Early Television Set
First televised basketball games occurred in 1940. The games took place in Madison Square Garden and showcased four college teams, Fordham University versus University of Pittsburgh, and Georgetown versus NYU.
Color television sets were offered for sale in 1954. However, most broadcasting was in black and white, so the sets did not really sell until about 1965 when broadcasting was in color.
Megan McDonald (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1959) writes books for children. Her books include the Judy Moody series and the Stink series. Children can visit her website, especially the Fun Stuff section, at: Megan McDonald.
Donna Jo Napoli (born Miami, Florida, 1948) has written at least 75 books for children. She writes for a wide range of readers, from picture books to books for elementary school students to young adult readers. Her books include the Sly the Sleuth series, Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, and Fire in the Hills. Children could visit her site at: Donna Jo Napoli.
Linus Pauling (born Portland, Oregon, 1901; died Big Sur, California, August 19, 1994) was a scientist. He received one Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1954 for research in molecular structure. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 for his work in trying to stop nuclear testing. He was also famous for his claims that large amounts of Vitamin C reduce the effects of colds and other diseases. Older children could learn more about him, particularly his Nobel Prizes, at: Linus Pauling.
Lemony Snicket (born Daniel Handler in San Francisco, California, 1970) writes books for children. His books include the Series of Unfortunate Events and The Composer is Dead. Children would enjoy his website, especially the Dire Diversions portion, at: Lemony Snicket.
Salem witch trials commenced in 1692. The mania concluded in the fall. Nineteen people were hanged. One man was pressed to death. Over 50 more people awaited execution, and 150 were in jail, waiting to be tried. All the living were pardoned by late 1692. Older children could read Beyond the Burning Time by Kathryn Lasky.
Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781. This document consolidated the thirteen colonies into one country and was the early nation’s frame of government until the Constitution was written in 1789. Children could learn more at: Articles of Confederation.
Ohio State Flag
Ohio became the seventeenth state of the United States in 1803. The state’s nickname is the Buckeye State and the state tree is the buckeye. Columbus is the capital. The state ranks 34th in area, but it is the seventh most populous. Eight presidents were either born there or lived there. The official state beverage is tomato juice. Children could make and drink some tomato juice and figure out which presidents were born in or lived in Ohio.
Nebraska State Flag
Nebraska became the thirty-seventh state of the United States in 1867. The word Nebraska means flat water. Its nickname is the Cornhusker State, and it is a leading producer of corn and cattle. Lincoln is the state capital. Nebraska ranks fifteenth in area and 37th in population. Idea: Children could brainstorm a list of what to do with all those cornhusks.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872. It was the country’s first national park and perhaps the world’s first national park. Comprising over 2,200,000 acres, it is mostly in Wyoming, but portions of the park extend into Idaho and Montana. It is known for beautiful vistas, plentiful wildlife, and interesting geothermal features. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Children could visit an Internet site, especially the portions for children and teachers, at: http://www.nps.gov/yell.
Venera 3, a Soviet unmanned space probe, crash landed on the surface of Venus in 1966. It was launched on November 16, 1965. It was the first man-made object to travel to another planet.
Buffalo National River
Credit: National Park Service
Buffalo National River was established in 1972. Located in northern Arkansas, a lower stretch of 135 miles of the Buffalo River is a national river. An upper stretch of eighteen miles is part of the Ozark National Forest. Children could learn more at: Buffalo National River.
Glenn Miller (born Clarinda, Iowa, 1904; disappeared over the English Channel, December 15, 1944) was a bandleader and a composer. His big band sound was especially popular before and during World War II. He was on a flight to Paris to perform for troops when his plane vanished.
Donald “Deke” Slayton (born Sparta, Wisconsin, 1924; died League City, Texas, June 13, 1993) was one of the original seven astronauts. A heart condition kept him from traveling in space for some time, and he became chief of flight operations. In 1971 the heart condition disappeared, and he flew on the last Apollo mission. His crew docked for the first time with a Soviet Soyuz vessel. Children can learn more at: Deke Slayton.