American Horseshoe Pitchers Association was formed in 1914. Idea: Children could pitch some plastic horseshoes on the playground. They could visit the still-functioning group’s website at: http://www.horseshoepitching.com/.
May 162026
celebrateandlearn
May 162026
Academy Awards, the Oscars, were awarded for the first time in 1929. The Academy Awards honor films and film-related topics and people, Idea: The children could decide some Academy Award categories and pick some nominees. The class could vote to decide the winners.
May 162026
Gordon Cooper
Gordon Cooper, an American astronaut, circled the earth 22 times in 1963. His craft was the Faith 7. He splashed down over 34 hours after take-off. His craft was hoisted aboard a carrier before he opened the hatch. His voyage was the last of the Mercury flights. Children could learn more at: Cooper.
May 162026
Caroline Arnold (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1944) has written and/or illustrated at least 170 books for children. She has also provided many of the photographs in her books. Her books include A Polar Bear’s World and Wiggle and Waggle. Children can visit her website, particularly the activities portion, at: Caroline Arnold.
Bruce Coville (born Syracuse, New York, 1950) has written at least 100 books for children. His books include the My Teacher Is an Alien series and Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher. Children can visit his website, particularly the fun page, at: Bruce Coville.
Wesley Dennis (born Falmouth, Massachusetts, 1903; died Falmouth, Massachusetts, September 3, 1966) wrote and illustrated books for children. He is most known for his illustrations of horses. He illustrated fifteen of Marguerite Henry’s books, including Justin Morgan Had a Horse and Misty of Chincoteague. He also illustrated John Steinbeck’s The Red Pony and Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. Children can learn more at: Wesley Dennis.
Curious George Flies a Kite
Margret Rey (born Hamburg, Germany, 1906; died Cambridge, Massachusetts, December 21, 1966) was a children’s author. She and her husband, H. A. Rey, created Curious George. Children can learn more about her and her husband by reading The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey, by Louise W. Borden and Allan Drummond. Children can also visit Margret Rey.
Nancy Grace Roman (born Nashville, Tennessee, 1925; died Germantown, Maryland, December 26, 2018) was an astronomer and one of the first female leaders in NASA. She is called the “Mother of the Hubble Telescope.” Children could read the transcript of an excellent interview at: Nancy Grace Roman.
William Henry Seward
William Henry Seward (born Florida, New York, 1801; died Auburn, New York, October 10, 1872) was secretary of state for Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. He arranged the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000. At the time many people called the deal “Seward’s Folly,” but that purchase ended up to be more than remarkable. Children could read William Seward: The Mastermind of the Alaska Purchase by Zachary Kent. Children could also learn more at: Alaska.
May 172026
Flag of Norway
Norway celebrates Constitution Day. Norway adopted its constitution on 1814. This long and skinny country, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, has an area slightly larger than that of New Mexico. Mountains and fjords alternate with valleys. About 4.7 million people live in this Scandinavian country, and most of the population lives in the warmer, southern region. The country exports petroleum and petroleum products. Oslo is the capital. Children can learn more at: Norway.
May 172026
New York Stock Exchange was created in 1792. Approximately 20 businessmen would meet under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street in New York City and trade stock. If the weather was bad, they met in a coffeehouse.
May 172026
Thurgood Marshall
Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision was announced in 1954. The Supreme Court ruled against segregation in education. “Separate but equal” was not equal. Thurgood Marshall, pictured here, was one of the lawyers representing Brown. Children can learn more at: Brown v. Board of Education.
May 172026
Eloise Greenfield (born Parmele, North Carolina, 1929; died Washington, DC, August 5, 2021) wrote at least 48 books (fiction, biographies, non-fiction, and poetry) for children. Her biography Paul Robeson received the 1976 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Africa Dream earned Greenfield the 1976 Coretta Scott King Medal. She received the 2018 Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Edward Jenner (born Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, 1749; died Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England, January 26, 1823) discovered the vaccine for smallpox. In 1980 health experts declared that the world was free from smallpox. Children can learn MUCH more at this very interesting website: Edward Jenner.
Grace Lin (born New Hartford, New York, 1974) has written and/or illustrated at least 25 books for children. Her book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon received a 2010 Newbery Honor Award. Her book Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! received a 2011 Theodor Geisel Award. Her work A Big Mooncake for Little Star received a 2019 Caldecott Honor Award. Children can learn more at her website: Grace Lin.
Gary Paulsen (born Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1939; died Tularosa, New Mexico, October 13, 2021) wrote more than 200 books for young adults. Dogsong earned a 1986 Newbery Honor Award. His book The Winter Room received a 1990 Newbery Honor Award. Perhaps his most notable work was Hatchet. He received the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1997 for his body of work.
May 182026
International Museum Day reminds us of the importance of museums. This year’s theme is “Museums, Sustainability and Well-being.”
May 182026
Crew before the Mission
Apollo 10 was launched in 1969 and carried astronauts Thomas Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene Cernan. The three traveled toward the moon and brought Snoopy, the lunar module, within nine miles of the moon. They circled the moon over thirty times and came back to earth on May 26, 1969. Children can learn more at: Apollo 10.