World Book Blog

What Can One Person Do?!

2017-07-18T13:31:00-05:00

Does your child wonder what one person can do to help save our planet? Here are seven simple Earth-friendly strategies from World Book’s Earth’s Changing Climate series:

8 Ways Your Children Can Reduce Their Environmental Impact

Eat less meat. Animal farming is one of the biggest sources of gases that are warming Earth like a greenhouse. By eating less meat, people can help reduce these gases.
Conserve water. Save water by turning off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth. Use the dishwater and washing machine only for full loads.
Turn off the lights. Turn off computers and other electronic devices when no one is using them. Unplug chargers when electronic devices are not being powered up.
Update the light bulbs in your house. Many people still use incandescent light bulbs to light their homes. Newer kinds of bulbs use less electricity and can last much longer.
Spend less time in front of a screen and more time in front of a book. Or join a school- or church-sponsored environmental group. Battery-powered devices still are using electric power, after all.
Recycle paper, glass, and metal. Recycling helps conserve raw materials and energy needed to make new products. It also keeps wastes from being buried in landfills, saving scarce landfill space. Recycling helps reduce the pollution that may result from waste disposal.
Volunteer at a local nature center. The centers will help you discover many different ways you can help protect and improve the natural habitats around your home.
Join a nature-friendly organization, like Roots & Shoots. Roots & Shoots, founded by famed naturalist Jane Goodall, is a program in which young people around the world help animals and their habitats. Kids work with adult mentors to help preserve habitats in their own communities. http://www.rootsandshoots.org/

Count like an Egyptian

2016-08-30T13:40:00-05:00

Ancient Egyptians used symbols (or hieroglyphics) to represent numbers in the ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and hundred thousands. Use this guide to write like an Egyptian – no papyrus leaf required!

You will need:

paper
a pencil

Introduction:

This is what the Egyptian numerals looked like:

Procedures:

1. The finger stroke stood for 1.

2. The arch stood for 10.

3. The curved rope stood for 100.

4. The lotus flower stood for 1,000.

5. The bent finger stood for 10,000.

6. The tadpole stood for 100,000.

7. To show more than one of anything, the Egyptians repeated the symbol the correct number of times. The numerals below stood for 23.

8. But these numerals below also meant 23.

9. The Egyptians usually wrote their numerals from left to right. But sometimes they wrote them from right to left or from top to bottom.

10. Practice writing the Egyptian symbols shown on this page. See if you can write these numerals in Egyptian:
1. 35
2. 77
3. 112
4. 446
5. 1,245
6. 3,389
7. 10,437
8. 30,686
9. 162,354
10. 410,912

Learn more about the history of numbers in the Building Blocks of Mathematics!

Building Blocks of Mathematics is a great new series of mathematics books from World Book! Quirky characters drawn in exciting comic-book style introduce and demonstrate critical basic mathematics concepts in this new six-volume series of books. Story problems help to develop students’ conceptual understanding of the mathematical operations and teach them techniques for solving real-life math problems. Designed in collaboration with elementary mathematics education experts, this series is appropriate for kids who are just learning these concepts and older students who can benefit from review and reinforcement.

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Just because you're going back to school doesn't mean you have to get sick!

2016-08-26T11:17:00-05:00

Going back to school often exposes you to a host of new germs and illnesses from other kids you haven't seen all summer. However, just because you are around new germs, doesn’t mean you’ll get sick! World Book’s Building Blocks of Science series explains how our bodies naturally stay healthy in the book Fighting Sickness. This book explains the complicated topics of immune system, microbes, infection, disease, bacteria, viruses, and the immune response in an easy-to-understand and fun comic book-style.

When you’re going back to school, it’s a great idea to take steps to prevent illnesses that may keep you away from class. Here are some easy tips to avoid getting sick:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water for the length of time it takes to sing the ABC’s out loud

2. Use your elbow as a barrier when you cough or sneeze to avoid unintentionally spreading your germs to others.

3. Choose a good diet to keep your body healthy

4. Exercise daily to boost the strength of your immune system

Building Blocks of Science: Life Science Set 1

Price: $299.00

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Item #: 20339 -

Now available, a new eight-volume set to the popular Building Blocks of Science Series. These books feature whimsical characters to guide young readers through topics exploring the human body systems. Full-page or full-spread diagrams detail the different parts of each body system. This series is perfect for students across a spectrum of reading comprehension and science mastery levels. About the Illustrator: Sam Hiti is very tall, but of average height when sitting at his drafting table. He...

Get ready for the NCAA! Learn about the land down under before California faces Hawaii at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

2016-08-25T11:18:00-05:00

In America, college football season officially starts on the evening of August 26th; however the game will be played at the local time of noon on August 27th. How is this possible? The game is happening on the other side of the world! According to NCAA.com, California will face Hawaii at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia. While football fans are gearing up for this American past time, there are lots of reasons to appreciate the land down under!

Here are some fun facts you probably didn’t know about Sydney, Australia:

1. Sydney is the largest state capital in Australia with more than 4 million residents.

2. The Sydney Opera House, a spectacular structure with sail-like roofs, has attracted worldwide attention since its completion in 1973.

3. The Aboriginal track star Cathy Freeman lit the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. She won the gold medal in the women’s 400-meter race at those Olympics.

4. Biologists at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney began a captive-breeding program for the Booroolong frog in 2007 with only 34 frogs. In 2008, hundreds of frogs produced in this program were released into the wild.

Read more about Australia in World Book’s series: Endangered Animals of the World, Famous Myths and Legends, Animals and Their Habitats

Famous Myths and Legends of the World

Price: $359.00

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Item #: 20355 -

This new, 12-volume series is packed with history's most famous myths and legends that span the globe, from the Hawaiians' tale of the first volcanic eruption to the Australian Aboriginal people's explanation of the continent's natural landscape. Along with the stories, readers will find well-researched explanations about the origins of the ancient tales, providing an in-depth look inside the cultures of the people who told them. Accompanied by eye-catching artwork, breathtaking photography,...

Endangered Animals of the World

Price: $239.00

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Endangered Animals of the World!From the giant panda to the black rhinoceros, animals across our planet are threatened. Learning about these important creatures is the first step toward building awareness in future generations.Every child loves animals, and they will be instantly enthralled with each animal’s story. With facts and figures about each species region by region, each animal is described using scientific classification, physical characteristics, behaviors, threat level, and reasons...

Animals and their Habitats

Price: $229.00

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Want to learn more about animals around the world and their habitats? Then the "Animals and Their Habitats" Set from World Book is perfect for you and your kids to explore the wonderful animal world! Each book in this eight-volume series associates animals with their habitats. From icy polar wastes to scorched deserts to the ocean depths, each volume enumerates representative animals of a habitat. This in-depth and beautifully illustrated series places animals in regional contexts to expand...

Whirlwind Quiz

2016-08-24T11:34:00-05:00

Do you know the difference between a tropical storm and tropical disturbance? What’s the difference between a hurricane and tropical depression?

Test your knowledge by matching the features of storm with the correct description below!

_______ 1. tropical disturbance

_______ 2. tropical depression

_______ 3. tropical storm

_______ 4. Hurricane

A. winds begin to blow in a circular pattern

B. storm has a well-defined circular shape

C. winds exceed 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour

D. cumulonimbus clouds begin to form

Answers: 1.D, 2.A, 3.B, 4.C

Learn more about these weather patterns on World Book Online!

When you need fast, reliable information for homework, reports, or just a lingering question, World Book Online is the place to go.

A colorful, approachable look and feel, designed for kids, and articles written at your student's level
Easy access on smartphones and tablets
Five complete databases for multiple research levels
Illustrations, maps, audio files, videos, eBooks, primary source documents, and more

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The Olympics in Rio is over, but the tradition will continue! Test your knowledge of modern and ancient Olympics history with this short quiz!

2016-08-23T10:01:00-05:00

1. How often are the Olympic Summer Games held?

2. In the opening ceremonies, the team of what country has the honor of marching first into the Olympic stadium? Why do they get this honor?

3. What does the Olympic flame stand for?

4. The Olympic symbol consists of ____ rings and stand for____.

5. The five official Olympic colors are black, blue, green, yellow, and ____.

6. The Summer Olympics lasts____ days.

7. Athletes in the Summer Olympics compete in: (circle one)

(1) About 130 events.

(2) About 190 events.

(3) About 270 events.

(4) About 300 events.

8. True or false? More than 10,000 athletes take part in the Summer Games.

9. True or false? The only event in the first 13 games of the ancient Olympic Games was the broad jump.

10. The first recorded Olympic contest took place in what year?

11. The first modern Olympic Games were held in what year?

Answers:

1. Every four years

2. Greece. To honor Greece as the birthplace of the Olympics.

3. It stands for the light of spirit, knowledge, and life and it is also a messenger of peace.

4. Five; Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, the Americas (continents)

5. Red

6. 17 days

7. (4) more than 300 events

8. True

9. False. The first event was running.

10. 776 B.C.

11. 1896

Strategies to encourage your little one's curiosity

2016-08-19T10:25:00-05:00

While the big kids are gearing up for a new school year, little brothers and sisters might start showing curiosity in learning new skills as well. It’s never too early to think encourage a love of reading! World Book created the Welcome to Reading series to introduce your child to reading and critical thinking.

When you introduce young readers to reading, think about using these strategies to encourage curiosity:

Before reading the book, ask your child to look at the cover image and title to guess what the book is about.
After reading a couple of pages, ask your child to predict what he or she thinks will happen next.
Ask your child what he or she would do in the situations the characters find themselves in before reading the end.
After you and your child have read the entire book, ask your child what might happen if there was a sequel.

Your Child's Reading Journey Begins with Welcome to Reading
As a parent, or grandparent, there is no greater gift you can give a child than the gift of reading. World Book's Welcome to Reading supports he literacy skills children will need to excel in both school and life. Welcome to Reading offers a powerful print resource to help your child learn to read.
Welcome to Reading provides young children with a sequence of learning opportunities in reading. This program is centered around 48 engaging Little Books at four levels that will help engender and appreciation for and love of reading. In using this program, children will have opportunities to strengthen their phonics and vocabulary skills and improve their reading comprehension.

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Do you have what it takes to become a scientist?

2016-08-10T12:36:00-05:00

Next week is Australia’s National Science Week. Do you have what it takes to become a scientist?

According to NASA, you may be a scientist if you…

Like mysteries!

Like to observe the world around you.

Are willing to record your observations.

Are willing to test an idea (also known as a hypothesis) to see if it works in reality.

Are willing to test an idea again, if your hypothesis turns up unexpected results!

What is science can be found at: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/science/en/

Read more about science in many of World Book's series, including: Building Blocks of Science series, Dr. Mollie Cule Reboots the Robot, Living Green, Learning Ladders

Hurricane safety

2016-08-10T12:27:00-05:00

Hurricane season is about to start in the Atlantic and the Northeast Pacific – are you ready? Use these World Book tips to stay safe!

1. Keep your radio tuned to a news station after learning that a hurricane warning has been broadcast, or follow weather alerts online on the National Weather Service website, www.weather.gov.

2. Board up your windows or protect them with special storm shutters or tape.

3. Store drinking water in clean bottles and jugs, and fill the bathtub with water for later use.

4. Make sure your automobile gasoline tank is full because service stations may not be able to operate for several days after a hurricane. (But do not store gasoline in cans or other containers in your car or home.)

5. Stay home if the structure is sturdy and on high ground. Otherwise, move quickly to a designated hurricane shelter. Stay home or in the shelter until an all clear has been broadcast.

6. After the storm, avoid loose or dangling electric power lines and report them immediately to the power company.

Learn more about weather patterns and other ways the changing climate impacts daily life in World Book’s series Earth’s Changing Climate.

This timely new series takes a scientific, but balanced, approach to understanding an important issue that affects our planet today. Including a primer on understanding climate change, this eight-volume series explores in-depth the impact a warmer climate may have on oceans, habitats, wildlife, and more. A final volume discusses ways we can adapt to and reduce changes in Earth's climate. Learning about climate change is an important step toward increasing environmental awareness in the generation growing up today.

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Six reasons to get outside and visit the nearest forest!

2016-07-18T10:37:00-05:00

During Parks and Recreation month, there are so many reasons to love forests! Here are our top six reasons to get outside and visit the nearest forest!

1. Where do you live? Forests are home to many different kinds of plants and animals. In fact, each forest has its own ecosystem (a community of interconnected living and nonliving things) for survival.

2. People can use materials from forests to create things! Forests provide people with name useful resources, such as lumber, plywood, paper, and cardboard. What can you make out of these materials?

3. You may depend on a forest to cook your dinner! Forests provide many different types of fuel for cooking and heating, such as fats, oils, and gums.

4. Do you ever get sick? Did you know that at least one-fourth of all known medicines come from plants or animals native to tropical rain forests?

5. Do you breathe oxygen? (Of course! We all do!) Did you know that trees and other plants of tropical rain forests generate approximately 40 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere?

6. Forests are fun! There are so many different activities you can enjoy in a forest, such as camping, hiking, bird watching, fishing, and hunting. Which activity would you like to try?

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View more articles about forests in World Book Online!

When you need fast, reliable information for homework, reports, or just a lingering question, World Book Online is the place to go.

A colorful, approachable look and feel, designed for kids, and articles written at your student's level
Easy access on smartphones and tablets
Five complete databases for multiple research levels
Illustrations, maps, audio files, videos, eBooks, primary source documents, and more

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Five Little-Known Facts about the History of Flight

2016-07-18T10:25:00-05:00

Are you traveling this summer? Will you take an airplane to get to your destination? The history of flight is rich with experiments, trial and error, and new discoveries along the way – each step took us just a bit closer to the dependable aircrafts we use today!

1.Human being discovered how to fly using balloons in the 1700s, but the balloons could not be steered.

2.The first inventors tried many different options for steering the balloons, even training and harnessing birds! (It didn’t work.)

3.The first craft big enough to hold a person was built in 1852 and was powered by wind. It was called a “heavier-than-air” machine even though it was actually the world’s first airplane. The first person to fly in a heavier-than-air machine was the son of one of the inventor’s servants, an unnamed 10-year old boy.

4.In 1900, a wealthy French businessman offered a large cash prize to any airship flier who could circle the Eiffel Tower in Paris. To win, the airship had to take off from the nearby town of Saint-Cloud, fly to Paris, circle the tower, and fly back to Saint-Cloud, all within 30 minutes. A number of pilots tried for the prize and failed. Santos-Dumont did not care about the money, but he wanted to show how well his dirigibles could fly. He tried for the prize once and failed, as all the others had. But on Oct. 19, 1901, he tried again, and won. His Dirigible Number 6 came from Saint-Cloud, flew in a little circle around the Eiffel Tower, and made it back to Saint-Cloud in exactly 29½ minutes!

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5.What made the Wright brothers’ flight so much more important than the flight of a balloon, airship, or a glider? Flyer took off under its own power, pulled upward by its whirling propellers!

A Dream Takes Flight

An introduction to the history of flight, including information about the invention and development of balloons, parachutes, airships, gliders, helicopters, airplanes, missiles, rockets, and spaceships. Features include stories, activities, and a list of additional resources

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Combat Summer Brain Drain!

2016-07-13T12:04:00-05:00

According to a study by Dr. Harris Cooper, professor of psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, kids lose one to three months of learning over the summer. The biggest loss was in the subject of math, followed by reading skills.

Tips for reducing brain drain:

1. Read at bedtime. As you think about the story by predicting what’s going to happen next or explaining a character’s motivation.

2. Ask your child to practice a little bit of math everyday, whether it’s counting change at the grocery store, dividing popsicles between friends, or subtracting the days left of summer vacation!

3. Use art to reinforce math skills. On those slow summer afternoons, ask your child to write a story or draw a picture about numbers. Young children can draw pictures of numbers doing things that relate to numbers (The number two can be drawn with two imaginary or favorite animals). Older children can draw a graphic novel explaining how mathematicians found the circumference of a circle (the true or imaginary tale!)

4. Ask your kids to help you do your own math! If you are going on vacation and keeping a budget, put your kids in charge of making sure the family does not go over budget by doing the math. When driving to a new location, have your kids keep track of the distance as you travel and report back how far your family has gone!

5. Practice daily, but in small increments. Instead of signing your children up for a math class, ask them to finish one math problem or worksheet every day. Treats for correct answers, like a scoop of ice cream or an extra 50 cents added to their allowance, can be used as an incentive to keep math on their minds.

Keep those math skills sharp with World Book’s Incentive Publications Use it! Don’t Lose it! This series provides fun math and language arts activities to keep young minds sharp and ready for the next school year.

A quick guide to the deadly conflict between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr:

2016-07-13T11:50:00-05:00

Are tickets to see the play Hamilton too hard to find this summer? Why weren’t Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr better friends? Check out this quick summary of the famous feud:

In the 1800 presidential election, Aaron Burr and Thomas Jefferson ran against each other, but received the same number of electoral votes! At this time in U.S. history, the U.S. House of Representatives had to take 36 ballots to break the tie and decide which man would become president. Alexander Hamilton, who distrusted Burr more than he distrusted Jefferson, supported Jefferson for president. Jefferson won, and Burr became vice president.

Next, Burr decided to run for governor of New York in 1804. Again, Hamilton opposed him, which fueled the fire even further! Burr lost the election and attributed a part of his loss to Hamilton’s efforts. Frustrated, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.

On July 11, 1804, the men faced each other with pistols in Weehawken, New Jersey. With one shot, Burr fatally wounded Hamilton cementing both of the men’s fates in history books as mortal enemies.

Can't view the linked articles? Buy World Book Online today!

Learn more about Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr in World Book Online! With databases appropriate for every age level and interest, there is something for everyone.

When you need fast, reliable information for homework, reports, or just a lingering question, World Book Online is the place to go.

A colorful, approachable look and feel, designed for kids, and articles written at your student's level
Easy access on smartphones and tablets
Five complete databases for multiple research levels
Illustrations, maps, audio files, videos, eBooks, primary source documents, and more

Learn More | Buy Now

Little Known Tree Facts

2016-07-07T10:22:00-05:00

In celebration of Parks and Recreation month, here are some facts about trees in the United States that we bet you didn’t know!

1. Long-leaf pines can survive forest fires, which used to occur naturally in the southeastern United States.

2. Did you know that the world’s largest tree is a giant sequoia in California named the General Sherman Tree? It stands 274 feet tall, and its trunk is 103 feet around!

3. In the western United States, some bristlecone pine trees are known to be more than 4,600 years old!

Learn more from the National Parks and Recreation Association at http://www.nrpa.org

LIVING GREEN

Learn all about environmental issues and green living practices in this comprehensive set. Titles in the Living Green books set examine the environmental impact of every aspect of modern life, from the water bottles we purchase, to the cars we drive, to the food we buy. The volumes also reveal how governments and individuals can work together to reduce our collective carbon footprint and live green.

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Five things you didn’t know about George Washington

2016-06-30T15:07:00-05:00

We all know about the political accomplishments of the Founding Fathers of the United States, but their life outside of politics is not as widely known. Here are five interesting facts about our first president that you probably didn’t know:

1. As a kid, Washington mastered the subject of math, which led to his first job as a land surveyor.

2. Growing up, Washington kept numerous copybooks with entries such as “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.”

3. Washington once wrote a verse called “True Happiness” stating happiness comes from, among other things, “Round a warm fire, a pleasant joke…”

4. Washington was reportedly 6 feet 3.5 inches tall and weighed close to 200 pounds by age 20, and he was known to move gracefully.

5. Washington made a salary of $25,000 a year as President. That’s approximately $650,000 in today’s dollars!

Learn more about George Washington in America's Presidents! two–volume set examines the United States presidency and its historical importance in rich detail. Get answers to presidential questions as you take a fascinating look at the highest elected office in the government of the United States.

The first volume in this book about U.S. presidents - The President’s World - showcases the duties, privileges, and broad power of the president. It goes in-depth into the typical, daily life of a United States president.

The second volume in the presidents book set - Portraits of the Presidents - examines the people who have led the country through times of poverty and prosperity, peace, and war. It includes full biographical information about every U.S. president as well as information and photos of every first lady.

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This Week in History: Delegates from 50 nations signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco on this date in 1945.

2016-06-29T12:03:00-05:00

On June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 nations, meeting in San Francisco, signed the Charter of the United Nations (UN). This document serves as the constitution of the UN. It set out a plan for an organization to help keep world peace, an organization that had, in effect, been decades in the making. The forerunner to the United Nations was the League of Nations. The League was created in 1918 at the end of World War I. One of the treaties that officially ended the war, the Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919), provided for the creation of the League of Nations.

World leaders had hoped that the Treaty of Versailles and the creation of the League of Nations would lead to a lasting peace in Europe. By the 1930’s, however, Germany, Italy, and Japan—the nations that would form the Axis Powers—were all building weapons, increasing their armies, and taking over territories that belonged to other nations. After Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939, the United Kingdom and France—two nations that would form the Allies—declared war, and World War II (1939-1945) began. By 1940, France and the other nations of Europe had fallen to the Axis nations. The United Kingdom stood alone.

The United States entered World War II in December 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. But the United States had been helping the United Kingdom before it officially entered the war. In August 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and American President Franklin D. Roosevelt met aboard the U.S.S. Augusta in the waters off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. The two leaders forged an agreement known as the Atlantic Charter. The charter solidified the British-American alliance and outlined the goals following an Allied victory.

Some of the principles of the Atlantic Charter included:

That neither the United Kingdom nor the United States sought to gain additional territory.
That both nations respected the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they would live.
That all nations would have access, on equal terms, to the trade and to the raw materials of the world which they needed for their economic prosperity.

In January 1942, 26 nations signed the Declaration of United Nations, in which they agreed to abide by the principles of the Atlantic Charter. This was the first official use of the words United Nations. The UN was officially created after World War II ended in Europe with the signing of the organization’s charter by representatives of 50 nations at the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco on June 26, 1945. No one from Poland was able to attend the signing in San Francisco. Poland signed the document a few months later.

Today, nearly all nations in the world have signed the UN Charter and are members of the United Nations.

Get Ready for Rio and test your Olympic knowledge!

2016-05-31T16:49:00-05:00

Test your knowledge of the history behind the Olympic Games:

In the opening ceremonies, the team of what country has the honor of marching first into the Olympic stadium? Why do they get this honor?
The first recorded Olympic contest took place in what year?
The first modern Olympic Games were held in what year?
The first 13 Olympic Games only had one sport. What was it?
The Romans banned the original Olympic Games in what year?

Learn more about the Olympic games, as well as star athletes, the sports played, and the countries that have hosted the games, in World Book Online! With databases appropriate for every age level and interest, there is something for everyone.

Answers: 1.) Greece. To honor Greece as the birthplace of the Olympics. 2.) 776 B.C. 3.) 1896 4.) Running. 5.) A.D. 393

WORLD BOOK ONLINE

When you need fast, reliable information for homework, reports, or just a lingering question, World Book Online is the place to go.

A colorful, approachable look and feel, designed for kids, and articles written at your student's level
Easy access on smartphones and tablets
Five complete databases for multiple research levels
Illustrations, maps, audio files, videos, eBooks, primary source documents, and more

Learn More | Buy Now

Camping this summer? Learn about the stars above!

2016-05-20T14:36:00-05:00

A lot of families like to go camping over the summer, and summer camps are a highlight for many children. But how much do you know about the sky you’re sleeping under?

Here are 5 things you may not know about the universe:

The largest galaxies may be more than 6 million light-years across
Galaxies contain both visible and invisible matter.
Our galaxy contains at least 100 billion stars
Most galaxies continue to move away from each other.
If we squeezed all of the events in the 14-billion-year history of the universe into 1 year, human history would account for only 21 seconds.

Are you looking for more cosmic knowledge? Further travel our sun, planets, and other objects in the solar system in Explore Our Solar System!

EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE

This highly illustrated, 10-volume series explores the origin of the universe and tours stars, galaxies, and other fascinating celestial objects beyond the solar system. Volumes in Explore the Universe discuss the structure and composition of the universe; physical characteristics of black holes and other celestial objects; theories about the origin of the universe; and tools and techniques for studying celestial objects.

This Week in History: Margot Fonteyn, the Great British Ballerina, was born in 1919.

2016-05-16T11:57:00-05:00

Margot Fonteyn, the greatest British ballerina of the 1900’s, was born on May 18, 1919. For more than two decades, she was probably the most famous and successful ballerina in the world, celebrated for her technique, her poise, and the radiance of her character portrayals.

Fonteyn starred in the great classical repertoire, triumphing in such ballets as Giselle, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty. Perhaps her signature role was Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Fonteyn also danced in major ballets by such modern choreographers as Roland Pettit, Ninette De Valois, and especially Frederick Ashton. She and Ashton established a refined form of dancing that became known as the British style. In 1962, Fonteyn joined Russian dancer Rudolph Nureyev to form a celebrated partnership that extended her fame beyond the world of ballet.

Fonteyn was born in Reigate, England, as Margaret Evelyn Hookam. She began taking dancing lessons at the age of 4. Early in her career she changed her name, adapting Margaret to Margot and her grandfather’s last name of Fontes into Fonteyn. In 1928, she moved with her family to China and continued her dance training in Shanghai. Fonteyn returned to England in 1933 and joined the Sadler’s Wells School in London in 1934. The school eventually became the Vic-Wells Ballet, the Sadler’s Wells Ballet, and eventually, the Royal Ballet. Fonteyn was a guest artist with ballet companies throughout the world, but the Royal Ballet remained her artistic home until her death.

Fonteyn made her performing debut in 1934 as a snowflake in the ballet The Nutcracker. By the age of 16, she was dancing featured roles. While she was well known in the English dance world, Fonteyn did not gain international stardom until 1949, when she made a triumphant American debut in The Sleeping Beauty at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. She was extremely popular in the United States for the rest of her career. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, Fonteyn was frequently partnered with Robert Helpmann, a dancer with a powerful personality who perfectly complemented her grace and lyricism.

Fonteyn was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire (D.B.E.) in 1956. She was president of the Royal Academy of Dancing from 1954 until her death. Her memoir, Margot Fonteyn: Autobiography, was published in 1977. In 1979, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Fonteyn the title of Prima ballerina assoluta, an honor reserved for only the most exceptional prima ballerinas. Fonteyn died on Feb. 21, 1991.

History of Holidays Around the World

2015-12-10T14:40:00-06:00

If I make a wish on a falling star will it come true?

2015-12-08T17:16:00-06:00

Science Editor Brian Johnson explains what a falling star is and why it shoots through the sky.

ABOUT STARS:

Star is a huge, shining ball in space that produces a tremendous amount of light and other forms of energy. The sun is a star, and it supplies Earth with light and heat energy. The stars look like twinkling points of light—except for the sun. The sun looks like a ball because it is much closer to Earth than any other star.

The sun and most other stars are made of gas and a hot, gaslike substance known as plasma. But some stars, called white dwarfs and neutron stars, consist of tightly packed atoms or subatomic particles. These stars are therefore much more dense than anything on Earth.Stars come in many sizes. The sun's radius (distance from its center to its surface) is about 432,000 miles (695,500 kilometers). But astronomers classify the sun as a dwarf because other kinds of stars are much bigger. Some of the stars known as supergiants have a radius about 1,000 times that of the sun. The smallest stars are the neutron stars, some of which have a radius of only about 6 miles (10 kilometers).

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Can a self-driving car be made?

2015-12-05T17:11:00-06:00

In this video, Andy Sarkisian, Safety Planning and Strategy Manager at Ford Motor Company, discusses how modern car systems can help people drive safely.

About Cars:

Automobile is a wheeled machine that serves as the most important form of transportation in the world. People drive about 750 million passenger cars along the world's roads and highways—about 1 car for every 10 people. Trucks transport huge amounts of food, clothing, and other products across vast distances. Since their invention in the late 1800's, automobiles have shaped the way people do business and live their lives. Few technologies have changed the world as much as the automobile has.

A car moves by producing power and channeling it to the wheels, spinning them. Like the human body, a car includes a number of systems that work closely together. Each system is itself a complex machine. Most systems in an automobile have many moving and computerized parts. Some systems work to produce power or transfer it to the wheels. Others work to support the car or provide information to the driver.

All cars use energy to power their motion. Most cars have internal-combustion engines. Such engines use energy stored in gasoline or diesel fuel by burning it. Other cars have an electric motor. The motor uses energy stored in a rechargeable battery. Hybrid cars combine an internal-combustion engine with an electric motor.Manufacturing a car requires years of planning. Engineers use computer programs to model how the car will look and perform. They build sample cars and test how well the samples work in a variety of conditions. All the parts of the car must be made from scratch or bought. Then, automakers bring the parts together on an assembly line. An automobile assembly line is a row of workers. Each worker performs an assigned task, such as inserting a part. The car then passes along to the next worker until it is finished.

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Why did the U.S. begin military action in Vietnam

2015-12-01T17:04:00-06:00

Harry Middleton, the former director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, discusses how lessons learned from World War II (1939-1945) led to U.S. military involvement in Vietnam.

World War II (1939-1945) was the most destructive war in history. It killed more people, destroyed more property, and disrupted more lives than any other war in history. It probably had more far-reaching consequences than any other war. The war brought about the downfall of Western Europe as the center of world power. It led to the dominance of the Soviet Union and the United States. It set off a power struggle between the two countries called the Cold War. World War II also opened the nuclear age.

It is impossible to say exactly how many people died as a result of World War II. Estimates suggest about 20 million soldiers died during the war’s six years. From 30 to 40 million civilians also perished. That makes a combined death toll of 50 million to 60 million people.

The battlegrounds of World War II spread to nearly every part of the world. Troops fought in the jungles of Southeast Asia. They battled in the deserts of North Africa. They fought on the islands and seas of the Pacific Ocean. Battles raged on the frozen steppes of the Soviet Union and in the cities, forests, and farmers’ fields of Europe. Submarines fought below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

Did you know? | 10 Little-known facts about Thanksgiving

2015-11-19T15:05:00-06:00

Thanksgiving Day is right around the corner, and this day of giving thanks and remembering the blessings of life is steeped in history and traditions.

American Indians and English pilgrims held the very first Thanksgiving at Plymouth Colony in 1621; today people celebrate this day with family, feasting, and prayer.

Here are some facts you may not know:

The journey – The people we now call Pilgrims were Separatists—that is, Puritans who had separated from the Church of England. The group left England in the Speedwell and a larger ship, the The Speedwell proved unseaworthy, and the fleet returned to England twice. The Mayflower set sail, and finally, in December 1620, the Plymouth Colony was founded by English Pilgrims at the site of a deserted Wampanoag Indian village called Patuxet.
The first meal– The very first English settlers who came to America had a hard time during their first year and many of them died during the winter. But in the spring of 1621, a Patuxet Indian named Tisquantum—called Squanto by the English—showed them how to plant traditional Native American crops of corn and pumpkin in addition to their European peas, wheat, and barley.
Three-day festival – In early autumn of 1621, the governor of Plymouth, William Bradford, organized a festival to give thanks to God for the survival of the colony and for their first harvest. Tradition holds that the colonists invited Massasoit, the Wampanoag chief, although some versions of the story claim he came to negotiate a new land treaty. He arrived with about 90 of his people and contributed five deer to the feast. Foods served probably included duck and turkey; a corn porridge called nasaump;and a pumpkin dish called
Thanksgiving dates – During the American Revolution, the Americans observed eight special days of thanks for victories and for being saved from dangers. In 1789, President George Washington issued a general proclamation naming November 26 a national day of Thanksgiving.
State by state – For many years the United States had no regular national Thanksgiving Day. But some states had a yearly Thanksgiving holiday. By 1830, New York had an official state Thanksgiving Day, and other Northern states soon followed its example. In 1855, Virginia became the nation’s first Southern state to adopt the custom.
Thanksgiving Thursdays – Sarah Hale, the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, worked many years to promote the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day. Then President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863, as a “day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” Each year afterward, the president formally proclaimed that Thanksgiving Day should be celebrated on the last Thursday of November.
A federal holiday – In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set Thanksgiving one week earlier to help businesses by lengthening the shopping period before Christmas. After this incident, in 1941, Congress ruled that the fourth Thursday of November would be observed as Thanksgiving Day and would be a legal federal holiday.
Gobble! – Most traditional Thanksgiving dinners include turkey. Male turkeys are called toms, female turkeys are known as hens, and baby turkeys are called poults. American Indians raised turkeys for food as early as A.D. 1000!
Around the world – Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday in October. Europeans have also held autumn harvest festivals and feasts for centuries.
Festivals like Thanksgiving – For thousands of years, people in many parts of the world have held harvest festivals. The Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival is a celebration of the end of the rice harvest; this usually occurs in August or September.

These fun facts—and much more—can be found in World Book Online, your answer for fast, reliable information.

What's it like working for a U.S. president?

2015-11-09T17:48:00-06:00

Harry Middleton, a former aide to President Lyndon Johnson and a former director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library & Museum, discusses what it was like working for the president.

President of the United States is often considered the most powerful elected official in the world. The president leads a nation of great wealth and military strength. Presidents have often provided decisive leadership in times of crisis, and they have shaped many important events in history.

The Constitution of the United States gives the president enormous power. However, it also limits that power. The authors of the Constitution wanted a strong leader as president, but they did not want an all-powerful king. As a result, they divided the powers of the United States government among three branches—executive, legislative, and judicial. The president, who is often called the chief executive, heads the executive branch. Congress represents the legislative branch. The Supreme Court of the United States and other federal courts make up the judicial branch. Congress and the Supreme Court may prevent or end any presidential action that exceeds the limits of the president's powers and trespasses on their authority.

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Are animals happy living at the zoo?

2015-11-09T14:06:00-06:00

Jason Watters, Behavioral Research Manager at Chicago Zoological Society, discusses whether animals are happy living in zoos.

ABOUT ZOOS:

Zoo is a place where people keep and display animals. Visiting zoos is a popular recreational and educational activity throughout the world. Almost every large city has at least one zoo, and many smaller communities also have one. Many zoos have beautiful gardens and treelined paths leading from one animal display to another. The word zoo is short for zoological garden.Zoos vary in the type of animals they keep. Many large zoos keep mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish from all over the world. Some even have collections of interesting insects. Smaller zoos may have animals from just one part of the world, or just one type of animal. Zoos that have only fish and aquatic mammals, which live in water, are called aquariums. Some zoos display only animals from the region where the zoo is located.

Zoos range in size from hundreds of acres or hectares to only a few. But size alone does not determine the quality or importance of a zoo. The best zoos are those that have healthy, well-tended animals and displays that help visitors learn about each animal's natural behavior and its role in the environment.

Modern zoos have become refuges for some species (types) of animals that are in danger of extinction (dying out) in the wild. Many human activities threaten the survival of wild species, especially the destruction of habitats (natural environments). Most animals are specially suited to live in a certain environment and cannot survive when their habitat is destroyed. Zoos are becoming increasingly active in the struggle to save the world's vanishing wildlife.

In the past, zoos kept their animals in rows of mostly bare cages made of concrete and steel bars. Often, the cages were arranged in no particular order.

Today, animal displays are far different. Zoos have replaced most old-fashioned cages with natural-looking enclosures that give animals greater liberty to lead normal lives. Both the layout of the zoo and the design of the exhibits teach visitors about animals.

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This Week in History: Harvard University was founded in 1636

2015-11-02T20:30:00-06:00

Harvard College (now Harvard University) founded, 1636 (Oct. 28)

Harvard University was founded at Newtowne (now Cambridge), Massachusetts, on Oct. 28, 1636, just 16 years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. It is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States, one of the richest private schools in America, and one of the world’s most prestigious universities.

The Massachusetts legislative assembly initially founded Harvard as New College, a school for educating clergymen. The school’s name was changed to Harvard College in 1639, when it was named after the school’s first benefactor, John Harvard. Harvard was a Puritan minister. He left half of his estate, including his library of over 400 books, to the college when he died in 1638. Harvard College opened that same year. The school graduated its first class of nine students in 1642.

In 1764, Harvard Hall burned down. Some 5,000 books—including all but one of John Harvard’s books and the only known portrait of him—were destroyed. Today, a statue of John Harvard stands in Harvard Yard in front of University Hall. It has become the university’s most famous landmark. More than 250 years after the fire, Harvard now houses the world’s largest university library system.

In 1775, General George Washington and his Continental Army soldiers briefly moved into Harvard’s buildings at the start of the American Revolution (1775-1783). The next year, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, the signers included eight Harvard alumni.

Harvard College was officially renamed Harvard University in 1782 after the founding of its medical school. In 1910, crimson officially became the school color. The color tradition initially started in the mid-1800’s, when the school’s rowing team donned crimson scarves during a competition so they would be more easily recognized.

Several U.S. presidents have graduated from Harvard, including John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Other notable graduates include American revolutionary leader John Hancock, philanthropist and Microsoft creator Bill Gates, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Harvard, which was founded just three days before Halloween, has its share of ghost stories. Over the years, students, faculty, and employees have reported encounters with spirits roaming the halls of some dorms and school buildings. These include Wadsworth House, which General George Washington used as his first headquarters, and Lowell Hall, named after former Harvard President Abbott Lawrence Lowell. People claim to have seen apparitions dressed in colonial uniforms walking down the halls or going through doors at Wadsworth House. Ghosts of Lowell’s sister, the poet Amy Lowell, or former House Master Elliott Perkins have reportedly been spotted silently moving around Lowell House. Amy Lowell was known to smoke cigars and, supposedly, if you stand near her portrait in Lowell House, you can sometimes smell cigar smoke.

This week in history: Baseball great Mickey Mantle was born in 1931

2015-10-27T14:20:00-05:00

Mickey Mantle, one of the greatest players in baseball history, was born on Oct. 20, 1931. As a batter, he was known both for hitting for a high average and for his power. Mantle became especially famous for his towering home runs. Many of them traveled so far they were called “tape measure” home runs, a term that has since become part of baseball’s vocabulary.

Mantle played his entire major league baseball career, from 1951 to 1968, with the New York Yankees of the American League. During that time, Mantle was the league Most Valuable Player in 1956, 1957, and 1962. He won the batting Triple Crown in 1956 by leading the league in hitting with a .353 average while hitting 52 home runs and batting in 130 runs. He also led the league in home runs in 1955, 1958, and 1960.

Mantle has been called the greatest switch hitter in baseball history. Most players bat from either the left or right side of the plate. A switch hitter has the ability to bat both left-handed and right-handed. Mantle was also one of the fastest players of his time, both in running the bases and as a defensive player. In addition, Mantle was known for his defensive ability. He was an outfielder for most of his career, primarily as a center fielder. He won the 1962 Gold Glove award as the best center fielder in the American League.

During his career with the Yankees, Mantle played in 12 World Series, helping New York win 7 world championships. He set career World Series records for most home runs, runs batted in, extra base hits, runs, walks, and total bases.

Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, and grew up in nearby Commerce, Oklahoma. During Mantle’s playing days, he was labeled the “Commerce Comet” in recognition of his speed. His father wanted the boy to play professional baseball and named him after Mickey Cochrane, a famous major league catcher.

Mantle began his baseball career in 1948 with a semi-professional team in Kansas. In 1949, after he graduated from high school, Mantle was signed by the New York Yankees and played in the minor leagues from 1949 until he joined the Yankees early in the 1951 season at the age of 19. Mantle played in the outfield for New York full-time until his final two seasons, when he was moved to first base. He ended his career with a batting average of .298 and 536 home runs, at that time third on the all-time list of home run hitters.

Mantle suffered from leg injuries during his career, leading many baseball followers to speculate how much more impressive his statistics would have been had he played on healthy legs. Mantle also suffered from alcoholism throughout his adult life, which contributed to the liver cancer that led to his death on Aug. 13, 1995.

Mantle was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1999, he was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

This Week in History: Jenny Lind, Swedish singer, was born in 1820.

2015-10-07T19:41:00-05:00

P.T. Barnum was a great showman who toured the United States with a fabulous circus. His stock in trade was a menagerie of animals including huge elephants, along with unusual-looking people. But Barnum also did a great service to people across America by bringing to them the remarkable talent of Jenny Lind, an operatic soprano known as the Swedish Nightingale.

Johanna Maria Lind was born in Stockholm on Oct. 6, 1820. Her talent was evident early on. According to one story, she was overheard through a window, singing with an exquisite voice to her cat. Lind was enrolled at the Royal Opera School in Stockholm at age 9. She studied dancing, drama, and singing. She first appeared on stage at age 10 and developed her vocal abilities quickly. Lind made her formal operatic debut a few months before her 18th birthday, as Agathe in Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischutz. Lind sang a number of other operatic roles at the Royal Opera in Stockholm with great success for the next several years.

Jenny Lind was known for having a voice with a fabulous upper register (range), and she triumphed in coloratura arias, which require great agility and the ability to produce beautiful sounds on the highest notes. But the somewhat lower tones—her middle register—were showing signs of fatigue by the early 1840’s. She traveled to Paris to study with a new teacher. Returning with an improved technique to Stockholm, she resumed her career and soon began touring in Europe, appearing at various places in Germany, as well as in Vienna, Austria, and London, England. She sang such difficult roles as the title character in Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma, and also in operas by Giacomo Meyerbeer and Gaetano Donizetti, as well as oratorios such as Joseph Haydn’s The Creation. After 1849, Lind gave up her career as an opera singer.

Though Lind was considered a great star in Europe, even singing before Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of the United Kingdom, she was little known in the United States where she had never performed. P.T. Barnum, aware of her overseas popularity, sensed a terrific promotional opportunity. He signed Lind to a lucrative contract for a concert tour of America. Barnum’s advance publicity resulted in a throng of perhaps 30,000 people waiting on the New York dock for her arrival on Sept. 1, 1850. Barnum emphasized Lind’s virtuous character and charitable activities in promoting her, at a time when women in theatrical careers were often considered less than proper ladies.

Lind sang about 30 performances in New York and then toured throughout the United States, as well as in Cuba, to great acclaim. While performing in Washington, D.C., Lind visited with President Millard Fillmore and his wife, Abigail, at the White House at the invitation of the first lady, who had heard her sing.

Romance blossomed on Jenny Lind’s tour of the United States, as she married the pianist who accompanied her. Jenny Lind and Otto Goldschmidt were married in Boston in 1852, then returned to Europe where they raised three children in Germany and England. Jenny Lind-Goldschmidt performed in oratorios and concerts in Europe until her retirement in 1883. In that year, she was appointed the first singing teacher at the Royal College of Music in London. The Swedish Nightingale died in England on Nov. 2, 1887, where she is honored with a marble bust in the Poets’ Corner at Westminster Abbey.

This Week in History: The Normans invaded England in 1066

2015-09-29T14:34:00-05:00

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

1066 is a famous year, particularly in England. 1066, or MLXVI, was a great turning point in English history. It was the end of the rule of the Germanic Anglo-Saxons (who gave us England), and the beginning of the rule of the more complicated lineage of the Normans (who gave us Normandy). How did all this happen in just one year, 1066? First, on January 5, England’s King Edward the Confessor died without an heir. This left the English throne up for grabs between his cousin, William of Normandy, and his brother-in-law, the Saxon Earl of Wessex, Harold Godwineson. Second, in September, after Harold became king, an angry William crossed the English Channel to express his displeasure. The Normans landed in England on September 28. They defeated Harold at the Battle of Hastings about two weeks later.

The Saxon-Norman rivalry began well before Harold and William met at Hastings.

Edward (he became “the Confessor” long after his death) was the son of England’s King Ethelred II and Emma, the daughter of the Duke of Normandy. After Ethelred’s death in 1016, the Danes took control of England, and Edward’s family was forced into exile in Normandy. Edward lived in Normandy until 1041, when he returned to England. After he took the throne in 1042, Edward relied on his trusted Norman advisers. Godwine, the powerful Earl of Wessex, did not appreciate the Norman influence, and tried to dominate Edward’s reign. Edward married Godwine’s daughter Edith in 1045, but it didn’t stop the bad blood. Edward and Godwine feuded up until Godwine’s death in 1053. However, Harold, Godwine’s son and Edward’s brother-in-law, did much for King Edward. In particular, he dealt with the troublesome Welsh and Northumbrians, securing England’s western and northern borders. After Edward’s death in January 1066, Harold—claiming to be Edward??s named successor—became king of England.

Across the English Channel, however, William, Duke of Normandy, was stewing. He claimed that Edward, his cousin, had already promised him the English throne. As William enlisted knights from Normandy and northern France, Harold prepared to defend England’s southern coast against an attack. But, to complicate things for Harold, the king of Norway suddenly invaded northern England. Harold shifted his troops north, where they defeated the invading Norwegians near York.

During Harold’s absence from the southern coast of England, William landed his army without opposition on September 28. Harold hastened south with his weary forces and gathered such militiamen as he could along the way. He met William’s invading troops at the hill of Senlac, near the town of Hastings, on October 14. The details of the daylong battle are unclear. But historians think Harold’s men held the top of the hill. Then the Normans pretended to retreat in disorder, causing the English militia on the flanks to rush down the hill in pursuit. The Norman knights split the English formation, cutting the separate elements of the enemy army to pieces. Harold was killed, probably by a Norman arrow.

On Christmas Day, 1066, William was crowned king of England. Not everyone in England thought William so kingly, however. It took him five more years to complete his conquest of England. After that, William—now “the Conqueror”—ruled England, somewhat peacefully, until his death on Sept. 9, 1087.