1. SCIENCE MATTERS

The U.S. government spends billions of dollars every year on science research. Sometimes scientists use that research to solve big problems right away, like making a vaccine. Other times, they discover things that help us much later. Even if they don’t know exactly how their work will be used, the goal is to learn more about the world. Because of government support, many important inventions have been created. GPS helps us find directions, and it started with military research. New diabetes and weight-loss medicines were inspired by lizard venom and developed with government help. LASIK eye surgery became safer thanks to a special laser created at a university lab. Sign language was studied and made into a dictionary using science money. And a lab accident even helped lead to bladeless eye surgery! Some discoveries help babies in the hospital grow faster, like infant massage. Others, like quantum dots, make TV colors brighter. The Dustbuster started with tools made for astronauts on the moon! These examples show that even strange or tiny science ideas can lead to big changes in our everyday lives. Think about one invention from the article, like GPS, LASIK eye surgery, or the Dustbuster. Then, write a short paragraph about it. In your paragraph, include what the invention is, how scientists or the government helped create it, and how it helps people today. Try to use at least three complete sentences to explain your ideas clearly.

Austria won the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in a very close race with Israel. The singer from Austria, JJ, performed a powerful song called “Wasted Love” and got the most total points. Israel got the most votes from the public, but JJ’s score was just high enough to win the whole contest at the very end! JJ is a special kind of singer called a countertenor, which means he can sing very high notes, like a woman’s voice. He sings at the Vienna State Opera and has been in famous operas like The Magic Flute. After winning, he told the audience to “spread more love” and sang his song again—with an extra high note at the end! The Eurovision contest is a big show with music, dancing, costumes, and fun surprises. This year’s final took place in Switzerland and was full of excitement, including wild sets and big cheering crowds. Even though some people had strong feelings about some of the countries in the contest, the night ended with music, celebration, and JJ holding the winner’s trophy. After reading about Austria’s win in the Eurovision Song Contest, think about what music can tell us about a country’s culture. In a short paragraph, write about why you think music is important for bringing people together from different parts of the world. Then, choose a country that has participated in Eurovision and research a traditional musical instrument or music style from that country. Write 3–5 sentences describing what you learned and explain why you think that country’s music might stand out in an international contest like Eurovision.

Ed Smylie was a smart engineer who worked for NASA, the U.S. space agency. In 1970, a big problem happened on a space mission called Apollo 13. Three astronauts were flying to the moon when part of their spaceship broke. They couldn’t breathe safely anymore because there was too much carbon dioxide in the air. Ed Smylie and his team had to act fast to save the astronauts. They didn’t have fancy tools, only things already on the spaceship like cardboard, plastic bags, and duct tape. With those items, they built a special air filter to clean the air. The astronauts followed Ed’s directions and made it work. Thanks to Ed and his team, the astronauts got home safely! Ed became famous for helping save lives with creativity and teamwork. He always said he was just doing his job, but many people remember him as a hero. He passed away in 2025 at age 95. Think about a time when something broke or didn’t work the way it was supposed to—maybe at home, at school, or during playtime. Write a short paragraph about how you could solve the problem using everyday items, just like Ed Smylie used duct tape, cardboard, and plastic bags to fix the air system in the spaceship. Be sure to explain what the problem was, what items you would use to fix it, and why your solution would work. Then share your idea with a partner and compare your creative solutions!

A small lizard called the Blyde Rondavel flat gecko has been found again in South Africa after being missing for 34 years! Scientists first saw it in 1991, but no one had seen one since then, so people didn’t know if it was extinct or if it ever really was a different kind of gecko. Two scientists went to the same rocky canyon where it was first found. They used a helicopter to reach the hard-to-climb area and camped for three days. They were very excited when they saw 20–30 geckos and took pictures to show the world. This discovery helps scientists learn more about animals and nature. Using the internet or resources in your classroom, look up pictures or videos of auroras on Earth, like the Northern Lights. Then, draw what you think a Martian aurora might look like in the dusty red sky of Mars. Use colors like green, red, and purple, and be sure to include Mars’s rocky landscape and maybe even the Perseverance rover watching the sky!

NASA’s Perseverance rover has spotted something amazing on Mars: an aurora that you can see with your own eyes! Auroras are colorful lights in the sky, like the Northern Lights on Earth. This one showed up in green during a solar storm in 2024. It’s the first time a Martian aurora was seen in visible light instead of ultraviolet. Scientists say future astronauts on Mars might get to see these glowing lights too. Write three sentences about what it might be like to stand on Mars and see an aurora in the sky. What colors would you hope to see? How would the Martian sky look around you? What would you tell people back on Earth about the experience?