1. THE LONGEST SPEECH

Senator Cory Booker, a lawmaker from New Jersey, gave a super long speech that lasted more than 25 hours! He did this to talk about problems he sees with President Trump’s decisions. Even though lots of people called it a “filibuster,” it technically wasn’t, because he wasn’t trying to stop a vote from happening. In the past, senators have used really long speeches to try to delay laws they didn’t agree with. Booker’s speech reminded people of that history. He didn’t sit down or take a break, and he couldn’t eat or drink the whole time! Many people watched him speak, and now more people are talking about how senators share their opinions and try to get others to listen. Tink about something you care about that you would want other people to understand. Imagine you had to give a speech about it. Write a short paragraph explaining what your topic would be, why it’s important to you, and what you would say if you had a chance to speak in front of others. Try to be clear and use your own words to show your passion, just like Senator Booker did.

2. Ancient amulet

A 3½-year-old girl named Ziv made an exciting discovery while hiking with her family in Israel. She picked up a small rock that looked like it had “teeth” and realized it was something special. It turned out to be a 3,800-year-old Egyptian amulet shaped like a scarab beetle! Experts say it probably came from ancient Canaanites, who lived in the area a long time ago and liked Egyptian things. Scarab beetles were popular back then because they symbolized new life. Ziv gave the amulet to the Israel Antiquities Authority, who thanked her with a certificate and will include the item in a museum exhibit. Ziv is now the youngest child known to discover an ancient artifact in Israel! Imagine you are on a hike like Ziv and you find something amazing on the ground. What does it look like? How do you feel when you pick it up? Write a story that’s at least 5 sentences long, describing what you found, where you were, and what happens next. Do you keep it, show it to someone, or give it to a museum? Be creative and pretend you’re a young archaeologist discovering something from the past!

3. MAKING PENGUINS PAY MORE?

President Trump has added tariffs — or extra taxes — to products coming from many places around the world, even tiny islands where hardly anyone lives! Some of these islands have more penguins than people, like Heard Island near Antarctica, which has no people at all. Other small islands, like Norfolk Island and Tokelau, only trade a little bit with the United States, but they still have to pay high tariffs. Even places with just a few thousand people, like Svalbard in Norway, were included. Leaders in other countries are confused and surprised by these decisions, especially since some of these places don’t send much of anything to the U.S. Imagine you are planning a trip to one of the tiny islands mentioned in the article — like Heard Island, where penguins live but no people do! Draw a postcard from the island. On one side, draw a picture of what you might see there, like penguins, snow, or ocean waves. On the other side, write a short message to a friend or family member explaining where you are and what you’ve learned about the island. Be sure to include why it’s funny or surprising that the United States put tariffs on a place with no people!

4. MILK ON THE MIND

Some people in the government want to let kids drink whole milk at school again. Whole milk has more fat than the low-fat or fat-free milk schools serve now. A long time ago, the rules changed to help kids be healthier and avoid problems like obesity, so schools started offering only low-fat or fat-free milk. But now, some leaders, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., think whole milk is good for kids and should come back. They say it tastes better, has healthy nutrients, and may even help some kids grow strong. Others still worry that whole milk has too much fat. Experts say the most important thing is that kids eat a healthy, balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—no matter what kind of milk they drink. After reading about the debate over bringing whole milk back to schools, think about your own lunch choices. Now that you’ve learned about the debate over serving whole milk in schools again, pretend you’re writing a letter to your school principal. In your letter, explain what whole milk is and why some people think it should be brought back. Then, share your own opinion—do you think your school should serve whole milk, or keep offering low-fat and fat-free milk? Give at least one reason to support your choice. Try to include what you learned about milk’s nutrients and how it can help kids stay healthy.

5. SPY GEAR ON DISPLAY

In London, a cool new museum exhibit is showing off secrets from Britain’s spy agency, MI5. One of the strangest items on display is a 110-year-old lemon! A long time ago, a German spy used lemon juice to write secret messages during World War I, and the lemon helped catch him. The exhibit also shows tiny spy cameras, special briefcases, and papers from old spy missions. Kids might think it feels like a real-life spy movie! The display tells the story of how MI5 started with just two workers in 1909 and grew into a big organization that now works to stop threats and protect people. It also shares how spies used tricks to fool enemies, and even some times when they made mistakes. Today, MI5 still keeps many secrets, but this exhibit lets us peek into their mysterious world. Create your own spy gadget using things you might find around the house or in the classroom. Think about what a spy would need to hide a secret message or take a photo without being noticed. Maybe it’s a pencil that doubles as a flashlight, or a notebook with a secret compartment. After designing your gadget, write a few sentences explaining how it works and what a spy might use it for.