White House for Kids: A History of a Home, Office, and National Symbol, with 21 Activities
floor built 1929 Christmas Eve fire heavily damages West Wing 1933 Indoor pool built 1934 West Wing tripled in size Oval Office moved to present loca tion 1942 Current East Wing office build ing constructed 1947 1948 President Harry Truman adds a second story balcony to South Portico 1948 1952 Massive renovation and recon struction 1975 Outdoor pool built 1995 Pennsylvania Avenue closed in front of White House 2000 Bicentennial of occupancy cele brated 2008 The first African American president is elected the Obama family moves into the White House in January 2009 2009 First Lady Michelle Obama plants a garden on the South Lawn of the White House with the help of local schoolchildren
This aerial view shows the north side of the White House in 2008 Library of Congress Prints Photographs Division photo graph by Carol M Highsmith LC DIG highsm 04919
I III III I III INTRODUCTION IXTEEN HUNDRED PENNSYLVANIA Avenue It's the most famous address in the United States Even if you don't know your best friend's house number chances are you know the address for the White House After all it's the most famous house in the country the place where its most well known citizen lives and works Inside its walls first families have experienced lifes’s ups and downs joys and SorrOWS Though it has a simple name the White House has more a become much than house or an office It's a widely recognized symbol of the United States and a symbol of freedom and democracy It's a place where Americans come to protest government policies and to rejoice following the end of a war It's been the setting
for some of the most pivotal moments in American history both happy ones and sad ones Today its artifacts and antiques consti tute an important museum a tribute to our country's heritage The White House for Kids tells the story not only of the building but also of the people who have lived and worked there You will learn about the demands of being president as well as the benefits You will find out what first kids have liked about being a pres ident s child and why it's not so easy Discover the challenges of working in the White House from the point of view of paid workers such as butlers and chefs to that of America's busiest volunteer the first lady Find out how various presidents have enter tained and why it's a significant part of their job Activities in each chapter offer a glimpse into the lives duties and passions of the people who have lived and worked in the president's house You can learn about the building's past by building a model of it or look into the future by envisioning a modern presidential complex You can get a taste for enter taining by making White House fruit punch or cook ing a first daughter's favorite chocolate chip cookies Ever wonder why the president uses so many pens to sign his name Find out and try creating your signature in the same manner Follow in the foot steps of a presidential photographer by honing your photography skills or prepare for a party by crafting
