NOT Homemade Breads
National Homemade Bread Day is celebrated in the United States. Nothing beats the fragrance of a freshly baked loaf of bread! However, that does not mean yeast breads. Quick breads, depending on baking soda and baking powder for leavening, are easy to make and delicious. Flat breads and corn cakes qualify as well.
Anne Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts in 1637 for speaking against the religious leaders. She, her husband, and others traveled to join Roger Williams in Providence, Rhode Island. Anne Hutchinson’s Way, written by Jeannine Atkins and illustrated by Michael Dooling, accurately portrays Hutchinson’s life and the problems she faced.
Congress met in session for the first time in the Capitol Building in 1800. Interesting fact – the Capitol Building on Sundays was used as a house of worship until the Civil War. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison attended services there. Children could visit the government website. The site offers some virtual tours and excellent links: Capitol Building.
Suez Canal
Suez Canal began operating in 1869. Construction began on April 25, 1859. The canal, which took ten years to construct, connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Today the canal is 120 miles long and about 80 feet deep. It has no locks. Children can find interesting facts and great photographs at: Suez Canal.
Flat strip, Moebius Strip, Moebius Strip after one cut
August Ferdinand Moebius (born Schulpforte, Germany, 1790; died Leipzig, Germany, September 26, 1868) was a mathematician. He was especially interested in topology, a branch of mathematics that involves space and surfaces. Children can participate in an interesting topology problem by seeing if they can peel an orange so that the peel stays in one piece. They can also learn about a Moebius Strip at: Moebius Strip.
Christopher Paolini (born New York, 1983) writes fantasy for young adults. He is best known for his Inheritance Cycle. His website is filled with information and activities: Christopher Paolini.
Flag of Latvia
Latvia celebrates Independence Day, the day in 1918 when the country declared its freedom from Soviet Russia. Slightly larger than the state of West Virginia, Latvia borders the Baltic Sea. Its neighbors include Lithuania and Estonia. Over two million people live in Latvia, and Riga is the capital.
Flag of Oman
Oman celebrates a national holiday, honoring the birthday of Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman. Located on the southeastern portion of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman exports a great deal of petroleum. Other natural resources are copper, limestone, and marble. According to the CIA World Factbook, Oman is a bit smaller than Kansas. Muscat is the capital.
William Tell shot the famous apple from his son’s head in 1307. According to legend, Tell, an excellent marksman, had angered the local leader. The leader arrested Tell but said that if the latter could shoot an apple off the top of his son’s head, he could go free. Tell was successful, but a series of further adventures occurred before he and his son were really free. Children could have an accuracy contest, but not with arrows and apples and heads. They could aim paper airplanes at a target. Children could also read several versions of this story at: Project Gutenberg.
Antarctica was discovered by Captain Nathaniel Palmer and his crew in 1820. Only 22 years old at the time, the American was sailing on his sloop Hero and looking for seal rookeries. Antarctica is about the size of the United States and Mexico combined, and no countries can lay claim to the continent. Children can visit a great website at: Antarctica.
United States and Canada established uniform time zones in 1883. Prior to 1883 towns and particularly railroads established their own time standards. Therefore, travel between communities could be very confusing. The continental United States has four time zones. Alaska and Hawaii each add another time zone. Children could check out: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/ and create some good math problems with the data.