Earth Day is today! This year’s theme is “Climate Action.” Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970. The original theme was “Give Earth a Chance.” Today is a good day to plant some trees or clean up some trash or build a compost pile or make a bird house or…Children could learn more at: Earth Day. Children could also read Earth Day – Hooray! by Stuart J. Murphy. The book incorporates some great math concepts with an emphasis on the environment.
Pedro Alvarez Cabral discovered Brazil in 1500. Brazil was claimed by Portugal, and it is the only South American country where Portuguese is the principal language.
Oklahoma Land Rush
Oklahoma Land Rush began at twelve noon 1889 when the government opened 1,900,000 acres of land bought from the Creek and Seminole Indians. People raced to obtain the best plots of land. By evening 50,000 people had established home sites in the region. Children could learn more at: Land Rush. They could research the differences between a “sooner” and a “boomer.”
Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth made his pitching debut in 1914 when the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Buffalo Bison 6-0.
Borge Ousland, a Norwegian explorer, became the first person to trek to the North Pole solo in 1994. He left Cape Atkticheskiy, Siberia, on March 2, 1994. He averaged about 19 miles a day over the 630-mile trip.
Eileen Christelow (born Washington, DC, 1943) writes and illustrates books for children. Her works include the Five Little Monkeys series and Where’s the Big Bad Wolf. Children can visit her very interesting website at: http://www.christelow.com/.
Paula Fox (born New York, New York, 1923; died Brooklyn, New York, March 1, 2017) wrote about 20 books for children. One of her books, The Slave Dancer, earned the 1974 Newbery Medal. She received the very prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1978 for her body of works.
Yehudi Menuhin (born New York, New York, 1916; died Berlin, Germany, March 12, 1999) was a renowned violinist. Idea: Children could find out how a violin makes sounds.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare’s birthday may be today! Experts believe he was born in Stratford-on-Avon, England, in 1564, and died in Stratford-on-Avon, England, on April 23, 1616. He is one of the most famous poets and playwrights. His works are among the most quoted in the World. He wrote almost forty plays and over 150 sonnets. Famous works include Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Boston Latin School opened its doors in 1635, making it the first public school to operate in the colonies. The school continues to exist!
Modern Replica of Victorian Zoetrope
Courtesy of Andrew Dunn
Zoetrope was patented by William Lincoln in 1867. He received Patent Number 64,117. A zoetrope produces the illusion of a moving picture by creating two cylinders, one inside the other. The outer cylinder contains paintings. The inner cylinder has slits in its side. When the inner cylinder turns, observers see the images on the outer cylinder move. Quite popular in the 1880’s, zoetropes have found new homes in long subway station platforms. Children could see an amazing Pixar video of a zoetrope at: Zoetrope.
Saint George Fighting the Dragon
by Raphael
Saint George Feast Day remembers the death of the English martyr Saint George in the year 303. He killed the famous dragon that required daily sacrifice. The story of St. George and the Dragon has been written by several different authors. One excellent version is Saint George and the Dragon, written by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. The book received the 1985 Caldecott Medal.