Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 281-282 i The Week Junior US

The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II is being marked around the globe. The conflict formally and fully ended on September 2, 1945. What was World War II? World War II, the deadliest conflict in world history, was a battle between the Allied forces and the Axis powers that took place from 1939 to 1945. The Allies were led by the US, UK, and Soviet Union (group of 15 countries run by Russia from 1922 to 1991), and the Axis powers included Germany, Italy, and Japan. The war began after Germany’s Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler, stormed across Europe, seizing many countries to expand its power. The Nazis also carried out the Holocaust, the mass killing of 6 million Jewish men, women, and children and millions…

A federal judge blocked a law passed this year that would require the Ten Commandments (religious laws from the Bible) to be displayed in Texas public school classrooms. The judge ruled in favor of a group of families who said the law violated the First Amendment, which guarantees the separation of church and state. Federal judges recently blocked similar laws from going into effect in Louisiana and Arkansas. Texas said it will appeal the decision.…

What you need to know ● Until the late 1700s, students passed a course by discussing the material with an instructor and proving they had mastered it. ● About 240 years ago, the first grades were “best,” “worse,” and “worst.” ● The letter grading system became popular in the early 1900s to help teachers and schools manage an increasing number of students. ● Effort grades are often based on class participation, completing work, and submitting assignments on time. School can be hard work, with students doing assignments, completing projects, and taking tests in many subjects in class and at home. Teachers give letter or number grades to let students know how they’re doing, but some people feel that kind of assessment doesn’t tell the whole story. They think grades should…

Young people from at least six Native American tribes have completed a 310-mile kayak trip down the Klamath River, from Oregon to northern California. This was the first time in more than 100 years that anyone has paddled the river’s full length. The Klamath was once a major habitat for salmon. For many years, it has been important to Indigenous (first to inhabit a place) communities such as the Karuk Tribe, whose members have traditionally canoed on the river and used its salmon for food and ceremonies. But when the power company PacifiCorp built dams (water barriers) in the river in the early 1900s, migrating salmon were no longer able to pass through. Tribes and environmental activists campaigned for decades until the US government removed the dams last year. Salmon…

Nintendo created many of the most famous video games in history as it reshaped play, entertainment, and culture around the world. The first consoles Nintendo was established in Japan in 1889 as a company that made playing cards. Its first major breakthrough in video games came in 1981, when it released the arcade game Donkey Kong. It featured a hero named Jumpman who later became Mario, the company’s flagship character. Nintendo unveiled its first home video game console, the Family Computer (or Famicom), in Japan in 1983. It was later redesigned as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and released in the US in 1985. Nintendo continued to innovate by releasing its first handheld console, Game Boy, in 1989 and launching its next-generation console, the Super Nintendo, in 1990. Super Mario…

Dinosaur footprints found in Canada suggest that different species roamed together in herds. Modern animals, like zebras and wildebeest that travel together across the African savanna, do the same thing. Larger groups are safer from predators. The footprints are 76 million years old and were found in Alberta, Canada, in an area of about 312 square feet. Paleontologists (scientists who study the past through fossils) said 13 of the tracks belonged to ceratopsians, a group of horned dinosaurs including Triceratops. They think five or more dinosaurs were walking together. Alongside these tracks was a set of footprints thought to belong to ankylosaurids, a group that includes Ankylosaurus. The prints aren’t crowded and are equally spaced, so researchers believe the dinosaurs were walking together shoulder to shoulder. Nearby, the team found…

From August 13 through August 24, players from the US and other countries competed in the Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. In the championship game, Chinese Taipei beat a team from Las Vegas, Nevada, 7–0. It was the first time Chinese Taipei had won the LLBWS since 1996. They now have 18 titles overall, the most of any non-US team. The LLBWS features 10 US teams and 10 international squads, all made up of players ages 10 to 12. To qualify for the tournament, hundreds of teams competed in local, state, and regional games. The US teams, which were from different regions of the country, played in one bracket, while the international teams competed in the other. Each bracket then had a champion that advanced…

Coach’s Name: Clare Shea Team: Earthquake Girls 2010 (soccer) “Clare Shea is such an awesome coach! She always does drills that are fun and make our team better at soccer. She also encourages us and makes us better people, and that’s hard to find in a coach. I went through some hard times, and she was always there for me. She kept me trying to fight for anything, whether it was winning gold at a tournament or just making it through practice. She is so inspiring, motivating, and smart.” Clara, 14, Alaska 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.…

Shrinking population There are five rhino species left on Earth. Two types live in Africa, and three are found in Asia. All 76 remaining Javan rhinos live in Ujung Kulon National Park in Indonesia (right). Signature feature Unlike most horned animals, such as goats and bison, a rhino’s horn isn’t made of bone. It grows from the skin and is made primarily of keratin, which is the same protein found in human hair and fingernails. Feathered friends Red-billed oxpeckers are birds that ride around on rhinos and other large African mammals. They have sharp eyesight and squawk loudly when they spot danger, informing the rhinos about nearby threats.…

Pokemon Concierge (Netflix) This stop-motion animated series centers on Haru, a young woman working as a concierge (someone who assists hotel guests) at a resort for Pokémon creatures. In a new set of episodes, Haru learns life lessons through her interactions with visitors such as Shinx and Luxray. KPopped (Apple TV+) Rapper Megan Thee Stallion and other music stars from the US and UK team up with K-pop groups in this new competition series. The groups reimagine one of the stars’ hit songs in K-pop style, then face off against each other in front of a voting audience in Seoul, South Korea. Lilo & Stitch (Disney+) The hit live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic is now streaming. It follows Lilo, a Hawaiian girl who meets a mischievous alien, Stitch. As…

With eye-catching art, Schoolbot 9000 explores the pros and cons of AI in the classroom and what might happen if robots replaced teachers. Here are questions to get a conversation going with friends and family who have also read the book. Why does James have a harder time accepting Schoolbot than his friends do? What would you change about Schoolbot? Do you think Schoolbot encourages or discourages creativity? Why? What one word best describes the principal? Who do you think is to blame when Schoolbot insults students? Would you like having a robot as a teacher? Why or why not? How does the artwork bring the story to life? JOIN THE WEEK JUNIOR’S BOOK CLUB Find out more about The Week Junior Book Club and check out our previous book…

Fall colors crisscross Each of these things that are red, orange, or yellow fits into this grid. Can you find where each one goes to complete the grid? When you’re done, nine letters will appear in boxes with colored leaves. Transfer those letters into the matching boxes below to get the answer to the riddle. 3 letters SUN YAM 4 letters CORN CRAB GOLD LAVA ROSE 5 letters AMBER APPLE BLOOD CHICK EMOJI HONEY WAGON 6 letters BANANA BUTTER CANARY CHERRY GARNET ORANGE RADISH 7 letters APRICOT LADYBUG MUSTARD PAPRIKA PUMPKIN TAXICAB 8 letters HOT SAUCE TURMERIC 9 letters CRANBERRY ORANGUTAN TANGERINE 10 letters FIRE ENGINE STRAWBERRY 11 letters FIRST AID KIT RUBBER DUCKY 12 letters RUBY SLIPPERS 13 letters BARBECUE SAUCE CHEDDAR CHEESE SCRAMBLED EGGS Q: How do leaves…

“Every summer since I was 7 years old, I have run an organic roadside zucchini stand in my front yard. Once there are enough zucchini in our backyard garden, I open the stand. My favorite part is meeting new people and telling them about my summer project. At the end of the summer, I donate all the money I have earned to the Clean Air Task Force, a group that works to combat and limit the effects of climate change. Last year, I donated more than $600! This is my own way to make a difference.” 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. JOKE OF THE WEEK Why is a pony so…

Remnants of a 2,000-year-old sunken city were recovered from the waters of Abu Qir Bay, off the coast of what is now Alexandria, Egypt, on August 21. According to Egyptian authorities, the site was likely part of Canopus, a coastal city that was submerged by earthquakes and rising sea levels between the years 100 and 199. During the recovery operation, cranes hoisted three statues—of a royal figure, an unknown person, and a sphinx—from the bay. The statues were missing their heads and feet. Officials said these were the “weakest” parts of the statues and were likely destroyed when the city was submerged. Pottery, jars, coins, and a copper scale were also removed from the site. The underwater ruins also include limestone buildings, a dock, and a sunken ship. Much of…

More than 2,200 National Guard troops are patrolling the streets of Washington, DC (the nation’s capital, also known as DC), on orders from President Donald Trump. The National Guard is a branch of the US military that typically reports to state governors. Because Washington, DC, is not a state, its National Guard answers to the President. What happened? On August 11, Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order to deploy National Guard troops in DC. In addition to more than 900 members of the DC National Guard, about 1,300 National Guard troops from Republican-led states, including Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina, and Tennessee, are stationed there. Trump also seized control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD, the DC police force). Trump said these moves were necessary to combat a “crime emergency”…

For more than 20 years, Nate Bargatze has been making families laugh with his wholesome style, but 2025 may be his biggest year yet. He’s on a record-breaking tour, released the best-selling memoir Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind, and is set to host the 77th Emmy Awards on September 14. Bargatze grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. His dad was a clown turned magician, which inspired him to go into show business. Unlike many comics, Bargatze avoids edgy or mature themes. His often PG-rated material focuses on his Southern upbringing and navigating everyday life, with jokes about chocolate milk, getting a second dog, and splitting household chores. After getting his start as a performer in clubs, Bargatze made his TV debut in 2011 on Comedy Central and has…

For a group of animals living at a historic Hindu temple in Asia, monkey business is booming. The long-tailed macaques have learned to swipe valuables from humans to get rewards. Uluwatu Temple is one of the holiest sites on Bali, an island province of Indonesia. Located on a 230-foot-tall cliff, the temple is a popular attraction for tourists. About 650 long-tailed macaques live there. They are believed to be spiritual guardians of the temple, and temple caretakers ensure they are healthy and well cared for. Unfortunately for tourists, these monkeys have also become master thieves. They steal wallets, glasses, and as many as 10 phones a day. To get the macaques to give up their loot, a human—typically one of the temple’s monkey handlers—must offer them snacks such as cookies…

Eurasian otter A Eurasian otter has been spotted in Malaysia for the first time in 11 years. The species was thought to be gone from Southeast Asia until an organization caught the rare animal on camera while looking for big cats in a forest reserve. ● LIFE SPAN: 3 to 5 years in the wild ● HABITAT: Freshwater such as rivers and marshes ● SIZE: About 4 feet long, weighing 9 to 24 pounds ● DIET: Mainly fish, eels, and crayfish ● FUN FACT: They have whiskers on their elbows, which help them sense vibrations in the water.…

Our planet is in constant motion. Every day, Earth spins in a circle and completes a full rotation. At the same time, Earth is also making its way around the Sun, a journey that takes 365 days—one year. Now, however, scientists say our planet is spinning faster than usual, and some are calling for an unprecedented move: subtracting time. A day on Earth lasts about 86,400 seconds, or 24 hours. The exact timing of a full rotation varies, however, based on factors like gravity (natural force that causes things to fall toward Earth) and the positions of the Sun and Moon. On August 5, Earth’s rotation sped up and the day was about 1.5 milliseconds shorter than usual. July 9 and July 22 were also unusually short days. Scientists say…

Malik Jones AGE: 22 SPORT: SLED HOCKEY TEAM: USA The countdown is on for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games in Italy. September 6 marks six months to go until the Paralympics. Meet one athlete hoping to win his second gold medal there. Active life I was born with a disability. As a child, I did hand cycling and some other adaptive sports, but my grandmother wanted me to do more. When I was about 7, she found a local sled hockey program. From the first time I jumped on the ice, it was like I was made to do this sport. I really love how fast-paced and physical it is. When I watched the Paralympics on TV, I realized I could put myself in that position if…

This year, two famous musicals are celebrating major milestones. It is the 60th anniversary of The Sound of Music and the 10th anniversary of Hamilton. As a treat for fans, each film is coming to movie theaters across the US. Hamilton is an award-winning show about Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founders and the person on the $10 bill. It was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is famous for its hip-hop and rap songs. The show made its premiere on Broadway in 2015, and the stage production was filmed in 2016 and made into a movie. It was set to be released in October 2021, but because of the pandemic, it came out on Disney+ in 2020 instead. The film will finally play in movie theaters starting September 5. In…

The most popular basketball video game franchise is about to release its newest edition. NBA 2K26 comes out on September 5 for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, Xbox systems, PlayStation platforms, and PC. It is the official game of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association). Being on a 2K cover is an honor, and the standard edition of the new game features Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (inset photo), the NBA’s Most Valuable Player last season. The WNBA edition cover features Angel Reese, a two-time All-Star who plays for the Chicago Sky. NBA 2K26 has better graphics than ever and new additions to gameplay modes. (The Switch version is less advanced.) To help make the action on the court even more realistic,…

How did you get the idea for this book? I came up with the idea while I was writing stories about smart robots for a big company. I realized that today’s kids will be the first generation to grow up with the AI tool ChatGPT. I wanted to write a story that grapples with important questions, such as “Are we giving too much over to technology?” How long did it take you to write? I started working on the book in 2021. I wrote most of the text, then I created the illustrations. Once a publisher bought the story, I spent another year finishing it. Did you always love to draw? Yes! When I was young, my friends and I would have drawing competitions in the back of our workbooks.…

Surfer dogs catch the waves Thousands of people attended the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica, California, where pups rode the waves on their own four legs. Pets dog-paddled out into the ocean, and their owners helped them onto surfboards to show off their skills. Judges evaluated how long dogs kept their balance and whether they performed any tricks, like turning around as they surfed. One star surfer, a yellow lab named Charlie, knows how to steer and heads for the waves anytime he’s at the beach. In the water, his owner said, “Charlie does what Charlie wants to do.” The Big Apple in miniature A truck driver has constructed a 3D replica of New York City using only wood and glue. In 2004, inspired by the view from his…

Kelly, a 9-year-old from Washington, enjoys helping others. Kelly’s good deeds include helping her mom fold laundry and sharing her snacks with friends. To celebrate The Week Junior’s fifth anniversary in 2025, we’re asking readers to share five good deeds they’ve done. Have you helped a neighbor or a friend or performed a kind act? Go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to download a form like the one shown 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. IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

A VERY BIG BIRTHDAY Ethel Caterham, the world’s oldest living person, turned 116 years old on August 21. When asked about the secret to a long life, Caterham said, “Say yes to every opportunity because you never know what it will lead to.” GIANT VEGGIES It’s been a “big” year for Graham Barratt. The UK gardener has set records for growing the longest pea pod (7 inches), the heaviest tomatillo (4.94 ounces), and the heaviest and longest luffas, a type of summer squash (see photo). The heaviest luffa was 6 pounds, 3.5 ounces, and the longest was 4 feet, 7 inches. “The rewards are huge,” Barratt said of his hobby. READING ON THE GO Book exchanges (below) are taking off at airports around the US. Travelers have embraced the “take one,…

September 5, 1882 The first Labor Day in the US On September 5, 1882, Labor Day, a holiday to salute workers, was first observed in the US. About 10,000 people marched in a parade in New York City. In 1887, Oregon became the first state to proclaim Labor Day a public holiday. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law making Labor Day a federal holiday. Today, it’s celebrated every year on the first Monday in September.…

Niagara Cave, in Harmony, Minnesota, started forming thousands of years ago but wasn’t discovered until 1924. Visitors can take guided tours of the cave about 200 feet below its surface and follow a hike about a mile long beneath ceilings nearly 100 feet high. The cave is made of layers of limestone rock, where there are visible, 450-million-year-old fossils of prehistoric aquatic creatures that lived in the shallow seas that once covered the region. There is an underground stream and a 60-foot waterfall. White-tailed deer, foxes, badgers, and other animals live outside the cave.…

Alex Winsor Spider expert, University of Massachusetts Amherst Some spiders spin big, round webs. Others lay silk strands on the ground. When a bug wanders in, the silk vibrates like a guitar string. Spiders don’t need to see the bug—they feel it. Tangled prey, other spiders, and falling leaves send different vibrations, telling the spider what is nearby. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about the University of Massachusetts Amherst at umass.edu/biology.…

new smart motorcycle A helmet has an air filter to make riding safer and more comfortable. The ZYON helmet protects riders from injuries while also preventing them from breathing in smog and fumes. The ZYON helmet has a four-layer filter built into the chin guard that traps large particles, dust, allergens, and harmful gases. It also includes a sun visor and a rear light to provide greater visibility, and it transmits data about air quality to a mobile app. The app also sends alerts when it’s time to replace the filter.…

Top rugby teams from countries around the world, including the US, have gathered in England for the Women’s Rugby World Cup. Matches began on August 22, and the championship final will be held on September 27. This is the 10th edition of the tournament, which is typically held every four years. More tickets have been sold for this year’s event than ever before. England’s team, known as the Red Roses, is ranked number one in the world and is the favorite to win. Other top teams include Canada, New Zealand, and France. Rugby is a sport similar to American football. The version played at the World Cup is rugby union, which features 15 players on each side and two 40-minute halves. There are 16 teams competing in the tournament, and…

There are only two northern white rhinos left on Earth, and the pressure is growing to prevent the species from becoming fully extinct. The new documentary The Last Rhinos: A New Hope follows the team of scientists and caregivers working hard to help the animals survive. It is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The rhinos, Najin and her daughter Fatu, live under 24-hour guard at Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Neither of them can reproduce naturally, but in recent years, scientists have taken steps that could turn Fatu into a mother one day. In a lab, they combined reproductive cells from female southern white rhinos, a closely related species, with cells from male southern white rhinos, to create embryos (unborn babies in early stages of development). The embryos were implanted into…

The Owl House (Disney+) “This fantastic show is about Luz, a teen who doesn’t fit in very well since her dad died. Her mom signs her up for a camp that teaches kids to ‘think inside the box,’ but before her bus comes, Luz chases an owl into an abandoned house and ends up in a whole new world: the demon realm. There, she meets a witch named Eda, a funny and energetic demon, and a little fuzzy creature named King, who thinks he is the king of all demons. (Spoiler alert: He’s definitely not.) The series always keeps me on my toes and has me laughing. It is a perfect show to watch with your family.” Joey, 11, New York Do you have a film or TV show to…

By Sam Hepburn (Dial Books for Young Readers) James, an 11-year-old aspiring artist, lives in a time when AI-powered robots are part of home life. But James wishes he could spend more time with his mom and less with the heartless robot. He looks forward to school, which is a robot-free zone. But that changes after parents vote to introduce a robot, Schoolbot 9000, to help students improve their test scores. Schoolbot is supposed to assist the teachers but soon takes the lead. In a few cases, Schoolbot is helpful—it turns a dry history lesson into a memorable song the class loves. However, for the most part, Schoolbot oversteps its bounds, shutting down projects and providing students with harsh feedback. It even breaks a violin because it doesn’t think the…

AVOCADO MELON SMOOTHIE Ingredients ● 1 cup cubed honeydew melon● ½ ripe avocado● 1 frozen banana● Juice from ½ lime● 1 cup ice cubes Instructions 1. Combine the honeydew melon, avocado, banana, lime juice, and ice in a blender. Puree until smooth. 2. Add a splash of cold water to thin as needed. Makes 1 smoothie. VERY BERRY Avocados are considered a single-seeded berry, not a vegetable, and are native to Central America and Mexico. WARNING! Ask an adult’s permission before using a knife, stove, oven, or blender for any recipes on these pages. MEDITERRANEAN SALMON RICE BOWLS Ingredients ● ½ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt● ¼ teaspoon cumin● ¼ teaspoon paprika● Juice and zest of 1 lemon● 1 pound skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1½-inch cubes● Salt and pepper● 2…

This week I am giving a round of applause to the workers at the London Zoo, who have met the difficult challenge of assessing the health of all 10,000 animals that live there (p3). From tiny Darwin’s frogs to towering giraffes, the animals were weighed, measured, and examined. Can you imagine trying to get a huge camel onto a scale or enticing an energetic lemur to stay still long enough to have its vital statistics taken? I appreciate this tremendous undertaking, not only because it demonstrates the dedication of the zoo’s staff but because the information they gather is also shared with animal caregivers and conservationists around the world in a massive global effort to protect thousands of species. From everyone at The Week Junior, thank you! Our editorial team…

1 Which player is on the cover of the WNBA edition of the video game NBA 2K26? a) A’ja Wilson b) Angel Reese c) Caitlin Clark a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 True or false? Earth has been spinning slower than usual this summer. True ☐ False ☐ 3 What was the name of Nate Bargatze’s breakout comedy special? 4 What is the nickname of the US women’s rugby team? a) Eagles b) Red Roses c) Sevens a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 5 Remnants of a 2,000-year-old sunken city were recently recovered off the coast of what country? a) Egypt b) Italy c) Greece a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 6 The Nintendo character Mario first appeared as Jumpman in what game? 7 Which location did The Old Farmer’s…