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

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Happy Valentine's Day!

    



Valentine’s Day and the Heart Factoids
Possible Interactive Notebook Activity
by
Gail Skroback Hennessey



1. At one time, Valentine’s Day was also the day to celebrate Groundhog Day! 

2. Ever wonder why lace is associated with Valentine’s Day? Seem the word comes from a Latin word, “laques”meaning “net.” Someone tries to capture  someone’s heart on Valentine’s Day.

3. Because blood is red and people once thought the heart was the center of feelings, red became the color of Valentine’s Day.

4. The first Valentine’s Day card dates back to 1415. It was in that year France’s Duke of Orleans send a love message to his wife while a prisoner in the Tower of London. He was captured in the Battle of Agincourt.

5. It is believed that Valentine’s Day began around 270 AD in ancient Rome.

6. One of the legends of Valentine’s Day says that the Roman emperor, Claudius 11, banned marriage during war time.  A priest named Valentine(some say a Bishop) continued to marry and was arrested and jailed for his “crime”.  While in prison, he sent the jailor’s daughter a note and signed it “from your Valentine.” He was eventually sentenced to death on February 14th.
7. Did you know that over 8 billion candy hearts are made each year for Valentine’s Day?

8. In 1537, King Henry VIII, of England, made February 14th, an official holiday.

9. On Valentine’s Day, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell patented his idea of the telephone!
10. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Italy, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, France, Great Britain, Australia and the United States.

11.Back when most people couldn’t write, people often signed their name with an X. Another person would witness their “signature”. The person would then kiss their X . Today, people sign notes with Xs to stand for kisses.

12. Have you heard the expression, “to wear your heart on your sleeve”? This saying dates back to the Middle Ages when men and women would draw a name and wear their  “valentine” on their sleeve for a week.

13. Did you know that the human heart is about the size of a fist?

14. In a lifetime, a person’s heart pumps about 1 million barrels of blood! That’s about 2,000 gallons each day or 5 quarts a minute!

15. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart throughout the body. Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.

16. People used to believe that your heart stopped when you sneezed. That’s why people started saying “bless you”. Actually, the heart does NOT stop. It just isn’t pumping blood as well. 

17. The heart is a MUSCLE. It is found in the MIDDLE of your chest, between your two lungs. 

Extension Activities:
  1. Have students write a paragraph stating any prior knowledge they have about Valentine's Day.
  2. Illustrate one of the facts.
  3. Make a chart showing 3 of the countries which celebrate Valentine’ Day. Write 2 facts about each country.
  4. Pretend you are a human heart. Write a day in your life. What are you doing today? What are you thinking? Include 2 facts about the human heart in your story.
All things RED!
Test you “red” knowledge:


1. Name a jewel that is the color red:__________________________
                      2.   Who is the famous cartoon dog of this color?__________________________
3.                   3.   A story about a girl and a wolf: ____________________________
4.                   4.   Name a traffic sign which is red: ___________________________
5.                   5.   Name a red bird: _______________________________________
6.                   6.   Name a red insect: _____________________________________
7.                   7.   Name two red fruits: ______________________________________
         8.   Name three red vegetables:__________________________
9.            9.  Which large planet has several big red    spots__________________________page2image10520 page2image10680Teacher Page:

1. Have students watch this short video and write 3 facts learned about Candy Hearts:  http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/valentines-day-ideas/a26945/candy-heart-facts

2.  Show the nutritional information of Candy Hearts:
Calories
60

Fat
0g

Carbs
15g

10 Candy Hearts contain 60 calories.
Have students bring in a candy wrapper and discuss the nutritional information.

3. Have students review the heart diagram at this link: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/heart/labelinterior/label.shtml

4. Check out my webquest on Valentine’s Day and the human heart: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1659788

5. Check out my activity, The Red Game(also included in my Webquest activity): https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-The-RED-GameActivity-1666108

6.  Show kids that everything has a history with my web question on the History of Candy: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Candy-History-of-Candy-Webquest-516787

Friday, January 30, 2026

Happy Chinese New Year 2026 ( Begins Feb 17th)

    



Note: Download the free resource at this link:


Chinese New Year Factoids
by
Gail Skroback Hennessey

Kung Hei Fat Choy! "Kung Hei Fat Choy" means Happy New Year in Chinese! 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse. People born under this Zodiac sign are thought to be adventurous, honest, hard workers and talented. Fire Horse people tend to be positive even when dealing with difficulties and are great problem solvers.They are fast learners. Fire Horse people can also be a bit stubborn and have a temper. On the Chinese calendar, called Yan Tan, the new year is 4723. Chinese New Year is not always held on the same day each year. It depends on when the second new moon of the winter solstice occurs. In 2026, Chinese New Year starts on February 17th. It is the beginning of a 16 day celebration!



Some of the following are Chinese good luck foods and customs:
Long, uncut noodles are a symbols of long life and friendship.

Giving oranges and tangerines are symbols of wealth and good luck.

Dumplings are eaten as a symbol of a happy family.

Wearing red is thought to bring good luck.

People put up lights and decorate windows and doors with red and gold paper. Messages of good fortunes are written.

The Chinese word for fish is similar in sound to the word for plentiful, so fish are important in the Chinese New Year.

Using knives or scissors on New Year's Day are considered bad luck as they may cut your good luck for the new year.

It is also considered bad luck to wash your hair on New Year's Day.

It is considered good luck to hear a bird sign on New Year's Day.

The number 4 sounds like the Chinese word for death, so people try not to use the number on New Year's Day

Fireworks are shot off on New Year's Eve to send away the old year and welcome the new.

Before the new year, it is a custom to clean the home from top to bottom to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year.

It is considered bad luck to own money from the previous year, so people try to pay any bills before the New Year.

It is bad luck to clean on New Year's Day. You might sweep away any good luck!

At exactly midnight on New Year's Eve, all windows and doors are opened to send away the old year and welcome in the new.

If a flower opens on New Year's Day, it is considered good luck.


The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
Several stories are told about how twelve animals came to be honored with a year in the Chinese calendar.  One is that Buddha was having a party and invited all the animals of the world to come. It was very cold and only twelve animals braved the weather to attend the party. Buddha was so grateful to those that attended his party, that each that came got a year named in their honor. The rat was the first to get to the party, with the ox being second. If you look at the 12 year calendar, which animal arrived last? Man didn't brave the weather to come to the party and is the reason that a year isn't given to man on the calendar.

There are twelve animals in the Chinese calendar and everyone has a year in their honor. The year just ending was the year of the rat. Other animals  include: pig, monkey, snake, dragon, goat, rabbit, dog, tiger, rooster,and horse.

*Purple Annie at the Great Wall of China

•Write 3 things you learned that you found very interesting about Chinese New Year.
•Write a paragraph describing Chinese New Year. Include 4 facts learned from the information listed.




Teacher Page:
Extension Activities:
  • Give students a handout of the information on Chinese New Year.  Have small groups use the information to make 5 comprehension questions to exchange with another group to answer. Regroup as a class and discuss the information presented.
  • Check which animal you were born.  Draw a picture of your sign and write three character traits you feel you have. Give an example to back up your traits. http://china.mrdonn.org/zodiac.html
      • Illustrate/color one of the customs of Chinese New Year.

 • Chinese animated folk story: The Three Monks. Write a summary of the story:  chinese4kids.net/classical-chinese-animation-three-monks/
  • Check out my Purple Annie bear’s photographs of our trip to China: http://www.gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?purpleanniestravels.html  Write a  post card pretending to be visiting the country of China. Include 3 facts learned about China from Purple Annie’s Travel page.
  • Dragons and bats are considered good luck. Draw/color a picture of either a dragon or bat. Pretend your dragon or bat could grant you three good things to happen. What would you choose and why?

You may find these resource of interest. Take a look:
  1. Let’s Explore China!  Did you know that enough dirt was used to create the Great Wall of China to circle the earth with an 8 ft. high wall? Did you know that ice cream was probably first invented by the Chinese(frozen milk/rice)? Did you know that the yo-yo was invented by the Chinese or that the number 9 and the color red are considered good luck in China? I taught a unit on China for 32 years and would love to share some my notes, activities and resources I used with my students. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/China-Lets-Explore-China-520479
  2. Country in Focus: China. A Webquest/ Extension Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Country-in-Focus-China-A-WebquestExtension-Activities-1085517



Note: Illustrations from wpclipart.com

Friday, January 23, 2026

Snow FACTS: Possible Interactive Notebook Activity

 

SNOW FACTOIDS!





Get the free downloadable version at this link:



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. The record still stands in 2026.

16. In the USA, the typical snowman is made up of three parts. In the United Kingdom, two parts are usually used to make a snowman.

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 2026, 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.



Illustrations from Pixabay and Guinness World Records

Friday, January 16, 2026

Groundhog Day is Coming : Feb. 2nd

    

Are you READY for Groundhog Day?


Groundhog Day is February 2nd. It's a time when people look to a groundhog to find out whether or not we will be having six more weeks of winter. The idea dates back hundreds of years when people looked to hibernating animals such as badgers, hedgehogs and bears to see when they might wake up from their winter sleep.

According to the tradition, if the animals saw its shadow, winter would last several more weeks. If it didn't see its shadow, spring would be soon arriving.

When Europeans, especially the Germans, came to the United States, they brought the tradition. The groundhog became the animals of choice as it hibernated and looked something like the European hedgehog. Groundhog Day started back in the 1880s with the first official celebration on February 2, 1887. The most famous groundhog weather forecaster is Punxsutawney Phil, of Punxsutawney, PA. On February 2nd, Punxsutawney Phil , who lives at the Punxsutawney Library is taken to Gobbler Knob and placed in a heated burrow underneath a simulated tree stump on the stage near where hundreds have gathered. At 7:25 if Punxsutawney Phil comes out to make his weather prediction. If he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, spring is on its way!

Did You Know? 

1. The groundhog, also called woodchuck, is a relatives of the squirrel. Learn some additional Fun facts about groundhogs at this link: https://animalsake.com/facts-about-groundhogs

2. Groundhog day is also celebrated in Canada on Feb. They have several weather forecasting groundhogs including Wiarton Willy, Shubenacadie Sam and Balzac Billy.

3. Did you know that Groundhog Day is an official university holiday at the University of Dallas(Irving, TX)? Celebrations are held in honor of the groundhog.

4. The very first mention of a Groundhog Day in the United States was found in a diary entry of James Morris. The year was 1841.



Extension activities:

1.Pretend you are a weather forecasting groundhog. Tell about your big day. What did you hear? What did you see? How did you feel being in the limelight?

3. Read more about the groundhog. Draw/color a picture and write 5 facts learned about the groundhog( in complete sentences): http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/groundhog/ 

4. The Groundhog isn't the only creature in nature that is used to help forecast weather. Can spiders predict a sunny day? My mother-in-law told me that if you see spiders hanging up their wash(making webs) early on a summer morning, it's a sign of a beautiful summer day. See chimney smoke going straight up on a winter's day? Another sign of nice weather. But, if you see ants building mounds, it's a sign of rain. Same with birds roosting on electrical wires, another sign of coming rain. There are lots of weather folklore. Being observant to nature, can help you predict the day's weather, without a weatherman. Illustrate a weather folklore: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-folklore.htm 


Check out my Groundhog Day, Reader's Theater Script: Learn about the groundhog and the history of Groundhog Day with Ms. Bie Ografee's guest, Sarsaparilla, the Groundhog:https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Groundhog-Day-A-Readers-Theater-ScriptVisit-with-a-Groundhog-2309751


Photograph from wpclipart.com

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Happy New Year, 2026! New Year's 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

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Holiday Traditions from Around the World

 



Did You Know?

Did you know that there are two islands in the world named “Christmas”? One is in the Pacific Ocean and the other is found in the Indian Ocean.

Someone figured that if you added up all the gifts from “The Twelve Days of Christmas, you’d get 364 presents.

A stocking filled with coal for naughty children originated in the country of Italy.

Did you know that three towns in the United States are named Santa Claus?

The first holiday song sung in space was Jingle Bells.

Two of the oldest ENGLISH spoken Christmas songs are “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World

Jingle Bells was actually written for the Thanksgiving holiday!

Did you know there aren’t any plums in plum pudding? Actually the word “plum” at one time meant raisins.

It is believed that seeing a spider’s web on Christmas morning is good luck in the country of Ukraine.

Advent calendars and gingerbread houses are traditions of the people of Germany.


Holiday Traditions at the White House! 

Download this Interactive Notebook Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Holiday-Traditions-at-the-White-House-Interactive-Notebook-Activity-2219599

• In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the custom of a National Christmas Tree. It had 2500 electric lights!

• First lady Jacqueline Kennedy began the custom of having a theme for the official White House Christmas tree.

• Environmentalist President Theodore Roosevelt didn’t approve of cutting a tree down for the Christmas holidays. Because of this, he banned having a Christmas tree in the White House. However, Archie, his son, cut a small tree down and hid it in the closet in the swing room. He also decorated it.

• The first president to have electric lights on the family Christmas tree was President Grover Cleveland. The year was 1894.

• President Benjamin Harrison had one of the first White House Christmas trees. It was lit with candles. The year was 1889.

• Did you know that George Washington paid 18 schillings, a lot of money

at the time, for someone to bring a camel to Mt. Vernon for the

Christmas holidays? Ok, Mt. Vernon isn’t the White House but I liked this

fact. Interestingly, the tradition of having a camel come to Mt. Vernon

during the holidays continues to this day!

• In 1834, President Andrew Jackson’s children had fun at the holidays

including having snowball fights in the White House...with snowballs made

from cotton.


Traditionally, the official White House Christmas tree, is the one placed in the White House’s Blue Room. The tradition of an official tree at the White house began with First Lady Lou Henry Hoover(1929).
In 1997, there were thirty-six trees decorated for the holidays, and in 2012, there were 54 decorated trees!

• The holiday tradition of a gingerbread house, in the White House, began with First Lady Patricia Nixon, in 1969. Did you know that the White House gingerbread house is made from about 150 pounds of gingerbread dough? More than 250 pounds of white chocolate are used for decorating.

  • Hanukkah is often celebrated around this time of year. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter became the first president to honor the Jewish

    holiday of Hanukkah, by lighting a National Menorah. The tradition continues each year. In 1993, President Bill Clinton lighted the first menorah in the White House. President George H.W. Bush hosted the first White House Hanukkah Party in 2001.

  • President Benjamin Harrison dressed up as Santa Claus for his grandchildren!

    QUESTIONS:

    • If you had to create a theme for the official White House Christmas tree, what would you select and why. Draw and picture of your tree.

    • Which do you think is more environmentally friendly, a REAL or ARTIFICIAL tree? Give 2 reasons for your opinion.


    Teacher Page: Extension Activities:

    1. The holiday season is a time of giving. Encourage students to “pay it forward”, doing an act of kindness for someone else.

    2. Read a short version of a Christmas Carol: https://kidsshortmoralstories.com/short- summary-of-charles-dickenss-a-christmas-carol-christmas-ghost-stories/

    3. Illustrate one of the facts learned.

    4. Teachers may wish to read this article to share with students on which type of tree is MORE environmentally friendly: https://earth911.com/home-garden/real-vs-artificial- christmas-trees/

    5. Share some Christmas customs from around the world:https://www.rd.com/article/ christmas-around-the-world-traditions/ Illustrate a custom.
    6. 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. Have students create creative sentences using several of these words.

    • Check out my webquest on Charles Dickens! 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.https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A- Webquest-200480 Also have a Reader’s Theater Script on Charles Dickens. https:// www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Charles-Dickens-A-Readers-Theater- Script-3286350

    Check out my webquest: Holiday Traditions from Around the World: 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 with this webquest. There are 14 information packed web questions!





     https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Holiday-Traditions-from-Around-the-WorldWebquest-2864257

    Illustrations from: WPclipart.com