Kidspace: Short stuff
It's orange and official
Orange you glad they picked the pumpkin? Students in New Hampshire are. That's because earlier this month, the Granite State adopted the pumpkin as its official state fruit (yes, it's a fruit).
The campaign began as a civics project of third- and fourth-grade classes at Wells Memorial School in Harrisville.
Students traveled to Concord, the state capital, to gain the support of lawmakers. They wore orange T-shirts and passed out pumpkin lollipops and handmade stuffed felt pumpkins. It worked: Gov. John Lynch signed the bill. But there's no word on whether Halloween will become the official state holiday.
Move over, T-rex, there's a bigger and badder meat-eating dino in town.
Earlier this month, scientists announced the discovery of an enormous species of carnivorous dinosaur that's larger than the Tyrannosaurus rex.
Scientists say the new species, named Mapusaurus roseae, is possibly even larger than its close relative Giganotosaurus, the world's biggest known meat-munching dinosaur.
The largest Mapusaurus, which lived some 100 million years ago, was more than 41 feet long.
The discovery was made in western Patagonia, Argentina, where numerous new species of dinosaur have been discovered in recent years.
What's black and white and read (by kids!) all over Britain? A new newspaper for 9- to 12-year-olds.
Smiling soccer star David Beckham graced the cover of the paper's debut issue. But inside, more serious news awaited young readers: an article about the dangers of smoking, a look at how Britain holds local elections, and a section on issues such as rising oil prices.
The weekly paper is called First News and costs £1 (about $1.85).
Through the end of the month, Saturn, the second largest planet in our solar system, can be seen in the western sky. See if you can spot it.
Watch out, Tony Hawk. The kids at Douglass Elementary School in Boulder, Colo., might come knocking for some skateboard lessons.
As part of the school's effort to bolster excitement in its physical education programs, kickball's out - and skateboarding's in.
The program is part of a growing trend to have PE activities match the interests of kids. New sports have included yoga, martial arts, and rock climbing.
Tomorrow's gym class at Douglass Elementary? A lesson in the basics of how to push a board, stand on it, and even make "grabs."
If bungee jumping's not your thing, you may want to avoid this, too. A 525-foot-high Ferris wheel opened earlier this month in China. It's about 82 feet taller than the London Eye, which had been the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. A full rotation on the Star of Nanchang, in the Jiangxi province, takes about 30 minutes.
