Happy Thanksgiving!

The SERC Library staff would like to wish everyone a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy family, friends, and good food!

Thanksgiving

Here are some fun facts, some links to activities, history and "stuff" on Thanksgiving - yes, I know you can Google these to ---- but I have already done the work for you!

Fun Facts from Thanksgiving Fun Facts at WHSV:

The first Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days.

Lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast.

The pilgrims didn't use forks; they ate with spoons, knives, and their fingers.

Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national bird of the United States.

Sarah Josepha Hale, an American magazine editor, persuaded Abraham Lincoln to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday.  She is also the author of the popular nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb".

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition began in the 1920's.

Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President.  The President does not eat the live turkey.  He "pardons" it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm. 

In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations.

Californians are the largest consumers of turkey in the United States.

The average weight of a turkey purchased at Thanksgiving is 15 pounds.

The five most popular ways to serve leftover turkey is as a sandwich, in stew, chili or soup, casseroles and as a burger.

Turkey has more protein than chicken or beef.

Turkeys have heart attacks.  The United States Air Force was doing test runs and breaking the sound barrier.  Nearby turkeys dropped dead with heart attacks.

 Okay, enough Fun Facts ----- here are the links I promised to activities, history and "stuff":
Thanksgiving - the History Channel
The First Thanksgiving - Scholastic
Thanksgiving History - Plimoth Plantation
First Thanksgiving - National Geographic
Thanksgiving - USA.org
Thanksgiving in North America:  From local harvests to National Holiday - Smithsonian
Thanksgiving - Library of Congress
Thanksgiving on the Net - Holidays on the Net.work
Thanksgiving - Parents

New LibGuides!

We have a few new LibGuides!

Bullying and Cyberbullying 2013
Common Core State Standards January - June 2013
Paraeducators Conference - 18th Annual Paraeducators as Partners Conference - Partners in Excellence

Be sure to check out these new LibGuides  ---- lots of new information!

Phones and Email are UP

We once again have phone and email!!!!!

FOOD for FINES

The SERC Library will be accepting FOOD for FINES again this year.  Please return your overdue resources with non-perishable food items for the local food pantry ---- Amazing Grace Food Pantry here in Middletown.  The pantry looks for:  cereal, tuna fish, soup (other than tomato), pasta sauce, peanut butter, canned fruit and vegetables, beans (baked beans, etc.), rice or boxed potatoes. 

Help us support those in need this holiday season. 

Thank you, SERC Library Staff

Veterans Day - Monday, November 11, 2013

From the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs:

History of the Veterans Day National Committee

In his 1954 Veterans Day Proclamation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for the formation of a Veterans Day National Committee to oversee national planning and coordination of the Veterans Day observance. He named the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, Harvey V. Higley, as Chairman of committee and called upon the heads of all departments and agencies of the executive branch of the government to assist the committee in every way possible. 

Administrator Higley called together leaders of veterans’ groups and asked them to serve on the committee. The original committee consisted of associate chairmen from the following organizations: The American Legion, American Veterans of World War II and Korea (AMVETS), Disabled American Veterans, Marine Corps League, United Spanish War Veterans, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

The full committee consisted of representatives from: the American National Red Cross; American Veterans Committee, Inc.; Army Mutual Aid Association; Army and Navy Union, U.S.A.; Blinded Veterans Association; Catholic War Veterans of the U.S.A.; Coast Guard League; Disabled Officers Association; Fleet Reserve Association; Jewish War Veterans of the United States; Military Order of the Purple Heart, Inc.; Military Order of the World Wars; National Jewish Welfare Board; National Society – Army of the Philippines; National Tribune; Navy Mutual Aid Association; Regular Veterans Association; United Indian War Veterans, U.S.A.; and the Women’s Forum on National Security. Many of these organizations continue to serve on the current Veterans Day Committee.
The committee meets three times a year in Washington, D.C., to plan Veterans Day activities, including selecting a national Veterans Day poster, recognizing regional observances that serve as model events to honor America’s veterans, and hosting the national ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

 The committee also has an interest in ensuring that younger generations understand the true meaning of Veterans Day, and the sacrifices veterans have made to secure and defend the freedoms of the United States of America. To this end, the committee produces a teacher resource guide and distributes it to schools nationwide. The guide includes suggested activities for Veterans Day programs and information for students of all ages.

FREE Webinar --- Empowering Parents to Transform Schools

 

Empowering Parents to Transform Schools Increasingly, parents are playing a larger role in the transformation of schools and school districts. In cities across the country—Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington—and many states, parents and parent groups are forming coalitions, lobbying lawmakers, creating new schools, and generally bringing about school change. But this hasn't always been the case, and it's certainly not the case in many school districts, where underserved communities of minority, low-income, and rural families don't always have the tools to become involved. And schools can be at loss for how to empower parents to increase student achievement. How can the forces at play come together to create an environment where parents play an active and positive role in school improvement? And what obligation does the federal government have in playing a helpful role? Our guests will explore the necessary levers that schools and parents can use to drive real change. Guests: Arnold F. Fege, president, Public Advocacy for Kids, Washington, D.C. Alberto Retana, executive vice president, Community Coalition, Los Angeles Karran Harper Royal, parent advocate, New Orleans This webinar will be moderated by Elizabeth Rich, commentary editor for Education Week. Underwriting for the content of this webinar has been provided by the Walton Family Foundation. Register now for this free live webinar.

Webinar Date: Friday, Nov. 15, 2 to 3 p.m. ET Can't attend? All Education Week webinars are archived and accessible "on demand" for up to four months after the original live-streaming date.

Integrating 21st Century Skills into Core Instruction FREE Webinar

Integrating 21st Century Skills into Core Instruction 

Date: Monday, December 12, 2013 Time: 2:00pm EST / 11:00am PST Duration: 1 hour Attend this webinar Today’s students need to develop 21st century skills to prepare for college and to compete in our global economy. Attend this upcoming webinar and find out how to: Prepare students for upcoming assessments Incorporate digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving skills into everyday instruction Implement a web-based 21st century skills supplementary curriculum Take practical steps to ensure a smooth implementation Sponsored by

Free Webinar...Register Now! Space is limited! Webinar Speakers Dawn Siech Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Tipton Community School District Attend this webinar and receive a certificate of attendancetowards your professional development hours. For more information please emailLiz Glomb at lglomb@eschoolmedia.com.