Flag of American Samoa
American Samoa celebrates Flag Day, the day in 1900 when it became an American territory. It was formerly Eastern Samoa. Located in the South Pacific, the island group (according to the CIA World Factbook) is about the size of Washington, DC. About 55,000 people live in this tropical territory. Tuna fishing and tuna processing are a large part of its economy. Pago Pago is the capital. Older children can learn more at: American Samoa.
Richter Scale Day honors the birth of Charles Francis Richter. Born in 1900 near Hamilton, Ohio, Richter developed the scale named after him that measures earthquake magnitude. He died in Pasadena, California, on September 30, 1985. Idea: The Richter Scale registers from one to nine, with nine being the highest. However, each number is ten times stronger than the one before it. For example, an earthquake measuring five is ten times stronger than one measuring four. Students could calculate how much stronger an earthquake of nine is compared to an earthquake of one. They could also make a chart of famous earthquakes and their number on the Richter Scale. Children could learn more at: Earthquakes.