1. RESEARCH IN TROUBLE

President Trump made a rule that limits funding for research programs that focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This has made many scientists worried about losing money for their studies. Some important research, like studying HIV and malaria in poor countries, might also lose funding because it is now considered “DEI-related.” After Trump signed the rule, the White House froze some research funding for a review, but judges later forced them to release it again. Even so, scientists still don’t know what will happen to future funding. Some studies, like research on racism in artificial intelligence and health problems in Black communities, are already being stopped. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) could be hit especially hard. These schools already get less funding than mostly white schools, and the new rule might take away scholarships and research money that help minority students succeed in science. Many universities are trying to figure out how this will affect them, but researchers fear that important scientific studies will be slowed down or stopped altogether. Why is research important? What kinds of things do scientists study that help people? Write your answer in 3 to 5 sentences.

2. THE BIG GAME

Last weekend was the biggest weekend in American football, the Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles. Part of why people watch isn’t for the game at all, but instead for the commercials in between. Because of the huge audience, Super Bowl ads are really expensive! In 2025, a 30-second ad costs almost $8 million. Companies pay so much because the Super Bowl is watched by over 120 million people, and it’s the one time everyone actually cares about the commercials. Some ads use famous actors or are super funny to get people’s attention. For example, Dunkin’ paid a lot for an ad with Ben Affleck, and it became really popular. Even though Super Bowl ads cost a lot of money, companies think it’s worth it because so many people see them. In small groups, write your own Super Bowl ad for a product that’s either real or made-up. Decide the style of your ad: !ill you try to make it funny, emotional, cool? What will make it stand out to viewers and get them excited about your product? Write a script and take turns acting out your ads for your classmates.

3. THE PUPPY BOWL

Victoria Schade has a very fun and important job—she takes care of the puppies in the Puppy Bowl, a special TV event where shelter dogs play a game like football to help encourage pet adoption. As the lead puppy trainer, she makes sure the dogs are safe, happy, and having fun on the field. She even helps them look up during the national anthem and guides them to the field at the start of the game. If a puppy gets nervous, she gives them a break. She’s been working on the Puppy Bowl for 19 years and loves it! Victoria also trains the kittens in the halftime show and has learned some funny skills over the years—like being able to tell when a puppy is about to go to the bathroom on the field! This year, for the first time, she adopted one of the puppies herself, a dog named Boris (Mr. Pickles on the show). The Puppy Bowl started in 2005 as a fun alternative to the Super Bowl, and it’s grown a lot! This year, it features 142 puppies from 80 shelters across 40 states, including some special needs dogs like a pit bull in a wheelchair and a blind and deaf Aussie. Victoria loves teaching people how to train dogs with kindness, using treats and positive reinforcement instead of being “the boss.” The Puppy Bowl helps shelter dogs find homes, and watching the playful puppies is a great way to learn about adopting pets! Write a short story or draw a comic strip about a puppy or trainer in the Puppy Bowl.

4. THE LANGUAGE OF WHALES

Humpback whales sing songs that follow the same patterns as human language! Scientists studied whale songs and found that some sounds are used more often than others, just like in the words we speak. This pattern, called Zipf’s Law, helps make learning easier. Whale songs change over time, and sometimes a whole group of whales will start singing a new song learned from other whales. Scientists are trying to understand how this happens! Even though whale songs aren’t the same as human language, they are passed down and learned just like how we learn to talk. Other animals, like birds, bats, and dolphins, may also follow these same patterns in how they communicate. Scientists want to study more animals to see if these rules of communication happen everywhere! If whale songs use patterns and repetition in their communication, how does that compare to the way we speak or the music we listen to? Write 3 to 5 sentences of your answer.

5. EGG HEIST

Someone stole 100,000 eggs from a truck in Pennsylvania, and the police still don’t know who did it! Since egg prices are very high right now, some people think the thief might have stolen them to sell for a lot of money. The police are looking at security cameras and asking people for clues to solve the mystery. A police officer said she has never heard of so many eggs being stolen before! Egg prices have gone up because a bird flu has made farmers get rid of millions of chickens. Right now, eggs cost about $4 per dozen, and prices might keep rising. Since the stolen eggs were worth about $40,000, this is a big crime. The company that lost the eggs is helping police figure out what happened. Think about how the police might solve this crime. Write your own list of clues the police might look for (like the security camera footage) and a list of people the police should talk to.