Kids News - Articles for Grades 2-3

On Saturday, August 23rd, over 300 people lined up outside Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C., to participate in the first birthday celebration of one of its cutest and most precious residents - America's favorite giant panda cub, Bao Bao....

On Sunday, August 24th, comic book lovers across the world watched with abated breath to what avid collectors would pay for a rare Superman comic book. Though bids above the initial asking price of $1 million USD had been coming in gradually since the pristine copy was placed on auction site eBay on July 14th, things really started to heat up during the final minutes when the price jumped from $2.5 to $2.6 and then $2.7 million, before shooting up to $3,207,752. Just when everyone thought it was over, an unknown buyer sneaked in the winning bid - a mind-boggling $3,207,852!...

Although most hitchhikers are people in need of genuine assistance, passersby tend to ignore them because they are wary of giving rides to strangers. But what would they do if they came across a hitchhiking robot? Would humans be caring enough to take it to its desired destination or would they vandalize and toss the helpless machine by the wayside?...

Award-winning artist and professor Sam Van Aken has managed to accomplish what very few people are able to do - combine art and science together in a project that is as visually stunning, as it is biologically amazing. He has created trees that grow not one or two, but more than 40 types of stone fruit that include numerous kinds of peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines and cherries. What's even more amazing is that many of the fruits are ancient, hard-to-find, varieties....

Let's be honest, historical statues can get a little boring. After all, how many times can one admire the intricate carving or read the plaque etched below? It is therefore no wonder that most people just whiz past them, as they go about their daily lives. But what if they had a story to tell? Would passersby spend two minutes of their precious time to listen?...

At first sight, Toronto's newly opened 'Signs' restaurant appears like any other casual dining establishment. However the difference starts to become apparent as soon as diners walk in and the host or hostess welcomes them using American Sign Language (ASL). That trend continues throughout the meal as everyone, from the wait staff to the busboys, communicate only via hand gestures....

Trampoline parks are sprouting up all across the world. However, they all pale in comparison to Bounce Below - the world's biggest underground trampoline park that opened in the historic slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales, on July 3rd. Nestled in a massive cavern that is located inside a 100ft deep and 60ft wide former slate mine, it provides visitors with a bouncing experience like none other....

Canadians companies sure seem to know how to appreciate their customers. First there was WestJet Airlines that dished out and now, The Toronto-Dominion Bank, which recently transformed the normally staid Automated Teller Machines into Automated Thanking Machines, that showered customers with surprise gifts....

Land animals are not the only ones being affected by the loss of habitat and climate change. The issues are taking their toll on birds too. Experts estimate that since the 1500's, over 190 bird species have become extinct. Of these, at least 12 were endemic to North America....