Ben Franklin’s birthday is January 17, 1706. He had lots of sayings on how to live one’s life. For example,” If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him.” He also said, “ An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” Learn about this famous “founding father” of our country with this webquest!

Webquest:

1. Ben Franklin was a inventor, scientist,writer,statesman and librarian. Believing we could save fuel by using natural light of the sun, Ben first suggested an idea we use today. _______________________Find the answer at:

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/inventors/page/f/franklin.shtml

2. Ben Franklin signed FOUR important documents in U.S. History. Name these four documents:_____________, ________________, _____________and _________________Franklin didn’t patent any of his ideas because he didn’t wish to make any money from his ideas. List THREE of his inventions:_________,__________ and ___________.Find the answers at this link: http://www.ducksters.com/biography/ben_franklin.php 

3. Often called the “ First American”, Ben Franklin became a printer, inventor, writer and eventually became ambassador to which country during the Revolutionary War?____________What musical instrument did Franklin invent?___________________ Franklin also started the first________________ and first___________________ in Philadelphia. Find the answers at this link: http://www.ducksters.com/biography/ben_franklin.php

Fun Facts about Ben Franklin

1. While swimming, young Ben used a kite to pull him along the water!

2. Young Ben used some money his parents gave him and went to the store to make a purchase.  He noticed a  young boy blowing a whistle and  asked if  he could buy it.  When he got home, his family laughed that he spent much more than he should have done. Later in life when Ben saw people overpaying for things, he said, “They  give too much for their whistles.”

3. As a young man, Ben  became a vegetarian and lived on potatoes, raisins and bread. With the extra savings and time, Ben purchased books and said he had more time to read.

Test your Knowledge on Ben Franklin: 

1. Ben Franklin is found on which US currency?

A. One dollar bill

B. Ten dollar bill

C.  Hundred dollar bill 

2. In addition to inventing bifocals, a device to reach for items using a  long wooden pole with a grasping claw at the end and an odometer, Franklin invented:

A. electricity

B. lightning rod

C. electronic calculator

3. Ben started the first volunteer fire department , the first free hospital and the

A: first public library in Philadelphia 

B. first pizza restaurant in Philadelphia

C. first public school in Philadelphia

Extension Activities:

• Illustrate a quote of Ben Franklin: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/benjamin_franklin.html 

• Have one student be Ben Franklin and another be the interviewer. Have students give a short news interview for the class by asking and answering 3 questions.

• If you could go back in time and meet Ben Franklin. What would be a question you would ask of him?  Explain why this question would be something you’d like to have Franklin answer.

* Discuss character traits such as honesty, helpfulness, trustworthy, etc. Ask the students to find 3 character traits about Ben Franklin. Find evidence from the activity to support the traits given to Franklin.  Have students make a list of 3 character traits they feel they have and why they selected the traits.

Check out the complete resource(9 web questions,more fun facts and additional extension activities): http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Benjamin-FranklinA-WebquestExtension-Activities-1645550

Gail

Snow Factoids! Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

SNOW FACTOIDS!

Get the free downloadable version at this link:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Snow-Factoids-An-Interactive-Notebook-ActivityFREEBIE-2259165

Snow Facts

by 

Gail Skroback Hennessey

Fun/Informative Interactive Notebook Activity!

1. One inch of water is about six inches of wet snow or 12 inches  of fluffy snow.

2. The world's largest snowflake was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. It fell in Fort Keogh, Montana, on January 28,1887.

3. Snow can be colors other than white, including blue, orange, green, yellow, and purple.  Actually, snowflakes are clear.

4. Air pollution caused orange snow to fall over an area of Siberia, Russia, in 2007.

5. Mount Baker,in the North Cascades, of  Washington State, holds the record for the most snowfall. 1140 inches fell during 1998-1999.

6. The record for the most snow in one storm, within 24 hours, was in Silver Lake, Colorado. Back in 1921, Silver Lake received  76 inches of snow.

7. Heilongjiang Province, China,holds the record for the world's largest snow sculpture. In 2007, a snow sculpture 656 ft. long and 116 ft. tall was made.

8. Snow flakes have SIX sides.

9. On average, a snowflake falls to earth at 3.1 mph.

10. One snowflake contains about 10 quintillion water molecules(that's the number 10 with 10 zeroes).

11. Did you know that Valdez, Alaska, averages 326 inches of snow a year? That makes it the snowiest state.

12. Wilson A. Bentley studied snowflakes for much of his life and is probably the most famous snowflake researcher. He was nicknamed "Snowflake Bentley. 

13.According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world record for the most snowmen built in one hour is 2,036. The record set, on February 28, 2015, involved 1406 people. 

14. If you have  "chionophobia", you have a fear of snow.

15. Bethel, Maine, has the record for the largest snowman ever built. A 122 ft. snow-woman was built in 2008.

Extension Activities:

1. Illustrate one of the factoids.

2. Pretend you are a snowflake. Tell about a day in your life. What did you do? What did you see? Feel? Etc.

3. Do a paper cutting of a snowflake. Write a poem using each of the letters of the word snowflake.

4. Locate 10 NOUNS and 10 VERBS in the factoid statements.

5. Pronouns are NOUN substitutes. Can you spot 7 PRONOUNS  in the Factoid statements?

Check out this resource: 

If you live where there is snow, you have probably built a snowman. The snowman has been around for quite a while. In fact, the earliest drawing of a snowman was found in a book dating back to 1380! The book,"Book of Hours" was found in a library in the country of the Netherlands. This resource has four snowmen reading passages:

1. Famous sculptor, Michelangelo, was hired to make a snowman for a wealthy person in Florence, Italy.

2. A snow man is used each April,to help predict the weather during a festival in the country of Switzerland.

3. One of the earliest written comments about snowmen dates back to 1690. Two snowman were left to guard Fort Schenectady, in New York, during a blizzard with very tragic consequences!

4. The world's record for the largest snowman, Olympia, was constructed in 2008. 13 million pounds of snow were used to make the amazing snow-woman! As of 2015, the record still stands.

Each short reading passage includes following directions to identify answers. There are also several extension activities and a Did you Know? section.

Snow Reading Passages/Extension Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/SNOWMEN-Four-Reading-Passages-2252375

Note: Illustration from Wpclipart.com

 

Remembering a Historic Day in History: Wright Brothers Fly over Kitty Hawk, NC!(Dec. 17th): INA

Did you know that people actually thought that the airplane would have no real purpose? WOW...were they wrong!  On December 17, 1903, less than 10 people showed up to watch Orville and Wilbur Wright make history. In fact most papers(only 3 carried the story in the USA) refused to print the press release of the Wright Brothers' historic flight, believing it was not possible for a human to fly. The December 17, 1903 event had to have been a hoax! 

To honor this historic day in history, use this resource to learn a bit about the history of flight.

Did You Know?

1. Most people at the time of the Wright brothers’ first flight attempts on December 17, 1903, thought that the airplane had NO purpose for transportation and was just a dangerous sport.

2. The distance covered by the 1903 Wright Flyer was less than the wingspan of today's 747 Jumbo Jet!

3. The Wright brothers’ first attempt went 120 ft. That’s about 20 people, about 6ft. tall, lined end to end!

4. Charles Lindbergh was the first to fly non-stop from New York to Paris. The trip, in 1927, took 33.5 hours.

5. Amelia Earhart was the first woman aviator to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. The year was 1928.

6. Lillian Gatlin, was the first woman to ride as a passenger in an airplane! The year was 1922.

7. In 1939, Willa Brown was the first African American woman to earn a commercial pilot’s license.

8. Did you know that pilots and co-pilots can not eat the same meal while in flight?

9. Every 37 seconds, an airplane takes off from Chicago O’Hare’s International Airport. That’s about 100 airplanes each hour.

10. The word used for aviation help, “Mayday”, comes from the French “m’aides" meaning “help me.

11. Did you know that 1/3 of your taste buds get numb while flying?

12. Bessie Coleman was an American aviator and the first African American female pilot. She was also the first American to receive an international pilot’s license. 

13. It is said that Gustave Whitehead successful powered an aircraft in Bridgeport, CT, on August 14, 1901. That is two years before the Wright Brothers. Whitehead's craft, called the Condor, did two flights on that date. Reaching 50 Ft., the distance covered was 1 1/2 miles.

14.Aerophobia is the fear of flying.

15. KLM is the world’s oldest airline, started in 1919.

16. Someone estimated that if you add up all the miles flown by all the 747 airplanes, it’s the distance from the Earth to the Moon and back over 75,000 times.c

17. National Aviation Day, August 19th, was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, on the birthday of Orville Wright, who first piloted the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903.

Your Turn:

1. Write a diary entry pretending to be Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright and tell about a day in your aviation life.

2. Illustrate one of the factoids. Write a sentence of your own explaining the illustrated fact.

3. Have you ever flown in an airplane? Tell about something you remember about your first time in an airplane.  If you haven't flown, would you like to experience flying? Why, why not.

4. Illustrate one of the facts listed above. Write a sentence of your own explaining the illustrated fact.

5. If you could meet one of the aviators mentioned above, what would be TWO questions you would ask of the aviator?

6. Write 3 POSITIVE(i.e.: helpful) character traits that a person can have. Write 3 NEGATIVE (i.e.: jealousy)character traits a person can have. What would be 2 positive character traits you would describe for yourself. What would be ONE negative character trait you would describe for yourself. What are 3 character traits that you would give to someone that is an aviator such as Lindbergh, Earhart, Coleman, Orville/Wilbur Wright? 

Links:

Visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: https://airandspace.si.edu 

Wright Brothers' National Memorial: http://www.outerbanks.com/wright-brothers-national-memorial.html

Teachers, check out these resources on the History of Flight.

     1. Wright Brothers( A Webquest): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wright-Brothers-and-the-AirplaneA-WebquestExtension-Activities-628501

2. Bessie Coleman( Reader’s Theater Script): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bessie-Coleman-AviatorReaders-Theater-Script-1687487

3. Amelia Earhart (Reader’s Theater Script): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Amelia-EarhartBiographical-PlayTo-Tell-the-Truth-Play-348663

Note: Photograph from Gail Hennessey(Wright Brothers' National Memorial)

New Year Traditions from Around the World: Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

Teachers: Click here for the complete Freebie(with Extension Activities): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/New-Years-Eve-Customs-from-Around-the-World-FREEBIE-2215707

Looking for a possible Interactive Notebook Activity to use with kids just before the holidays(or the week you return in the new year)?

NEW YEAR’S EVE TRADITIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

by
Gail Hennessey 

Bonne annee(French)

Frohes neues Jahr(Germany) 

Felice anno nuovo(Italian) 

Gott nytt ar(Swedish)

Feliz ano nuevo(Spanish) 

Shana tova(Hebrew)

Hauoli makahiki hou(Hawaiian) 

Gelukkig nieuwjaar(Dutch) 

Fun World New Year ’s Factoids! 

1. In Russia, divers place a New Year’s tree into Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest lake. 

2. Did you know that in Denmark, people like to through old broken dishes at the front door of friends, at New Year’s Eve? 

3. Did you know that eating 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight is considered good luck in Spain? 

4. Hogmanay is a custom celebrated in Scotland at New Year’s. The word means “last day of the year”. One of the activities is “first footing”, being the first person to visit a neighbor or friend in the new year. Usually, a gift is brought, too. 

5. Christmas trees are made into bonfires to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands. This custom is done to symbolize getting rid of the old and welcoming the new year. 

6. In Switzerland, don’t be surprised if you see people drop a bit of cream onto the floor on New Year’s Eve. It is thought that this will bring good luck in the new year. 

7. In the South American country of Venezuela, people like to write a wish on a piece of paper and then burn it so that the wish may come true in the new year. 

8. In the country of Italy, many people like wearing RED underwear at New Year’s believing the color will bring good luck in the new year. In other cultures, especially several countries in Latin America, wearing YELLOW is considered good luck. 

9. In Mexico, don’t be surprised if you see people carrying empty suitcases around their house or street on New Year’s Eve. The custom is done if you would like to travel in the new year. 

10. The custom of having a ball drop from Times Square, in New York City, on New Year’s Eve began in 1907. Some people in the south, believe eating black eyed peas will bring prosperity in the new year. 

11. In Austria, people like to waltz when midnight strikes in the new year. 

12. Did you know that throwing a bucket of water outside a window at midnight on New Year’s Eve is done in Puerto Rico? It is to get rid of bad spirits. 

13. In Ireland, people bang bread on the walls and doors of their homes at midnight. This is done to scare away evil spirits and to bring good luck. 

14. Finding an almond in rice pudding on New Year’s Eve means good luck in the new year. This custom is found in Sweden and Norway. 

15. People in the Philippines believe that round things bring good luck and often wear cloths with polka dots on New Year’s Eve. Another custom is to have all the lights on in the home on New Year’s Eve so that it will insure a good new year. 

16. Did you know that April Fool’s Day involved New Year’s Day? People used to celebrate the new year around March 25-April 1st. When the calendar changed the new year to January 1st, pranks were played on those that continued to celebrate the New year on April 1. 

YOUR TURN:

1. Which 3 customs did you find the most interesting? Why? 

2. How do you celebrate New Year’s Eve?

3. New Year's Eve is a time to make a resolution for the New Year. What is a goal which you'd like to try and work to accomplish in 2018?

4. Illustrate one of the customs listed above.

5. Using a world map, locate the different countries mentioned in this list. Write ONE fact that you might know about each of these countries.

6. Rewrite 5 customs from the list and make mistakes in spelling or grammar. Exchange  your list with another student for them to be a "proof reader" to find the errors.

Check out my fun/informative web quest on the history of New Years. 

Learn about the history of New Year's with this fun/informative web quest. There are nine questions, lots of interesting customs of how people celebrate New Year's around the world, comprehension questions, extension activities and the key. Great activity for reading for information and research/computer skills. Included are also other holiday New Year's celebrations including Diwali, Chinese New Year, Songkran and Rosh Hashanah. The resources also mentions how April Fool’s Day originated over when to celebrate New Year's! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/New-Years-Eve-Webquest-on-its-history-and-customsExtension-Activities-1584695 

It's the time of Year for "A Christmas Carol". Learn about Charles Dickens with this Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

With this being the time of year for the story, A Christmas Carol, it's a great opportunity to learn about its author,Charles Dickens. One of the most famous writers of all times,Dickens also wrote Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield and more. 


Today, a person who is very tight with money, is often called a scrooge, after, the main character in A Christmas Carol. Did you know that several other words and phrases were coined by Charles Dickens?

Words such as abuzz, flummox, the creeps,round the clock and whiz-bang are credited with Dickens. Other words that Dickens helped to popularize include, kibosh, butter-fingers,boredom,messiness,squashed,bah humbug,and tousled. 

Interesting Facts about Charles Dickens:

1. In addition to a canary(named Dick), dogs(including Mrs. Bouncer), Charles Dickens had two pet ravens. Both were named Grip. The first was stuffed and now resides in the Philadelphia Free Library. 

2. A paw of a Dickens’ cat, Bob, became a letter opener after it died. You can see the letter opener on display at the New York Public Library. 

3.Someone said that if you counted all the words which Dickens used in his writing, it was an amazing 4.6 million different words! 

4. Charles Dickens may have had epilepsy. He also may have had obsessive-compulsive behavior making him comb his hair hundreds of times a day or to touch something several times for good luck.

5. Phrases including “Merry Christmas!” and “Bah! Humbug” became popular after reading Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

6. Did you know that Charles Dickens created 989 characters for his 

books?

7. Hans Christian Andersen was a good friend of Dickens. Interestingly, after 5 weeks of being a guest of Dickens’ home, Andersen was encouraged to leave when Dickens wrote on the mirror in Andersen’s room, “Hans Andersen slept in this room for five weeks, which seemed to the family like AGES”.

8. A “new”treat called the lollypop was featured in several of Dickens’ books.

Activities: 

1. Illustrate a quote of Charles Dickens and write a brief paragraph explaining what you think the quote is saying:
A. “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” 

B. “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” C. “Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” 

D. “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” 

E. “There is always something for which to be thankful.” 

2.  Would you have enjoyed reading an installment book, popular during the time of Charles Dickens? Why, why not?

3. Dickens got lots of his ideas for his characters from people he met in his life. Who might be 3 people you'd use in a story that you have met? Why would you use these people in your story?

Resources of Interest:
1. My webquest includes 8 fun/informative questions to learn about Dickens. Additional activities/links,too. 

Skills include:reading for information and using research/computer skills. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Webquest-200480

2. In addition to a webquest, I have a Ms. Bie Ografee Reader’s Theater Script on Charles Dickens. Great for this time of year! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3286350

History of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree(Interactive Notebook Activity)

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

* Click here for Free download: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rockefeller-Center-Christmas-Tree-Interactive-Notebook-ActivityFREEBIE-2906947

1. In 2017, a Norway Spruce tree from State College, PA, was selected as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It is 75 ft. tall.

2.  The tallest Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was 100 ft. tall (1999).

3. Trees usually arrive in New York city by flatbed truck(with a sign saying it was the Rockefeller Center Tree). In other years, a tree has come to the city by a barge and one was actually brought in by helicopter! 

4. The history of the tree dates back to the Great Depression. At the construction site, workers erected a 20 ft. tall tree.  The balsam fir was decorated with paper garland, some tin cans and strings of cranberries. Some references say some blasting caps and gum wrappers were also used to decorate the tree. 

5. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree goes up the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. It is taken down at the end of the twelve days of Christmas, on January 7th. 

6. The singing of “Joy to the World” has been a tradition following the tree lighting ceremony, since 2011.

^{7. Since 2004, the Christmas tree has been topped with a star weighing 550 pounds and measuring 9.5 ft in diameter. There are 25,000 crystals and a total of one million facets in what is called the Swarovski Star. It was designed by Michael Hammers, a German artist.}

^{8.  Only one Rockefeller Center Tree was not from a state in the USA.  In 1966, Canada donated a tree.  Trees have come from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Connecticut.}

^{9. Did you know that there are  five MILES of electrical wire strung with light bulbs used to decorate the tree? There are 50,000 colored LED lightbulbs.}

^{10 . Since 1971, the tree has been RECYCLED after the holiday season. The tree has been turned into mulch and donated to the Boy Scouts of America. Mulch was also used  for nature trails in the city. The U.S. Equestrian team in New Jersey has been given the trunk to be used as an obstacle jump. Since, 2005, the tree is milled and given to Habitat for Humanity to be used in housing construction. Houses in New York, Louisiana and in the countries of India and Brazil have been constructed from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree!} 

^{11. To be considered for the Rockefeller Center Tree, the tree must be at least 75 ft. tall and 45ft. in diameter.} 

12. For most of the holiday season, the tree is lighted from 5:30 am to 11:30 pm. On Christmas Day, the tree shines brightly for 24 hours.

13. According to the head gardener,Erik Pauze, no one has tried to harm the tree. There is a fence around it and there is 24 hour security to make sure no one tries to harm the tree.

14. Did you know that the tree isn’t watered?The cold temperatures and nature help to keep the tree fresh.

15. People can submit photographs of trees for consideration to become the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.  A helicopter is also used to search the northeast for the perfect tree.

^{16. From 1942-1944, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was not lighted due} 

^{to World War 2.}   

^{17. In 1980, for a few minutes, there was a human ornament on the tree as someone attempted to climb it! The man was quickly arrested.}

^{YOUR TURN:}

^{1. Pretend you are the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Tell about a day in your life. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Etc.}

^{2. Design a new tree topper for the tree.}

^{3. Illustrate one of the facts.}

^{4. Which THREE facts were most interesting to you?}

^{5. Write sentences for the vocabulary words recycled, diameter and equestrian.}

^{6. Look up Habitat for Humanity, World War 2 and the Great Depression. Write 4 facts learned.}

Check out these resources to use for this time of year:
1. During the holidays is a great time to share with kids the many traditions which have been shared with different cultures. Learn the history behind some popular holiday traditions from around the world with this webquest: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Traditions- from-Around-the-WorldWebquest-2864257

2. A Christmas Carol is probably the most popular holiday story. Have your students learn about Charles Dickens,one of the most famous writers of all times! 8 informative web questions. Additional activities/links,too. It is said Dickens used an amazing 4.6 million different words in his writing! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Webquest-200480

3. Which president didn't allow a Christmas tree because he was an environmentalist? Which president organized a snowball fight in the White House for kids(using cotton balls). Which president hired a camel to entertain kids at Christmas time? Learn 12 informative facts about the Holidays at the White House: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Traditions-at-the- White-House-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-2219599

4. Need a fun/informative activity to celebrate the New Year after vacation? There are nine questions, lots of interesting customs of how people celebrate New Year's around the world, comprehension questions, extension activities and the key. Great activity for reading for information and research/computer skills. ( Diwali, Chinese New Year, Songkran and Rosh Hashanah included): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/New-Years-Eve-Webquest-on-its-history- and-customsExtension-Activities-1584695

Gail
Photograph from: http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com