Warren Harding
First radio in the White House was installed in 1922 during Warren Harding’s administration. Radios were not common household items at the time, and radio broadcasting stations were still in their infancy.
Feb 082025
celebrateandlearn
Feb 082025
Rebecca Lee Crumpler (born Delaware, 1831; died Boston, Massachusetts, March 9, 1895) was the first African American woman to earn a medical degree. She graduated from New England Female Medical College in 1864. She started her practice in Boston, but at the end of the Civil War she worked with African American women and children in Richmond, Virginia. Ultimately she returned to Boston and continued to serve impoverished African Americans. Children can learn more at: Rebecca Lee Crumpler.
William Tecumseh Sherman (born Lancaster, Ohio, 1820; died New York, New York, February 14, 1891) served as a general for the Union army during the Civil War. He is best known for his march through Georgia. Children can learn more at: Sherman.
Jules Verne (born Nantes, France, 1828; died Amiens, France, March 24, 1905) was a French novelist, playwright, and poet and is considered “the Father of Science Fiction.” He wrote at least 54 books, including Around the World in Eighty Days and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Children can read his work at: Project Gutenberg. Which of his ideas have actually become real inventions?
John Williams (born New York, New York, 1932) is a composer, conductor and pianist. His works include the scores for Star Wars and Jurassic Park. Idea: Show a clip from a movie that includes some of his music. How does his music contribute to the mood of the scene?
Feb 092025
Homemade Pizza
National Pizza Day is today! Statistics regarding pizza are astounding. Around three billion pizzas are sold every year. That means that around 350 slices of pizza are gobbled down every second. Pepperoni is the favorite type of pizza. Children could poll their friends as to everyone’s favorite type of pizza. That could include all kinds of pizzas: thin crust, Chicago style, gluten-free, even cauliflower crust. And the toppings! Where do we begin?
Feb 092025
1943 Photo of Weather Service Office
United States Weather Service was created in 1870. Today the Weather Service is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Children can find out more about the Weather Service at: Weather Service.
Feb 092025
Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan of Massachusetts in 1895. He invented the game to be played indoors and that would provide good exercise but not as much physical contact as other sports, for example basketball.
Feb 092025
Beatles
Beatles appeared for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Over 73 million people watched the program. Idea: Have the class create acts for a variety show.
Feb 092025
Halley’s Comet
Halley’s Comet was visible in 1986. Named after Edmund Halley, the scientist who conducted extensive research on the comet, the comet has been documented since 240 BCE. The comet will appear again around July 28, 2061. Children could learn more about comets in general at: Comets.
Feb 092025
Dick Gackenbach (born Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1927) has written and illustrated over 70 books for children. His works include Harry and the Terrible Whatzit and Hattie Rabbit.
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison (born Berkeley, Virginia, 1773; died Washington, DC, April 4, 1841) was the ninth president (1841) of the United States. After a successful military career, he served in the House of Representatives, the Senate, and as ambassador to Colombia. His presidential campaign slogan was “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.” His inaugural address was delivered in the cold and rain. He developed pneumonia and died a month later. Children could visit a website at: William Henry Harrison. They could find out what happened at Tippecanoe.
Amy Lowell (born Brookline, Massachusetts, 1874; died Brookline, Massachusetts, May 12, 1925) was a poet. Children can learn more about her life at: Amy Lowell. Children can read some of her works at: Project Gutenberg.
Lydia Estes Pinkham (born Lynn, Massachusetts, 1819; died Lynn, Massachusetts, May 17, 1883) produced and sold Lydia Pinkham’s Vegetable Compound. Containing about 18 percent alcohol, the medicine was supposed to be therapeutic. After her death, the business became quite sound financially.
Alice Walker (born Eatonton, Georgia, 1944) is an author and social activist. One of her books is The Color Purple, which received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. She is the first African American woman to receive a Pulitzer. Children can visit her website at: Alice Walker.
Feb 102025
George Washington in British Uniform
French and Indian War officially ended in 1763. The French and the British signed the Treaty of Paris. The war meant that the British greatly expanded their territory in North America. However, the war was a tremendous financial burden to Great Britain. That financial burden was passed on to the American colonists in the form of various taxes. The French and Indian War eventually led to the Revolutionary War. Did you know George Washington was an officer on the British side? Children could read Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian Wars 1689-1763 by Betsy Maestro and Giulio Maestro.
Feb 102025
Fire extinguisher was patented in 1863 by Alanson Crane. Children can see the patent application at: Fire Extinguisher. Children could also learn more about fire safety at: Fire Safety.