Jan 242024
 
California Miners Photograph Ad Meskens

California Miners
Photograph Ad Meskens

Gold was discovered in California in 1848 by John Sutter and John Marshall. They were building a sawmill when they noticed flakes of gold in the water. Most of the forty-niners rushed to the Mother Lode country, part of the western foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Over 90,000 people had reached California by 1849, and the population topped 220,000 by 1852. The rush had declined by 1854, and most prospectors turned to other jobs. Idea: Children could find out how mine claims are made legal and how assays prove metal content of ore. Children could learn more at: California Gold. Children would really enjoy reading Sid Fleischman’s excellent historical fiction book  By the Great Horn Spoon!

Sep 242024
 

L. Leslie Brooke (born Birkenhead, United Kingdom, 1862; died London, United Kingdom, May 1, 1940) wrote and illustrated books for children. His works include Johnny Crow’s Garden and Oranges and Lemons. Children could learn more at: L. Leslie Brooke. They can read some of his works at: Project Gutenberg.

Jane Louise Curry (born East Liverpool, Ohio, 1932) has written at least 39 books for young adults. Her works include The Egyptian Box and The Black Canary. Young adults can visit her website at: Jane Louise Curry.

Jane Cutler (born Bronx, New York, 1936) writes books for children and young adults. Her works include The Cello of Mr. O and My Wartime Summers. Children can visit her website at: Jane Cutler.

F. Scott Fitzgerald (born St. Paul, Minnesota, 1896; died Hollywood, California, December 21, 1940) was a writer. One of his most famous works was The Great Gatsby. Young adults can read several of his books (but not The Great Gatsby) at: Project Gutenberg.

Howard Florey (born Adelaide, Australia, 1898; died Oxford, United Kingdom, February 21, 1968) was a scientist. He and Ernst Boris Chain received the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They discovered a method to mass produce penicillin and thus saved millions of lives.

Jim Henson (born Greenville, Mississippi, 1936; died New York, New York, May 16, 1990) created the Muppets. He was very active in the production of Sesame Street. He also created several movies. Idea: Children could create puppets and produce their own plays.

John Marshall

John Marshall

John Marshall (born Germantown, Virginia, 1755; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 6, 1835) was a member of the House of Representatives and was John Adams’s secretary of state. However, he is most remembered as the Supreme Court Chief Justice who really defined the court. He also made the Supreme Court an important role within the framework of the Constitution. Children could read John Marshall (Supreme Court Justices) by Jim Corrigan. They could also learn more at: John Marshall.

Wilson Rawls (born Scraper, Oklahoma, 1913; died Cornell, Wisconsin, December 16, 1984) was a children’s author. He wrote Where the Red Fern Grows and Summer of the Monkeys. Children could learn more at: Wilson Rawls.