Kids News - Articles for Grades 6-8

There are over twenty Ironman competitions held around the world. However none compares to the original one that takes place in Kona on Hawaii's Big Island during the second weekend of October. Now in its 36th-year, this grueling event that is dubbed the "World Championships", is considered the most prestigious Ironman race. That's because while the Hawaiian event is no different from any other Ironman challenge in terms of distance, the natural environment makes it the toughest of them all....

The fact that ocean currents, which move the waters and help mix-up varying temperatures, salinity and nutrients, are caused by tides and winds is a well-documented fact. Now some researchers from the California Institute of Technology believe that the zillions of small marine animals that live deep inside our oceans also play a big role in the churning of the waters....

In 1993, 17-year-old He Rongfeng and his two friends left their village and made their way to in China's Zheijang Province, to look for work to help support their struggling families. Unfortunately, jobs were not easy to come by, and the trio were forced to resort to begging....

Peanuts! Who knew they could be such a hassle? As the world’s leading cause of food allergies, the tiny members of the legume family sure are a nuisance for the intolerant, resulting in reactions that range from minor skin rashes to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Even worse, according to experts at FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education), the incidences of peanut allergies have actually tripled in the last fifteen years!...

In September 2013, the government of Spain increased taxes on cultural events from 8% to 21%, making the cost of live theater performances prohibitive for most people. Within four months, venues reported a 30% decline in audience. While most theater owners sat around fuming at the officials, Barcelona-based Teatreneu, decided to tackle the challenge with an innovative approach to attract audience....

On September 23rd, 2014, Dutch airline KLM released a YouTube video that made everyone who saw it, wish they could travel on the airline, and forget a possession or two. That's because the short clip depicted a cute beagle aptly named "Sherlock" as the newest and most efficient member of the airline's lost and found service....

On October 10th, 2014, the Nobel Committee announced that this year's Noble Peace Prize would be awarded to two extraordinary individuals that have dedicated their lives to fighting for the rights of others - 17-year-old girls' education activist Malala Yousafzai, and 60-year-old children's activist Kailash Satyarthi. So what inspired the two to devote their lives to these worthy causes? Read on to find out . . ....

As the world becomes more aware of the risks of climate change and the importance of sustainable energy sources, individuals and communities are increasingly taking measures to reduce their carbon footprint. Some are building "passive homes", to take advantage of natural sun and wind patterns, while others are installing solar panels or windmills, to power their homes. But never before has there been an entire "green" city - one that relies solely on renewable energy sources and smart design elements, to eliminate its carbon footprint....

The next time you are asked to test your math computational skills with the dreaded "Mad Minute" test, do not groan and moan! According to Stanford scientists, it is the mastery of these basic facts that will help transform you into math whizzes, as you grow older! And given that they have peeked inside the brains of elementary school-age kids, adolescents and adults, they should know....