Flag of Mexico
Mexico celebrates Independence Day. It declared its freedom from Spain in 1810. Mexico, a bit smaller than three times the size of Texas, is home to 116.2 million people. Bordering the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, the country experiences earthquakes and hurricanes. Mexico City is the capital. Children could learn more at: Mexico.
Flag of Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea celebrates Independence Day. The country became independent in 1975, but it remains part of the British Commonwealth. It is composed of the larger island of New Guinea, the second biggest island in the world, and 600 smaller islands. About 6.4 million people live in Papua New Guinea, and Port Moresby is the capital.
Mayflower set sail in 1620 with 102 passengers and a meager crew. Its destination was Jamestown in Virginia, but it encountered terrible storms and was blown off course. It arrived at what is now Provincetown, Massachusetts, on November 21, 1620. The passengers went ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts, on December 26, 1620. Children could read On the Mayflower by Kate Waters. They could also visit: Mayflower.
Participants Waiting for the Land Rush
Cherokee Strip Land Rush occurred in 1893. At noon 100,000 settlers raced to stake parcels of land in what is now Oklahoma. Over 6.5 million acres were settled in just one day. Older children can learn more at: Land Rush.
Curious George Flies a Kite
H. A. Rey (born Hans Augustus Reyersbach, Hamburg, Germany, 1898; died Cambridge, Massachusetts, August 26, 1977) was a children’s author and illustrator. He and his wife Margaret Rey are best known for their books featuring Curious George. Children can learn more about his amazing life by reading The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden. Children can learn more at: H. A. Rey.
Joanne Ryder (born Lake Hiawatha, New Jersey, 1946) has written at least 25 books for children. Her works, incorporating poetry and science, include My Father’s Hands and Wild Birds. She is married to Laurence Yep. Children can view a list of her books and read reviews of those books at: Joanne Ryder.
World Manta Day is today! Manta rays live in tropical or sub-tropical waters. They feed on large quantities of zooplankton by swimming with their mouths open. The giant manta (Mobula birostris) lives in more open ocean waters and can have a wing span of 23 feet. The reef manta (Mobula alfredi) can have a wing span of up to 18 feet. Both are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. Interesting fact: mantas visit cleaning stations where cleaner fish remove parasites from the mantas’ skins.
Scene at the Signing of the Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy
Constitutional Convention unanimously approved the Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Almost all of the 42 delegates signed the document. It then had to be ratified by nine of the thirteen states. Children could find some very interesting questions about the members of the Convention at: Archive
Today is also Constitution Day, when school children across the country learn about the Constitution and its signers. A wonderful book about the signers is Dennis Brindell Fradin’s The Founders: The 39 Stories Behind the U. S. Constitution. Children could also visit http://www.constitutionday.cc/. There they could take a quiz and construct a poster.
Citizenship Day recognizes all new citizens. Presidential Proclamation has acknowledged this day since 1952. Over a million immigrants a year become United States citizens. Idea: Children could interview someone who has become a United States citizen. How does someone become a citizen? They could follow a simple flow chart at: http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/apply-citizenship.
Antietam National Cemetery
Battle of Antietam occurred in 1862. This Civil War battle was called America’s bloodiest day because over 25,000 soldiers were killed on the shores of the Potomac River. Children could learn more at: Battle of Antietam.
First Successful Transcontinental Flight Started in 1911. Calbraith Perry Rodgers left Sheepshead Bay, New York, on September 17, 1911. After making 70 stops, mostly crash landings, he landed in Pasadena, California, on November 5, 1911. Although the trip took 50 days, Rodgers was flying for only 3 days, 10 hours, and 14 minutes. About all that was left of the original plane was the drip pan and the vertical rudder.