Winter Solstice (varies between Dec. 20-23)

Just about now the earth is tilted in such a way that the North Pole is as far away from the sun as it ever gets.  This is called the winter solstice.  It means it’s the longest night of the whole year and the shortest day for us in the Northern Hemisphere.  It does mean that from now on daylight will be getting longer. Some animals hibernate through these months, but the birds spend the short daylight hours hunting for something to eat. Why not  decorate an  outdoor “Holiday Tree” for the birds?

             Here are some ideas :

           *thread old popcorn on a string

           *peel a slice of apple

              *smear a pinecone with peanut butter  

            and roll in birdseed

           *hang a stale doughnut

December 29

Texas Admission Day

Texas joined the Union on this date in 1845 making this Texas Admission Day. You know how we say “Everything is bigger in Texas”?  Well, we do have the largest cattle ranch in the US. King Ranch is almost as big as the whole state of Rhode Island. The Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport is also the largest in the world.

Test your knowledge of these other world’s records:

World’s largest animal:     elephant or blue whale

World’s largest country (land area):      Russia or China

World’s largest ocean:       Atlantic or Pacific

Our solar system’s largest planet:   Jupiter or Mars

World’s largest freshwater lake:    Lake Superior or Lake Michigan

World’s highest mountain:   Mount Everest or Pike’s Peak

January 7

In 1609, Galileo built one of the first telescopes.  The next year he saw four moons revolving around Jupiter. Now we know that there are some smaller moons too.  Galileo’s discovery made people think about the universe in a new way. People used to believe that all heavenly bodies revolved around the earth.

Did you know that in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix , Harry, Ron and Hermione have some homework about Jupiter’s moons?  It begins on page 295.

See if you can answer these questions:                                    

1. Harry made a mistake and Hermione finds it.  What is it?

2. Hermione finds mistakes on Ron’s essay too.  Which of Jupiter’s moons has volcanos?

    (This volcano has more pepperoni-colored volcano’s than Ron Weasley has freckles.)

3. What is the name of the NASA spacecraft that has actually flown through some of the plumes of frozen lava and survived?  Clue: it has 7 letters.

January 27

Can you find a way to read this strange poem by Lewis Carroll, born  on January 27, 1832?  It is from the book, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.  This is one of the most famous of all nonsense poems in the English language.

P.S. Lewis Carroll is a pseudonym (a phony name) for his real name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.

February 25

Did you know that you can open a savings account all by yourself?  The first one opened on this date in 1819.  The next time your parents go to the bank, bring your money and see if you can go inside and open an account.  They will give you a savings book, an account number and a receipt with the amount you deposited.  Many banks allow you to view your account online.  Don’t forget to ask them how the bank is able to add interest to the money in your account.

Here is a bonus question:

1. Explain the origin of piggy banks.  Clue: pygg
2. Did the first piggy banks have holes to get the money out?

How did they get the money out?

            Make your own piggy bank by using an empty bleach bottle or a round oatmeal box.  Have your    

                                       parents cut a slit in the top, color the eyes and place corks in the base for legs. Now you can save

                                       your money in your piggy bank until you can get to the bank.