Giraffe
World Giraffe Day is today! The Giraffe Conservation Foundation picked today to celebrate giraffes because the animals have the longest necks and today is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day in the southern hemisphere. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that giraffes are now rated as vulnerable, meaning we all need to protect the animals.
Flag of Greenland
Greenland celebrates the longest day of the year, a national holiday. Greenland is a part of the Danish monarchy, but it is self-governing. According to the CIA World Factbook, Greenland is a little more than three times the size of Texas. Because it is located so far north, most of the country is permafrost. Greenland has the world’s second largest ice cap. About 57,000 people live in the country, mostly along the southern coast. The economy is based on fishing, mining, and tourism. Children can learn more at: Greenland.
New Hampshire Flag
New Hampshire became the ninth state of the United States by ratifying the Constitution in 1788. It was named after the English county Hampshire. The capital is Concord, and its motto is “Live Free or Die.” It ranks forty-fourth in area and forty-second in population. Mt. Washington, located in New Hampshire, is the tallest peak in New England. Martin Pring traveled its coast in 1603, and Samuel de Champlain explored the area in 1604. Children could visit an Internet site at: New Hampshire.
Robert Kraus (born Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1925; died Kent, Connecticut, August 7, 2001) was a cartoonist, publisher, and writer of over 200 children’s books. His books include Leo the Late Bloomer and Boris Bad Enough. Children can learn more at: Robert Krauss.
Jean-Paul Sartre (born Paris, France, 1905; died Paris, France, April 15, 1980) was a philosopher and writer. He received the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, but he refused it. He said, “A writer should not allow himself to become an institution.”
Henry Ossawa Tanner (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1859; died Paris, France, May 25, 1937) was one of the first African American artists to have major exhibits. Children can read more about his life and view of his paintings at: Henry Ossawa Tanner.