Monthly Archives: March 2018
TRIVIA TRAIL: CANADA’S FIRST ENGLISH BABY
Question: Where was the first English child born in Canada born? Answer: Cuper’s Cove, Newfoundland, though the settlement was known by some other, similar sounding names as well, until the town finally settled on Cupids. The new arrival was the son of colonist, Nicholas Guy, and made his appearance on March 27th, 1613.
HISTORIC LEGENDS: PUSSY WILLOW LEGENDS
I’ve always liked pussy willows, possibly because they are among the few plants I am not allergic to. There are several versions of how pussy willows came to be called ‘pussy willows’. Show these ones with your kids and ask them which one they like best. How the Willows Came to be Called Pussy Willows […]
TRIVIA TRAIL: SMART BIRDS
Question: What special avian phenomenon have the people of San Juan Mission in Capistrano, California been celebrating for centuries on or around St. Joseph’s Day (March 19th)? Answer: The return of the cliff swallows that nest there during the summer. And on or around the feast day of San Juan of Capistrano (October 23rd), they […]
HISTORIC IMMIGRANTS: CANADA’S IRISH ORPHANS
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! For some Irish immigrants heading for North America back in the days of famine, the Luck o’ the Irish held true. For others, not so much. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/irish-famine-orphans-in-canada/ http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/03/17/real-irish-american-story-not-taught-schools
HISTORY TIDBIT: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
Depending on where you live, clocks may, or may not, have changed in the early hours of this morning. The first country to put Daylight Saving Time (DST) into consistent practice was Germany, at 11 p.m. on April 30th, 1916. Though ideas for changing times back & forth in order to make the most of […]
TRIVIA TRAIL: IRISH HOLOCAUST HEROINE
Question: What was the name of the only Irish person to receive the Righteous Among Nations award for rescuing people from the Holocaust? Answer: Mary Elmes, born in the city of Cork on May 5th, 1908. http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/features/meet-mary-elmes-the-irish-woman-who-saved-children-from-the-horror-of-wwii-concentration-camps-421417.html http://www.yadvashem.org/righteous/about-the-program/honoring-the-righteous.html
HISTORIC CELEBRATION: HOLI
Kids everywhere might enjoy throwing coloured powder on people! Though I dare say some would balk at getting messy themselves. Like the ones who’d only ‘finger’ paint if I gave them a stick back when I was a teacher. http://holidays.mrdonn.org/holi.html
Time Travelling With Kids 