PB&J is elevated to fine art A Florida man turned a trip to the grocery store into art. Noah Verrier bought crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for his children. After taking a bite of one of the sandwiches in his art studio, he noticed the way the sunlight struck the jelly and decided to paint it. The artwork sold for nearly $5,000. Verrier has become known for capturing the bright colors and textures of certain foods in elaborate oil paintings. He has painted dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets, a Philly cheesesteak, and a Cheesy Gordita Crunch from Taco Bell—which caused the company to comment, “Art can be so beautiful.” The cat that climbs mountains For the first time ever, a cat has completed the UK’s National Three Peaks Challenge—a hike up…

Doing crossword puzzles started out as a fun hobby for jewelry designer Juliana Pache, but eventually she grew frustrated with the average puzzle. Pache, who is of Afro-Caribbean descent, noticed that cultural references and expressions rooted in Black communities weren’t represented in puzzle clues. This realization inspired her to launch blackcrossword.com, a site that includes daily mini crosswords focused on Black history and culture. She has released her first book, Black Crossword: 100 Mini Puzzles Celebrating the African Diaspora, featuring puzzles from the site. Pache, age 32, grew up in Queens, New York. She majored in media studies and production at Temple University and later worked in social strategy. In 2021, she left her job to start a handmade jewelry business, Pache Studio. Two years later, she launched her puzzle…

Horses are intelligent animals that often form a close bond with humans. Police horses, for example, are trained to stay calm in noisy crowds while responding to complicated instructions from their riders. A recent study from Nottingham Trent University in the UK has shown that horses are smart enough to plan ahead, especially when a few treats are involved. The study involved a game played with 20 horses. At the beginning, the animals were given a treat for touching a card with their nose. Next, the researchers started using a light to signal “stop” and rewarded the horses only if they touched the card when the light was off. At first, the horses nudged the card anyway. But then the researchers introduced a penalty: If the horses touched the card…

Chilean flamingo At Paignton Zoo in the UK, Arthur and Curtis, two male Chilean flamingos, are raising a chick together. The pair found an abandoned egg, hatched the chick, and adopted it. This was one of the zoo’s first successful hatchings in six years. ● LIFE SPAN: Up to 50 years in the wild ● HABITAT: Warm climates in South America ● SIZE: About 4 to 5 feet tall, 5 to 7 pounds ● DIET: Algae, crustaceans, and mollusks ● FUN FACT: What looks like a “knee” in the middle of a flamingo’s leg is actually its ankle.…

Stonehenge, a prehistoric monument in the UK, has puzzled historians for many years. The earliest parts of the monument were constructed about 5,000 years ago, and the famous large standing stones were put in place 500 years later. Scientists and history experts have long questioned who built it, why, and how it was possible using the limited tools available at the time. Now a new study has found that one of the structure’s stones, the Altar Stone, originally came from at least 460 miles away in northern Scotland. Stonehenge is in Wiltshire, England. Researchers thought the stones used to build the monument were from England and Wales, which is another country in the UK. The big standing stones were traced to the West Woods, an ancient woodland site about 15…

For most Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, the regular season ended on September 29. But this year, because of rescheduling caused by Hurricane Helene and a virtual tie among three teams, there was another day of action—and it had big postseason consequences. On September 30, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves played a double-header that would decide if one or both of those teams would earn playoff spots. The first game had a thrilling end, with the teams trading the lead three times in the eighth and ninth innings. The Mets won, 8–7, and made the playoffs thanks to a home run by Francisco Lindor. The Braves won the second game, 3–0. If the Braves had lost, the Arizona Diamondbacks would have made the playoffs. In the MLB postseason,…

Coach’s Name: Edgar Torres Team: Montclair United Soccer Club “Coach Edgar is the best coach ever, and I’m sure the whole team would agree. He’s always in a good mood, and his jokes—sometimes good, sometimes bad—always bring the team up. Not only is he a good person, but he is a great teacher. My touch improved so much because of his ‘sequences’ (a combination of skill moves); his learning stages (understanding, rhythm, speed); and his motto: ‘Go fast, but don’t sacrifice the technique!’” Aarav, 9, New Jersey 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.…

Early career Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (at left) formed the music duo the Neptunes as teens and were discovered by a producer at a high school talent show. They won a Grammy in 2004. Fashion figure Williams has become famous for his style. In the 2000s, he launched the streetwear clothing lines Billionaire Boys Club and ICECREAM (with Japanese music producer Nigo). He has been the men’s creative director of the luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton since February 2023. Giving back The star supports under-served communities through his nonprofits. They include a summer camp for children from low-income families and an organization that offers educational opportunities for young people.…

Bluey Minisodes (Disney+) A new batch of short episodes from the popular series has arrived. In this group, blue heeler puppy Bluey and her little sister Bingo’s antics include creating a whirlpool in the paddling pool and giving their dad a tattoo. Bingo also discovers her passion for electric drums. Baby Animal Rescue (National Geographic) (Hulu) In this documentary series, conservationist Giles Clark travels to South Africa to work with teams that rescue and care for orphaned wildlife. He encounters animals such as a baby pangolin learning survival skills and an elephant calf preparing to embark on a journey to find a herd. The Last of the Sea Women (Apple TV+) Haenyeo are women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s from Jeju Island, South Korea, who dive deep underwater to…

(Disney Hyperion) In this seventh adventure in the Percy Jackson series, Percy, the demigod son of the Greek ruler of the sea, Poseidon, is applying to college, and he needs two more letters of recommendation. To obtain a letter from Hecate, the triple goddess, Percy agrees to care for her pets at her New York City mansion while she is away. Even with help from friends Annabeth and Grover, Percy has his hands full. The pets were once human, and each one has magical abilities. When Grover gives in to his temptation to taste a potion, he turns into a giant, destroying the house and setting the creatures free. The friends have until the end of the week to rebuild the mansion and find the animals to prevent Hecate from…

Calligraphy, which is also sometimes known as lettering, is the art of beautiful handwriting. It also can be a good way to reduce stress because practicing calligraphy is a mindful and meditative exercise. More people are discovering the joys of this creative art. Here’s how you can get started. Gather supplies All you need is blank paper, a few markers, and a pencil. Craft stores also sell calligraphy markers and “brush pens.” Brush pens have a flexible tip for making light or thick lines depending on the pressure you put on the pen. Once you have your supplies, take time to try them out. Try holding your writing instrument at a 45-degree angle to the paper. Experiment with putting various amounts of pressure on the pen or writing lines with…

CLEAN OUT YOUR WATER BOTTLE Over time, water bottles can collect dirt and mold—even if you can’t see it. To prevent this, give your bottle a thorough cleaning at least once a week. First, check to see if it’s dishwasher safe. If it is, you can put it in the dishwasher’s top rack, where temperatures are lower, to prevent plastic parts from melting. If it’s not dishwasher safe, or you’ve decorated it with stickers and want to avoid damaging them, wash it by hand. Use dish soap, a soft sponge, and a long-handled brush to scrub inside. Clean any straws with a straw brush. If there is a sealing ring on the cap, remove it and give it a good scrub. Once you’ve rinsed all parts of the bottle thoroughly,…

When The Week Junior went to press on October 1, several states in the southeastern US were facing the aftermath of a devastating hurricane (p2). The record-breaking storm caused massive destruction across hundreds of miles, leaving people to cope with flooding, mudslides, widespread power and cell phone outages, and the loss of homes, businesses, and entire towns. Our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected. As always when difficult events occur, there has been an outpouring of aid and support. Thousands of people from government agencies and nonprofit organizations are providing help in the region and will be there for many weeks to come. Thank you to everyone who is assisting with the recovery. If you and your family are looking for a way to join the effort, see…

Liana, who is 8 years old and from California, said she likes playing with her grandparents and learning new things from them. A favorite memory is going to Hawaii together and watching the sunset. To celebrate your grandparent or any special older person, go to kidstheweekjunior.com/activities to print out a form (like the one at right). Fill it out, then have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the responses we receive in future issues. RIDDLE OF THE WEEK What part of you grows longer in the afternoon? Your shadow…

“The raspberry oat yogurt muffin recipe from The Week Junior was a yummy breakfast treat.” Ben, 11, and Lily, 8, New Jersey “I brought my copy of The Week Junior to Italy and read it at the Colosseum!” Isaac, 10, Massachusetts “I really liked reading about how dogs can sense emotions through scent.” Annika, 10, Washington…

Teacher’s Name: Miss Yokom School: Valentine Hills Elementary “Miss Yokom always has something nice to say, and she encourages us to do hard things. She makes everyone in my class, including me, feel very special. Not only is she my teacher, but she’s also my track coach. Miss Yokom is fun to be around, and I wish I could be in her class forever!” Violet, 10, Minnesota 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 The US Postal Service revealed a new Forever stamp honoring what holiday? 2 True or false? California was the first US state to ban plastic bags. True □ False □ 3 Piece by Piece is an animated documentary about the life of which musical artist? a) Harry Styles b) Pharrell Williams c) Taylor Swift a □ b □ c □ 4 True or false? Scientists think horses are smart enough to plan ahead. True □ False □ 5 The Joslyn Art Museum is the largest art museum in what state? 6 Which WNBA player was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year? a) Caitlin Clark b) DiJonai Carrington c) Napheesa Collier a □ b □ c □ 7 True or false? A recent study found that Stonehenge’s Altar Stone…