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

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Happy Birthday,Martin Luther King Jr.(Jan. 15th)

 


Martin Luther King's birthday is January 15th.

Did you Know?

1. The only non-president to be honored with a national holiday is Martin Luther King.

2. Only George Washington and Martin Luther King are honored on their birthdays with national holidays. Martin Luther King’s birthday and holiday is honored on January 15th.

3. Because of Martin Luther King’s protests for civil rights, King was arrested about 29(or 30) times. He was actually arrested and jailed for speeding 30 in a 25 mph area!

4. The first African American honored as Time Magazine’s Man of the Year(now called Person of the Year) was Martin Luther King.

5.Martin Luther King started college at the age of 15!

6. Estimates are that there are 700-1000 Martin Luther King Jr. streets in the United States and even a street honoring King located in Puerto Rico.

7. In his efforts to fight for civil rights, it is estimated that Martin Luther King traveled over six million miles and gave more than 2500 speeches!

8. Did you know that a young Martin actually jumped out of the second floor window of his home? He actually did this two times and fortunately didn’t get hurt(DON’T try this!!!). The first time he jumped from the window because he felt he needed to be punished because he didn’t watch his younger brother properly. His brother slid down the stair bannister and slid into his grandmother who fell. The second time he jumped out of the window was when his grandmother died. Martin felt she died because he had sneaked out of his house without asking permission.

9. Martin Luther King is the first African American to have a memorial in his honor in the National Mall area in Washington,DC.

10. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “There is nothing more tragic in all this world than to know right and not do it. I can not stand in the midst of all these glaring evils and not take a stand.”

11. Martin Luther King Jr. was the youngest person to ever be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize(in 1964).

12. Asked one day as how he hoped to be remembers, Martin Luther King Jr. replied, “Say I was a drum major for peace.

1. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means?  “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”

______________________________________

2. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means? “The time is always right to do what is right.” _______________________________________


3. What do you think this quote of Martin Luther King Jr. means? “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” ___________________________________

___________________________________  


4. Illustrate one of the facts you found most interesting.









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Tuesday, December 19, 2023

In the News: Iceland's Volcanic Eruption(December 2023)


If you are interested in my resource on New Year Traditions from around the world, it is on sale this week for $3.75 (from $4.50). Also, you may still be interested in Holiday Traditions from Around the World($3.75) which is also on sale. Both through January 1st.





                                             Iceland’s Capital of Reykjavik 

Get the free downloadable version here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Iceland-What-do-YOU-Know-about-this-country-FREE-10719959


In the News: December 2023

Volcano erupts in the country of Iceland! The recent eruption occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula(south-west part of Iceland). The fishing town, Grindavik, had been evacuated last month prior to the volcanic eruption.


What do you know about the country of Iceland? Write TWO facts: ________________________________________________________ and ________________________________________

 





The largest waterfall in Europe is Gullfoss(golden fall) and is found in Iceland.


Fun Facts about Iceland:

1. Iceland is a great place to see the Aurora Borealis light display especially between October-March.


2. NASA used the terrain of Iceland to train its astronauts for the first moon landing.


3. Iceland has no army, navy or air force. They only have a Coast Guard. Iceland also does not have a railroad system.


4. There are few trees in Iceland and those trees aren’t very tall. A joke says,”How does one find their way out of an Icelandic forest?” Answer: They stand up.


5. The largest waterfall in Europe is Gullfoss(golden fall) found in Iceland. Sigrious Tomasdottir, who lived near the falls, threatened to jump if a hydroelectric dam was built there. Today, a statue can be found near the falls in her memory for saving the falls. There is not a hydroelectric dam.


6. The word, geyser, comes from Icelandic! The oldest known geyser is found in Iceland. The word means “the gusher”.


7. Iceland has the oldest democracy in the world. Its parliament was founded about 1000 years ago and is called the Althingi.


8.In the 1960s, a volcanic eruption created the island of Surtsey.


9. The country uses geothermal energy for most of their energy needs. 


10. Icelandic families have different last names. Icelandic people name their children after their father’s first name plus the name son or daughter. A boy, whose dad is named Eider would have the last name Eidersson. A girl would have the last name Eiderdottir. Only certain names, taken from the official book of names, are allowed to be used in the country of Iceland.


11. The Iceland horses have been on the island since around 930AD. No other horses can be brought into the country of Iceland.


12. Iceland was settled by the Vikings around the late 9th Century AD. Iceland is nicknamed the “land of fire and ice” because of all the many volcanoes, waterfalls, geysers and glaciers.


13. In 2010, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted, the most eruption to date.


14. In 1973, the only town on the Westman Islands of Heimaey, was badly damaged due to a volcanic eruption. Its 5000 residents had to evacuate. Lava and thick ash covered much of the town. Called the “Pompeii of the North”, excavation has uncovered most homes in good condition with many of the items   intact!


15. Iceland has 32 ACTIVE volcanoes! 





Map Work: Find the answers at this link: https://www.mapsofworld.com/iceland/


1. Highest peak in Iceland:____________________

2. Largest glacier in Iceland:_________________________

3. City closest to the Arctic Circle: _____________________________

4. Southernmost city in Iceland: ______________________________

5. River which the city of Borgarnes is nearest: _____________________

6. Capital city of the country of Iceland: It is the world’s most northern capital city._________________________


Additional Resources:

Learn more about the country of Iceland with this webquest:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Iceland-Country-in-FocusIcelandic-Webquest-495815 


Iceland, a Reading Passage: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Iceland-Reading-Passage-2546066


Teachers:

More information on the latest volcanic eruption with great photographs!

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/18/europe/reykjanes-volcano-erupts-iceland/index.html


https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/67758123




Kerio Crater in Iceland(concerts have been held here) 

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Sunday, December 10, 2023

Happy New Year Customs from Around the World

  


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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)

Did you know that there are 24 different time zones? That means people around the world celebrate New Year’s Eve at different times. When the fireworks are going off in Australia, it’s still morning in New York! 

There are  lots of different customs done by people to celebrate the New Year. There are also several different types of New Year’s celebrations.  Get your noise makers and let’s learn about how people  around the world celebrate the New Year!

Fun World New Year Factoids!

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Questions:

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 the 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

Gail
Check out my TpT Store(webquests/Reader’s Theater Scripts): https:// www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Gail-Hennessey

Note: I have other factoids including the following: pumpkins, turkeys, Diwali, mummies, Women’s History Month, Presidential Trivia, Chinese New Year and more...

Note:Illustration from openclipart.org

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Saturday, December 2, 2023

December 17,1903....Wright Brothers Famous Flight and Fun Facts about the history of Aviation

 



 


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. Would you have gone to see the first flight attempts by the Wright Brothers? Why or why not?____________________

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. What do you think Lindbergh thought about during his
flight?_____________________________________

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? Why do you think this is?____________________________________

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? Which taste is your favorite?(sweet, spicy or salty) and why?_______________________

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

5. 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 






    
 



Note: Photograph from Gail Hennessey(Wright Brothers' National Memorial)
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Sunday, November 26, 2023

Charles Dickens, Author of A Christmas Carol

 


 




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, butterfingers,boredom,messiness,squashed,bah humbug,and tousled were popularized by Dickens. The author is also credited with using phrases such as “the creeps”, “round the clock” and “whiz-bang”.




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 different 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.Reading an installment book was popular during the time of Charles Dickens? You had to wait for the next part of the book to be released to the public. In the USA, people had to wait sometimes weeks for the ship to bring the next installment of one of Dickens’ books from England! Would you have enjoyed reading an installment book? 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. Read samples of some of Charles Dickens’ books at this link: http://realreads.co.uk/category/authors/charles-dickens/ Of the book summaries, which do you think you’d like to read the most, and why? 


2. Short Video on the life of Charles Dickens:https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yfp-t&p=childhood+of+Charles+dickens+for+kids#id=1&vid=902af18becc093cd49fd0b056aebc4a3&action=click


Resources of Interest:

1. My webquest on Charles Dickens includes 9 fun/informative questions to learn about Dickens. Additional activities/links,too. 

 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. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3286350

 

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Sunday, November 19, 2023

Rockefeller Christmas Tree 2023

 

                                                 


Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

NOTE: Check out my Q/A with Eric Pauze, the man that selects the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in the December issue,2022,of Highlights for Children.

1.  In 2023, a Norway Spruce tree, from the state of New York, was again selected as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. It is 80 ft. tall. Head gardener for Rockefeller Center, Eric Pauze, had selected another tree when he happened upon the tree in the yard of a family in Vestal, NY. He made the change!

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.
7. Write a story pretending to be the owl that found itself traveling from Oneonta, NY, to NYC. What did you see? Here? Feel? Etc.



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. I also have a Reader's Theater Script on the life of Charles Dickens. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater-Script-3286350

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

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