Incandescent light bulb was patented by Thomas Edison in 1880. The patent number is 223898. Idea: In a drawing a light bulb above someone’s head indicates the person has developed a new idea. Children could draw light bulbs. They could surround the light bulbs with ideas of their own for new inventions. They could see his patent at: Light Bulb Patent.
National Recording Registry in 2003 announced its first 50 selections of sound recordings to be preserved. The National Recording Preservation Board, a part of the Library of Congress, chooses 25 recordings each year. One of the recordings is the 1929 “Light’s Golden Jubilee,” celebrating Edison’s light bulb invention. Children can find the names of all the artists and works at: http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/. They can even listen to the works.
Astronauts Virgil Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee were killed in the Apollo I fire in 1967. The three were in a training simulator when a spark set off a fire in an oxygen-rich capsule. The hatch could not be opened quickly enough, and the three perished. NASA took two years off to improve the safety of the space program. Children could learn about Apollo I at: Apollo I.
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.