What fun moments in history can we celebrate this week? Let’s take a look …
November 28th – in 1990, Margaret Thatcher resigned from her post as prime minister of England. She was one of the most famous female politicians we’ve ever had. Talk about other famous women and the contributions they have made to the world.
November 29th – this is Louisa May Alcott’s birthday. She was born in 1832, and is the author of one of my very favorite books, Little Women. To commemorate this day, you could learn about Massachusetts, where Louisa lived, and you could talk about the importance of family, which is something Louisa held very dear and, in fact, is a main thread in her writing. You could also pull up costumes from that era on the computer and draw pictures of them. Of course, sitting down together and reading selections from Little Women would also be a lot of fun, or watching one of the movies made from the book. My favorite is the Wynona Ryder version.
November 30th – today is St. Andrew’s Day. He is the patron saint of Cyprus, Greece, and Scotland, and also sailors and fisherman. The tradition of signing one’s letters with an X came from his legacy as well. To commemorate today, you could write someone a letter—and if that someone happens to be a sailor or a fisherman, more power to you. You can study maps of Greece and Scotland, and locate Cyprus—I bet not too many people can find it on the first try. Learn where it is and amaze people.
December 1st – in 1955, a brave African American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give her seat on the bus to a white passenger. She was one of the first to make a stand for her rights as a human being. Commemorate today by talking about what it means to be a human—not a person of any particular race, but a human. Then talk about the things that make your race special and unique from any other.
December 2nd – back in 1969, the Boeing 747, or jumbo jet, was introduced to the world. Talk about all the places you could go if you had a jumbo jet all your own, who you would take with you, what you would see, and what the earth would look like from so far up in the sky.
December 3rd – in 1967, scientists in South Africa performed the first heart transplant. Commemorate today by discussing what functions the heart performs in our bodies, how to keep our hearts healthy, and things we can do to keep our hearts emotionally healthy as well—giving hugs, expressing love, using kind words.
I hope these ideas are helpful as we look back at history. Join me again next Monday for another list of ideas for your homeschool.
Related Blogs:
On This Day in History – November 24 – 26
Little Men – Louisa May Alcott