“Republic” day is the day that countries set aside to commemorate when they became a “Republic” -- and a REPUBLIC is a type of governement where there is ONE leader who is elected by a small body of citizens. ITALY is a REPUBLIC… But where is Italy? What is the history of this great country? You MAY know of Italy as the homeland of the Romans… one of the greatest empires in history…. but it's history begins even long before the rise of Rome! Also, Italy is home to VATICAN… and has been home to some of the greatest ARTISTS in history… Let’s learn more about Italy in honor of REPUBLIC DAY!
The eagerly awaited summer season begins this month and families begin to move at a more leisurely pace…. In the summer there seems to be a little more time on children's hands…. Time to fill outdoors—in the sun, near the water, on bikes, on boats, and cruising in cars. Each of these summer experiences means great fun! But there are also some potential dangers…. In today’s podcast, we’ll talk about Summer Safety – and how to make sure you have the most fun – safely – this season!
Walt Whitman was a famous poet – but did you know he was also a journalist, and deeply involved in the politics of the 19th century? Today, we’ll learn a little bit about his life, and hear some of his poetry in honor of his birthday!
On this day in 1783, the first American Daily Newspaper was Published!
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Have you heard THAT phrase before? It used to be shouted on the streets to encourage people to buy newspapers… Newspapers today are usually published daily – and sometimes weekly – and people read them to find out about different kinds of news… LOCAL news, NATIONAL news, or WORLD news. In honor of the first daily publication of newspapers in America, let’s learn a litle bit more about them and their history!
On this day in 1783, the first American Daily Newspaper was Published!
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Have you heard THAT phrase before? It used to be shouted on the streets to encourage people to buy newspapers… Newspapers today are usually published daily – and sometimes weekly – and people read them to find out about different kinds of news… LOCAL news, NATIONAL news, or WORLD news. In honor of the first daily publication of newspapers in America, let’s learn a litle bit more about them and their history!
Today is Sorry Day in Australia. On May 27, 1997 a Referendum was passed in Australia where 90% of the people voted to remove discrimination clauses in the Australian constitution against Indigenous Australians.
In 1995 the Australian Government examined the practice of removing Aboriginal children from their families to make them more Western and to fit into the culture. This practice went on throughout most of this century until the late 1960s. As a result of the investigation, a national apology was called for.
These two events combined lead to the declaration of Sorry Day and the Week of Reconciliation. With this podcast well take a closer look at those events and learn a little about the original people of Australia the Aborigines.
Thursday, May 25, 2006 marks the 29th anniversary of the first release of the movie, Star Wars. But why are we celebrating the release of a movie?
Is it because Star Wars was named #15 on a list of the top 100 films of the 20th century by The American Film Institute?
Or that the release of the movie was actually the start of a movie dynasty that spanned 30 years?
Or that the release of Star Wars marked the beginning of advanced special effects in films and movie-related marketing products that still is seen in Hollywood?
Yes! To everything! Star Wars is much more than a just a movie and its influence can still be felt today.
In celebration of the anniversary well take a look at the movies story, as well as examine its cultural impact.
On May 24, 1883 President Chester Arthur and Governor Grover Clevland officially opened the Brooklyn Bridge before more than 14,000 spectators! The bridge crosses the East River, and connects Brooklyn with Lower Manhattan. While the engineering was a grand accomplishment, the design was also well noted.
May 23 is World Turtle Day! There are about 250 species of turtles and tortoises... there are fresh water turtles, sea turtles, and tortoises - turtles that live on land! In celebration of World Turtle Day, with this podcast, we'll take a look at turtles, learn about the endangerment of sea turtles, and discover some things YOU can do to HELP turtles!
Today begins "Buckle Up America Week"! Buckle Up America is a campaign to encourage proper safety belt use -- and is coordinated National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Seatbelts were first invented in the 1800s, and first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s... But because there were very few cars on the road back then, they were not designed to keep people safe in a crash - they were meant to keep people inside their cars on bumpy roads! Today, however, with millions of cars on the roads, the need for seatbelts to prevent injury is more important than ever!
