It's More than Just a Game

This evening marks the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. Athletes from countries far and wide will walk with their team and country flags with enormous pride as they compete for honors that not only recognize their personal achievement but their country as well. This freebie is all about these games which are far more than "just a game."

Title: Olympics Through Time
Description: Presents an overview of the Olympics and traces the history of these games.
Suggested Grade: 5-12
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Foundation of the Helennic World
http://www.fhw.gr/olympics/ancient/

Show Me the Money

On this day in history, the first paper money in America was issued by the colony of Massachusetts. Today's freebie is all about that commodity--money--whether it's paper or coin.

Title: The Money Story
Description: Media kit to help intermediate grade children learn what money is, how it's made, spent, saved and collected.
Availability: Schools, libraries, homeschoolers, and nursing homes in the continental United States.
Suggested Grade: 5-8
Order Number: 63
Format: VHS videotape or DVD, includes a teacher's guide.
Running Time: 33 minutes
Terms: ORDER VIA WEB SITE. Borrower pays return postage. Return the day after scheduled use via Parcel Post, library rate. Book at least 2 weeks before preferred show date, and include alternate date. Requests should include title and requester's name, address, and daytime phone number. Also state number of viewers.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
http://www.stls.frb.org/education/video_library.html

What Time Is It, Anyway?

One year ago I was standing in a cold rain at a bus stop in Galway, Ireland. I waited, and waited, and waited--that was when I first learned that Daylight Saving Time is not unique to the United States--the bus showed up one hour later! This freebie will help you learn about the history of daylight saving (or as some may say, daylight shifting), the standardization of time, and when regions around the globe spring ahead and fall back.

Title: Daylight Saving Time
Description: Information about the history of Daylight Saving Time. Also presents some incidents and anecdotes about the time change that are more interesting (and maybe less embarrassing) than mine.
Suggested Grade: 4-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/index.html

Who Wants to Be Famous for a Fire?

On the evening of October 8, 1871 the worst recorded forest fire in North American history raged through Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of dollars worth of property and timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives. As a student in Wisconsin we learned all about this tragic fire. Have you heard of it? Perhaps not as the Chicago Fire, allegedly started by Mrs. O'Leary's cow, happened the same night. Perhaps it's the interesting story about the start of THAT famous fire, but the tragic events in Peshtigo, which took a much higher toll on lives and resources, were eclipsed by the "Great Chicago Fire." This freebie will let you all about that lesser known fire.

Title: The Great Peshtigo Fire of 1871
Description: The most comprehensive source on the web for information about this fire.
Suggested Grade: 6-Adult
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: Deana C. Hipke
http://www.peshtigofire.info/

Atom Bomb Tested

The events that took place in a remote area of New Mexico during the predawn hours of July 16, 1945 forever changed the world. That was the first test of the Atom Bomb. This freebie offers biographies, documents, treaties, photos and more for an in-depth study of the ethical and historical implications for the dropping of the atomic bomb.

Title: Atomic Archive
Description: Explores the complex history surrounding the invention of the atomic bomb - a crucial turning point for all mankind.
Suggested Grade: 6-12
Format: Web Site
Availability: Available to all requesters
Source: AJ Software & Multimedia
http://www.atomicarchive.com

Amelia Earhart

I'm a firm believer that women can do anything they put their mind to. In that spirit, we celebrate the accomplishments of Amelia Earthart who embarked on the first trans-Atlantic flight by a woman 71 years ago today. This freebie tells all about the life of this female pioneer.
Title: Amelia Earhart FAQ
Description: A complete biography of Amelia Earhart.
Suggested Grade: All ages
Format: Web Site
Availability: All requesters
Source: Naval Historical Center
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq3-1.htm