Innehållsförteckning för Issue 241 från The Week Junior US

On November 14, scientists announced the discovery of the world’s largest coral—an undersea formation so large that it can be seen from space. It was found during a scientific expedition in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. What happened? A team of scientists from National Geographic was studying the effects of climate change on oceans near the Solomon Islands, an archipelago (string of islands) spanning more than 900 miles northeast of Australia. From the surface, the team spotted what they thought was a shipwreck underwater. A diver discovered that it was a mega coral. They used a measuring tape to determine that it was about 111 feet wide, 104 feet long, and 18 feet high. That’s wide enough to fit two full-size basketball courts side by side and longer than the world’s…

HOPE FOR A SPECIES The birth of a siamang gibbon at ZooTampa in Florida is great news for the endangered Asian species. The newborn, which is sticking close to its mom for food and warmth, has “brought a lot of hope,” said a zoo spokesperson. A BEAUTIFUL SOUND Bells rang out at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France, for the first time since it was badly damaged by a fire in 2019. Restoration of the landmark church is nearly complete, and it is set to reopen on December 8. “Every day the cathedral is more beautiful,” an official said. A HERO DOG A bloodhound named Bo has been chosen as winner of the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards, which honor “ordinary dogs who do extraordinary things,” according to the…

Some schools have started asking parents and caregivers to put their phones away when they pick up their kids in the afternoon. They say students who are excited to be picked up at the end of a long day often find their parents staring into their phones. Some parents have been happy to oblige, while others disagree with the request. Many adults say they’re just trying to keep up with their busy lives and jobs and there’s no harm in it. In fact, they use the time to book appointments, read the news, or send important emails, which frees them up to spend time with their kids afterward. What do you think? Should adults be phone-free outside schools? Yes—adults should set an example Many children have limits on how much…

NASA, the US space agency, has revealed the latest version of a new spacesuit for its Artemis III mission to the Moon. Called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), it was designed by Axiom Space, a private space exploration company, and the luxury fashion company Prada. The Artemis III mission aims to send humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972. It will include the first woman and first person of color to go to the Moon and will be the first to reach the lunar south pole. The AxEMU suit is NASA’s first new spacesuit in more than 40 years and has been modernized to fit men and women with a wide range of body types. It will keep astronauts safe in extreme lunar conditions while…

The NBA (National Basketball Association) season is in full swing. Recently, there were several memorable and historic moments. One team that has gotten off to a dominant start is the Cleveland Cavaliers. On November 17, they improved their record to 15–0 after a 128–114 win over the Charlotte Hornets. With the victory, they tied the 1993–1994 Houston Rockets for the second-longest winning streak to begin an NBA season. November 13 was a big night for three of the NBA’s star players. In a game where the San Antonio Spurs beat the Washington Wizards, 139–130, Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, age 20 and the number one overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, scored a career-high 50 points. The same night, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 59 points in a 127–120…

Coach’s name: Liam Watt Team: James Island Soccer Club “Coach Liam is the best soccer coach you could imagine. He motivates us to try harder and tells us what our mistakes are if we do something wrong. We work on technical skills and fun possession rondos, and every Thursday we scrimmage with him. He teaches us to be quick on the ball, keep our heads up, and scan the field to make fast decisions. In games, he pulls us aside to teach us in the moment. He also gives great nicknames.” James (“Jimbo”), 8, South Carolina 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.…

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC) November 28 at 8:30 a.m. ET The world’s largest parade will be traveling through New York City for its 98th year. Among the 22 balloons to watch for will be Po from Kung Fu Panda and an all-new Spider-Man. Also tune in to see floats, musical performances, school marching bands, and celebrities. Nature: Attenborough’s Life Journey (PBS) Sir David Attenborough, age 98, turned a childhood passion for fossil hunting into a career as a world-famous naturalist, broadcaster, and climate advocate. This documentary traces his life story and features behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and stunning nature scenes. The Creature Cases (Netflix) Sam Snow and Kit Casey are cats who work at a detective organization in a world populated only by animals. They travel around to solve quirky…

How do the words and art come together to tell the story? What better way could CheckMate have reduced spelling errors? How do First Cat and other characters in the book underestimate CheckMate? What characteristics make CheckMate a good villain? What are some benefits and drawbacks of AI in real life? Is the book’s ending what you expected? Why or why not? If you’ve read one of the other books in the series, which one is your favorite and why? JOIN THE WEEK JUNIOR’S BOOK CLUB Watch a special video that Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris created for The Week Junior and learn about how our monthly book club works at kids.theweekjunior.com/bookclub.…

Crisscross Each of these things associated with Thanksgiving fits into this grid. Can you find where each one goes to complete the grid? 4 letters CORN FORK PANS YAMS 5 letters BEANS CIDER GRAVY ROLLS 6 letters AUTUMN DINNER 8 letters DARK MEAT STUFFING 9 letters DRUMSTICK LEFTOVERS TRADITION 10 letters CORNUCOPIA PUMPKIN PIE ALL THE SAME Each answer contains the letters P-I-E. Those letters have been placed for you. Can you figure out the words? (NEED A HINT? Check the bottom of the page.) Take five Five 5-letter words associated with football are hidden in this grid. For each one, the first letter is somewhere in the first column, the second is somewhere in the second column, and so on. Can you find all five? SUDOKU To complete the…

“I am a fourth grader at Powell Elementary School in Washington, DC. During the pandemic, when it was boring, we went herping in Rock Creek Park. Herping is looking for reptiles and amphibians. We found red-backed salamanders. My mom thought that if there wasn’t an official amphibian for Washington, DC, why not the red-backed salamander? I made a petition and my friends signed it. My teacher, Ms. Pence, helped us write the resolution and prepared us to testify in front of the DC Council. Staff members from the Council also came to our school to teach us about how to make a bill. We are hoping the salamander gets picked.” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want…

“I loved making the meat-free and delicious pinto bean empanadas!” Kate, 9, Virginia “We took The Week Junior on our Niagara Falls boat ride.” Jake, 12, and Benjamin, 9, New Jersey “I think the Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy series is great for all ages! Thanks for the recommendation, The Week Junior!”Harper, 9, Georgia…

Smart, fun, educational. Each week, The Week Junior presents 32 colorful pages full of thought-provoking articles, eye-catching photos, and big ideas to get kids ages 8-14 reading! There’s something to delight and inspire every child-from sports and science to nature and culture-plus how-to craft projects, recipes, and puzzles. Perfect for holidays or anytime you want to delight a child you love. SCAN TO ORDER Free Holiday Gift Cards We'll send you a festive card to personally announce each gift. Discounts available online Visit theweekjunior.com/lovetoread…

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 adults should be phone-free outside schools 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.…

About 3.3 billion years ago, a huge rock from space hit Earth. It was about 200 times bigger than the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, and new research shows that it may have helped life to thrive. The massive meteorite (rock from space that falls to Earth’s surface) was between 25 and 37 miles wide and is known as S2. Scientists first discovered S2 in 2014, based on the 300-mile-wide crater it created when it hit the surface in what is now South Africa. When S2 landed, Earth was very different from what it is today. Most of the planet was covered in water, with just a few areas of land. There was life on Earth, but it was very simple—only very tiny organisms…

Planet Coaster 2 is a new theme park simulation game. It was recently released for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. The first Planet Coaster game came out in 2016. In the series, you can design and build a theme park from scratch and run it. You start by finding land, then you get into choosing items such as entrance gates, turnstiles, and bricks for the paths to the rides, shops, and snacks. The new game has 54 roller coaster options, including classic wooden styles, wild ones with gigantic drops, and thrillers with inverted seats that dangle passengers in the air. Every ride in the game is based on a real coaster. You can also build water parks, adding a new dimension to the game. There are five…

How did you come up with the idea of a spell-checking villain? When I was growing up, there was a feature in Microsoft Word called Clippy. While you were typing, a paperclip would pop up and give you advice. You couldn’t get rid of Clippy—it was so irritating! When did you and Shawn Harris first meet? We met when we were 7 years old and were put on the same soccer team. We became the type of friends who create comics, books, and music together, and that’s still the basis of our friendship. What’s your creative process? I write a chapter and send it to Shawn to sketch. Sometimes he’ll draw a character in such a funny way that I decide I want to get that character into more of…

Ingredients ● ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats● 2 apples, diced, plus slices for serving (optional)● 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt● 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or ¼ teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger)● ¼ cup maple syrup● 1 cup crushed Ice Instructions 1. Add the oats to the blender and pulse a few times to pulverize.2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.3. Divide smoothie between 2 glasses and serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.…

Unicorns were seen parading through the State Library in Sydney, Australia. The library organized the stunt to bring joy to stressed-out students who were studying for their exams. Librarian Caroline Butler-Bowdon said the library wanted to do something for the hardworking students, so people dressed up in unicorn costumes and a voice announced through a loudspeaker, “Students: If you are seeing unicorns in the reading room, it means you need a break.” Patrons then paused to take videos and photos with the unicorns.…

November 27, 1973 Gerald Ford confirmed as Vice President On November 27, 1973, the US Senate confirmed Gerald R. Ford as Vice President in the administration of President Richard Nixon. Nixon’s previous Vice President, Spiro Agnew, resigned after facing charges of corruption. In 1974, Nixon resigned after his involvement with Watergate, a political scandal, and Ford became President. He served until 1977, after having never campaigned for either office.…

George Clarke of Bristol, England, has been appointed postmaster general of Port Lockroy, a small island in Antarctica. It’s the world’s southernmost post office, established in 1944. Before beginning his five-month assignment, Clarke spoke to The Week Junior. What made you apply for the position? I read an article about someone who had worked at the post office. I never expected to get the job, but I thought, why not? It sounds like an adventure. What will your duties be? People come to the island to send postcards and letters home, as well as collect stamps to commemorate their time here, and all of that will now go through me. How do you prepare for Antarctic life? We received cold-weather gear and training, and we spoke to people who had…

For hundreds of thousands of years, a species of wild cattle known as aurochs (see box at top right) roamed Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. By the 17th century, due to hunting and deforestation (cutting down large areas of trees), aurochs lived only in Poland. In 1627, they became extinct. Now a research project will introduce a modern-day replacement, the tauros, back into Europe for the first time. As part of the project, experts cross-bred several types of domestic cattle to produce an animal similar to the aurochs. This cross-breeding resulted in the tauros—big, muscular cattle with long horns. Now an organization called Trees for Life wants to introduce a herd of up to 15 tauros to an estate near Loch Ness in Scotland in 2026. The project’s leaders hope…

The making of butter dates back thousands of years. Find out how it became a common staple in home and restaurant kitchens. What is butter? The word “butter” comes from the Greek word bouturon, which translates to “cow cheese.” Butter is a dairy product made by whipping (beating) or churning (mixing) milk or cream until the butterfat (natural fat) rises to the top or separates from the rest of the cream. After straining the milk, what’s left is creamy, smooth butter. It can be made with milk from different milk-producing animals, such as cows, goats, sheep, or buffalo. The animals’ diet can change the butter’s color—from white to deep yellow. Butter can vary in consistency, from liquid to solid. Early history No one is sure exactly when butter was first…

In 2016, audiences fell in love with Moana, the animated musical about a strong-willed teen princess who goes on an epic ocean journey with Maui, a shape-shifting demigod. The pair are returning in a sequel, Moana 2, that features new characters, new music, and an exciting new adventure. It arrives in theaters on November 27. Moana lives in ancient Polynesia, and in the first film, she embraced her calling as a wayfinder, someone skilled in the art of navigating the ocean using the sun, stars, and other signs in nature. The new film begins three years after the original, with Moana hoping to fufill her ancestors’ mission of connecting her island with all the others in the ocean. Before that can happen, she must find a hidden island and break…

The Addams Family (Pluto TV, YouTube, Roku Channel, or buy on major streaming platforms) “There have been many shows and movies starring the Addams Family, but I like the original black-and-white TV series from the 1960s. It is hilarious, and I like that it is old-fashioned and you get to hear audience laughter in the background. I love the character Thing—there is no word to describe him. There is also a very catchy theme song. Plus, you don’t have to watch the episodes in order because there is no main storyline that you have to follow. If you like silly humor, you will love this show.” Goldie, 10, Virginia Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Long ago, on another planet, CheckMate, a computer program designed to correct grammar, was upset by the spelling errors people made. To stop mistakes forever, CheckMate invented a giant laser that would turn all life-forms into paperclips. But before the laser could be used, the planet exploded. One day, scientists discover the remains of CheckMate and send them to a lab for analysis. CheckMate comes back to life and infiltrates every computer on Earth, sending an army of AI robots to destroy the planet. The authorities call on the superhero First Cat to stop the invasion, but CheckMate steals the spacesuit that gives First Cat his powers. CheckMate is now on a mission to find the laser he created millions of years ago. With First Cat out of commission, who…

You probably say “thank you” often—such as when a friend holds the door, a teacher stays after class to help you with a problem, or a grandparent sends a gift for your birthday. At Thanksgiving, we have a special opportunity to give thanks and reflect on what we are grateful for. Showing gratitude makes others feel good, but it also helps you feel more joyful and less sad or stressed, according to experts at Harvard University. It is also something you can practice year-round. Here’s how. Do a “gratitude search” Start by taking a few minutes to think about what you’re grateful for. Is it someone or something that makes you happy or makes you laugh? Is it someone you know—like a parent, teacher, or coach—who helps support you, even…

When your family shares a meal, especially for the holidays, setting the table can make it more festive. First, decide with an adult whether you will follow a color scheme to match the holiday, such as red, orange, and yellow for Thanksgiving. Cover the table with a tablecloth or put placemats in front of each seat. Next, set out a dinner plate for each person. Ask an adult if you also need to add a soup bowl or salad plate on top. Next, set a glass to the top right of the plate. To the left of each plate, add a napkin with a fork on top. Place a knife to the right of the plate with the sharp side facing it, and set a spoon to the right of…

This week we are getting ready for Thanksgiving by offering ideas for making the holiday extra special (p24). During dinner, for example, many families have a tradition of taking turns saying what they are grateful for. Other options for showing your appreciation on the holiday (or anytime!) are taking a gratitude walk and putting up a gratitude wall. Or you may have your own ideas for ways to express your thanks. No matter how you do it, you’ll be making others (and yourself!) feel more joyful. This year I have so much to be thankful for, including a loving family and wonderful friends. I am also thankful for the talented people I work with at The Week Junior and all of YOU—our readers! It is a privilege to create this…

Lucy, age 10, of Kansas likes that in a democracy, people can come together and make great things happen. She hopes leaders will help endangered species and create world peace. As a reader of The Week Junior, you may be forming opinions about your hopes for the US. If so, we want to hear them! Go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to download 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 submissions on this page in future issues.…

Teacher’s Name: Lisa Hauschild School: Sanford School “Mrs. Lisa Hauschild is my math tutor. When I went into middle school, I was insecure about math, but her big smile and positive attitude changed that. When we work together, I always feel more confident because she is so patient and kind. I now feel like I know what is going on in math class for the first time ever. Every time I do well on a problem, she shouts with glee.” Riley, 10, Delaware 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.…