1. SUPER SATELITTE

NASA and India worked together to launch a brand-new satellite called NISAR. This special satellite will help scientists track tiny changes in Earth’s land and ice. It can see through clouds, rain, and trees—day or night! NISAR will fly high above Earth and send back important information to help people prepare for floods, landslides, and other natural disasters. The satellite has radars from both countries and a giant antenna that helps it see small changes—smaller than your pinky finger! Scientists hope NISAR will help keep people safe and teach us more about how Earth is changing. In 3 to 5 sentences, explain what NISAR is and why it was created. Then, draw a picture of what the satellite might look like in space and label at least two things it is looking for on Earth, like ice, forests, or mountains.

2. MILLIONS MORE TREES

In Ethiopia, people are working together to make the country greener by planting lots and lots of trees. On one special day, the country’s leaders hoped to plant 700 million tree seedlings—yes, all in one day! This is part of a big plan to plant 50 billion trees by the year 2026. Even kids joined in! One 13-year-old said he planted trees because he dreams of a greener future. Some people wonder if planting that many trees in one day is really possible, but many believe it’s a great way to help the Earth. Trees help clean the air, give animals a home, and make the planet healthier. Imagine your school is planning a tree-planting day just like Ethiopia’s. In a short paragraph, describe how you would get ready, where you would plant the trees, and why it’s important to do it.

3. ANIMAL HISTORY

Scientists in Australia found fossil footprints that are super old—about 350 million years old! The prints were made by reptile-like animals that lived long before the dinosaurs. These animals had feet with claws, which means they were able to live completely on land. That’s a big deal, because scientists used to think animals stayed in the water much longer before learning to walk on land. The footprints were found in rock near Melbourne, Australia. They show that at least three animals walked across the land, and even that it rained afterward! These prints are helping scientists learn more about when and how animals started living on dry land. Using what you learned about the ancient footprints, create a comic strip that tells the story of the day the footprints were made. Add speech or thought bubbles to show what the animals might have been thinking or doing. Then write a few sentences explaining how footprints can help scientists understand what life was like millions of years ago.

4. LIFE DEEP DOWN

Scientists exploring the deepest parts of the ocean have found sea creatures living in places that are cold, dark, and under lots of pressure. They used a special underwater vehicle, called a submersible, to travel down over 31,000 feet—far deeper than most animals can survive. There, they found tubeworms and mollusks living together in surprising numbers. Because there’s no sunlight that deep, the animals can’t make food the way plants do. Instead, tiny microbes help by turning chemicals from the ocean floor into energy. The bigger creatures may eat those microbes or use the food they make. Scientists are excited to learn more about how these animals live in such an extreme environment. Think about what it would be like to explore the deep ocean. Write 3 to 5 sentences about what you might see, hear, or feel inside a submersible. Then, draw one of the strange creatures that might live in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean. Give your creature a name and label what it eats or how it survives.

5. FIREFLIES IN TROUBLE

Fireflies are lighting up the summer skies in New York and other parts of the Northeast. These glowing bugs flash their lights to talk to each other and find a mate. A wet spring helped more fireflies grow this year, so we’re seeing more than usual right now. But scientists say that many fireflies are still in danger. Too much light at night, pesticides, and loss of places to live are making it hard for them to survive. People can help by turning off outdoor lights at night and not using bug sprays on their lawns. Fireflies are a magical part of summer, and many kids are seeing them for the first time. Scientists hope that we can all work together to keep fireflies glowing for many summers to come. Design a poster or write a script for a video that would teach people about fireflies and how to protect them!