Looking for fun ways to spice up your homeschooling plans for this week? Here are some ideas taken from history.
January 16 – in 2003, the space shuttle Columbia was launched on its final mission, and ended up exploding on reentry. Talk about space and the solar system, then take paper grocery sacks and cut a face hole in the front. Put it over your child’s head like a space suit. On the inside of the sack, they can draw a speaker and a microphone so they can stay in touch with the “controllers” on “Earth.” Then tell them to explore space around your house.
January 17 – in 1994, an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale devastated Los Angeles. Talk about earthquake safety and what you can do to stay safe. Look up earthquake safety tips specific to your area on the Internet.
January 18 – A. A. Milne, author of Winnie the Pooh, was born on this day in 1882. Celebrate by reading your favorite Winnie the Pooh stories, then have your children gather up their favorite toys and make a story about them. The younger children can tell their story verbally, and the older children can write theirs down.
January 19 – snow fell in Miami for the very first time on this date in 1977. Talk about the atmospheric conditions that must be present to create snow, and then cut snowflakes out of paper and suspend them from your ceiling by thread. Talk about your favorite snow things, and if you have snow outside, go play in it.
January 20 – several of our nation’s presidents were inaugurated on this day. John F. Kennedy in 1961 as the youngest president ever, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second term in 1937 and his third in 1941, Ronald Regan in 1981, Bill Clinton in 1993, and Barack Obama in 2009. Talk about how important it is for our country to have a president – what would happen if we didn’t? Discuss how a president becomes elected, and have your children make up a campaign for an imaginary president. With this being an election year, this type of activity could be very beneficial in helping them understand what’s going on in our country right now. Older children might benefit from watching the televised debates.
Related Blogs:
On This Day in History – November 24 – 26
On This Day in History – November 28 – December 3
On This Day in History – December 13 – December 17