1. THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

Nevada will play Taiwan in the Little League World Series championship after both teams won their semifinal games. Nevada beat Connecticut 8–2, with Garrett Gallegos hitting a home run and striking out eight batters. Taiwan defeated Aruba 1–0, thanks to strong pitching from Liu Wei-Heng. This is a big moment: Nevada is trying to win its first title, while Taiwan is hoping for its first championship since 1996. Leaders from Little League and the Aspen Institute also announced a plan to get more kids playing sports, with a goal of 63% youth participation by 2030. Imagine you are a reporter at the Little League World Series final. Write a short news article (4–5 sentences) about what happens in the big game between Nevada and Taiwan. Include the score, the key players, and how the crowd reacts. Be creative—for this exercise, you can make up the details of the game’s ending!

2. PARK REDESIGNED TO SAVE MANHATTAN

A new park has opened at Wagner Park in Lower Manhattan after years of debate and $296 million in construction. The park was redesigned to help protect the city from future floods like those caused by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Some residents liked the old park and opposed the changes, but the new one includes flood barriers, a hilltop lawn, native plants, an amphitheater, and a pavilion with space for a restaurant and community center. Similar changes are also happening at East River Park, where the city is raising the land to prevent flooding. While projects like these are expensive, experts say they are worth it because they help keep people safe from rising seas and storms. Think about a place in your community — a park, playground, or even a street — that could be redesigned to make it safer or more fun. Write a few sentences explaining what changes you would make and why. Would you add more trees for shade, flood walls for safety, or play areas for kids? Draw a simple sketch of your “new design” to show your ideas.

3. GIRAFFES IN DANGER

Scientists have announced that giraffes are not just one species but actually four: the southern, Masai, reticulated, and northern giraffe. This discovery comes from new DNA and skull studies showing big differences between the groups. While the southern giraffe has a healthy population of nearly 69,000, the other three species have much smaller numbers and could be at risk of extinction. The northern giraffe is in the most danger, with only about 7,000 left, many living in areas affected by poverty and war. Conservationists say giraffes can recover if given safe habitats, pointing to success stories in Uganda where populations have grown after being moved to safer areas. Make a mini giraffe fact card for one of the four species (southern, Masai, reticulated, or northern). Include its name, where it lives, how many are left, and one challenge it faces. Then, write one idea for how people could help protect that species.

4. ORIGAMI IN SPACE

Scientists and origami artists have discovered a brand-new type of origami design called bloom patterns. These folds look like flowers and can fold flat, which makes them very different from older designs. Bloom patterns were first explored by Kelvin Wang, a college student who has loved origami since he was a child. He worked with professors and artists to show how these patterns could be used not only for art but also for real-world purposes, like folding up solar panels or telescopes for space missions. The folds are both useful and beautiful, and experts say there are endless designs that can be made from them. Try making your own simple origami folding project, like a paper airplane, a fan, or a fortune teller. After folding, write a few sentences describing how the folds change the flat paper into a new shape. How do you think engineers might use folding like this in big projects, such as rockets or space telescopes? Write 2-3 sentences about your ideas.

5. READING IS FUNDAMENTAL

A new study shows that far fewer Americans are reading for fun than they used to. From 2003 to 2023, the number of people who said they read for pleasure on a given day dropped by about 40 percent. In 2023, only 16 percent of people reported reading for fun, compared with 28 percent in 2004. Researchers think the decline may be linked to things like social media, longer work hours, or other technology taking up people’s free time. The study also found that people with higher incomes and more education were more likely to read. Experts worry this trend could hurt learning, imagination, and even mental health, since reading can help people feel connected and less alone. Think about the last time you read something just for fun — maybe a storybook, comic, or magazine. Write a few sentences about why you liked it and what made it interesting. If you haven’t read something lately, what kind of book or story would you like to try?