Kids News - Articles for Grades 4-5

On Sunday June 25th, 2012, Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, best known for its giant tortoises had some sad news to report - its most famous bachelor, a tortoise nicknamed 'Lonesome George' was found dead by its keeper of 40 years. What makes the death even more poignant is the fact that he was the last known living member of the Pinta Island giant tortoise subspecies....

This Sunday, May 6th is World Laughter Day, a special day that can be celebrated by anyone, anywhere - All they have to do, is laugh aloud and rambunctiously, with no inhibitions. Celebrated annually on the first Sunday of May, the fun event was started by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria....

While April 1st, better known as April Fool's Day, is technically not a holiday, it is a favorite especially for people who like to pull pranks. While the origin of this tradition is a little sketchy, some believe that the light-hearted fun began in 1582, when the Julian calendar (which began the New Year in April), was replaced with today's Gregorian calendar. Others think it was to mark the change of seasons. No matter what its origins, the day can be a lot of fun!...

On Thursday, March 8th, scientists from all over the world watched with abated breath, as a powerful solar storm hit earth. While the first day proved to be quite benign, the intensity of the solar flares increased dramatically into early Friday....

He came, he strutted and to everyone's surprise - he conquered! That pretty much sums up the reaction that many people had when 4-year old Pekingese, Malachy was named Top Dog at the 136th Westminster Kennel Dog Show, which took place at New York's Madison Square Garden on February 14th. However, while the audience may have been a little surprised by the stubby hair ball's victory, Malachy was not - After all, this was his 115th 'Best of The Show' title....

Though teaching techniques have come a long way, the mode of communicating them remains pretty much the same since the concept of school was invented - Students with varying calibers and interests are forced into a classroom, where they spend the day learning from a pre-determined curriculum. Now, a European country is trying to change that by building radical schools that have no classrooms, no preset subject lessons and best of all, no grades!...

The ability to see clearly when it is pitch dark is possessed only by animals, heroic mutants like the X-Men and if experts are to be trusted . . . . A young boy who lives in a remote Chinese village!...

On January 13th, just two hours after luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia left the Italian port of for , the final destination of its seven-day journey, it struck a rock in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the shore of the . The impact created a 160-foot long gash in her hull, causing water to gush in at an alarming speed....

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade - That is the attitude this two-legged pig that resides in China's Anhui Province seems to have adopted and, he appears to be quite content....