Kids News - Articles for Grades 6-8

While in most places a candidate has to be at least old enough to vote before he/she can stand for office, such is not the case in the tiny town of that lies 150 miles from the city of Minnesota. In this unincorporated community that boasts a population of 28 and calls itself 'The Restaurant Capital of the World', everyone, regardless of gender, qualification, residency or age, can vie to become the honorary mayor. This means that even a toddler can be elected!...

Tornados in the Midwestern and Southern United States have always been a troubling yet fascinating phenomenon - just think of Dorothy's whirlwind adventure in the Wizard of Oz! Occurring predominantly in the area east of the Rocky Mountains dubbed 'Tornado Alley', they form during severe thunderstorms called supercells that occur when cold dry polar air comes in contact with warm moist tropical air....

In early July, shepherds walking across the Tunisian desert, stumbled upon an unusual sight - a beautiful blue lake that had mysteriously appeared in the midst of the parched land. While nobody knows for sure how the 60-foot deep stretch of water that spans over two acres was formed, there are a few theories....

Each year around this time, stargazers anxiously await nature's finest fireworks show - the Perseid meteors. The 'fireball' champions of all annual meteor showers have already been streaming through our skies at the rate of about a dozen an hour, for the last few weeks. However, things will really heat up from early August 11th to the 13th, when between ninety to a hundred meteors will come zooming across the skies, making them easy to spot, even with the naked eye....

In 1937, America's beloved aviatrix, Amelia Mary Earhart, set out to break yet another record by embarking on a 29,000-mile flight around the globe. However, her plane disappeared over the South Pacific without a trace, giving birth to one of the biggest mysteries in the history of aviation. Seventy-seven years later, her namesake, Amelia Rose Earhart set out to attempt the same feat. Fortunately, she was successful!...

While illusions that trick the eyes are pretty common, ones that fool human ears are relatively rare. That is the reason this experiment conjured up by the scientists at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute for their new exhibit 'Your Brain', is so intriguing....

Mention koalas and the image that comes to mind is that of a cuddly animal snoozing, whilst clinging on to a tree trunk for dear life - and rightfully so, given that the animals sleep for up to 20 hours a day! However, while the fact that their sedentary lifestyle is caused by their unusually small brains and the limited nutritional content of the eucalyptus leaves they consume is well-known, what was never questioned was their penchant for tree trunks. Turns out that the smart koalas have figured out that staying close to trees is the best way to beat the heat, during the hot Australian summers....

It's summertime summertime sum sum summertime . . . That means it's time for the DOGOnews team to take a short break and prepare for the upcoming school year. We will be back on August 4th, with more exciting news articles....

Three hundred of Britain'sbadly behaved pets recently got their day in the sun, thanks to a nationwide competition to honor the naughtiest of them all! The contest organized by Direct Blinds, an online supplier of custom window coverings, asked owners to upload photos of their pets caught during their most mischievous moments, on the company's Facebook page....