Poinsettia Day Is Today!

 Events
Dec 122024
 

Poinsettia Day marks the death of Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett. A United States diplomat assigned to Mexico, he was the first person to bring the poinsettia plant from Central America to the United States. The plant was named in honor of him. He died in 1851 near Statesburg, South Carolina. Now the poinsettia is associated with the Christmas season. The red portions of a poinsettia are actually a type of bracket leaf. The real flowers are the yellow dots in the center of the red bracket leaves. Children could read Tomie dePaola’s The Legend of the Poinsettia.

Kenya Celebrates Jamhuri Day

 Events
Dec 122024
 
Kenya

Flag of Kenya

Kenya celebrates Jamhuri Day. Kenya gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. Today is also its Constitution Day, established a year later in 1964. This east African country, located along the equator, is slightly larger than the state of California. More than 40 million people live in this tropical country; Nairobi is the capital. Kenya exports coffee, tea and petroleum. Kenya’s coffee is quite strong. Children could find out how coffee is grown and harvested. They could also learn more at: Kenya.

Happy Birthday, Pennsylvania!

 Events
Dec 122024
 
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg

Pennsylvania Flag

Liberty Bell

Pennsylvania became the second state of the United States by ratifying the Constitution in 1787. William Penn received a charter for the colony in 1681 and named it after his father. The name means, “Penn’s Woods.” The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were both signed in Philadelphia, home of the Liberty Bell. Harrisburg is the state capital, and its nickname is the Keystone State. In 1780 it was the first state to end slavery. It is a large transportation center, since it has access to both the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Erie. Children could discover what a keystone is and how it relates to Pennsylvania’s nickname. They could also visit the America’s Library site at: Pennsylvania.

First Radio Transmission across the Atlantic Happened in 1901

 Events
Dec 122024
 
Marconi and His Kite

Marconi and His Kite

Guglielmo Marconi sent the first transoceanic radio signal from England to Newfoundland (2,200 miles) in 1901. He flew a kite 500 feet in the air to keep his antenna up and used Morse Code to transmit “s,” which is “- – -.” He, along with Ferdinand Braun, received the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics. Older children could learn more at: Marconi.

Birthdays

 Birthdays
Dec 122024
 

William Lloyd Garrison (born Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1805; died New York, New York, May 24, 1879) was an abolitionist and a writer. He was the editor of The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper. Following the Civil War and the end of slavery, he became a proponent of women’s rights.

John Jay (born New York, New York, 1745; died Bedford, New York, May 17, 1829) was a diplomat and a writer. He co-authored the Federalist papers and was the first chief justice of the Supreme Court. Children could learn more at: John Jay.

Edvard Munch (born Loten, Norway, 1863; died Ekely, Norway, January 23, 1944) was an artist. He is known for The Scream, created in 1893. Older teenagers might want to visit the Munch portion of the Google Art Project at: Edvard Munch.