Posts in “United States” Category

Malia and Sasha Obama now have the dog their dad promised them on election night. Their new puppy is a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog. The girls have named their new pal Bo. Soon he'll be running around the White House lawns--maybe he'll even visit the vegetable garden!

Learn more about Portuguese water dogs on the American Kennel Club site.

Quiz Your Noodle on other dog breeds!


















Photograph by Pete Souza/The White House/AP

Happy Opening Day! Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a professional mascot? How about one of the running presidents for the Washington Nationals?


Stephanie Montgomery, a National Geographic employee, tried out to be a racing president in February. During tryouts, the four "presidents" (Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt) had to run a race around the baseball diamond. in full costume while wearing a giant head! Montgomery says that the giant head "was not as heavy as I had feared, but it was very awkward. I had listened to some tips
from some of the other folks who had run already, and knew that you should lean back for balance and comfort, but push your head forward for vision. It also seemed that small choppy steps were the way to go.




Photograph courtesy Kate Baylor

Photograph by Ron Edmonds/AP


First Lady Michelle Obama broke ground on a new vegetable garden on the White House lawn last week with help of students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C. The last time there were veggies growing at the White House was when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President in the 1940s.

Over 50 different vegetables, fruits, and herbs will be grown in the White House Kitchen Garden. There will also be two beehives for honey. Some of the green goodies will be added to the menu by the White House chefs, and others will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a Washington, D.C. soup kitchen.

Learn how to plant your own veggies and flowers!

See photos of the First Lady working on the garden on the White House Blog.

Photo by Sandy Huffaker/LEGOLAND California


President Obama's Inauguration has been recreated at LEGOLAND California! A crowd of over one thousand mini figures can be seen in front of LEGO brick Capitol building. Temperatures at this mock swearing in ceremony are much warmer than at the real ceremony.

Barack Obama was inaugurated today as the 44th President of the United States. He is also the country's first African-American President. The inauguration took place on the west side of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

In his inaugural speech, President Obama said: "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met."

Where were you during the Inauguration?

Photograph by Enric Sala


In the last few days of his presidency, President George W. Bush created three new national monuments in the Pacific Ocean in the largest ocean conservation effort ever. The new monuments will protect Kingman Reef  (as part of the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument), Rose Atoll, and the Mariana Trench, which is home to Earth's deepest spot.

All three of the protected areas are home to many species, including the giant coral colony shown in the photo above.

Photograph by Jason Reed/Reuters

The citizens of the United States of America voted in record numbers yesterday, and they chose Barack Obama as the 44th president of the country. During his victory speech last night from Chicago, Senator Obama thanked his family, his vice president-elect Joe Biden, his campaign manager, and the people who came out to vote. He also congratulated Senator John McCain on his achievements during the presidential race.

President-elect Obama will be sworn into office on Inauguration Day, which is January 20, 2009.

Today's the day everyone's been talking about--election day! Will the next president be Barack Obama or John McCain? Visit ePals Election Central to learn more about the candidates.

The new president will not take office until Inauguration Day, which is January 20, 2009.

Photograph by Rebecca Joye

Several native ladybug species are disappearing and being replaced by ladybugs from other places. The nine-spotted ladybug and other species have become so rare that scientists are hoping kids can find some in their neighborhoods. Cornell University wants kids go out and search for ladybugs and send in pictures to include in their database. To find out how you can help, visit http://lostladybug.org.