Kids News - Articles for Grades 2-3

Harry Potter’s favorite game Quidditch, has been a legitimate sport at high schools and colleges worldwide for over a decade. But no Muggle has ever played the game flying across the sky on a broomstick like the wizards did in J.K. Rowling’s popular book series....

When a 91,000-acre piece of vacant land came up for sale in Southwest Florida about ten years ago, it attracted builders from across the country. After all, the chance to develop an area almost five times the size of Manhattan does not come frequently. But to everyone’s surprise, the owners did not auction the property that lies just 20 minutes from Fort Myers to the highest bidder. Instead, they sold it to Palm Beach-based Kitson & Partners who not only promised to preserve a bulk of the land, but also use the remaining acreage to build an environmentally friendly town....

To win a national award for handwriting, especially in this digital age, is an achievement in itself. But what makes Anaya Ellick’s accolade extra special is that the seven-year-old accomplished the feat despite having no hands. Even more amazing? The first-grader from Chesapeake, Virginia, who won the prestigious Nicholas Maxim Special Award for Excellence in Manuscript Penmanship, on April 11, does not use prosthetics. The young girl produces her perfect penmanship by standing close to her desk with her pencil firmly gripped between her forearms....

Ordinarily, the 13th of the month is just another day on the calendar. However, when it falls on a Friday, as it will tomorrow, the day takes on a whole new significance. That’s because Friday the 13th has a reputation for being unlucky. The unfounded fear that affects over twenty million people in the U.S., and many more worldwide, is so serious, that it is considered a medical disorder that goes by the names friggatriskaidekaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia....

On Wednesday, May 4th, fans across the world celebrated Star Wars Day. Most commemorated the unofficial holiday by binge watching all seven films or greeting passersby with “May the fourth be with you” — A nod to the movie’s famous line, “May the force be with you.”...

A new “Rembrandt” painting unveiled in Amsterdam in early April is making headlines around the world. However, the authentic-looking masterpiece is not the work of the 17th century Dutch artist. It is a brand new painting that uses technology to mimic Rembrandt’s technique so perfectly, that it could easily be mistaken for one created by the great artist himself....

In 1907, Anna Jarvis began a campaign to convince lawmakers to designate a special day to honor America's mothers. Many individual states began celebrating Mother's Day by 1911. However, it was not until 1914 that Woodrow Wilson finally managed to persuade the U.S.Congress to set aside the second Sunday of May to honor moms....

In January and February of 2016, a total of 13 young sperm whales washed up on the beach near the town of Tönning in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. An autopsy revealed that the whales had all died of heart failure. The researchers believe that the young bulls, all between 10-15 years old, may have entered the North Sea by mistake. Since the sea floor here is too shallow for these deep sea dwellers, it caused the whales to become disoriented and perish....

Schools across the world are trying to come up with innovative solutions to keep students active and alert. Some are replacing conventional classroom chairs with exercise balls or standing desks. At Ward Elementary School in Winston, North Carolina students have adopted an innovative program that entails riding stationary bikes while reading....