1. DRESSED FOR SUCCESS

At the Paris Olympics, athletes can get free haircuts, styles, and manicures at a special salon in the Olympic Village. Many athletes believe that looking good helps them play better. The salon is very popular, with athletes from 145 countries visiting to get ready for their big competitions. Even though some were worried about getting their hair done by someone new, most athletes left happy and feeling confident. The hairstylists enjoy helping the athletes feel their best, knowing that looking good can boost their performance. Do you feel more confident when you feel like you look your best? Write a paragraph about how you think this might affect athletes as they’re doing their best on international television.

2. MONKEYING AROUND

Two baby patas monkeys were born close together at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in New York. Their moms didn’t take care of them, so the zoo keepers are raising the babies instead. One baby, Sisu, was born on April 26, and the other, Mushu, was born on May 11. They are half-sisters because they have the same dad, Mac, who is the leader of their monkey group. In the wild, young patas monkey moms sometimes don’t take care of their babies, so it’s hard for the babies to survive. The zoo keepers were ready to help the babies if needed, just like they did with Sisu’s mom, Iniko, who had to be raised by the zoo after her own mom died during childbirth in 2020. The zoo is happy that Sisu and Mushu are healthy and doing well. Write a story from the perspective of one of the monkeys about the zookeepers taking care of them, including facts you learned from this story.

3. SPIN CYCLE

The world’s biggest iceberg, called A23a, broke free from Antarctica in 2020 and has been drifting slowly. Now, it’s stuck spinning in circles above an underwater mountain. This giant iceberg is about the size of New York City and is spinning in place because of a swirling current in the ocean. Even though it’s not melting very fast, scientists are curious to see how long it will stay in this spot. A23a is so big that it won’t cause a rise in sea levels, but if it stays spinning for too long, it could affect tiny sea creatures. The iceberg might eventually drift to a warmer area where it will melt. Write a summary of this story, including at least 3 facts you learned.

4. STUCK IN SPACE

NASA is trying to figure out how to bring two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, back from the International Space Station. They were only supposed to be there for eight days, but now it might be eight months because their spacecraft, the Boeing Starliner, has some problems. The Starliner has had issues with leaks and malfunctioning thrusters, which makes it risky to use for their return. NASA is considering whether to bring them back using a different spacecraft from SpaceX, but that might mean they stay in space until next year. The astronauts are safe and have plenty of supplies, so there’s no immediate danger. NASA and Boeing are still testing the Starliner to figure out the best solution. If you could interview the astronauts affected by this issue, what would you ask them? Write a list of at least five questions.

5. HOME FOR THE STORM

During Tropical Storm Debby, two animal shelters in Berkeley County, South Carolina, got a lot of help from their community. Berkeley Animal Center and Dorchester Paws needed to find homes for their animals quickly to keep them safe from the storm. People stepped up and took in all the cats and dogs from these shelters. By the end of the day, every animal had found a temporary home. The shelters were very grateful and happy that so many people came to their rescue. If you were preparing for a storm or other natural disasters, what are the things you would think of to prepare? Write a list of what you would do and what items you would pay most attention to?