Thank you Veterans!

For more information on Veterans Day, please visit these sites:

National Veterans and Military Families Month - November 2017 - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Veterans Day - History.com

Veterans Day in the United States - timeanddate.com

Veterans Day - November 11th 2017 - Military.com

Veterans Day - Wikipedia

Check out these offerings from  Great Stuff for Teachers ----

Holiday Resources We're celebrating December with these holiday–themed resources. Use our printables, lessons, and activities to show students how the December holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the New Year are celebrated. Sign up for a 7-day free trial, and these resources are yours to keep! Holiday Resources Christmas

Christmas is celebrated on December 25. Experience the joy with your students, using these Christmas lesson plans, activities, printables, and skill builders. You can discuss the religious and cultural meaning behind Christmas in your social studies class, create holiday crafts and decorations for art class, and read Christmas books in reading class.  Christmas Resources Hanukkah Hanukkah, the "Festival of Lights," starts on the December 24 and lasts for eight days and nights. Explore the rich traditions and history of Hanukkah with our lessons, printables, activities, and resources. Your students will enjoy learning the meaning behind the holiday, creating their own dreidels, writing holiday poems, taking Hanukkah-themed quizzes, and more!  Hanukkah Resources Behavior Management From behavioral observation to conflict resolution, these printables and articles will help you manage classroom discipline. You'll find advice for handling disruptive behavior and environmental interventions for minimizing its effect on other students. Our forms and charts are excellent tools for documenting and tracking your students' behavior.  Behavior Management Resources

   Thanksgiving in North America:  From local harvests to National Holiday - Encyclopedia Smithsonian

History of Thanksgiving - History.com

What really happened at the first Thanksgiving?  The Wampanoag side of the tale, by Gale Courey Toensing, 11-23-12, Indian Country Today Media Network.com

What was on the menu at the first Thanksgiving?  by Megan Gambino, Smithsonian.com, 11-21-11

Thanksgiving history - Plimoth Plantation 

Happy 4th of July

Happy Fourth of July from the SERC Library Staff! 

Add caption

Check out these links for facts and activities:

July 4th - History

The Story of the Fourth of July - ConstitutionFacts.com


A Capitol Fourth - PBS

Independence Day Celebrations - CTNOW

Independence Day (United States) - Wikipedia

4th of July Activities and Games for Kids - apples4theteacher.com

4th of July - Disney Family

Kids 4th of July Crafts - All Kids Network

Memorial Day

Thank you to all the men and women who are currently serving our country, thank you to those who have served and thank you to those that paid the ultimate sacrifice to serve and thank you to all of the families.

Memorial Day is an American holiday.  Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May and honors men and women who died while serving in the United States military.  Originally the day was known as Decoration Day and it originated from the years following the Civil War.  Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1971.  Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and parades.  For more information, please use the links below.

History Channel:  Memorial Day
U.S. Memorial Day.org:  Memorial Day
PBS - National Memorial Day Concert 

Closing on Wednesday, November 26th, Happy Thanksgiving!

Just in time for traveling on Thanksgiving ----- A SNOW storm!   I think Mother Nature might be a bit confused about which holiday we are celebrating on Thursday! 

The SERC Library will be closed on Wednesday, November 26th and Thursday, November 27th.  The Library will be open on Friday, November 28th from 8:30 am to Noon.  

Have a wonderful and safe HAPPY THANKSGIVING on Thursday!  Enjoy, the food, the family and the fun!

If you are looking for some history, facts, or activities:

Thanksgiving - Wikipedia
Thanksgiving - Facts, Origin, Pictures & Videos - History.com
Thanksgiving History - Plimoth Plantation
The First Thanksgiving Student Activities for Grades Prek-12 - Scholastic
Thanksgiving - BrainPOP Jr.
First Thanksgiving - National Geographic Kids
Thanksgiving in North America - Smithsonian Institution
Thanksgiving | U.S. Holidays | USA.gov
Thanksgiving Crafts and Children's Activities - dltk

The SERC Library Staff

Happy Labor Day!  Unfortunately for most this is the holiday that signals the unofficial end to summer!  Many schools are already back in session and the rest will go back this first week in September. 

Now some Labor Day facts and general information:

Labor Day:
Labor Day is celebrated on the  first Monday in September and is a celebration created by the labor movement in America.  The day is a day to pay tribute to working men and women in America. Thank you to those men and women who will be working on this celebration day!

For more information visit these sites:
United State Department of Labor
Labor Day Wikipedia
Labor Day - History
Labor Day - USA.gov
Why do we celebrate Labor Day? - howstuffworks

St. Patrick's Day!

Well it almost that time of year when we become Irish-at-Heart - Erin Go Bragh!  Seems like March 17th has come upon us quickly!

Check out the History's Channel's page on St. Patrick's Day, there are facts, pictures, meaning & video.

Check out Spoonful's pages on St. Patrick's Day:  History of St. Patrick's Day and Crafts & Recipes your leprechauns will love! 

Check out English-Zone.com holiday pages for some information on St. Patrick's Day symbols.

Check out Wikipedia's St. Patrick's Day page.

 Check out apples4theteacher.com pages for St. Patrick's Day Activities all kinds of activities and information for students!

Check out Enchanted Learning's page for St. Patrick's Day Crafts and Activities for students!

A few good sayings:
"May the road rise up to meet you."
"May the wind be always at your back."
"May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain."

Remember ---- in Ireland ALL the stew is Irish!!!!!

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

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.

Happy FOURTH OF JULY!

 

Happy Fourth of July -----   Happy Independence Day!   Yes, this is the day we told Great Britain and its King ----- we declare independence!

Fireworks in Boston

Here are some interesting facts about the Fourth and some links to more facts and activities:

The Fourth of July was not declared a NATIONAL holiday until 1941.

The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all those rebellious Colonies would appear equal.

The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men from 13 colonies.

The only one to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4th was the first signature, John Hancock, it took another month to get the other signatures.

The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) estimates that more than 14,000 fireworks displays light up U.S. skies each Fourth of July.

Events that have occurred on the Fourth of July:
     Henry David Thoreau moved into his shack on Walden Pond (1845)
     Beach Boys' "I Get Around" reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts (1964)
     Lyndon Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act (1966)
     Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on the Fourth.   
        Adams and Jefferson died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.

The first official Fourth of July was held at the White House in 1801.

Approximately 150 million hot dogs are consumed on this day.

The number of Americans who will spend the holiday at other people's homes is approximately 45 million (this figure varies depending on which site you are looking at).

There are more than 30 towns nationwide that have the word "Liberty" in their names.

Check out these sites:

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence-Day.shtml

http://www.military.com/independence-day/fun-facts-about-the-fourth.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100704-fourth-of-july-google-doodle-facts-nation-july-4-fourth/

Fun Fact about St. Patrick's Day and Ireland!

Okay, I know --- a little late --- well not at all --- Saint Patrick's Day is Sunday!

Here goes:

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland, and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps. Children wear orange, white and green badges, and women and girls wear green ribbons in their hair.
34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people.

The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of the south, and orange, the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.

The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which means “shoemaker.”

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the highest number of leaves found on a clover is 14!

One estimate suggests that there are about 10 000 regular three-leaf clovers for every lucky four-leaf clover.

Legend says that each leaf of the clover means something: the first is for hope, the second for faith, the third for love and the fourth for luck.

Just some Holiday facts!

Okay --- A little holiday fun facts ---

HANUKKAH

~ Latkes, or potato pancakes are a popular Hanukkah dish, usually served with applesauce and sour cream

~Jewish holidays are based on a lunisolar calendar, which is based on the movement of the sun and moon – the Hebrew calendar ranges from 353 to 385 days - therefore - Hanukkah does not fall on the same date each year

~A Hanukkah menorah as nine candles – one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah and an extra one to light the others – the world’s largest Hanukkah menorah – at 32 feet high – can be found during the festival of lights in New York’s City’s Central Park

~A dreidel is a popular Hanukkah toy – to play the game, players start out with the same amount of money (or candy) and they gain and lose depending on which letter turns up when they spin the top – the four letters on the dreidel’s sides form the initials of the message, “A great miracle happened there”

~ One Hanukkah tradition is the giving of the gelt, or gold coins – in the past children would give gelt to teachers and charities – now a reward for winning dreidel games – chocolate candies wrapped in gold tinfoil are sold to mimic real gelt.

CHRISTMAS

~ The word Christmas is Old English, a contraction of Christ’s Mass

~ The abbreviation Xmas is not irreligious – the letter X is a Greek abbreviation for Christ

~ Electric lights for trees were first used in 1895

~ 7.6 million Christmas trees are sold each year

~ Christmas became a national holiday in America on June 26, 1870

KWANZAA 

~ In December 1966 Kwanzaa was first celebrated – the holiday was started by Dr. Maulana Karenga – the name comes from a Swahili phrase meaning first fruits

~ The three green candles symbolize the future

~ The single black candle symbolizes unity

~ The three red candles symbolize the struggle out of slavery

~ The Kwanzaa holiday is celebrated for seven days and on each of the seven days you are suppose to work on a certain trait – unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, faith

New Year’s Day 

~ New Year is the oldest of all holidays, it was first observed in ancient Babylon as many long as 4000 years ago

~ New Year is celebrated like a festival throughout the world and everyone around is in a festive mood, partying, singing and dancing to ring out the old year and ring in the new

~The tradition of making New Year resolutions dates back to the early Babylonians

~ Noise making and fireworks on New Year’s Eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck

~ The Tournament of Rose Parade dates back to 1886 – that year members of the Valley Hunt Club decorated their carriages with flowers to celebrate the ripening of the oranges in California

Three Kings Day 

~ On this day Los Tres Reyes gave three gifts to Baby Jesus – gold, frankincense and myrrh

~ Children write letters to their favorite Wise Man or Rey Mago asking for presents

~Children leave a bucket of water and hay for the animals

~ Milk and cookies are left for the Three Wise Men to eat

~Children place their old shoes under their beds before going to sleep – the Wise Men will leave them the presents they wished for in their letters in these shoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

AbleNet Online Professional Development Sessions - Free webinars!

Check out AbleNet’s offerings and recently recorded webinars at http://www.ablenetinc.com/Professional-Development

December 11, 2012 2:00pm CDT - 45 Minutes

 

Title: Apps for Guided Reading
Category: Assistive Technology
Presenter: Jane Farrall, SLP
Cost: FREE

December 13, 2012 4:00pm CST - 60 minutes

Title: Holidays are such social times...but not for everyone! Learn some ways to improve social skills for children with autism.
Category: Assistive Technology
Presenter: Mo Buti, M.Ed-BD, M.Ed-ADMIN
Cost: FREE

December 18, 2012 11:00am CST - 45 minutes

Title: Using the TrackerPro with Predictable for Android
Category: Assistive Technology
Presenter: Rebecca Bright, BSpPath MRCSLT regHPC MASLTIP
Cost: FREE

February 7, 2013 2:00pm CDT - 45 Minutes

Title: Switch Access to the iPad
Category: Assistive Technology
Presenter: Jane Farrall, SLP
Cost: FREE

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Did you know – that the first Thanksgiving feast was held in the second year the Pilgrims were at Plymouth Rock and it was a three day feast!

Did you know – that the celebration was in the fall of 1621 and Governor William Bradford invited the neighboring Native Americans to join with the colonists to celebrate a good harvest!

Did you know – that historians have suggested that many of the dishes were prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods!

Did you know – that Wampanoag guests arrived with deer and the Governor sent men out on a “fowling” mission!

Did you know – that Thanksgiving did not become an official national holiday until President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November a national day of thanksgiving in 1863 --- just a mere 200 years later!

Did you know – that as many as 107 million American homes will celebrate Thanksgiving this year!

Did you know – there is a lot of conflicting information out there on the first Thanksgiving!

Did you know – that the SERC Library will be open on the morning of Black Friday sales, however, we will not have any sales, we will be offering quiet space from 8:30 am to 12 NOON!

Happy Thanksgiving from the SERC Library Staff!