The Flying Scotsman in 1934 became the first locomotive to exceed 100 miles per hour. The train connected London, England, and Edinburgh, Scotland. Today the locomotive is on exhibit at the National Railway Museum in the United Kingdom. Today’s fastest train is the Shanghai Maglev, which travels at more than 267 miles per hour. Children could conduct research to find the speeds of other trains.
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.
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, an English explorer, began his trip in 1577 that would eventually circumnavigate the world. He left England with five ships and picked up another near the Cape Verde Islands. Actually Drake did not plan to sail around the world. He was a privateer intent on plundering Spanish ships. He returned to England September 26, 1580, with one ship loaded with treasure. Children find out more about his “sea dog” years by visiting: Sir Francis Drake. They could also experience a readers’ theater play at: Readers’ Theater.