Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Seasons of the Year

Summer

Summer is the warmest time of year because the top part of the Earth is facing the Sun. The longest days of the year occur during the summer months. June is the time of the summer solstice, the longest day of the calendar year. The time of the solstice is determined by the location of the Sun which is directly over the Tropic of Cancer on that longest day.  

Autumn
This is one of the two in-between seasons. During summer, the North Pole is leaning towards the Sun and the South Pole leans towards the Sun in winter. In Autumn, the Sun is directly over the Equator during September. Autumn events include leaves falling from trees, shorter days than summer, and harvesting summer crops. 

Winter
This is the season where the Earth is tilted way from the Sun and the South Pole is getting all of the light. In December, the Earth hits its next marker when the winter solstice occurs. That shortest day of the year happens when the Sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at noon. From that point, everything starts to change again. Winter events include colder temperatures, snow and winter storms, the shortest days of the year, and the hibernation of some animals. 

Spring
Spring is a time for rebirth and emerging from the short and cold days of winter. March is the time of the vernal equinox that signals the official start of spring. As far as the position of the planet, it is a bit of a mirror image to its position in autumn. The Sun is directly over the Equator. Spring events include blooms of wildflowers, new leaves on trees, warmer days that winter, and wetter weather. 


Activities:


Saturday, March 12, 2016

Christopher Columbus' Life & Discoveries

Two different visions about Columbus' life and facts:
This first one is a clear way to understand the explorer and his discovery.


The second one is a classic cartoon with a musical approaching to a Columbus' discover of America.



Thursday, March 03, 2016

Dafoe's Robinson Crusoe


The first English novel?
Robinson Crusoe is a novel by Daniel Defoe, published in 1719. It is a fictional story about a man who spends 28 years on a remote tropical island after his ship sinks. Many people think that Robinson Crusoe is the first novel in English. There are many film versions of the book.

Daniel Defoe (c1659-1731)
Defoe was an English writer and journalist. He wrote hundreds of books on different topics, including politics, crime and psychology. He is famous for Robinson Crusoe and for making novels popular in Britain.

Dafoe’s inspiration
Alexander Selkirk was Scottish sailor who lived on an island near Chile four years. After his rescue, his story was in British newspapers. Defoe probably got the idea for his story after Reading about Selkirk.

Exploration and discovery
In the 18th century, Europeans travelled all over the world exploring its oceans and continents. They began to produce much more accurate maps and this helped to increase trade. Their expeditions helped to expand scientific knowledge in areas such as geography, astronomy, anthropology and mathematics.



More information on Defoe and Robinson Crusoe: