International Tuba Day celebrates the very large instrument. Children could watch a video of excellent tuba playing at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04PWhO6wd2A. Children could learn more at: http://www.tubaday.com/index.php.
May 032026
celebrateandlearn
May 032026
1904 Brushmobile
New York State in 1904 became the first state to institute automobile speed limits. Cars could travel ten miles per hour in cities and twenty miles per hour in rural areas.
May 032026
Mavis Jukes (born Nyack, New York, 1947) writes books for children. Her books include No One Is Going to Nashville and Blackberries in the Dark. She received a 1985 Newbery Honor Award for Like Jake and Me.
Golda Meir
Golda Meir (born Golda Mabovitz in Kiev, Ukraine, 1898; died Jerusalem, Israel, December 8, 1978) moved to the United States in 1906. She left the United States for Palestine in 1921. It was divided into Israel and an Arab state in 1948. She served in various government capacities in Israel and was its Prime Minister from 1969 to 1974.
One Photo by Jacob Riis
Jacob August Riis (born Ribe, Denmark, 1849; died Barre, Massachusetts, May 26, 1914) was a journalist and a photographer. He came to the United States in 1870 and found employment as a carpenter. He became a reporter and concentrated on the plight of the poor and on child labor. His works brought about changes in city housing, parks, and schools. He was one of the first photographers to use flash bulbs. Children can view some of his works at: Project Gutenberg. Children could read the excellent book Immigrant Kids by Lewis Hine, Jacob Riis, and Russell Freedman.
May 042026
Peter Minuit
Peter Minuit arrived in what is now Manhattan in 1626. Representing the Dutch government, he purchased Manhattan for goods worth 60 guilders (24 dollars). Children could learn more at: Manhattan.
May 042026
Magellan fixed inside Atlantis
Atlantis, an American shuttle spacecraft, was launched in 1989. It successfully deployed Magellan, which traveled to Venus to map the planet’s surface. Magellan encountered Venus on August 10, 1990 and began taking high-quality radar images on September 15, 1990. It continued to photograph the planet’s surface, making six complete mapping cycles. Magellan mapped about 98 percent of Venus’s surface. It was commanded to plunge into Venus’s surface, still sending data, on October 13, 1994. Children could learn more at: Magellan.
May 042026
Doug Cushman (born Springfield, Ohio, 1953) has written and/or illustrated at least 125 books for children. His books include the Aunt Eater series and the Dirk Bones series. Children can learn more at: Doug Cushman.
Horace Mann (born Franklin, Massachusetts, 1796; died Yellow Springs, Ohio, August 2, 1859) is known as “the father of public education in the United States.” He was the editor of the Common School Journal. Idea: Children could find out more about Mann and his ideas about education.
Julia Gardiner Tyler
Julia Gardiner Tyler (born Gardiner’s Island, New York, 1820; died Richmond, Virginia, July 10, 1889) was America’s First Lady from June 26, 1844 to March 4, 1845. She was the second wife of John Tyler, tenth president of the United States. They were married while he was president. Siding toward the Confederacy, John Tyler died before the beginning of the Civil War. Later, Congress voted to give her a pension. Children could visit a website at: Julia Gardiner Tyler.
May 052026
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in Mexico and the United States. The Battle of Puebla took place in 1862. General Ignacio Zaragoza led his Mexican army, outnumbered three to one, against Napoleon III’s French forces. Zaragoza won. Speeches, festivals, and parades are held nationwide. Young children could read Cinco de Mayo by Mary Dodson Wade. Idea: Children could have a Cinco de Mayo celebration. A piñata should be included.
May 052026
Flag of Ethiopia
Ethiopia celebrates Freedom Day. Also known as Patriots’ Day, the day marks the 1941 end of Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia. Located in eastern Africa, it is the largest land-locked country in the world. The country’s area is a bit less than twice the area of Texas. It has small reserves of gold, copper, potash, and natural gas. Crops include maize, wheat, sorghum, and sweet potatoes, but food insecurity exists. Over 113 million people live in Ethiopia, and Addis Ababa is the capital. Children can learn more at: Ethiopia.
May 052026
Mary Kies patented in 1809 a straw and silk weaving system. She was the first woman in America granted a patent. Children can read more at: Mary Kies.
May 052026
Cy Young in 1904 pitched baseball’s first perfect game. A perfect game means the pitcher did not let any opposing player reach first base. Perfect games are very rare. The Cy Young Award for pitching honors him. Children can view a list of Cy Young Award winners at: Cy Young Awards.