Grade 5

The U-2 first flew in 1955, and the spy plane has changed little over the decades. Pilots must wear full space suits to withstand the pressures at 70,000 feet, and the extra long wingspan… More →

Nebraska is an agricultural kingdom. Its farms and fields blanket the prairies and plains. Discover how the early sodbusters thrived in an almost treeless landscape to create the Cornhusker… More →

The Eastern State Penitentiary was the first prison to use solitary confinement. This controversial form of punishment is said to have left many inmates mentally ill. A few were driven to… More →

As a border state between the North and South, Kentucky’s allegiances have long been divided. During the Civil War it remained part of the Union, but many citizens still fought for the South. More →

More than ninety percent of Iowa’s land is dedicated to agriculture. Farmers grow more corn here than in any other state, about a fifth of the nation’s crop. Iowans are proud of their state’s More →

Some historians believe that Connecticut’s constitution, adopted in 1639, later influenced the Constitution of the United States. This earned Connecticut the prestigious official nickname of… More →

On October 3, 1993, Michael Durant was sent on the most dangerous mission of his life. A brutal warlord was trying to seize control of Somalia. American forces, however, were determined to… More →

Montana is a wilderness of expansive plains and rugged mountains. This is the land of the grizzly and the buffalo, known as Big Sky Country for its wide-open skyline obstructed only by the… More →

Vermont is known for its low rolling mountains and spectacular autumn foliage. Another hallmark of this New England landscape is the sugar maple. Vermont is the leading producer of maple… More →

All service dogs must be healthy and disciplined. Then they receive training specific to their owner’s disability. Service dogs assist people with impaired hearing, pull wheelchairs, carry… More →

Long ago, the cemeteries of Paris were overflowing with dead bodies. The solution? Dig up the bones and move them to quarries beneath the city. Now the dark tunnels are artfully lined with… More →

West Virginia lives up to its motto, "Mountaineers are always free." It became an independent state when it seceded from Virginia. Today, its beautiful streams and thick forests enthrall… More →