Model of John Fitch’s Steamboat
John Fitch (born East Windsor, Connecticut, 1743; died Bardstown, Kentucky, July 2, 1798) was an inventor and clock maker. He actually invented the steamboat, and he obtained American and French patents for it in 1791. Ships could then travel without concerns about sails and wind. Idea: Children could discover how steam could propel a ship and learn more about Fitch at: John Fitch.
Andre Ampere (born Lyons, France, 1775; died Marseilles, France, June 10, 1836) was a physicist specializing in electricity. The ampere, a measure of electrical current, is named for him. Children could conduct some great electricity experiments by following the directions at: http://www.energizer.com/science-center.
Jerry Craft (born New York, New York, 1963) is a cartoonist (Mama’s Boyz) and a children’s book author/illustrator. He earned the 2020 Newbery Medal and the 2020 Coretta Scott King Author Medal for his graphic novel New Kid. Children can learn more at: Jerry Craft.
Blair Lent (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1930; died Medford, Massachusetts, January 27, 2009) wrote and illustrated children’s books. He received a 1965 Caldecott Honor Award for The Wave, a 1969 Caldecott Honor Award for Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky: An African Folktale, and the 1973 Caldecott Medal for The Funny Little Woman. Perhaps he is most famous for illustrating Arlene Mosel’s Tikki Tikki Tembo. He also wrote and illustrated Molasses Flood, a story about the Boston Molasses Disaster, which occurred on January 15, 1919. Children could learn more at: Blair Lent.
Brian Wildsmith (born Penistone, England, 1930; died Grasse, France, August 31, 2016) illustrated at least thirteen books for children. His first book, ABC, received the Kate Greenaway Award in 1963.
John Hancock
John Hancock (born Braintree, Massachusetts, 1737; died Quincy, Massachusetts, October 8, 1793) was an American patriot. He deliberately made his signature on the Declaration of Independence very prominent. His political activities irritated the British, and they started the famous march to Concord. After the war, he served as governor of Massachusetts for a number of years. Idea: Show the children a copy of the Declaration of Independence and his famous signature. Have a signature writing event where they try to copy his style. Jean Fritz wrote Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? Children might enjoy reading the book. Children could also learn more at: John Hancock.
Gertrude Belle Elion (born New York, New York, 1918; died Chapel Hill, North Carolina, February 21, 1999) was a scientist and inventor. In 1988 she was one of two people to earn the Nobel Prize in medicine for her work finding anti-leukemia drugs. In 1991 she became the first woman to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. She received 45 patents before she died in 1999. Children can learn more at: Gertrude Belle Elion.
Joseph Hewes (born Kingston, New Jersey, 1730; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1779) signed the Declaration of Independence. He represented North Carolina. The son of Quakers, he started his career as an apprentice to a merchant. Soon he moved to North Carolina and became a very successful merchant using many ships. At first he opposed a break with England, but he changed his mind. He worked tirelessly to establish a navy for the colonies. However, he died before the Revolutionary War ended. Children could learn more at: Joseph Hewes.
Edouard Manet (born Paris, France, 1832; died Paris, France, April 30, 1883) was an impressionist painter. Born into a wealthy family, he counted Monet, Renoir, Degas, and Pissarro as friends. His brother married the painter Berthe Morisot. His paintings shocked the art community at the time. Children could visit a website at: Manet.
The Great Quest
Charles Boardman Hawes (born Clifton Springs, New York, 1889; died Springfield, Massachusetts, 1923) wrote children’s books. His book The Great Quest received a 1922 Newbery Honor Award. The 1924 Newbery Medal was awarded posthumously to him for The Dark Frigate. Children can read The Great Quest at: http://www.gutenberg.org/.
Mary Lou Retton (born Fairmont, West Virginia, 1968) is an Olympic gold medal winner in gymnastics.
Maria Tallchief (born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief in Fairfax, Oklahoma, 1925; died Chicago, Illinois, April 11, 2013) was America’s first prima ballerina. A member of the Osage tribe, she originally studied to be a pianist. She established the Chicago City Ballet in 1979. Children could learn more at: Maria Tallchief.
Robert Boyle
Robert Boyle (born Lismore, Ireland, 1662; died London, England, December 30, 1691) was a scientist. He developed Boyle’s Law: if a gas is maintained at a constant temperature, the volume of the gas is inversely proportional to the pressure. Children can learn about Boyle’s Law at: Boyle’s Law. Idea: Children could inflate a balloon and put it in a refrigerator. They could record the results.
Robert Burns
Robert Burns (born Ayrshire, Scotland, 1759; died Dumfries, Scotland; July 21, 1796) was a poet. One of his most famous works is “Auld Lang Syne.” Children can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Charles Coatesworth Pinckney (born Charleston, South Carolina, 1746; died Charleston, South Carolina, August 16, 1825) represented South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention. During the Revolutionary War, he served as an aide to George Washington. He was captured by the British and was a prisoner of war for about two years. After the war, he helped create South Carolina’s constitution. He unsuccessfully ran for both the offices of vice president and president. Older children could learn more at: Charles Coatesworth Pinckney.
Bessie Coleman
Bessie Coleman (born Atlanta, Georgia, 1893; died Jacksonville, Florida, April 30, 1926) was the first African-American woman to earn an airplane pilot’s license. Children could view a website devoted to Bessie Coleman at: Bessie Coleman. Children could also read Talkin’ About Bessie, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by E. B. Lewis.
Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge (born New York, New York, 1831; died Onteora Park, New York, August 21, 1905) was an author and an editor. Her most famous work is Hans Brinker; or The Silver Skates. The 1865 novel has had more than one hundred editions and has been translated into at least six other languages. Children could see a tribute to her at: Mary Mapes Dodge. Children could read some of her works at: Project Gutenberg.
Jules Feiffer (born New York, New York, 1929) is a cartoonist. He illustrated The Phantom Tollbooth, written by Norton Juster. He wrote and illustrated a number of books for children, including A Room with a Zoo and The Daddy Mountain. In 2007 his daughter Kate wrote Henry, the Dog with No Tail; he illustrated her book. He received the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial cartoons.
Julia Dent Grant (born St. Louis, Missouri, 1826; died Washington, D. C., December 14, 1902) was America’s First Lady from March 4, 1869 to March 4, 1877. She was the wife of Ulysses Grant, the eighteenth president of the United States. Grant was an army officer, and much of their married life was spent on the frontier in the garrisons. Mrs. Grant actually enjoyed the comparatively easy life of the White House. Children could visit a website at: Julia Dent Grant.
Shannon Hale (born Salt Lake City, Utah, 1974) writes fantasy and science fiction books for young adults. She has published at least 35 books, and her book Princess Academy received a 2006 Newbery Honor Award. Children could visit her website at: Shannon Hale.
Douglas MacArthur (born Little Rock, Arkansas, 1880; died Washington, DC, April 5, 1964) was a general who became famous for his leadership in the South Pacific during World War II. He uttered his famous line, “I will return,” when the Japanese forced him to leave the Philippines. He did return.
Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll (born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in Cheshire, England, 1832; died Guidlford, Surrey, England, January 14, 1898) was a writer and a mathematician. He is best known for his works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Idea: Have a Mad Hatter’s tea party. Children could read his works at: Project Gutenberg. Children could learn more at: Lewis Carroll.
Julius Lester (born Saint Louis, Missouri, 1939; died Palmer, Massachusetts, January 18, 2018) was a professor and author. He wrote at least 40 books for both children and adults. His book To Be a Slave received a 1969 Newbery Honor Award. He received the 2006 Coretta Scott King Award for Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue. I really like his book John Henry. Jerry Pinkney, the book’s illustrator, received a 1962 Caldecott Award for his work.
The Pushcart War
Jean Merrill (born Rochester, New York, 1923; died Randolph, Vermont, August 2, 2012) wrote at least nine books for children. Her two most famous books are The Pushcart War, published in 1964, and Toothpaste Millionaire, published in 1972.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (born Salzburg, Austria, 1756; died Vienna, Austria, December 5, 1791) was a composer and a musician. He was playing before audiences by age three. He created his first composition at age five. He composed over 600 pieces of music. Two of his most famous works are Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute. Idea: Play some of his works. Children enjoy The Magic Flute.
Jackson Pollock (born Cody, Wyoming, 1912; died in an auto accident, East Hampton, New York, August 11, 1956) was an abstract expressionist painter. He developed a style where he dribbled paint and enamels over canvas to create delicate, lacy designs. While he was alive, he was famous but not wealthy. Only after he died did the price of his works soar. Children could view a gallery of his works at: Jackson Pollock. Then they could go to an amazing site and make their own art Jackson Pollock style: http://www.jacksonpollock.org/.
Arthur Rubenstein (born Artur Rubenstein in Lodz, Poland, 1887; died 1982) was a concert pianist. He performed for the first time as a teenager in 1901. When World War II became imminent, he moved to the United States. He enjoyed touring and performing for radio, television, and movies.
Stanley found Livingstone
Henry Morton Stanley (born Denbighshire, Wales, 1841; died London, England, May 10, 1904) was an explorer. He organized an expedition to find the missing missionary, David Livingstone. Stanley found Livingstone on November 10, 1871, and asked the famous question, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
Vera B. Williams (born Hollywood, California, 1927; died Narrowsburg, New York, October 16, 2015) was a children’s author and illustrator. She received a 1983 Caldecott Honor Award for A Chair for my Mother. Next, her book Music, Music for Everyone earned a 1985 Jane Addams Children’s Book Honor Award. She wrote More, More, More, Cried the Baby, a 1991 Caldecott Honor Book. Lucky Song won the 1998 Charlotte Zolotow Award. Her book Amber was Brave, Essie was Smart received the 2002 Jane Addams Children’s Book Honor Award.
Sylvia Cassedy (born Brooklyn, New York, 1930; died Manhasset, New York, April 6, 1989) wrote books for children. Her books include Behind the Attic Wall, Lucie Babbage’s House, and M. E. and Morton.
My Brother Sam Is Dead
Christopher Collier (born New York, New York, 1930; died March 6, 2020) was a historian and writer of children’s books. He and his brother James wrote My Brother Sam Is Dead. The book was a 1975 Newbery Honor Award winner.
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (born Taganrog, Russia, 1860; died Badenweiler, Germany, July 15, 1904) was a playwright and a writer of short stories. Two of his plays are The Sea Gull and The Cherry Orchard. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Christina Koch (born Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1979) is an astronaut and an engineer. She participated in the first all-woman space walk on October 18, 2019, when she and Jessica Meir repaired a broken power controller, a seven-hour mission, on the International Space Station. The two followed with two more space walks, one on January 15, 2020, and another on January 20, 2020. She also holds the record for most days in space (328 days) for a woman, surpassing the record of Peggy Whitson. Children can learn more at: Christina Koch.
William McKinley
William McKinley (born Niles, Ohio, 1843; died Buffalo, New York, September 14, 1901) was the twenty-fifth president (1897-1901) of the United States. He enlisted as a private in the Civil War. When the war ended, he was 22 years old and a major. One of the planks of his presidential platform was that every person should have a “full dinner pail.” He was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz; McKinley died two weeks later. Children could visit a website at: William McKinley.
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine (born Thetford, England, 1737; died New York, New York, June 8, 1809) was a patriot and an author. His Common Sense influenced people’s opinions regarding their right to freedom. Many experts believe it was a major catalyst for the American Revolution. Children can read his works at: Project Gutenberg. Older children could read The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine by Mark Wilensky.
Bill Peet (born Grandview, Indiana, 1915; died Studio City, California, May 11, 2002) was an author and illustrator for Disney Studios. He was one of the directors for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, released January 28, 1959. He was also the author of over 30 children’s books, including Farewell to Shady Glade. He received a 1990 Caldecott Honor Award for Bill Peet: An Autobiography. Children could visit a website, particularly the unfinished stories portion, at: http://www.billpeet.net/. Students could learn more at: Bill Peet.
Rosemary Wells (born New York, New York, 1943) is a children’s author. One of her books is Noisy Nora. She has also written the Max and Ruby series and the McDuff series. Children can visit her site filled with activities at: Rosemary Wells.
Lloyd Alexander (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1924; died Drexel Hills, Pennsylvania, May 17, 2007) wrote at least 45 books for children and adults. His book The Black Cauldron received a 1966 Newbery Honor Award. His The High King earned the 1969 Newbery Medal. Children can learn more at: Lloyd Alexander.
Tony Johnston (born Los Angeles, California, 1942) has written over 120 books for children. One of her books is The Cowboy and the Blackeyed Pea, published in 1992. Another book is Voice from Afar: Poems of Peace. Children could learn more (and try her Readers Guide) at: Tony Johnston.
Bronze Statue of Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (born Hyde Park, New York, 1882; died Warm Springs, Georgia, April 12, 1945) was the thirty-second president (1933-1945) of the United States. Before he was president, he had been a state senator for New York. He was assistant secretary of the navy, and he was governor of New York. He took over the presidency during the Great Depression. He was the only president to serve more than two terms. He died in office during his fourth term. After his death, Amendment Twenty-Two to the Constitution limited the number of presidential terms to two. Children could visit a website at: Franklin Roosevelt. They could also read Franklin Delano Roosevelt for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities, by Richard Panchyk. Idea: Should the president’s number of terms be limited when the senators’ and representatives’ numbers of terms are not limited?