Navi Pillay, an 85-year-old lawyer and human rights leader from South Africa, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong work fighting injustice. Growing up, Pillay experienced apartheid, a system of laws that separated people by race and treated nonwhite citizens unfairly. She was not allowed to visit certain beaches or attend the same schools as white children. Families in her community helped pay for her education because they believed in her potential. Pillay became a lawyer and defended people who were treated unfairly, even when the government tried to stop her. After apartheid ended, she became an international judge and helped bring people responsible for terrible crimes to justice. She also worked for the United Nations to protect human rights around the world. Her achievements show how determination, education, and support from others can help someone make a difference. Think about how Navi Pillay’s community helped her succeed by supporting her education. Write at least 5 sentences about a time when someone helped you achieve something important or learn a new skill. Explain what that person did, how their support made a difference, and how you could offer similar encouragement to someone else.

When hurricanes and other powerful storms hit the southeastern United States, emergency workers sometimes look at an unusual place to understand how much damage has occurred: Waffle House restaurants. The Waffle House Index is a color-coded system that uses restaurant operations to help measure storm damage. Green means a restaurant is open and serving its full menu, suggesting that conditions nearby are relatively normal. Yellow means it is serving a smaller menu, possibly because electricity or supplies are limited. Red means the restaurant is closed, which can signal serious damage or unsafe conditions. Waffle House prepares for disasters by training workers and using backup generators to keep restaurants running. Emergency officials, including those at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), use this information alongside other tools to identify communities that may need help. The system shows how an everyday business can play an important role during an emergency. Create a colorful poster explaining the Waffle House Index to someone who has never heard of it. Divide your poster into three sections using green, yellow, and red. In each section, draw a Waffle House restaurant and explain what its color means about conditions in the surrounding community. Include a sentence explaining why knowing which businesses are open after a storm might help emergency workers.

A collection of ancient Egyptian paintings will travel outside Egypt for the first time after experts worked to restore a special portrait. The paintings, known as Fayoum mummy portraits, were created nearly 2,000 years ago. Ancient Egyptians placed these painted portraits over the faces of people who had died before wrapping their bodies as mummies. One unusual painting, called the “Tondo of the Two Brothers,” shows two people instead of one and has a round shape. Over time, insects damaged the wooden surface, and parts of the painting became difficult to see. Art experts from Egypt and Italy worked together to carefully repair the artwork and reveal details that had been hidden. The restored painting and other portraits will be displayed in Rome, Italy, so more people can learn about ancient Egyptian art and traditions. Their work shows why protecting historical objects is important for future generations. Imagine that you are helping a museum prepare an exhibit about the Fayoum mummy portraits. Write a short description that could appear beside one of the paintings. Explain when the portraits were created, how ancient Egyptians used them, and why experts work to preserve them. Include one interesting detail that would encourage visitors to learn more about the artwork.

Four astronauts have returned safely to Earth after spending eight months aboard the International Space Station. The crew included two Americans, one French astronaut, and one Russian astronaut. They traveled home inside a SpaceX capsule that landed in the Pacific Ocean near California with the help of parachutes. During their 237 days in space, the astronauts conducted scientific research, repaired equipment, and completed spacewalks outside the station. They also found ways to have fun, including hosting a dance party and demonstrating how to cook in space. Living without Earth’s normal gravity can make everyday activities like eating, washing, and exercising very different. The astronauts were excited to return to their families and enjoy familiar experiences, such as feeling the wind and taking a shower. Seven astronauts remain aboard the space station, where people from different countries continue working together to explore space. Create a journal entry describing a typical day aboard the International Space Station. Include details about three activities you would do, such as conducting an experiment, exercising, eating a meal, or looking at Earth through a window. Explain how living in space would make these activities different from doing them on Earth, and describe one thing you would miss about being home.

Farmers and food companies are finding new ways to use buckwheat, a plant that produces small seeds used to make foods like noodles, flour, and cereal. Despite its name, buckwheat is not actually a type of wheat, and its seeds are naturally gluten-free. A business owner named Paige Hansen recently developed a milk alternative made from buckwheat after discovering she could not drink regular dairy milk. She hopes that creating more buckwheat products will encourage farmers to grow the plant. Buckwheat grows quickly, helps improve soil, and produces flowers that attract bees and other helpful insects. Farmers can also plant it between other crops to reduce weeds and keep the soil healthy. However, growing and harvesting buckwheat can be challenging, and farmers need companies willing to buy their crops. Supporters believe that growing a wider variety of plants could make farms healthier and help protect food supplies during extreme weather. Design a new food product that uses buckwheat as one of its main ingredients. Draw a picture of the product and create an interesting name for it. Then write a short advertisement explaining what your food would taste like, who might enjoy it, and why using buckwheat could be good for farmers or the environment.