We’ve all heard the legend of Betsy Ross. But, who created and designed our current American flag?

Believe it or not, the designer was a 17-year-old boy from Lancaster, Ohio, who did it for a school assignment!

Yep, the year was 1958, and at that time, there were only 48 states. Robert G. Heft was riding the bus home from school one day that year. He was thinking about the assignment his history teacher, Mr. Pratt, had given the class—a project that demonstrated their interest in history. Something visual. Something original. By Monday.

As Robert rode through downtown Lancaster, he saw the flag on top of Lancaster city hall. “That’s what convinced me,” he said. “I would design a new flag.”

Robert was interested in politics. He knew that Alaska was likely to soon become the 49th state. “But I knew that Alaska was heavily Democrat,” he says. “The Senate would have to approve the addition, and it was dominated by Republicans at the time. Everyone was saying that they would be adding another state to balance it out.” He had a hunch that then-Republican Hawaii would soon become the 50th state.

At home that night he sketched out a grid for 50 stars. “I couldn’t just throw them in anywhere.” So he came up with a design. Five rows of six stars with four alternating rows of five stars. He even went so far as to sew a flag with the new design!

You would think he earned an “A”!  “Not on your life,” he said. “My teacher, Mr. Pratt, was a taskmaster. He looked at what I’d done and said it wasn’t the real flag. Not with 50 stars. I explained my reasoning, and he still just barely gave me a passing grade, so for the first time I really spoke out. I told him I deserved better. I had a friend who’d done a collage of leaves and got an A. What I’d done showed a lot more imagination. Mr. Pratt looked at me coolly and declared, ‘If you don’t like the grade, go get the flag accepted in Washington!'”

And that’s exactly what Robert Heft set out to do. He biked over to the home of his congressman, Walter Moeller, knocked on the door, gave him the flag and explained what it was for.

“I asked him if he would take my flag to Washington, and if there were ever a contest to determine the design for a 50-star flag, would he present mine? He was so bowled over that he agreed, probably just to get rid of me.”

Two years went by. In January 1959 President Eisenhower signed a proclamation announcing the admission of Alaska as the 49th state. As with all new states, the star would be added on the following July 4th.

That 49-star flag—seven rows of seven stars—was almost immediately obsolete. Because in August 1959, just as Robert had expected, Hawaii became the 50th state.

He’d already graduated from high school by then, the woeful grade still in Mr. Pratt’s book. Robert was working as a draftsman for an industrial firm and going to college at night. Whatever happened to my flag design? he wondered.

He’d heard that thousands of new designs had been submitted. A special commission of congressmen was screening them and choosing five for submission to President Eisenhower.

In early June, Congressman Moeller called Robert and said,  “Son, I’m proud to tell you that President Eisenhower has selected your design for our nation’s new flag. Congratulations.”

Robert flew to Washington to see his flag flown over the Capitol for the first time. Thousands of others had submitted the same design, but Robert Heft’s had been the first. Moreover it wasn’t just a sketch. It was an actual flag. That was a big plus.

What did his high school teacher, Mr. Pratt, think? “The day I returned from Washington, Mr. Pratt changed my grade. But you know,” Robert mused, “if I hadn’t gotten that bad grade in the first place I wouldn’t have given the flag to Congressman Moeller. And if I hadn’t done that, I never would have gone to Washington….”

For more than 40 years, longer than any other, his design has been the one we know. “But I’ve got a good design for fifty-one,” he said, “in case we add another.”

It’s good to be reminded that Old Glory is a work-in-progress. Always has been, I guess. From the 13 original Stars and Stripes to the star-spangled banner of today, long may it wave.

Your task: There has long been talk of adding another state – Puerto Rico.

Draw a design for an American flag that would include Puerto Rico with 51 stars.

Take a picture of your design and email it, or turn it into your EY teacher.

Source: https://www.guideposts.org/better-living/positive-living/inspired-to-create-a-grand-new-flag

NEW Wonders of the World? Does that mean they were built in the last few years? NO! It just means they’re different from the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. The new Wonders could be anything built before the year 2000!

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #29: The NEW Seven Wonders of the World

2. What ARE the NEW Wonders of the World? WONDEROPOLIS knows! Read this article.  Test your knowledge by taking the test your knowledge and the wonder word challenge. Record your score for both on your recording page.

3. Research each wonder at Britannica. For each wonder make a bullet list with at least 5 details.

4. Look over the list of all of the places in the world that were considered to be the NEW wonders of the world. Choose one of the places to learn more about. Click on it and read the fact page. Write about the wonder runner up you picked and include 3-4 details about why it would be a good 8th wonder.

Check out the 7 wonders badge at the EY webpage.

Source:  http://mentalfloss.com/article/58705/11-ways-school-was-different-1800s

Summer break is coming up for most students in the United States, but did you ever wonder what summer break looked like for kids in the 1800s?  There are so many differences between school now and school in the 1800s! This blog post will explore those differences, and it may just convince you how much tougher it could be – and just how good you’ve got it!

• In the 19th and early 20th centuries, one room schoolhouses were the norm in rural areas. A single teacher taught grades one through eight together. The youngest students—called Abecedarians, because they would learn their ABCs—sat in the front, while the oldest sat in the back. The room was heated by a single wood stove.
• Most of the time, there was no transportation to get to school. Most schoolhouses were built to serve students living within 4 or 5 miles, which was considered close enough for them to walk. So when your Grandpa says, “I used to walk 5 miles to school”, he might not be exaggerating.
• The school year was much shorter back then! When the Department of Education first began gathering data on the subject in the 1869-70 school year, students attended school for about 132 days (the standard school year these days is 180) depending on when they were needed to help their families harvest crops. Attendance was just 59 percent. School days typically started at 9am and wrapped up at 2pm or 4pm, depending on the area; there was one hour for recess and lunch, which was called“nooning.”
• Forget iPads and gel pens—there were no fancy school supplies in the 19th and early-20th centuries. Students made do with just a slate and some chalk.
• Lessons were quite different than they are today. Teachers taught subjects including reading, writing, arithmetic, history, grammar, rhetoric, and geography. Students would memorize their lessons, and the teacher would bring them to the front of the room as a class to recite what they’d learned—so the teacher could correct them on things like pronunciation on the spot—while the other students continued to work behind them.
• Teachers sometimes lived with their students’ families. According to Michael Day at the Country School Association of America, this practice was called “boarding round,” and it often involved the teacher moving from one students’ house to the next as often as every week. One Wisconsin teacher wrote of boarding with families in 1851, “I found it very unpleasant, especially during the winter and spring terms, for one week I would board where I would have a comfortable room; the next week my room would be so open that the snow would blow in, and sometimes I would find it on my bed, and also in it. A part of the places where I boarded I had flannel sheets to sleep in; and the others cotton. But the most unpleasant part was being obliged to walk through the snow and water. I suffered much from colds and a cough.”
• Discipline was very strict. Sure, stepping out of line in the 1800s and early 1900s could result in detention, suspension, or expulsion, but it could also result in a lashing. According to a document outlining student and teacher rules created by the Board of Education in Franklin, Ohio, from 1883, “Pupils may be detained at any recess or not exceeding fifteen minutes after the hour for closing the afternoon session, when the teacher deems such detention necessary, for the commitment of lessons or for the enforcement of discipline. … Whenever it shall become necessary for teachers to resort to corporal punishment, the same shall not be inflicted upon head or hands of the pupil.” Not all places had such a rule, though; in other areas, teachers could use a ruler or pointer to lash a student’s knuckles or palms. Other punishments included holding a heavy book for more than an hour and writing “I will not…” do a certain activity on the blackboard 100 times.
• No lunch was provided by the school, even if families had the money for it; kids brought their lunches to school in metal pails. Every student drank water from a bucket filled by the older boys using the same tin cup.  GROSS!!
• For many, education ended after just eighth grade; in order to graduate, students would have to pass a final exam. You can see a sample of a typical 8th grade exam in Nebraska circa 1895 in this PDF. It includes questions like “Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications,” “A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?,” and “What are elementary sounds? How classified?”

Try the test yourself and let us know how you did in the comments!

In 1879, the United States made Washington’s February 22nd Birthday a federal holiday. Today, the third Monday in February is frequently referred to as “Presidents’ Day.” So which is it? Let’s get to the bottom of what’s official and what’s not.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #27: Presidents’ Day? The Truth Behind the Holiday

2.

According to mountvernon.org, George Washington was a humble man who did not enjoy flashy celebrations. During his lifetime, Washington didn’t really celebrate his birthday, choosing instead to use the day to respond to letters or attend to matters at Mount Vernon. However, national celebration of his birthday began while he was alive and continued after his death.

The road to what the majority of people in the United States now recognizes as Presidents’ Day is a long and confusing one. After Washington died in 1799, his birthday was informally celebrated across the country. But, it wasn’t until  January 31, 1879, that Washington’s birthday became a federally recognized holiday.

Washington’s birthday is also recognized in another unique fashion. Starting in 1896, it has become a tradition to read Washington’s Farewell Address on February 22nd (the actual day of his birth) in the US Senate by a current member. This tradition reminds us of a man whose patriotic spirit still inspires us to this day, particularly federal workers who uphold what he helped create.

On June 28th, 1968, Congress passed the “Uniform Monday Holiday Act”. This law aimed to provide uniform annual observances of certain legal public holidays on Mondays. The act was also created to provide federal employees with more three-day weekends. Under this new law, Washington’s birthday would be celebrated on the third Monday of February, partially losing the value and identity of the importance of his birthday. Washington’s birthday has not been celebrated on the actual day of his birth since the law took effect in 1971.

Today the nation typically combines Washington’s Birthday with Presidents’ Day, celebrating both days on the third Monday in February. However, Presidents’ Day is not the official name of the holiday. While the name “Presidents’ Day” was proposed for this Monday holiday in 1951, the U.S. government never officially changed the name. In the 1980s, thanks to advertising campaigns for holiday sales, the term became popularized and largely accepted.

The idea behind the name was to create a holiday that did not recognize a specific president, but rather celebrated the office of the presidency. This joint recognition would also celebrate President Lincoln’s February 12th birthday within the same period. Both great men, both important to our country.

Source: mountvernon.org

The Famous Holiday of Love, Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrated around the world. Some countries celebrate this day in February, but not all.  Learn about the holiday along with history of chocolate in this mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

What is the Winter Solstice? According to Dictionary.com the Winter Solstice lasts for just one moment. It occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun. This usually happens around December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere or June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #25: Winter Solstice

2. Read these 3 paragraphs. Write a  5 question quiz after reading.  Include multiple choice , true and false, and short answer questions. Make an answer key as well.

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, during the solstice the sun will be at its southernmost point in the sky. The higher in latitude you are, the more you’ll notice that the solstice has the shortest day and longest night of the year.

In ancient cultures around the globe, the winter solstice was marked with ceremonies and celebrations. For example, in the days of the Inca Empire the winter solstice was honored with Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun. It involved a ceremony in which an Inca priest would “tie” the sun to a column stone in a symbolic effort to keep it from escaping.

Halfway around the world, indigenous people in Finland, Sweden, and Norway participated in the Beiwe Festival. On the winter solstice, worshippers honored the goddess Beiwe by sacrificing white female animals and covering their doorposts with butter for Beiwe to eat on her travels.

3. Watch this video and choose 5 of the questions to answer thoughtfully. Remind your teacher that that answers can be found in the social studies mini spark folder.

1. Describe what would happen to our planet if it did not tilt as it revolves around the Sun.

2. Explain how the tilt of the Earth affects the length of days in the northern and southern hemispheres during winter.

3. What are solstices, and how do they mark the change in seasons?

4. Discuss how civilizations in history, like the Babylonians and Maya, recognized the patterns of Earth’s movement around the Sun.

5. How does the experience of seasons differ for someone living near the equator compared to someone living near the poles?

6. Why might the changing lengths of days and nights be considered important by ancient civilizations?

7. In your opinion, why is it essential for us to understand the relationship between the Earth and the Sun?

8. Describe how the Earth’s movement around the Sun can provide reassurance during the coldest nights of winter.

4. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

It is always a good time to learn more about Geography. Study this geography lesson which is all about Oceans.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies spark recording page: #23: Geography Lesson: Oceans

2.  Watch this video all of the way through.   Record the mnemonic on your recording page.

3. Read the article Ocean Habitat  at National Geographic kids.  Record 2-3 pieces of information from each of the sections.  In step 4 you will be making a quiz so look for good info to include in a quiz.

• Earth Underwater
• Climate Control
• Ocean or Sea?
• Ocean Life

• Watery Habitats

4. Use the information from this article to write a 10 question quiz on your recording page. Include multiple choice, true and false, and open ended responses. Make a key to go with your quiz.

5. Take this ocean and sea quiz one time. Record your score.

6.  Take the same ocean and sea quiz a second time. Record your score.

7. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

The Mediterranean Sea is the largest enclosed sea in the world, connected to the Atlantic Ocean only through the  Strait of Gibraltar.  Learn more about this area of the world in the Social Studies mini spark.

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies spark recording page: #22: the Mediterranean Sea 

2. Watch this short video. Record 5-8 facts about the sea on your recording sheet.

3.  Set your timer for 3 minutes. Study this map of the Mediterranean Sea.  When the timer goes off, record all of the countries that you can remember that border the Sea.

4. The Mediterranean Sea has a number of major internationally recognized seas within it’s vast area.

• Open the World Atlas and find the map of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Set a timer for 5 minutes.
• Study the map closely and focus on the names of the smaller seas.
• When the timer goes off, write down the names of 6 seas on your recording sheet.
• Scroll to the bottom of this post to verify that you have recorded all the names correctly.

5. Look at this info and study the map of the Strait of Gibraltar at World Atlas. Record the cities that are on the border and also the territories on either side of the strait.

6. Optional: Memorize how to spell Mediterranean!!! Whisper spell it 10 times. Air write it 5 times and write it on your recording page 3 time from memory.

7. Share your social studies mini spark recording page and visual with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Seas within the Mediterranean Sea

• Balearic Sea
• Tyrrhenian Sea
• Sea of Sicily
• Libyan Sea
• Aegean Sea
• Cilician Sea

Spark your thinking!

1. Set up your social studies mini spark recording page: #21: The Floating City of Rotterdam

2.  Watch this introduction video. Record each of the places shown on your recording sheet.

3. Read this article and answer 4 of the the questions with 3+ sentences. Remind your teacher that the answer key can be found in the social studies mini spark folder.

• What historical event led to the creation of the Delta Programme in the Netherlands? Explain the significance of this program in flood management.
• How does Rotterdam’s innovative architecture contribute to its ability to manage rainwater? Provide specific examples from the text.
• Explain how the Floating Farm operates. What technologies are used to support food production on the farm?
• What unique features do Wikkelboats offer to guests, and how do they reflect eco-friendly living?
• How does the design of the Floating Office Rotterdam (FOR) incorporate sustainability? List at least two design elements mentioned in the text.
• In what ways do the innovative projects in Rotterdam reflect the city’s response to climate change and flooding challenges?
• Based on the text, how do these unique architectural projects enhance the experience of residents and visitors in Rotterdam?

4. Go to this link to read an article about the floating park. Write 5-10 details about the park on your recording sheet. Include information about how this park is helping to save the environment.

5. Learn more about floating farms. Record 3-5 reasons you like this idea, 3-5 questions you have, and 3-5 things you don’t like about floating farms.

6. Share your social studies mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.