1. THE VOICE OF AOL

Elwood Edwards, the man who voiced the famous “You’ve got mail” sound for AOL, has passed away at 74. He died from complications after having a stroke last year. Edwards recorded the “You’ve got mail” greeting in 1989 at his home, and it became super popular, even being used in a movie in 1998. He also recorded other AOL phrases like “Welcome” and “Goodbye,” but only earned $200 for the work. Edwards got the job through his wife, who worked at AOL, and the company loved his voice so much they didn’t even have him record in a professional studio. His voice was heard by millions of people every day, but many didn’t know what he looked like. Edwards was proud of his work but always a bit shy about the fame it brought him. He also appeared on TV shows like “The Tonight Show” and “The Simpsons.” Edwards worked in radio and TV, doing many different jobs behind the scenes. A memorial service will be held in his hometown, New Bern, North Carolina. Can you think of any iconic voices or sounds that represent a product or brand? Write down a list of examples you can think of and why they make you think of that brand or product.

2. DOWN IN THE MUD

A fun baseball fact that many fans may not know: All Major League baseballs are rubbed with a special mud to make them easier to hold. This mud, taken from a secret spot along a river in New Jersey, is important for the game because it makes the baseballs less slippery for pitchers. The mud is unique because it spreads like a smooth lotion but has a gritty texture that helps players grip the ball. Scientists recently studied this mud and found out why it’s so effective. It has just the right mix of clay, sand, and other tiny particles that make it sticky and easy to spread. The scientists believe this mud could help create new materials for things like building and farming in the future. What do you think this mud could be used for? Create an advertisement or write a script for a commercial that could sell this special mud for a use other than coating baseballs.

3. ART THIEF

In the Netherlands, police arrested a 23-year-old man they think was involved in a failed art heist. The man is suspected of trying to steal four valuable screenprints by famous artist Andy Warhol from a gallery in Oisterwijk. Thieves blasted open the gallery door and took two prints of queens from Warhol's "Reigning Queens" series. They had to leave two other prints behind because they didn’t fit in their car. Sadly, those prints got badly damaged. Police haven’t said if they found the missing art yet. Create your own fictional story or comic strip from the perspective of a police officer trying to catch the art thieves or a gallery employee discovering the theft.

4. START OF THE SEASON

This year’s famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is a big Norway spruce from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It’s 74 feet tall and was donated by the Albert family, who owned it for many years. The family agreed to donate the tree after Lesley Albert, who loved Christmas, passed away. Since they couldn’t hold a funeral for her because of COVID, the tree send-off became a special way to honor her memory. The tree will travel 140 miles to New York City, where it’ll be decorated with 50,000 lights and a sparkling star on top, bringing holiday cheer to everyone who visits Rockefeller Center. Write a summary of this story, including 3-5 facts you learned about this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Draw a picture to go along with your summary.

5. ACCIDENTAL FAN

Pope Francis accidentally became a New Orleans Saints fan on social media! The Pope uses hashtags like "#Saints" to talk about holy people, or "saints." But on the app X (formerly Twitter), that hashtag shows the New Orleans Saints football team logo. Recently, the Pope posted a message about saints, and the Saints football team noticed. They jokingly thanked him for his "prayers" since they’re having a tough season, with only two wins and seven losses. The Pope's social media team either hasn’t noticed the mix-up or doesn’t mind the extra attention the football team is bringing to his posts! What would you do if you noticed you made a mistake online, like the Pope accidentally referring to a football team? Would you delete the post, write a new post with a correction, join in the joking about the mistake, or something else? Write at least 5 sentences about what you would do and why.