Thanksgiving Pumpkins
Thanksgiving is tomorrow! Today children could make placemats or nametags or table decorations (all from construction paper and markers). They could figure out how many smaller words they can make from the phrase “Happy Thanksgiving” or the phrase “Run Away and Hide, Turkey.” Children could also read The Night Before Thanksgiving by Natasha Wing.
Macy’s held its first Thanksgiving Day parade in 1924 in Manhattan. Store employees wore costumes, and live animals from the Central Park Zoo were part of the festivities. Floats and professional bands were also in the parade. Balloons were introduced in 1928, and zoo animals no longer took part. The parade gained in popularity, but it was suspended from 1941 to 1944 because the World War II effort required the rubber and helium from the balloons. Television coverage began in 1948. Today high school and college marching bands, along with live performances of excerpts of Broadway shows and movies, accompany the floats and balloons.
Williamsburg, Virginia, began restoration processes in 1926. Colonial Williamsburg, along with Jamestown and Yorktown, form the Historic Triangle. About four million people visit the region each year. Colonial Williamsburg has a great website for children at: Williamsburg.
Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope discovered first example of atmosphere around an exoplanet in 2001. Hubble spotted a hydrogen atmosphere around the exoplanet with the unofficial name of Osiris. The exoplanet’s official name is HD 209458b, and it is a “hot Jupiter” body, because its atmosphere temperature is 2150 degrees Fahrenheit. Located in the constellation Pegasus, it is 150 light years away from us. It is 220 times the mass of the earth. Children could learn more at: Osiris.
Anders Celsius (born Uppsala, Sweden, 1701; died Uppsala, Sweden, April 25, 1744) was an astronomer. However, he is most famous for his Celsius temperature scale. In the Celsius (centigrade) Scale, water freezes at zero degres, and water boils at one hundred degrees. Children could compare and contrast the Fahrenheit Scale with the Celsius Scale. They could also research where these scales are used.
Kevin Henkes (born Racine, Wisconsin, 1960) is a children’s author and illustrator. One of his books is Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. His Circle Dogs received the 1999 Charlotte Zolotow Award: Highly Commended. Henkes received a 2004 Caldecott Honor Award for Owen. Kitten’s First Full Moon was awarded the 2005 Caldecott Medal, and Olive’s Ocean received a 2004 Newbery Honor Award. He earned a 2014 Newbery Honor Award for The Year of Billy Miller. He received a 2016 Caldecott Honor Award for Waiting. Notice that Henkes has received both Caldecott and Newbery Awards – what an accomplishment! His amazing website is absolutely loaded with activities: Kevin Henkes.
Robert R. Livingston
Robert R. Livingston (born New York, New York, 1746; died Clermont, New York, February 26, 1813) was a patriot, a member of the Continental Congress, and a diplomat. Representing New York, he was one of the Committee of Five, the representatives who drafted the Declaration of Independence. A fervent believer in independence, he was recalled to New York and did not sign the Declaration. He delivered the presidential oath to George Washington at the inauguration in 1789. He was Minister to France from 1801 to 1804 and therefore he negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. Children could learn more at: Robert R. Livingston.
Katherine Milhous (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1894; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1977) was a writer and an illustrator. She wrote and/or illustrated over fifteen books. One of her books, The Egg Tree, received the 1951 Caldecott Medal.
Bill Nye (born Washington, DC, 1955) is an educator, writer, scientist, and TV personality. He hosted “Bill Nye the Science Guy” on television from 1993 to 1998. He continues to be active in the combined fields of science and education. Children could spend days at his amazing website: Bill Nye.