James Smith, signer of the Declaration of Independence, died in 1806. He represented Pennsylvania. His exact date of birth is unknown, but he was born in Ireland around 1719. A fire in 1803 destroyed many documents by and about Smith, so little is known about him. Children could learn more at: James Smith.
Skylab
Skylab in 1979 reentered the earth’s atmosphere and broke apart. The pieces fell into the Indian Ocean and onto parts of Australia. Skylab, the first United States space station, had been launched May 14, 1973. Three manned crews, Skylab 2, Skylab 3, and Skylab 4, conducted experiments there between May 1973 and February 1974. Children could learn more at: Skylab.
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams (born Braintree, Massachusetts, 1767; died Washington, DC, February 23, 1848) was the sixth president (1825-1829) of the United States. The first son of a president to become a president, he was a child during the Revolutionary War. He spoke at least seven languages. He was a senator before he beat Andrew Jackson for the presidency. After he was president, he served for 17 years as a congressperson from Massachusetts. Children can visit a website at: John Quincy Adams. Idea: Students could investigate the languages he spoke. They could learn a bit more about each of the languages.
Pierce Butler (born Ireland, 1744; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 15, 1822) represented South Carolina at the Constitutional Convention. In his early life he joined the British military at age eleven. He fought in the French and Indian War and decided to remain in America. A wealthy plantation owner, he served as a U.S. senator from South Carolina from 1789 to 1796 and from 1803 to 1804. Children can learn more at: Pierce Butler.
Lester Laminack (born Flint, Michigan, 1956) writes books for children and adults. His children’s books include Three Hens and a Peacock and Jake’s 100th Day of School. Children can learn more at: Lester Laminack.
Patricia Polacco (born Lansing, Michigan, 1944) has written and illustrated at least 60 books for children. One of her wonderful books is The Keeping Quilt. Children could visit her website, filled with fun activities, at: Patricia Polacco.
James Stevenson (born New York, New York, 1929; died Cos Cob, Connecticut, February 17, 2017) wrote and/or illustrated over 100 books for children and young adults. His works include the Mud Flat series and I Meant to Tell You. He illustrated books by other authors, including Judy Blume and Jack Prelutsky.
E. B. White (born Elwynn Brooks White in Mount Vernon, New York, 1899; died North Brooklyn, Maine, October 1, 1985) wrote for many audiences. He wrote, among other works, Charlotte’s Web (a 1953 Newbery Honor Book), Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. Since 2005 the American Booksellers for Children (ABC) have awarded the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award. Children could learn more about White and the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award from Children’s Book Award Handbook by Diana F. Marks.
Flag of Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome and Principe celebrate Independence Day. They gained their freedom from Portugal in 1975. The area of this cluster of islands is about five times area of Washington, DC. Located off the coast of western Africa, this country experiences a tropical climate. Natural resources include fish and hydropower. Almost 200,000 people live there. The capital is Sao Tome.
Flag of Kiribati
Kiribati celebrates Independence Day. Formerly called the Gilbert Islands, this country became free of British rule in 1979. The 33 atolls, located in the Pacific Ocean, form a small country with an area about three times the size of Washington, DC. Over 100,000 people live on 21 inhabited atolls. Tarawa is the capital.
Etch a Sketch was sold for the first time in 1962. Invented by Andre Cassagnes, the toy works by scraping off aluminum powder from the plastic surface. The Ohio Art Company bought the rights in 1960. In 2016 Spin Master Corporation bought the rights. Over 100 million Etch a Sketches have been sold.
James Webb Space Telescope
NASA released its first images from the James Webb Space Telescope in 2022. The telescope was launched into space on December 25, 2021. Developed primarily by NASA with help from the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the infrared telescope is able to basically go back in time to see the formation of the first galaxies and to locate exoplanets. The telescope is named after James Webb, NASA administrator from 1961 to 1968. It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana on a Ariane 5 rocket. Children can monitor the telescope’s progress at: James Webb Telescope.
Joan Bauer (born River Forest, Illinois, 1951) writes books for children. Her book Hope Was Here received a 2001 Newbery Honor Award. Her other works include Close to Famous. Children can visit her website at: Joan Bauer.
George Eastman (born Waterville, New York, 1854; died Rochester, New York, March 14, 1932) founded Eastman Kodak. He invented the Kodak camera in 1888. The flexible film allowed anyone to take pictures. Children could learn about Eastman at: George Eastman. Children could find out how a camera works by visiting: Camera.
Buckminster Fuller (born Milton, Massachusetts, 1895; died Los Angeles, California, July 1, 1983) was an architect and an educator. He held more than 2,000 patents, and he wrote more than 25 books. One of his most well-known ideas is the geodesic dome. Older children can learn more at: Buckminster Fuller.
Julius Caesar (born 102 B.C.; died March 15, 44 B.C.) was a Roman dictator. He conquered other territories. He is famous for the saying Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered). He was assassinated by a group of aristocrats on the Ides of March. Children could learn more at: Julius Caesar.
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau (born Concord, Massachusetts, 1817; died Concord, Massachusetts, May 6, 1862) was a writer and philosopher. His Civil Disobedience influenced Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Children can read many of his works at: Project Gutenberg.
Andrew Wyeth (born Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, 1917; died Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, January 16, 2009) was an artist. His paintings often show isolated objects. His father, N. C. Wyeth, was a noted illustrator, and his son Jamie is also an artist. Idea: Wyeth often worked in egg tempera. Children could try the medium and compare it to watercolors. Children can view some of his works at: Andrew Wyeth.
Herbert S. Zim (born New York, New York, 1909; died Plantation Key, Florida, December 5, 1994) wrote more than 100 scientific books and is most known for his Golden Guides series. His books include Rocks and Minerals and Codes and Secret Writing. Children could learn more at: Herbert Zim.
Flag of Montenegro
Montenegro celebrates National Day. In 1878 it was recognized as an independent country. Since then it has been a part of several countries. However, it became independent again in 2006. Slightly smaller than Connecticut, Montenegro borders the Adriatic Sea. Over 650,000 people live in Montenegro, and Podgorica is the capital.
Northwest Ordinance was created in 1787. It provided for the government of the territory north of the Ohio River. However, it was the foundation for all other American territorial governments. It established how the territory could eventually become a state, and it guaranteed basic freedoms for its inhabitants. States carved from the Northwest Territory include Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Minnesota. Idea: Older children could read a transcript of the document at: Northwest Ordinance. Children could find out how a territory can become a state or states.