Kids News - Social Studies for Kids

Asking a patient to hum piano melodies and play an instrument while undergoing brain surgery may sound like a strange request from a doctor. However, that is precisely what a team of brain specialists, led by University of Rochester Medical Center’s Web Pilcher, requested Dan Fabbio to do as they were removing his tumor....

Hurricane Maria, which tore through Puerto Rico in late September, knocked down 95 percent of the island’s cell towers and electric poles. While cellular telephone and utility companies have been frantically trying to restore the services, approximately 80% of Puerto Rico still has no wireless service or electricity....

Mention the word superhero, and the images that come to mind are of fictional characters like Spiderman, Wonder Woman, or Batman. However, veteran photographer Josh Rossi has used his camera to unveil the world’s real superheroes – six young children who are battling severe diseases and disabilities....

Festivals, most associated with religion, are an essential part of the Indian culture. There is rarely a week that goes by without some celebration. However, few are as widely observed as Diwali. Also known as Deepavali (row of lights), the joyous five-day ritual is the biggest and most anticipated of all Indian celebrations....

Thanks to hardworking firefighters and tamer winds, the devastating fires that have been ravaging parts of Northern California since October 8 finally appear to be under control. While some of the 100,000 evacuees are now being allowed back home, with 217,000 acres burned and more than 5,700 structures destroyed, many are returning to charred remains....

October is pumpkin month in the US. For most people, this means devouring the various pumpkin-filled treats or visiting pumpkin patches to pick out the perfect gourd to carve for Halloween. However, for some, it means the chance to showcase their giant produce at pumpkin weigh-offs. Though there are numerous such contests held across the country, the “Super Bowl” takes place annually at Half Moon Bay, CA, aka “The World Pumpkin Capital.”...

Wildfires are a common occurrence in California from early spring to late autumn due to the dry, windy, and hot weather conditions. However, the Golden State has never experienced anything as devastating as the fires that are currently burning through parts of Northern California. Though it has been four days since the first flames ignited, firefighters still have no control over the blazes that extend all the way from Napa to Mendocino County....

For most of you, this Friday, which happens to be October 13, will mean little more than the start of a weekend. However, don’t tell that to the 20 million people worldwide that suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia. They are convinced that the combination of the day and number brings bad luck. While no one knows for sure how Friday the 13th began to be so feared, there are numerous theories....

Columbus Day has been a fixture on American calendars since 1937, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared October 12 a federal holiday to honor the Italian explorer who “discovered” the Americas in 1492. However, the holiday, whose date has since been changed to the second Monday of October, has always been somewhat controversial. Many people believe that Christopher Columbus should not be given credit for “discovering” the continent, since Native Americans had already been residing there for generations....