Grand Tetons
“America the Beautiful” was published first in poem form in 1895 by Katherine Lee Bates, a professor at Wellesley College. Stories say she wrote the poem after visiting the top of Pikes Peak in Colorado. Children can read the poem at: America the Beautiful.
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Monroe, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson all died on the Fourth of July. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died hundreds of miles apart but within hours of each other in 1826, and fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was made public. James Monroe died in 1831. Older children can read more at: Coincidence.
James Monroe
Mars Surface
Pathfinder landed on the surface of Mars in 1997. The craft, launched on December 5, 1996, traveled for 211 days and 309 million miles to reach the surface of Mars. A small rover named Sojourner (named after Sojourner Truth) traveled about the surface and analyzed rocks and the surface of the planet. The two vehicles (both significantly outliving scientific estimates) sent back 2.3 billion bits of data before transmissions stopped on September 27, 1997. Children can view some of the images of Mars at: Pathfinder.
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born Plymouth, Vermont, 1872; died Northampton, Massachusetts, January 15, 1933) was the thirtieth president (1923-1929) of the United States. He was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1918 and was vice president when Harding died. Nicknamed “Silent Cal,” he stressed respectability in government. The stock market went up, and he cut governmental costs. He was more concerned with matters within the country than with foreign affairs. He declined to run in 1928, even though he was a popular figure. Children could visit a website at: Calvin Coolidge.
Stephen Foster (born Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, 1826; died New York, New York, January 13, 1864) was a songwriter. He composed almost two hundred songs, including “Camptown Races” and “Swanee River.”
Jamie Gilson (born Beardstown, Illinois, 1933; died Wilmette, Illinois, February 11, 2020) wrote 21 books for children. Her books include Hello, My Name Is Scrambled Eggs and Do Bananas Chew Gum? Children can visit her website at: Jamie Gilson.
Rube Goldberg (born San Francisco, 1883; died New York, New York, December 7, 1970) was a cartoonist. He created on paper intricate machines that would activate each other to perform one simple task. Idea: Students could see some of his cartoons and then draw their own Rube Goldbergs. Children can visit a great website at: Rube Goldberg.
Nathaniel Hawthorne (born Nathaniel Hathorne in Salem, Massachusetts, 1804; died New Hampshire, May 18 or 19, 1864) was a writer. Two of his most famous works are The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables. He wrote at least 100 stories for magazines. Children can read his works at: http://www.gutenberg.org/.
Henrietta Swan Leavitt (born Lancaster, Massachusetts, 1868; died Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 12, 1921) was an astronomer. Women at that time period did not hold prestigious jobs in astronomy, but she did “clerical work” with certain stars and their luminosity. Her work enabled Edwin Hubble to complete his work and to find that the universe is expanding. Children could read Miss Leavitt’s Stars: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe by George Johnson.
Jordan Sonnenblick (born Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, 1969) writes books for young adults. His books include After Ever After and Dodger and Me. Children can visit his website at: Jordan Sonnenblick.
Flag of Venezuela
Venezuela celebrates Independence Day. Spain gave up control of the country in 1821. Located in northern South America, Venezuela is about twice the size of California. It has a tropical climate, and petroleum provides a major portion of its economy. About 28.5 million people live in the country, and most of the cities are located along the Caribbean coastline. Caracas is the capital. Over eight million people live in Venezuela. Children can learn more at: Venezuela. Children could print and color a page about Venezuela at: Venezuela Art.
Flag of Isle of Man
Isle of Man celebrates Tynwald Day. The island, located in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland, is about three times the size of Washington, DC. It is a British crown dependency but not part of the United Kingdom. Not quite 85,000 people live there, and Douglas is the capital. Its economy is based on tourism and small manufacturing. Children can learn more at: Isle of Man.
Flag of Cabo Verde
Republic of Cabo Verde (previously known as Cape Verde) celebrates Independence Day. Portugal relinquished all claims to the country in 1975. During the exploration period, the islands served as supply stations. During the last century, whaling became an important source of income. The country is actually composed of fifteen islands, and the combined area is about the size of Rhode Island. The climate is temperate, but water is scarce and droughts are common. About a half million people live in this country west of Africa. Praia is the capital. Children can learn more at: Republic of Cabo Verde.
Staffordshire Hoard was discovered in a field near Litchfield, England, in 2009. Over 3,500 items (mostly gold and silver) were found buried, and most of the items were made around the 7th century AD. The items are mostly military; no household items or women’s jewelry were found. Children can learn more at: http://www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk/.
Phineas Taylor Barnum (born Bethel, Connecticut, 1810; died Bridgeport, Connecticut, April 7, 1891) created Barnum’s American Museum in 1842. It featured unusual acts. He went on to highlight the talents of the singer, Jenny Lind. He opened “The Greatest Show on Earth” in 1871. Later he merged his business interests with J. A. Bailey and formed the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Idea: Children could create their own “Greatest Show on Earth.”
Sylvester Graham (born West Suffield, Connecticut, 1794; died Northampton, Massachusetts, September 11, 1851) was a minister and physician who invented the graham cracker. He was a member of the temperance movement and an early vegetarian. He developed graham flour, a course-ground type of whole wheat. Does his birthday inspire S’Mores?
Meredith Ann Pierce (born Seattle, Washington, 1958) writes fantasy books for young adults. Her work includes the Darkangel trilogy and the Firebringer trilogy. Children could visit her website at: http://www.moonandunicorn.com/.
John Schoenherr (born New York, New York, 1935; died Easton, Pennsylvania, April 8, 2010) was an illustrator. He illustrated 40 books for children, and he received the 1968 Caldecott Medal for Jane Yolan’s Owl Moon. He also illustrated Sterling North’s Rascal. He is perhaps best known for his illustrations of Frank Herbert’s Dune.
Flag of Malawi
Malawi celebrates Republic Day. It received its independence from Great Britain in 1964. This landlocked country, slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania, is located in central Africa. Almost 17 million people live in the country. One of its major industries is the processing of foods, including tea, sugar, and tobacco. Lilongwe is the capital. Children could learn more at: Malawi.