July 4th

On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.  Check out the following statistics on FactMonster http://sf.factmonster.com/spot/july4census1.html.

Then, test your knowledge on the July 4th Crossword; http://sf.factmonster.com/xwords/fourthofjuly.html.

Extreme Vacations

These are not your ordinary family trips.  Click on the following link (http://sf.factmonster.com/world/travel/extreme-vacations.html) to learn more about some dynamite destinations.  Then, click on the following link (http://sf.factmonster.com/world/travel/top-vanishing-destinations.html) and read about these disappearing destinations.  Which would you rather see/experience and why?

Batter Up!

Summer is a great time to make a trip to the ballpark.  Whether it is to watch friends play, the Kernels, or the Cubs (insert other professional teams if you are not a Cubbies fan).  Read the Fact Monster article about major league baseball parks (http://sf.factmonster.com/spot/ballparks2.html) and then try your luck with the Ballparks Quiz (http://sf.factmonster.com/quizzes/ballparks1/1.html), the All-Star Baseball Quiz (http://sf.factmonster.com/quizzes/bball-allstar1/1.html), or both!  Tell me how you did!

It is getting hot, hot, hot!

Click the following link (http://sf.factmonster.com/ipka/A0001416.html) to see a chart of record temperatures.  (You might be thankful you are living in Iowa!)  Then, take the 50 States Quiz (http://sf.factmonster.com/quizzes/states4/1.html) and let me know how you did.

The History of Summer Vacation

As you log on to your computer to email, Facebook, Twitter, or blog; take a moment to check out "The History of Summer Vacation" by clicking the Fact Monster link (http://sf.factmonster.com/spot/schoolyear1.html)  Read the article and consider how summer vacations were and are for others and compare it to what your summer vacation is like.  Are they similar?  How?  Are they different?  Why?  I'd love to hear from you!

Then, try the Ice Cream Quiz (http://sf.factmonster.com/quizzes/icecream/1.html) and tell me your score.

Weekly History and Geography-37 Ji-Li Jiang's Monkey King

Ji-Li Jiang is the author of "Red Scarf Girl" as well as several other books.  Click the following link to take you to an excerpt of "The Magical Monkey King" by Ji-Li Jiang.  http://www.jilijiang.com/monkey-king/monkey-king-excerpt.htm  Then, return to the blog and write a one paragraph continuation of the excerpt (what you think happens next).  Remember, a paragraph is 5-7 sentences!

Weekly History and Geography-39 Photographs Can Lie

Photographs can lie. They certainly do in the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953, the years of Joseph Stalin's dictatorial rule. Stalin's agents routinely arrest and kill as "enemies of the people" anyone who disagrees with his politics. Communist Party workers then try to remove any trace of these people from the photographic archives, and so from the media.  Click the following link to see how Stalin "edited" history through the manipulation of photographs.  http://www.newseum.org/berlinwall/commissar_vanishes/index.htm

Then, return to the blog and reflect on a picture and/or fact you learned from the website.
1.  What was it about the picture and/or fact that stuck with you?  Explain.
2.  Why do you think is was important to Stalin to edit history?
3.  Do you think any US history in pictures or print have been edited?  Explain.