Thanks to Education World for use of my Mrs. Waffenschmidt illustration.

Thanks to Education World for use of my Mrs. Waffenschmidt illustration.
Click on icon to go to my website: http://www.gailhennessey.com

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

King Tut Day is Coming! November 4th is the BIG Day!





King Tut Day, yes there really is such a day on the calendar, is celebrated every November 4th. It was on November 4, 1922, that Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamen!





Interesting facts:
Lord Carnarvon was bitten by a mosquito, while in Egypt and died days later. It is said that the lights in Cairo, Egypt, went out when Carnarvon died. Also, back in London, his dog is said to have started to howl and, died.  When King Tut's mummy was unwrapped, a mark was found in the same location as the mosquito bit on Lord Carnarvon. It was around this time that the idea of a curse on those that went inside the tomb began to gain in popularity!

One of the discoveries in the tomb, in addition to golden statues and a golden throne, jewels and chariots, was a box of UNDERWEAR for King Tut to use in the afterlife.

Licorice was also found in King Tut's tomb.

Each of King Tut's toes were individually wrapped in gold!

Watermelon seeds were found in King Tut's tomb. 

With the discovery of the tomb, all things Egyptian became very popular. Women began to wear dresses with Egyptian patterns. Songs about King Tut were written,dances created and beauty products were advertised with Egyptian themes.  This popularity in all things  ancient Egyptian was  called "Tutmania".

Twenty-two pounds of gold were used to make the gold mask of King Tut.

Extras:

Read my article, "Mummies Share Their Secrets at Science News for Students: https://student.societyforscience.org/article/mummies-share-their-secrets

Check out coloring sheets to print on King Tut at this link: http://www.kingtutone.com/kids/color/  coloring sheets to print on King Tut

Questions:
A number of people that went into the tomb died under unusual circumstances. However, the person that discovered the tomb,Howard Carter, lived a long life. So, if there was a curse(as stated on the entrance of Tut's tomb), it didn't harm Carter. WHAT might explain why some people may have died from being in the tomb, opened for the first time in centuries?

When Howard Carter discovered the tomb, he waited weeks for Lord Carnarvon to travel by ship to be there for the opening of the tomb. He had guards stand watch at the entrance of the tomb. He did NOT go inside. He felt that since Lord Carnarvon had funded the expedition, he should be there for the "opening". Could you have waited?

Monday, October 16, 2017



This year, Diwali or Deepavali, begins on October 19th and lasts for 5 days.

It's a happy time of year and is the biggest holiday in the country of India.  Practiced mainly by people of the Hindu faith, many other people enjoy taking part in the festive holiday season,too. During the holiday, there will be gift giving,lighting lamps(Dipa lamps) special sweet treats including Laddus(sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits inside) and Karanjis (flour fried dumplings with coconut and sugar), praying, getting together with family and friends and fireworks to help welcome the new year. Deepawali means "festival of lights". 

Fun Facts:
1. Diwali celebrates the end of the harvest season.

2. President Barack Obama was the first US president to participate in a Deepavali celebration in the White House, in 2009.

3. “Shubh Deepavali” means “Have an auspicious Diwali “and is a common greeting for this holiday time. 

4. Diwali marks the Hindu New Year. It is a national holiday in India.

5. Other countries which have Diwali celebrations include: Australia, Guyana, Trinidad, Nepal(called Tihar), Singapore, Japan, Thailand(called Lam Kriyongh) and the United States.

Learn more about Diwali at these links:

Learn about India at these links:

Activities:
Make a Rangoli- Using colored rice flour and water, people decorate patterns on the ground outside their homes and place of worship. It's a way to honor the Hindu goddess Lakshimi and hope the goddess feels welcome in their homes. Use colored markers and create a colorful Rangoli pattern  See some pics:http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/rangoli.htm

NAMASTE!

Check out my reading passage(with fun facts and additional activities)on Diwali.There are 10 fun Facts in the complete reading activity on the holiday of Diwali. There is also a short paragraph reading with comprehension questions.  The Teacher Page has lots of extension activities and the key: 
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/DiwaliDeepavaliLearn-about-Diwali-A-Reading-PassageActivity-2176182


Gail


Illustration from:openclipart.org

Thursday, October 12, 2017


October 13th falls on a FRIDAY.
Friday the 13th!
Some people fear high places, other people fear closed places, and some people fear germs. There are many different things which bring out fear in people. For me, it's snakes! Some people don't like the number 13 thinking it is a very unlucky number. Others specifically fear Friday the 13th. The fear of the number thirteen has a special name. It's called triskaidekaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.(Yikes-try pronouncing both words!) Did you know that many hotels don't have a 13th floor?(Well, actually there IS a 13th floor but it isn't named 13th). Some airplanes don't have a row named 13 and many hospitals don't have a room 13. There WAS an Apollo 13, a space mission that blasted into space on April 11, 1970.(It was launched at 13:13!) On April 13(not a Friday), there was an explosion. Fortunately, the crew was able to come home safely. In many Spanish-speaking countries, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece)and not Friday the 13th, is considered a day of bad luck. 

Do something today to make Friday the 13th an awesome day! Make it a positive day!


Some Superstitions!

Do you pick up a penny for good luck? Another penny superstition is if you find a penny HEADS up, make a wish!

If you have an eyelash on your face, make a wish and blow it away!

Some people like to knock on wood to make sure something bad doesn’t happen after they say something. For example, “I never get a cold.” 

A superstition says you must leave a building by the same door you entered or you will have bad luck.

A superstition says that catching a falling leave in the fall brings good health for you throughout the winter months!

On your birthday, do you try and blow out all the candles in one breath? Superstition says if you do, your wish made will come true.

A superstition says that if you see a spider on Halloween, it means a loved one’s spirit is protecting you.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt refused to travel on the 13th of the month. He also would not sit at a table with only 13 people.

Black cats are thought to bring bad luck in the USA but it is a WHITE cat that is thought be bring bad luck in Great Britain.

Your Turn:
* Illustrate a superstition.
* What is something you can do as an act of kindness for someone else on Friday the 13th?




Friday, October 6, 2017

Halloween Fun Facts: Interactive Notebook Activity




Halloween Fun Facts
Interactive Notebook Activity
by
Gail Skroback Hennessey



1. Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.(Yikes-try pronouncing both words!) Did you know that many hotels don't have a 13th floor?(Well, actually there IS a 13th floor but it isn't named 13th). Some airplanes don't have a row named 13 and many hospitals don't have a room 13. There WAS an Apollo 13, a space mission that blasted into space on April 11, 1970.(It was launched at 13:13!) On April 13(not a Friday), there was an explosion. Fortunately, the crew was able to come home safely. 
2. Black cats are thought to bring bad luck in the USA but it is a WHITE cat that is thought to bring bad luck in Great Britain. 
3. Ireland is thought to be the birthplace of Halloween.
4. The colors orange and black are associated with Halloween. In recent years, purple has also become popular at Halloween.
5. If you have samhainophobia, you have a fear of the holiday- Halloween! Do you have a  fears of something? What is it?___________________

6. Snickers are the most popular candy treat at Halloween. What is your favorite candy? Why?____________________________7. Over 35 million pounds of candy corn are made each year! (or 9 billion pieces of the candy). Some estimated that if you placed the kernels sold every year, end to end, the candy corn could circle the earth 4.25 times.
8. Seeing a spider on Halloween is considered good luck. It is believed to be the spirit of someone close coming to watch over you on Halloween. Name 3 creatures associated with Halloween:__________  _____________  _____________
9. There is a Pumpkin Bend, AR, a Tombstone, AZ, a Transylvania County, NC, and a Cape Fear, NC!
10. Turnips were used before pumpkins as Jack O’ Lanterns! Have you ever eaten a turnip? Do you like them?__________________________
11. Halloween dates back about 6,000 years!
12. Did you know there is actually a National Candy Corn Day? It’s October 30th. 

Activities:

  1. Illustrate one of the Halloween Fun Facts.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper)
  2. Draw/color a Halloween creature such as a scarecrow or witch. Write 4 adjectives to describe your drawing. Write a paragraph describing your drawing.(Use the back of this paper or another piece of paper)
  3. Find all the nouns you can find in FACT 1. Write all the action verbs you can spot in  FACTS 1 and 2.(Use the back of this paper or another sheet of paper.
4.  Create 5 three or more letter words using the letters found in the word, “ Halloween”______________  ____________  ____________           __________________   ________________
5. Use a world map and find the country of Ireland. Write 3 facts you know about the country of Ireland.___________   ___________  ________________
6.Write an acrostic poem using each of the letters in Halloween.
H__________   A_________      L____________  L__________   O__________    W____________  E__________     E___________  N____________
7. Find SIX words that have 4 or more syllables in the Halloween Fun Fact.______________  _____________  ______________  _______________  _____________  _____________   

TEACHER PAGE:
1. Review Nouns, action verbs and syllables with students before giving the activity to the students.
2. Distribute the Halloween Fun Facts and have students do several of the activities. Regroup and discuss what they have learned about Halloween with the rest of the class.

My website for teachers/kids,
http://www.gailhennessey.com ,has lots of free geography activities, short reads, factoids on different topics, news, career surveys, bell ringers and more.

Related Resources:
1. With 12 informational web questions, this resource is just the thing to use as a learning tool about the holiday of Halloween. Bats, Owls, pumpkins, the human skeleton, the origin of Halloween, superstitions, and famous stories in literature, are covered. There are comprehnsion questions, lots of fun facts, extension activities(including writing in the content area), and additional links for teachers.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Halloween-All-Things-Halloween-Webquest-1360175

2. Mummies aren't just found in ancient Egyptian culture. Mummies have been found all over the world! In fact, the oldest man-made mummies are found in the country of Chile! Mummies can be naturally created or man-made. This web quest includes the different types of mummies and has 12 web questions including information on Bog Mummies such as Tollund Man, the Inca Mummies,the Taklamakan Desert Mummies of China, Otzi, the frozen mummy, the Chinchorro Mummies of Chile, the Egyptian mummies... and more. There are comprehension questions, a Did You Know? section, a teacher section with extension activities, additional links and the key. Great for a Friday activity, at Halloween time, or if you are studying ancient Egypt.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MUMMIES-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1915946

3. Candy is on Kids' minds with Halloween.Over 35 million pounds of candy corn is made each year! Show your students that even candy has a history!Learn facts including marshmallows date back to 2000 BC and King Tut's Tomb contained licorice. Several additional resources and extension activities,too. Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787

4.Pretend you are a pumpkin sitting on a front porch on Halloween night. What do you see? What do you hear? How do you feel? Write a story about your evening. Just one sample of extension activities included. This informative webquest on PUMPKIN would be great for LA classes,a fall activity, or for a substitute lesson! 
There are 10 web questions, comprehension questions and 11 extension activities/links.  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pumpkins-A-Webquest-359886

Boarder from: wpclipart.com