Creation by Sandie
“Silent Night” was performed for the first time in a small Austrian town in 1818. Franz Xavier Gruber developed the melody, and Joseph Mohr wrote the lyrics. The original lyrics are in German, but it has been translated and performed in many other languages. The following site gives more information, as well as the lyrics in both German and English: Silent Night.
War of 1812 ended in 1814 when a peace treaty, the Treaty of Ghent, was signed in Ghent, Belgium. Representatives from the United States and Great Britain started negotiations in August and completed the details December 24th. The Senate ratified the treaty on February 16, 1815. Children can view a photograph of the original document and the detailed transcript of the treaty at: Treaty of Ghent.
Parker Solar Probe passed within 3.8 million miles of the sun around 6:53 EST in 2024. The unmanned NASA probe was launched August 12, 2018. Traveling at 430,000 miles per hour, the spacecraft has flown past the sun on previous occasions. The craft is named after Eugene Parker, an astrophysicist who predicted the existence of solar winds.
Christopher “Kit” Carson (born Madison County, Kentucky, 1809; died Fort Lyon, Colorado, May 23, 1868) was a frontiersman and Indian agent. Children can learn more about him at: Kit Carson. They can also visit the Kit Carson Museum at: Kit Carson Museum.
Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy Meet for the First Time
Johnny Gruelle (born Arcola, Illinois,1880; died Miami Beach, Florida, January 8, 1938) was a children’s author and illustrator. He created the Raggedy Ann doll and the Raggedy Ann stories. He patented the doll in 1915; children can see the: Patent. Children can learn more at: Johnny Gruelle.
James Prescott Joule (born Salford, Lancashire, England, 1818; died Cheshire, England, October 11, 1889) was a scientist. He formulated Joule’s Law in 1840. An electrical conductor produces heat. The unit of energy is called a joule. Children can set up an experiment with a toaster to show how an electrical conductor carries heat. The children could enjoy the toast after the experiment. Children can learn more at: James Prescott Joule.
William Paterson (born Northern Ireland, 1745; died Albany, New York, September 9, 1806) represented New Jersey at the Constitutional Convention. A lawyer, he was part of New Jersey’s law making system during the Revolutionary War. After the war, he served in the Senate. Then he became governor of New Jersey. Then George Washington asked him to serve on the Supreme Court, a role he held for thirteen years until his death. Children could learn more at: William Paterson.
Benjamin Rush (born Byberry, Pennsylvania, 1745; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 19, 1813) was an early American hero. He signed the Declaration of Independence. A physician, he was also called the “Father of Psychiatry.” He was the first doctor to label alcoholism as a disease. Children could learn more at: Benjamin Rush.
John Langstaff (born Brooklyn, New York, 1920; died Basel, Switzerland, December 13, 2005) was a musician, music educator, and writer of children’s books. He wrote 25 children’s books, including Frog Went A-Courtin’. The book’s illustrator, Feodor Rojankovsky, received the 1956 Caldecott Medal.
Stephenie Meyer (born Hartford, Connecticut, 1973) writes books for young adults and produces movies. She wrote the Twilight series, The Host, and The Chemist. Older children can visit her website at: Stephenie Meyer.
Feodor Rojankovsky (born Mitava, Russia, 1891; died Bronxville, New York, October 12, 1970) wrote and illustrated books for children. He illustrated more than 100 books. His illustrations in John Langstaff’s Frog Went A-Courtin’ earned him the 1956 Caldecott Medal. Children can learn more at: Feodor Rojankovsky.
Noel Streatfeild (born Sussex, United Kingdom, 1895; died London, United Kingdom, September 11, 1986) wrote at least 28 books for children and at least 28 novels for adults. she also wrote some non-fiction. She is most famous for her “Shoes” books, including Ballet Shoes and Party Shoes. Children can learn more at: Noel Streatfeild.
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
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 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.
Kwanzaa is celebrated in the United States. Lasting for seven days, the African-American tradition began in 1966. Each day has a special theme. Umoja promotes unity. Kujichagulia stands for self-determination. Ujima provides for collective work and responsibility. Ujamaa works toward cooperative economics. Nia gives purpose. Kuumba develops creativity, and Imani means faith. Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of African-American studies at California State University, created Kwanzaa. Children could read The Kwanzaa Contest by Miriam Moore and Penny Taylor. Another super book is The Children’s Book of Kwanzaa: A Guide to Celebrating the Holiday, by Dolores Johnston.