Last Great Buffalo Hunt occurred in 1882. At one time 60 million buffalo roamed the plains, but buffalo hunts reduced the number to only 541 animals. Today about 31,000 bison can be found in preserves or on ranches. Bison can weigh up to a ton and stand six feet high at their shoulders. Children could learn more at: American Bison. Children could also find out why that bird perches on the buffalo’s back.
Ice cream soda was invented in Philadelphia in 1874 by Robert M. Greene. It was created to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Franklin Institute. Idea: Children could make ice cream sodas.
Caroline Willard Baldwin became the first woman to obtain a doctor of science degree in 1895. She graduated from Cornell University. She wrote an article, A Photographic Study of Arc Spectra, for the Physical Review journal. She then taught physics at the California School of Mechanical Arts.
Annette Curtis Klause (born Bristol, England, 1953) writes books for young adults. Her works include The Silver Kiss and Blood and Chocolate.
First Day of Summer
Summer solstice is today. Today is the longest amount of light and the shortest amount of darkness in the northern hemisphere. Today is also the shortest amount of light and the longest amount of darkness (start of winter) in the southern hemisphere. Children can learn more at: Summer Solstice.
Abraham Lincoln and his son Tad
Today is Father’s Day! Father’s Day is the third Sunday in June. Mrs. John B. Dodd proposed the idea of Father’s Day in 1910. President Calvin Coolidge approved the holiday in 1924, but it did not become an official Presidential Proclamation until 1966. Public Law 92-278 made it an official holiday in 1972. Children can learn more at: Father’s Day.
Giraffe
World Giraffe Day is today! The Giraffe Conservation Foundation picked today to celebrate giraffes because the animals have the longest necks and today is the longest day in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day in the southern hemisphere. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that giraffes are now rated as vulnerable, meaning we all need to protect the animals.
Flag of Greenland
Greenland celebrates the longest day of the year, a national holiday. Greenland is a part of the Danish monarchy, but it is self-governing. According to the CIA World Factbook, Greenland is a little more than three times the size of Texas. Because it is located so far north, most of the country is permafrost. Greenland has the world’s second largest ice cap. About 57,000 people live in the country, mostly along the southern coast. The economy is based on fishing, mining, and tourism. Children can learn more at: Greenland.
New Hampshire Flag
New Hampshire became the ninth state of the United States by ratifying the Constitution in 1788. It was named after the English county Hampshire. The capital is Concord, and its motto is “Live Free or Die.” It ranks forty-fourth in area and forty-second in population. Mt. Washington, located in New Hampshire, is the tallest peak in New England. Martin Pring traveled its coast in 1603, and Samuel de Champlain explored the area in 1604. Children could visit an Internet site at: New Hampshire.
Robert Kraus (born Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1925; died Kent, Connecticut, August 7, 2001) was a cartoonist, publisher, and writer of over 200 children’s books. His books include Leo the Late Bloomer and Boris Bad Enough. Children can learn more at: Robert Krauss.
Jean-Paul Sartre (born Paris, France, 1905; died Paris, France, April 15, 1980) was a philosopher and writer. He received the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature, but he refused it. He said, “A writer should not allow himself to become an institution.”
Henry Ossawa Tanner (born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1859; died Paris, France, May 25, 1937) was one of the first African American artists to have major exhibits. Children can read more about his life and view of his paintings at: Henry Ossawa Tanner.