Click here for the Special Days in June list updated for 2020!
Special Days in June, 2015
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Category Archives: History
Special Days in May, 2015
Special Days in April, 2015
The following post has been updated for 2016 https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2016/03/30/special-days-in-april-2016/
April’s special days list is bursting with holidays, observances, food themes, awareness days , historic figures and authors birthdays, science and historic based anniversaries, and more! Whether you’re looking for something special to study, trivia, a day to celebrate, or a food to add to the menu, this list gives you plenty to choose from.
April’s Themes, Awareness, and Observances
- Amateur Radio
- Arab American Heritage
- Astronomy
- Autism Awareness
- Car Care
- Card and Letter Writing
- Celebrate Diversity
- Confederate History
- Decorating
- Financial Literacy Month
- Frogs
- Garden
- Guitar
- Holy Humor
- Home Improvement
- Humor
- Jazz Appreciation
- Keep America Beautiful
- Kites
- Landscape Architecture
- Listening Awareness
- Math Education
- Military Child
- Pet 1st Aid
- Poetry
- Recycling
- School Library
- Straw Hat
- Stress Awareness
- Young Child
- Youth Sports Safety
- World Habitat Awareness
April Food Themes
- Celery
- Child Nutrition
- Cranberries
- Gooseberries
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Pecan
- Soy Foods
April’s Daily Specials (the * after the daily special means it does not always fall on the same date each year)
April 1
- April Fool’s Day
- Atheist Day
- Fun at Work Day
- Golden Rule Week begins
- Medication Safety Week begins
- Poetry and The Creative Mind Day
- Read a Road Map Week begins
- Reading Is Funny Day
- Tatting Day
- US Air Force Academy Day
- Walking Day
April 2
- Author Hans Christian Andersen born 1805
- Children’s Book Day
- Ferret Day
- Ponce de Leon discovers and claims Florida for Spain 1513
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
- Reconciliation Day
- World Autism Day
April 3
- Chocolate Mousse Day
- Don’t Go To Work Unless It’s Fun Day
- Find a Rainbow Day
- Good Friday *
- Scientist Jane Goodall born 1934
- Johan Gutenberg 1st used movable type to print a book 1451
- Author Washington Irving born 1783
- Passover *
- 1st Pony Express Mail Route 1860
- Tweed Day
- Walk to Work Day *(1st Fri.)
- Weed Out Hate/Sow Seeds of Greatness Day
- World Party Day
April 4
- Hug a Newsman Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated 1968
- Love Our Children Day *(1st Sat.)
- NATO established 1949
- Pillow Fight Day *(1st Sat.)
- Rat Day
- Robotics Week begins
- Author/Illustrator Glen Rounds born 1906
- Tell a Lie Day
- Vitamin C Day
- Walk Around Things Day
April 5
- Bat Appreciation Week begins *
- Deep Dish Pizza Day
- Easter Sunday *
- Explore Your Career Options Week begins *
- Go For Broke Day
- Scientist Joseph Lister born 1827
- Plum Pudding Day
- Scientist Walter Sutton born 1877
- Activist Booker T. Washington born 1856
April 6
- 1st Animated Cartoon was copyrighted 1906
- Army Day
- Fresh Tomato Day
- North Pole discovered 1909
- Public Health Week *
- Artist Raphael born 1483
- Sorry Charlie Day
- Sweet Tater Day *(1st Mon.)
- Tartan Day (Scottish Heritage)
- Teflon invented 1938
- Twinkie invented 1930
- US Entry Into WWI 1916
April 7
- Beaver Day
- Caramel Popcorn Day
- Metric System Day
- No Housework Day
- Poet William Wordsworth born 1770
- World Health Organization Day
April 8
- All Is Ours Day
- Buddha born 563BC
- Draw a Picture of a Bird Day
- Empanada Day
- Garden Week begins *(2nd week)
- Roma Day
April 9
- Appomattox Day (US Civil War ends 1865)
- Cherish an Antique Day
- Winston Churchill Day (first person to become an Honorary Citizen of the United States 1963)
- Name Yourself Day
April 10
- Farm Animals Day
- Golfers Day
- Salvation Army Founder’s Day 1865
- Safety Pin patented 1849
- Sibling Day
April 11
- Apollo 13 Launched 1970
- Baby Massage Day *(2nd Sat.)
- Barbershop Quartet Day
- 8-Track Tape Day
- Just Pray No! Weekend of Prayer and Fasting begins *
- Pet Day
- End of Revolutionary War 1783
- Slow Art Day *(2nd Sat.)
- Submarine Day
- Teach Your Children to Save Day
April 12
- Big Wind Day
- American Civil War begins 1861
- Author Beverly Cleary born 1916
- D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything and Read Day)
- Global Day to End Child Sexual Abuse *(2nd Sun.)
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
- International Day for Street Children
- Library Week *
- Licorice Day
- 1st Human Space Flight 1961
- Paul Revere’s Famous Ride 1775
- 1st Space Shuttle launch 1981
- Student Employment Week begins *
- Volunteer Week begins *
- Walk On Your Wild Side Day
- Week of the Young Child begins *
April 13
- American Indian Awareness Week begins *
- Cowboy/Outlaw Butch Cassidy born 1866
- President Thomas Jefferson born 1743
- Scrabble Day
April 14
- Dolphin Day
- Library Day *(Tues. during Library Week)
- Look Up At The Sky Day
- Moment of Laughter Day
- One Day Without Shoes Day*
- Pecan Day
- Reach as High as You Can Day
- Websters American Dictionary of the English Language published 1828
April 15
- Corrie Ten Boom born 1892
- Artist/Scientist/Inventor Leonardo Da Vinci born 1452
- Holocaust Remembrance Day *
- Jackie Robinson Day
- Rubber Eraser Day
- Take A Wild Guess Day
- The Titanic sank 1912
April 16
- Day of the Mushroom
- Eggs Benedict Day
- High Five Day*
- Stress Awareness Day
- Teen Literature Day *(Thurs. of Library Week)
- Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day
- Inventor Wilbur Wright born 1867
April 17
- Bat Appreciation Day
- Blah! Blah! Blah! Day
- Cheese Ball Day
- Day of Silence *
- Ellis Island History Day
- Haiku Poetry Day
- 1st Hershey Bar sold 1895
- Youth Service Days begin *
April 18
- Amateur Radio Day
- Auctioneers Day *(3rd Sat.)
- Cleaning for a Reason Week begins *
- Husband Appreciation Day*(3rd Sat.)
- Juggler’s Day
- Money Smart Week begins *
- San Francisco Earthquake 1906
April 19
- Bicycle Day
- Coin Week begins *
- Environmental Education Week begins *
- Garlic Day
- Hanging Out Day
- Karaoke Week begins *
- Princess Week begins *
- The Shot Heard Around the World (Battle of Lexington and Concord) 1775
April 20
- Boston Marathon *(3rd Mon.)
- Chinese Language Day
- Marie and Pierre Curie Discover Radium 1902
- Adolf Hitler born 1889
- Look Alike Day
- Patriot’s Day *(3rd Mon.)
- Playground Safety Week begins *
- Volunteer Recognition Day
April 21
- Chocolate Covered Cashews Day
- Gathering of the Nations PowWow begins *
- Queen Elizabeth born 1926
- Henry VIII Became King of England 1509
- Innovation Day
- Kindergarten Day
- Naturalist John Muir born 1838
- National Park Week begins *
- Rome Founded 753 BC
April 22
- Earth Day
- Girl Scout Leaders Day
- Jelly Bean Day
- Mother Earth Day
- Roller Skates patented 1823
April 23
- President James Buchanan born 1791
- English Language Day
- St. George’s Day
- Homerun Day
- Laboratory Day
- Movie Theater Day
- Picnic Day
- Slay A Dragon Day
- Take a Chance Day
- Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day *(4th Thurs.)
- Talk Like Shakespeare Day / Author William Shakespeare born 1564
- Zucchini Bread Day
April 24
- Arbor Day *(last Fri.)
- Dance Week begins
- Fiddler’s Frolic begins *
- Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day
- Save the Frogs Day *(last Fri.)
- Teach Your Children to Save Day *
- Farmer’s Almanac Founder, Robert Bailey Thomas born 1776
April 25
- Astronomy Day *
- DNA Day
- Dance Day *(last Sat.)
- East Meets West Day
- Eeyore’s Birthday *(last Sat.)
- Great Fire of London 1666
- Frog Day *(last Sat.)
- Go Birding Day *(last Sat.)
- Hug a Plumber Day
- Physicist Guglielmo Marconi born 1874
- Malaria Awareness Day
- Sense of Smell Day *(last Sat.)
- Suez Canal Construction begins 1859
- World Healing Day *(last Sat.)
- World Penguin Day
- Veterinary Day *(last Sat.)
April 26
- Audubon Day
- Help a Horse Day
- Hug An Australian Day
- Kids and Pets Day
- Pinhole Photography Day *(last Sun.)
- Preservation Week begins *
- Pretzel Day
- Scientist/Inventor Charles F. Richter born 1900
April 27
- Babe Ruth Day
- Author Ludwig Bemelmans born 1898
- President Ulysses S. Grant born 1822
- Scientist Johannes Kepler born 1571
- Inventor Samuel Morse born 1791
- Prime Rib Day
- Tell A Story Day
April 28
- Astronomy Day
- Biological Clock Day
- Kiss Your Mate Day
- Maryland Statehood 1788
- President James Monroe born 1758
- Great Poetry Reading Day
April 29
- Dance Day
- Greenery Day
- Guide Dogs Day *(last Wed.)
- Shrimp Scampi Day
- World Wish Day
- Zipper patented 1851
April 30
- Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
- Beltane *
- Buggs Bunny Day
- Hairstyle Appreciation Day
- Honesty Day
- Louisiana Statehood 1812
- Poem In Your Pocket Day *
- Raisin Day
- Vietnam War ended 1975
- Walpurgis Night
I make my monthly special days lists by using several sources including old calendars, holiday books, newspapers, and the web. If you know of a special day that I do not have listed, please comment and let me know what it is so I can add it in. Below are the links to my favorite online April calendars.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/april-2015.html
http://www.brownielocks.com/april.html
Happy April Learning!
betty jo
Special Days in March 2015
Learning Resources for Special Days in January, 2015
There are many learning opportunities using January’s calendar!
Below is a collection of online learning resources for January studies. A big “Thank You” to all (social media group members and blogging friends) who are sharing your resources. We wouldn’t have a list like this without a lot of help! This month has grown to have a resource for almost every day!
Special Days in January – List of January 2015 themes, holidays, and historic dates https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/12/30/special-days-in-january-2015/
January Prayer Calendar – http://cherigamble.com/2014/12/29/january-2015-prayer-calendar-for-children/
January Writing Prompts – http://www.theteacherscorner.net/daily-writing-prompts/january/
January Science Calendar – http://thehomeschoolscientist.com/january-2015-science-calendar-2/#.VKjAVXuP_sg
January Themed Math – http://www.yummymath.com/
January Themed Coloring and Activity Printables – http://www.apples4theteacher.com/
Snow is a wonderful study theme for January. This was one of our family’s favorites! – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/07/snow-week/
President’s With January Birthdays – This is how we study/review the presidents https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/14/resources-for-presidents-day/
- Millard Fillmore born Jan. 7, 1800
- Richard Nixon born Jan. 9, 1913
- Wm. McKinley born Jan. 29, 1843
- Franklin Roosevelt born Jan. 30, 1882
More January Birthdays – Read biographies, printables, and online activities – http://gardenofpraise.com/index.htm
- Isaac Newton – Jan. 4, 1693
- Joan of Arc – Jan. 6, 1412
- Albert Schweitzer – Jan. 14, 1875
- Ben Franklin – Jan. 17, 1706
- Mozart – Jan. 27, 1756
Resources for January’s Daily Specials:
1 – New Year’s – Learning Resources – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/12/31/learning-resources-for-new-years/
3 – J.R.R. Tolkien Day – Read about the author, book reviews, events, and more from his fan club, The Tolkien Society – http://www.tolkiensociety.org/
4 – Jacob Grimm 1785 – Read Brothers Grimm fairy tales – http://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms-toc.html
5 – Bird Day – Make one or more of these bird feeders http://happyhooligans.ca/32-homemade-bird-feeders/ and learn some bird calls http://www.enature.com/birding/audio.asp
6 – Bean Day – Bean resources and activities – http://www.franw.com/2015/01/bean-resources.html
7 – Old Rock Day – Find geology facts, experiments, and games – http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/geology.html
8 – Joygerm Day – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/08/happy-joygerm-day/
9 – Static Electricity Day – This is Z’s all time favorite experiment – http://www.sciencebob.com/experiments/staticroll.php
11 – Grand Canyon National Monument dedicated 1908 – Take a virtual tour – http://www.grandcanyonvirtualtour.com/
13 – Poetry Break Day – Reading and Writing Poetry resources – http://42explore.com/poetry.htm
16 – Appreciate a Dragon Day – Fast Facts and resource links – http://www.kidskonnect.com/subjectindex/13-categories/animals/439-dragons.html
18 – Winnie the Pooh Day – http://www.just-pooh.com/
19 – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/17/teaching-resources-for-martin-luther-king-day/
19 – Edgar Allan Poe born 1809 – Research Project – http://www.franw.com/2013/10/edgar-allan-poe-research-project.html
20 – Draw a Dinosaur Day – Try these step-by-step instructions – http://www.dragoart.com/google_search.php?cx=partner-pub-6207428572838690%3A2440456717&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=UTF-8&q=dinosaur
21 – Squirrel Appreciation Day – Huge list of unit study resources – http://lastingthumbprints.com/free-squirrel-resource-unit/
23 – Handwriting Analysis Week begins – Learn about the forensics analysis of handwriting – http://science.howstuffworks.com/handwriting-analysis.htm
24 – Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day – How about a Yosemite Sam cartoon? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO4JcgD3vq0
25 – Burns Night – Robert Burns born 1759 – http://activityvillage.co.uk/burns-night
25 – Super Bowl – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/01/31/the-winter-olympic-games-but-first-the-super-bowl/
26 – Australia Day – http://activityvillage.co.uk/australia-day
27 – Author Lewis Carrol born 1832 – Study guide for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/alice/
29 – Patriot Thomas Paine born 1737 – Watch the Common Sense episode of Liberty’s Kids – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awlBeITstkE
30 – Yodel For Your Neighbors Day – How to Yodel Instructions, Videos, and some historic facts – http://wordbone.com/learn/how-to-yodel-instructions-for-beginners-kids-and-celebrity-singers/
31 – Inspire Your Heart With Art Day – When looking for an art project, this is my usual “go to” site. No matter what subject you’re studying, this link has something to tie art in with it! – http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/craftsbytheme.html
And remember to check out what’s available at your local libraries. Ours usually has themes for reading contests, and book suggestions. We picked up 2 bags of books to go along with our first couple of weeks of Special Days in January studies.
Happy January Learning!
betty jo
Learning Resources for New Year’s
It’s been a wonderful holiday break from homeschooling for us, but it’s time to get back into the swing of lessons and learning. New Year’s celebrations will be our last lesson focus of 2014 as well as our first lesson focus of 2015. Below are the online resources we’ll be using for our study.
New Year Countdown Interactive Map – http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/newyearmap.html
Traditions, recipes, games, poetry, and how to say “Happy New Year” from Around the World – http://www.fathertimes.net/traditions.htm
And Year Review and Resolution printables http://www.modernparentsmessykids.com/2014/12/free-family-new-years-resolution-printable.html
And New Year’s themed art and craft ideas http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/newyearscraftsactivitieskids.html
A hands-on Bible Study with a New Year’s object lesson and playdough http://www.christianitycove.com/new-years-lesson-committing-to-gods-hands/6281/
Times Square Ball math lesson – http://www.yummymath.com/2014/evolution-of-the-times-square-ball/
Photos of Celebrations Around the World – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/31/photos-new-years-world_n_6402768.html
How to Make Fireworks is an interesting science article and with the noises we’re hearing from around our neighborhood, an appropriate New Year’s science lesson – http://blogs.howstuffworks.com/brainstuff/how-to-make-fireworks.htm
The top news/current events from 2014 – http://www.ourlittleearth.com/
Wishing you a wonderful year of learning! Happy 2015!
betty jo
Learning Christmas with Countdowns
Are you extra busy this time of year? We are! Our calendar is filled with Christmas program rehearsals, a holiday workshop, caroling, and parties. We’re decorating, crafting and baking. And of course, there’s light displays to drive by, extra shopping, and gifts to wrap and deliver. Oh yeah, there’s homeschool lessons, too.
Not only are we counting the days down until Christmas, we’re counting the days left in our semester. I know some homeschooling families that take off the month of December, as nice as that sounds, it isn’t for us. We keep on learning through December, and we have about two more weeks of homeschooling before we’ll be ready for a break . However, with the added busy-ness, regular lessons won’t give us the time we need to pursue the activities that make this time of year so special.
Below are the online links to Advent and Christmas countdowns that we are using for quick lessons that are helping us check off our daily subjects. Not only have the kids been liking these (probably because it’s extra computer time and the studies are short), I like them too. It’s wonderful to have a break in lesson planning and to devote my “teacher time” to all the activities December brings. It’s fun knowing that we have surprises waiting for us to learn about each morning. And since these resources are brief, we have the afternoons for all those extras.
For Bible references and a little related trivia each day until Christmas – http://www.jamtrust.org/resources/adventcalendar/AdventCalendar.html
Learn Something “Christmassy” every day for 25 days – http://www.whychristmas.com/adventcalendar/
Countdown with Math – secondary grade levels (6-12) – http://nrich.maths.org/11330
Countdown with Math – primary grade levels (1-5) – http://nrich.maths.org/11078
For Science, a Chemistry Countdown – http://www.compoundchem.com/2014advent/
Unlock a New Game Each Day Until Christmas – http://www.santagames.net/calendar/index.htm
World Geography and Cultures – Read about Christmas traditions around the world (We used this as a study link last year and it’s great!) – http://projectbritain.com/Xmas/calendar/index.html
Liverpool Museum has a historic display to share each day – http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/christmas/advent/
For even more Christmas Advent and Countdown resources
I hope you enjoy your final learning days until the holiday break. I wish you Merry Homeschooling!
betty jo
Thanksgiving – Been There, Done That
As we move along on our “special days” studies through November, I see Thanksgiving looming coming up in the not so distant future. I thought seriously about not teaching Thanksgiving lessons this year. How could I not want to teach Thanksgiving? We’ve always had wonderful Thanksgiving lessons in November. Yes, that’s it. For 17 years – 17 Novembers, I’ve been teaching a week or two or three of Thanksgiving. The who, what, when, why, and how of those Mayflower pilgrims and the natives that they encountered, Lincoln’s proclamation to make a Thanksgiving holiday, Bible studies that focus on giving thanks and gratitude, nutritional studies of squash, pumpkins, turkeys, sweet potatoes, and corn, Thanksgiving celebrations around the world, tons of cooking projects, and craft activities to go along with it all – we’ve been there and done that over and over again.
In addition to my grumpy mood about Thanksgiving lessons, our primary history focus of the year is Modern World History so the Pilgrim/Indian theme just doesn’t seem to fit or apply. I look over the recent additions to our timeline and see WW1, the stock market crash of 1929, WW2 – hard and fearful times, but still were thankful times, too. Hmmm …
Below are some of the online resources we’ll be using as we begin a new Thanksgiving study with a modern history twist, and the cure for my Thanksgiving lesson planning grumpiness. I’m actually getting excited about these lessons now!
During WW1, food was rationed and that had quite an impact on that Thanksgiving dinner. This article does a terrific job explaining American Thanksgiving during WW1. I love the photos of the newspaper ads from 1917 and 1918. http://blog.genealogybank.com/rationing-thanksgiving-dinner-during-world-war-i.html
And what of the troops on Thanksgiving 1918? Read about the football, feasts, and entertainment the Red Cross planned in this old Stars and Stripes magazine article http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/Thanksgiving_in_WW1_France#.VGRLisnbGi0
Macy’s Department Store held their first parade in 1924. Read about the history of this famous parade here http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-other/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade1.htm
Watch a short video of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade history with some actual film footage from the first parade http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving/videos/history-of-the-thanksgiving-day-parade
View this Macy’s Thanksgiving Day photo gallery from Time http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2100160_2324105,00.html
Thanksgiving Radio Show 1935
Jack Benny Thanksgiving Radio Show 1939
A wonderful account of the Thanksgiving that came early http://www.farmcollector.com/farm-life/thanksgiving-during-the-great-depression.aspx#axzz3IpQaEi9v
And more about that early Thanksgiving which became known as “Franksgiving” from this historic letter collection http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/11/unhappy-franksgiving.html
That famous Norman Rockwell American family portrait of Thanksgiving dinner is still a popular work of art today. But back in 1943 it was a political statement. Find out more about that here http://bigthink.com/Picture-This/what-norman-rockwells-thanksgiving-pictures-really-about
Details of WW2 Thanksgiving in a pdf from America in WWII Magazine http://www.americainwwii.com/files/2012/11/thankful-anyway-dec-2009.pdf
A delightful article about Thanksgiving at home and at war http://www.sarahsundin.com/thanksgiving-in-world-war-ii/
Thanksgiving writings from WW2 veterans along with some pictures from Time Magazine 1940’s Thanksgiving photo album http://www.skylighters.org/thanksgiving/
Armed Forces Radio Thanksgiving Show 1944
And with that fantastic swing music, some Charleston and Swing Dance instructions may be in order!
And back in those days, math was practical and so are these Thanksgiving themed math lessons http://www.yummymath.com/?s=thanksgiving
The common thread of Thanksgiving celebration during these times seems to be making the most with whatever resources were available and finding blessings in any circumstance. With this in mind, our Thanksgiving Bible studies will focus on contentment.
- Philippians 4:11-12 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
- 1 Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
- Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Just for fun and a little about the mindset of the times here’s a Classic Thanksgiving cartoon playlist. One of these is from 1933 and one from 1945. The rest are a little more recent, 1950’s-70’s. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRgLrYQQYdPr9xb8HiRXaJZAWiKmp4wQ6
What about science? How about human anatomy and the digestive system? Seems to fit the theme of “Thanksgiving dinner”, right?
Digestive System Facts – http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/humanbody/digestivesystem.html
Human Body Interactive Map of the digestion system – http://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/digestive-system/male
Label the Digestion System printable with a vocabulary and definition list http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/digestive/label/
This National Geographic video is NOT for the squeamish! It is actual footage of the digestive process filmed by a scope procedure. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QYwscALNng
A little more pleasant to watch, an animation of how the digestive system works http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwrsL-lCZYo
There is even a digestion song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sDMVgw9d-c
Online Digestive System Quiz http://www.lrn.org/Content/Quizzes/Qdigestive.html
Hopefully our appetites will still exist after this science study! We have a lot of cooking and eating to do!
I wish you happy learning this Thanksgiving!
betty jo
Peanuts
October 2 marks the anniversary of the very first publication of Peanuts (1950)! This is one of the October “special days” the kids were interested in. Yeah, I’m interested, too. I grew up on Peanuts. Below are some resource links to follow as we learn and have fun with Peanuts.
See the first Peanuts Comic! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Peanuts_comic.png
Peanuts History Article http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2022745,00.html
Charles Schultz biography and printables http://makingartfun.com/htm/f-maf-art-library/charles-m-schultz-biography.htm
Faith Based Video https://www.museumofthebible.org/book/minutes/147
Read Peanuts comic strips free online http://www.gocomics.com/peanuts
Character Profiles https://www.peanuts.com/characters/
Step by step instructions for how to draw Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and other Peanuts characters http://www.dragoart.com/tags/tuts/1/2945/how-to-draw-charlie-brown-characters.htm
Blank Comic Strip Printables for making our own comics http://www.printablepaper.net/category/comics
The Peanuts theme song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQybajU2GNk
Theme Song Piano Lesson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh5C1F1QNAg
Theme Song Piano Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tidspc7AYkE&t=24s
Easy Theme Song Piano Tutorial for Beginners https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8ASSPA8OLE
Peanuts Quiz (easy)-
http://brainfall.com/quizzes/whats-your-peanuts-iq/
Peanuts Quiz (difficult) –
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/arts/artwork/peanuts-quiz9.htm
And in case you’re wondering, I am going to give this study credit for literature (winks), art, music, history, and creative writing. We may get a PE credit too – football kicking and baseball pitching seem to go along with the whole Peanuts theme.
Good Grief!
betty jo
Learning Resources for October, 2014
October is always a favorite time of the year for my family. It’s also a favorite month for learning! October has a good variety of themes, foods, and daily historic events. This link will take you to the list of Special Days in October, 2014 https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/09/27/special-days-in-october-2014/
Below are the resource links to take you to special day studies we’ve done with our homeschooling through Octobers in the past. I’ve also included some links that I’m thinking we’re about to use with this October’s lessons.
October Prayer Calendar Printable http://cherilynngamble.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/october-prayer-calendar/
October Writing Prompts http://www.theteacherscorner.net/daily-writing-prompts/october/
Octbricks – 31 Days of Legos – http://www.educatinglaytons.com/2014/09/31-days-legos/
Autumn and Halloween Background Lined Paper printables http://www.teacherfiles.com/resources_background_paper.htm
Fall Themed Interactive Games – http://www.primarygames.com/seasons/fall/games.htm
Bats! Cross curriculum resources – http://www.franw.com/2011/10/bats.html
Fire Safety – A “Must Read” article http://www.unplannedhomeschooler.com/2014/08/how-my-kids-reacted-to-night-time-fire.html And, http://repurposemylife.com/teaching-children-fire-safety/ Also, Fire Facts http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/fire.html
The Salem Witch Trials was one of our best studies last year. Though not a “special day”, it was a nice tie in with a Halloweenish theme. Also, this resource post has been one of the most popular posts I’ve put together. https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/10/30/salem-witch-trials/
Human Anatomy can be another Halloweenish theme. Here’s some creative learning ideas http://www.homeschool-activities.com/human-body-for-kids.html
Crafts are great all year long, but the autumn ones are some of the best! http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/autumnfallartscraftideaskids.html
October offers some of the best “food themes” of the year!
Apples – Cross curriculum research project – http://www.franw.com/2013/09/apple-research-project.html
Pumpkins – Here’s a “big ole’ list” of pumpkin themed resources – http://www.blessedbeyondadoubt.com/pumpkins-free-printables-activities-recipes/
Candy – Play, Invent and Explore – http://www.housingaforest.com/candy-potions/
Popcorn – http://www.franw.com/2014/10/popcorn-project.html
Presidents Born in October: (This link takes you to our family’s resources used for studying any president. https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/02/14/resources-for-presidents-day/)
- Oct. 1 – Jimmy Carter born 1924
- Oct. 4 – Rutherford Hayes born 1822
- Oct. 5 – Chester Arthur born 1829
- Oct. 14 – Dwight Eisenhower born 1890
- Oct. 27 – Theodore Roosevelt born 1858
- Oct. 30 – John Adams born 1735
Oct. 2 –
- SOS (distress code) established 1906 – Morse Code interatctive game in beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels https://www.nsa.gov/kids/games/gameMorse.swf
- Anniversary of the first Peanuts comic strip (1950) – https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2014/10/02/peanuts/
Oct. 4 – Fall Astronomy Day This link takes you to my “go to” site for all things astronomy. http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
Oct. 11 – Elenore Roosevelt born 1884 – Here’s a nice short biography, reading comprehension quizzes and language arts printables http://www.gardenofpraise.com/ibderoos.htm
Oct. 13 – Columbus Day – Resources and Printables http://embarkonthejourney.com/christopher-columbus-resources-printables/
Oct. 15 – Poetry Day – Homeschool Poetry Resource List – http://homeschoolencouragement.com/poetry-ultimate-homeschool-resource-list/ And, since October is at times spooky and odd, here’s a link to study guides, summaries, and quizzes to Edgar Allen Poe’s Poetry http://www.gradesaver.com/poes-poetry/study-guide/short-summary/ Also, here’s a research guide and resources for a Poe Study http://www.franw.com/2013/10/edgar-allan-poe-research-project.html
Oct. 16 – Noah Webster born 1758 and Dictionary Day (this site has much more than a dictionary! You’ll find games, Webster biography, language history, daily buzz words, and a way to add your own made up word to a dictionary!) http://www.wordcentral.com/edu/index.htm
Oct. 16 – World Food Day – Photo Collection What the World Eats – http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/what-the-world-eats-shocking-photos
Oct. 19 –
- Character Counts Week begins – Our family has gone to this site many times for help with character development http://www.characterjournal.com/ Also, there’s some nice character lapbook printables here http://www.homeschoolshare.com/character_lapbook.php
- Chemistry Week begins – Periodic Table of Element Videos (this is one of our favorite chemistry resources) http://www.periodicvideos.com/ And, this site has chemistry games. worksheets, and quizzes http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/index.htm And, here’s a chemistry lesson about the colors of autumn leaves http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/09/11/autumnleaves/
Oct. 20 – Monster Mash Day – The Monster Mash song is the first one on this Youtube Halloween song playlist http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0R_oDEvYUY&list=PLA8F349F78FC52532 And, these kids can teach you the dance moves! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ8DOL-KeWw
Oct. 22 – Daniel Boone born 1734 (We’ll definitely be playing the pioneer games again. They were awesome and they were outside!) https://stilllearningsomethingnew.com/2013/10/22/daniel-boone/
Oct. 30 – Radio Broadcast of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds 1938 – Read an article and listen to the recording here http://www.ibtimes.com/war-worlds-radio-broadcast-turns-75-listen-orson-welles-famous-hoax-1447470
Oct. 31 –
- Knock Knock Joke Day – (Jokes for “school work” are always a big hit with us.) http://www.enchantedlearning.com/jokes/topics/knockknock.shtml
- Halloween – History articles – http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/halloween.htm And, Halloween Science Experiments – http://www.science-sparks.com/2012/09/24/5-fun-science-experiments-for-halloween/ I’m super excited about this Haunted Halloween resource and Fran has given me a copy of her E-book, too! I’ve looked through it and think she’s a genius! I love the “Monster Capture” game! http://www.franw.com/2014/09/haunted-halloween-resource-page.html Halloween themed Party Games – http://www.partygamecentral.com/party-games.php?tp=advsearch&nb=1&inp1=halloween&inp2=&conn=0&mat1=0&mat2=0 Also, here’s some Halloween interactive games http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/halloween/games.php
I’ll be posting some other resource links as our studies for October develop. I’m thinking owls and perhaps spiders. Haunted places and monsters are being considered, too. What are some of your October themed lesson plans? And got links?
Happy October Learning
betty jo
Still Learning Something New 
