Creation by Sandie
Christmas is today! Perhaps children would like to say “Merry Christmas” in different languages?
Joyeux Noël – French
God Jul – Norwegian
Froehlich Weihnachten – German
Feliz Navidad – Spanish
Buon Natale – Italian
Nadolig LLawen – Welsh
Gajan Kristnaskon – Esperanto
Feliz Natal – Portuguese
Весела Коледа – Bulgarian
Tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, the eight-day “Festival of Lights” that commemorates the success of the Maccabees when they fought the Seleucids 2100 years ago. When the Maccabees knew they were victorious, they realized they had enough oil to light the menorah for only one night. However, the oil lasted for eight nights. Jews eat latkes, play games with dreidels, and light candles on the menorah every night. Tonight the shamash (the middle candle) and one more candle will be lit. Hanukkah will end the night of Janaury 3, 2025. Children could read Alexandra’s Scroll: The Story of the First Hanukkah, written by Miriam Chaikin. Children could also visit a great website, loaded with activities, at: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/hanukkah_for_kids.htm.
General Washington and his army secretly crossed the Delaware River in 1776 and surprised the British troops in Trenton. The American victory was a milestone in the Revolutionary War. A number of children’s books have been written about the event. Lynne Cheyney’s When Washington Crossed the Delaware: A Wintertime Story for Young Patriots is an excellent book. They can visit the Washington Crossing State Park site at: Washington Crossing.
World Wide Web trial run was first successfully conducted in 1990. The Internet and the World Wide Web are not synonymous. The Internet is the hardware and systems, and the World Wide Web is the data that browsers allow us to exchange. Tim Berners-Lee in 1990 developed Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a way for computers to talk to each other. Others developed browsers to make the process easier. The WorldWideWeb, originally its name, allowed the use of the Internet to increase exponentially. Berners-Lee, a British citizen, was knighted for his work in 2004.
James Webb Space Telescope
James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space in 2021. Developed primarily by NASA with help from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the infrared telescope can basically go back in time to see the formation of the first galaxies and to locate exoplanets. The telescope is named after James Webb, NASA administrator from 1961 to 1968. It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on a Ariane 5 rocket. Children can monitor the telescope’s progress at: James Webb Telescope.
Clara Barton 1865
Clara Barton (born Oxford, Massachusetts, 1821; died Glen Echo, Maryland, April 12, 1912) was the founder of the American Red Cross. During the Civil War, she began helping the wounded. She also started a system to find missing soldiers. After the war, she traveled to Europe. She observed the International Red Cross in action. She returned to the United States and in 1881 founded what was later known as the American Red Cross. She worked as its president until 1904. Children can visit the AMAZING National Park Service site of her home, featuring virtual tours and handouts, at: Clara Barton.
Cab Calloway (born Rochester, New York, 1907; died Hosckessin, Delaware, November 18, 1994) was a jazz singer and bandleader. One of his most famous songs is “Minnie the Moocher.” Children can view him performing “Hi-De-Ho” on Sesame Street at: Cab Calloway.
Eth Clifford (born New York, New York, 1915; died Pikesville, Maryland, April 1, 2003) wrote over 80 books for children. Her books include Help! I’m a Prisoner in the Library and the Flatfoot Fox mystery series. Children could learn more at: Eth Clifford.
Isaac Newton (born Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, 1642; died London, England, March 20, 1727) was a mathematician, scientist and writer. He is remembered for three major contributions. He developed calculus, a branch of mathematics. He discovered relationships of light and color. He delineated theories of motion and gravity. All three of the accomplishments were made in an eighteen-month period. Children could eat Fig Newtons and carry out experiments with prisms. They could also read Isaac Newton and Physics: His Life and Ideas with 21 Activities by Kerrie Logan Hollihan.
Dora Pantell (born New York, New York, 1915; died March 15, 1996) was a writer and a social worker. She continued writing the Miss Pickerell series after Ellen MacGregor, the creator, died.
Robert Ripley (born Santa Rosa, California, 1893; died New York, New York, May 27, 1949) was the creator of the Believe It or Not cartoons, books and museums. The first Believe It or Not cartoon appeared in New York City’s Globe December 19, 1918. Experts believe the peak readership for his work was about 80 million people. Children could create their own “Believe It or Nots.”
Pam Muñoz Ryan (born Bakersfield, California, 1951) writes children’s books. Her Esperanza Rising received both the 2002 Pura Belpré Award and the 2002 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. The Dreamer earned the 2011 Pura Belpré Award. When Marian Sang was a 2003 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. She received a 2016 Newbery Honor Award for Echo. Children can visit her website, which includes free readers’ theater scripts, at: Pam Munoz Ryan.