Jan 172024
 

Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, 1942; died Scottsdale, Arizona, June 3, 2016) was a heavyweight boxer. He carried the torch for part of the opening ceremonies for the 1995 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Children could learn more at: Muhammad Ali

John Bellairs (born Marshall, Michigan, 1938; died Haverhill, Massachusetts, March 8, 1991) was a children’s author. He published at least 31 mystery and suspense novels. His work includes The Curse of the Blue Figurine and The House with a Clock in its Walls. Edward Gorey illustrated many of his books. Children could investigate a website devoted to him: http://www.bellairsia.com/.

Robert Cormier (born Leominster, Massachusetts, 1925; died Leominster, Massachusetts, November 2, 2000) was a children’s author of at least eighteen books. Two of his works are The Chocolate War and I Am the Cheese. Children could read a transcript of an interview with him at: Cormier Interview. They could learn more at: Robert Cormier.

Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin (born Boston, Massachusetts, 1706; died Philadelphia, Pennsylvania April 17, 1790) was a statesman, writer, printer and much more. He signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He published Poor Richard’s Almanack. He invented many items, including bifocal glasses and the lightning rod. He created the first fire company and the first free library. Idea: Children could make a timeline of his life and then decide whether he made the most contributions to science or to the freedom of America. Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, by Margaret Cousins, is an excellent source of information. Children could learn more at: Ben Franklin.

Shari Lewis (born Shari Hurwitz in New York, New York, 1934; died Los Angeles, California, August 2, 1998) was a puppeteer and a leader in children’s educational television. The creator of the puppet Lamb Chop, she published at least 60 children’s books. Idea: Bring in materials to make puppets of various kinds. Consider sock puppets, stick puppets, even finger puppets. Children could produce a puppet show.

Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama (born Chicago, Illinois, 1964) was America’s First Lady from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017. Married to Barack Obama, the 44th President, she was a lawyer before she began helping her husband’s political career. As First Lady, she devoted time and energy to Let’s Move, a program to reduce childhood obesity and increase children’s knowledge of healthy lifestyle choices. She also planted and maintained a large garden on the White House property. Children can learn more about her at: Michelle Obama.

Janet Stevens (born Dallas, Texas, 1953) began illustrating books for children in 1978. Today she creates her images using Adobe Photoshop and other technology tools. She received a 1996 Caldecott Honor Award for her illustrations in Tops and Bottoms. Illustrator of about 60 books, she explains her process at her VERY INTERESTING website: Janet Stevens.

Feb 112024
 

Philadelphia established the first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, in the United States in 1751. Aided by Benjamin Franklin, Dr. Thomas Bond created the hospital where people received free medical care. Children can take a virtual tour of the old buildings at: Pennsylvania Hospital.

Apr 142024
 

The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1775. This group was America’s first abolition society. Some of the early members were Thomas Paine, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, and John Greenleaf Whittier. Renamed the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, the group still exists, working for racial justice.

May 092024
 

Join or Die

America’s first political cartoon was printed in 1754 in Benjamin Franklin’s The Pennsylvania Gazeteer. The cartoon depicted a snake cut into pieces. Each piece was labeled with the name of a colony. The words “Join or Die” finished the cartoon. The point of the cartoon was that the colonies had to join together against the British. At that time some people believed that a cut-up snake would come to life again if the parts were assembled before sunset. Children could learn about the history of political cartoons from the Library of Congress site at: Political Cartoons.

Dec 282024
 
Ben Franklin

Ben Franklin

Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard’s Almanack for the first time in 1732. He wrote under the pseudonym Richard Saunders and published the almanac yearly through 1758. Here he penned some of his most famous lines, including, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Children could read, write, and illustrate some of his sayings after they have visited: http://www.poorrichards.net/.