Monday, November 5, 2012

WEEKLY MUSE: The White House

The White House (Photo by: Phil Roeder)
What house in the United States of America has a Red Room, Blue Room, Green Room, and a Queen’s Bedroom?

The WHITE HOUSE!

And this week everybody’s attention is on this stately mansion because we all wonder who will be living there for the next four years. Will it be President Barack Obama or Governor Mitt Romney?

Regardless of who will live there, the White House itself is a Spectacular Star Spangled MUSE!

Did you know that every President of the United States has lived in the White House except President George Washington?  That’s right.

Mount Vernon
George Washington chose the land where the White House would be built, but he never lived there. Instead, he lived at his estate called Mount Vernon. Here is a link to the Mount Vernon website if you are curious to learn more about the first presidential estate.

President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, moved into unfinished White House in 1800.

During the War of 1812, the British set fire to the White House. It was not completely destroyed since the house is made of stone, but the inside of the house would have to be rebuilt. Take a look at this video and see traces of this fire left on the White House today.

The White House has been renovated, remodeled, and added-on-to by almost every President. Some of the White House’s most interesting features include a bowling alley, added by President Richard Nixon.  In 1944, a cloak room was transformed into a home theatre by President Franklin Roosevelt. This theatre can hold 44 people.

The White House currently has 6 levels, 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. WOW!!! Can you imagine living in a home that BIG?


The basement of the White House is where most of the food is cooked. Five chefs run the White House kitchen. Take a look at this video to see the chefs preparing for the first ever state dinner for KIDS! That’s right. Not until 2012 has there ever been a formal state dinner served especially for CHILDREN. I think there should be at least one a year, don’t you think so too?

And for those who can’t get enough of the “spooky” side of life, many believe that the White House is haunted by the ghost of President Abraham Lincoln. Even the late Prime Minister of England, Winston Churchill, said that he saw President Lincoln’s ghost in the Lincoln Bedroom. If you would like to see a picture of the Lincoln Bedroom click here.

And we can’t forget about the Nation’s First Bees. For the first time in White House history, Michelle Obama invited a hive of honey bees to work their magic on the White House gardens. Take a look at this video to meet them.

And if we are going to meet the Nation’s First Bees, we must meet some of the Nation’s First Pets. Take a look at this slideshow and meet the Obamas’ dog, Bo. Also meet, President Bush’s dog, Barney and President Clinton’s cat, Socks!

With this new knowledge, what kind of story could you write? Maybe these WHAT IF questions will help you get started.

WHAT IF your main character is the first kid to be the President of the United States?

WHAT IF your main character is a mouse who is part of a mouse family that has lived in the White House since it was built? They even lived through the fire!

WHAT IF your main character met the ghost of President Lincoln in the White House?

The possibilities are endless, and please leave your own what if questions in the comment section below. I’d love to see what you come up with.

So, grab a cup of hot cocoa, a pencil and a piece of paper, and let’s begin. With your imagination, we can go anywhere. I look forward to seeing where you take us.

With Imagination,

Professor Watermelon

The word of the day is “estate”. Here is the definition: a piece of land property, especially one of large extent with an elaborate house on it.

8 comments:

  1. what if the white house came alive.
    what if the white house had diamond.
    what if the white house got destroyed.
    what if the white house was a babysitter.
    what if the white house fell in a hole.
    what if the white house was in the nether.
    what if the white house multaplied.
    what if the white house had watermelon.
    what if the white house had mashine guns.
    what if the white house had a koala.
    what if the white house wasnt famose.
    what if the white house had creative writing.
    what if the white house had a holiday.


    subscribe.

    ReplyDelete
  2. what if the white house had professor watermelon.
    what if the white house was bacon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. what if the whitehouse had a feast made especially for me?
    what if the whitehouse was infested with rats?
    what if the whitehouse was an inflatable toy ?
    what if the whitehouse got cursed?
    what if the whitehose got painted blue?
    -Shreya (6th)

    ReplyDelete
  4. • What if the white house was green?
    • What if the white house was in another state?
    • What if the white house was on wheels and could be moved to different places?
    • What if the white house got burnt down in the war of 1812 by the British?
    • What if instead of colored rooms they had fruit flavored rooms?
    • What if the while house was bigger, like a castle?
    • What if the white house was smaller, like a regular house?
    • What if the presidential term was 20 years – would they live there for that long?
    • What if the white house got attacked by a bunch of American crows?
    • What if the white house was full of rats like the temple in India?
    • What if the white house garden had scarecrows all over the garden?
    • What if the white house was really haunted by Abraham Lincoln – does he visit on the day of the dead?
    • What if the white house also had an airport for Air Force One?
    • What if the while house didn’t allow any pets?
    • What if the white house celebrated all world events and holidays – the president will have lots of holidays?
    • What if the white house had telescopic eyes to see lots of stuff in the universe?
    • What if the white house was a houseboat and floated on water?
    • What if the white house could fly so the president could quickly reach important places while being at home?
    • What if the white house had a family of smaller white houses for all the important government officials?
    • What if aliens attacked the white house?
    • What if there was a tunnel with roads and trains from below the white house and leads you to different cities?
    • What if you could rent rooms in the white house for vacations and birthday parties and other stuff?
    • What if you got superpowers when you entered the white house?
    • What if CHA was built like the white house?
    • What if the white house had a drive-up service for all the yummy foods the chefs prepare in the basement?
    • What if a bad guy got elected and entered the white house?
    • What if the white house was president of all houses in USA?
    • What if everyone got to vote on all the pictures and furniture in the white house?
    • What if the white house had magical powers?
    • Want if the white house isn’t real and the president lives somewhere else?
    • What if the white house was made of chocolate?
    • What if the white house was on a beach?
    • What if the white house was in a forest?
    • What if the white house was shaped like a pole?
    • What if the white house was made of sticks?
    • What if the white house was made of straw?
    • What if the white house got weighed and was a million pounds?
    • What if a timemachine made the white house in the past with farmland?
    • What if a timemachine made the white house in the future by 100 years?
    • What if the white house was on an elevator and could go underground?
    • What if the white house was shaped like a pole?
    • What if the white house was made out of toothpaste?
    • What if the white house had a taste?
    • What if the white house had the family fun center inside it?
    • What if the white house was packed with toys?

    - Amar

    ReplyDelete
  5. what if the white house was haunted by George Washington's ghost?

    By Ethan B

    ReplyDelete
  6. What if the white House was blue?
    What if the white House had eyeballs?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Prologue

    Once upon a time, there lived a professor and his daughter. The professor invented a time machine + camera. They were visiting the White House and wanted to take a picture. His daughter accidently pressed the wrong button and the time machine took the White House back a million years.

    Chapter 1: The Forest

    All of a sudden, there appeared a White House in the forest. There were no people or buildings. Only dinosaurs and other animals and birds and fish.

    Chapter 2: The Giraffe

    A dinosaur named Rex started living in the White House. Then a giraffe named Baby Longneck and his family came along. He asked ‘Can we live in the White House too?’ But Rex said No since he wanted to live in it by himself.

    Chapter 3: The Basketball Match

    They agreed to have a basketball match to decide if Longneck and his family could live in the White House as well. Rex said – Whoever wins the most points in 5 minutes, wins the game. Longneck agreed. They practiced a lot. It was almost time for the game in 5..4..3..2..1..0 START!

    Chapter 4: The Points

    First Longneck scored a basket in the first minute. 2 points for Giraffe, said the judge. After one minute, Rex got a 3-pointer. 3-2 said the judge. Then after another minute, Rex scored a 2-pointer. Now it was 5-2. Then giraffe scored a 3-pointer in the next minute – there was only 1 minute left. No one scored in the last minute. The game was tied at 5.

    Chapter 5 : Being a Chef

    Rex said ‘How about you can be my chef and live in the White House?’ Ok said Giraffe. So Longneck and his family and Rex and his family lived happily ever after in the White House.

    The End.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rex and Giraffe in the White House was written by Amar (forgot to ut my name).

    ReplyDelete