Story Archive
The Sun: It’s the Star of Our Solar System!
When you look up at the night sky, you see lots and lots of stars. The sun is one of those, only a lot closer! That's right: the very same Sun that lights up the daytime sky is actually a star, like the twinkling dots that sparkle overhead at night. The Sun is a...
The Pacific Ocean: The World’s Biggest Body of Water
The Atlantic Ocean is huge. And, the Indian Ocean is big, too. But, the biggest ocean of all is the Pacific. The U. S. has five states that border the Pacific Ocean. Those states are: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Hawaii is the only state...
Great Britain, the United Kingdom, and England: So What’s the Difference?
You'll often hear people talk about England. It's the home of William Shakespeare, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Bridge. Sometimes, you'll hear people talk about Great Britain or the United Kingdom when they're actually...
Silly Putty: A Silly Success Story
As an invention, it didn’t work. As a toy, it did. It happened like this. In the 1940s, scientists invented a funny-feeling substance that bounced, stretched, and lifted pictures off of newspapers. The stuff was fun to play with, but the scientists couldn't figure out...
Thanksgiving: The 4th Thursday in November
In November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. It all started way back in 1621 when English settlers, called Pilgrims, celebrated after their first successful harvest in the New World. The three-day feast took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts. About 50 Pilgrims were...
Christmas Eve: It’s the Night Before Christmas
Happy Christmas Eve! Tis the Night Before Christmas.One of the best loved poems in the English language is a holiday favorite called Twas the Night Before Christmas. So who wrote it? Well, that's a very good question. You see, when the poem was first published in...
Have a Very Merry Christmas
Jesus: The Reason for the Christmas SeasonThe Christmas story can be found in the second chapter of Luke. The following passage teaches us the real reason for the season: At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an order that all people in the countries under Roman rule...
Happy New Year’s Eve!
As we conclude the old year and look forward to the new one, let's pause to give thanks and to make plans for a spectacular 2019. And while we're at it, let's remember the words of a man named Dag Hammarskjöld, the late U.N. Secretary General, who spoke for thoughtful...
Sam Houston: A Texas Legend
Sam Houston: A Texas LegendHouston is the largest city in Texas and the 4th largest city in the United States, behind only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. But did you know that Houston was named for a man who lived and worked in Nashville, Tennessee? Sam Houston...
Winston Churchill: He Didn’t Give Up!
Winston Churchill: He Didn't Give Up! During the early days of World War II, before the United States entered the war, England stood alone as the sole defender of freedom in Europe. An evil German dictator named Adolph Hitler had already conquered most of...