Christmas

Written by:
Ana Maria Rincon
6b

Christmas!!!









History:


In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.


The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.


After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.



It wasn’t until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s peaked American interest in the holiday?




The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.



In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status.

Christmas food for Santa:

• Cookies or biscuits with a glass of lemonade or milk.
• Leave a hot jug of cocoa with a sifter of chocolate and cinnamon, and a bowl of punch in case Santa feels like something stronger.
• Chocolates! Yum! Yum!
• For the reindeer, leave a bundle of sweet meadow hay, a bunch of reindeer moss and a crisp red apple.

Thanksgiving

Written by:

Ana Maria Rincon

6b


Thanksgiving Day!!!



History:

Thanksgiving day is a harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Traditionally, it is a time to give thanks to God for the harvest and express gratitude to others for our many blessings. While historically religious in origin, Thanksgiving is now primarily identified as a holiday.



Food:

In thanksgiving day they eat turkey mashed potatoes & gravy, pumpkin pie, seasoned vegetables, cranberry sauce and ham.



Cultural Traditions:

Thanksgiving is most commonly celebrated at home, with family and friends. This is one of the things I like best about Thanksgiving—I get to share wonderful traditions and relaxed times with my family.
These Thanksgiving Traditions and Trivia include common traditions and little know trivia about the Thanksgiving Day holiday. They are presented to enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of Thanksgiving. Consider sharing these ideas, stories and trivia with your friends and family on Thanksgiving Day.

Timeline of Thanksgiving in America:

• 1541 - Spanish explorer, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, led a thanksgiving Communion celebration at the Palo Duro Canyon, West Texas.

• 1565 - Pedro Menendez de Aviles and 800 settlers gathered for a meal with the Timucuan Indians in the Spanish colony of St. Augustine, Florida.

• 1621 - Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated a harvest feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

• 1630 - Settlers observed the first Thanksgiving of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in New England on July 8, 1630.

• 1777 - George Washington and his army on the way to Valley Forge, stopped in blistering weather in open fields to observe the first Thanksgiving of the new United States of America.

• 1789 - President Washington declared November 26, 1789, as a national day of "thanksgiving and prayer."

• 1800s - The annual presidential thanksgiving proclamations ceased for 45 years in the early 1800s.

• 1863 - President Abraham Lincoln resumed the tradition of Thanksgiving proclamations in 1863. Since this date, Thanksgiving has been observed annually in the United States.

• 1941 - President Roosevelt established the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

Giving Thanks:

Naturally, one of the most common traditions of Thanksgiving Day celebrations is the giving of thanks. Here are a few Thanksgiving Day prayers, poems and Bible verses to help you give thanks on Thanksgiving Day:

• Thanksgiving Day Prayers

• Bible Verses for Thanksgiving

• Share Your Favorite Thanksgiving Verse

• Poem - Pause and Give Thanks

Thanksgiving Parades:

In Midtown Manhattan, New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held annually every Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving parades are also held in cities like Houston, Philadelphia and Detroit.

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Official Site

• America's Thanksgiving Parade Official Site

Cool School

Written by:
Ana Maria Rincon
Daniela Montoya
Liz Miranda
6B

Index:

The name of the school
The slogan
The flag
The values
The subjects
The location
The uniform
The pet

Cool School:

We choosed this name because we will like to have the best school ever. Also we choosed it because in that school all the things were very cool.

The Slogan:

The slogan of our school is :
“If you want to have some fun go to Cool School”

The Flag:

We choosed that flag because the school is in the sky and also all the days we see beautiful stars.
The flag is blue with a yellow star in the middle.

The Values:

We can’t say bad words.
We can’t hit somebody .
We always have to be happy.

The Subjects are:

Arts
Biology
Physical Education
English
Technology
Computers

The Location:

5 miles to the stars .
To go to the school you have to climb up a giant stairs to arrive at the cool school.

The Uniform:

The uniform is blue, yellow and it has a star.
That is the cloth for that excelent school.

The Pet:

The pet of the school is a dog named doggy.

4 of July

4 of July

Ana Maria Rincon

Daniela Montoya
Liz Miranda
6b

Index:

•Location of U.S.A
•History of 4 of July.
•Fireworks.
•Parades.
•Barbecue
•Carnivals.
•Costumes.
•Tipical food.
•Cultural traditions.
•Some of the events.

Location of U.S.A:

Bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the United States of America occupies a territory of 9,522,0572 square km primarily in the mid latitude region of the North American continental landmass. The non-contiguous territory comprising the state of Alaska is located in the extreme northwestern part of the continent and is separated from the 48 contiguous states by Canada. The Hawaii islands in the mid-Pacific form the 50th state of the United States.

History of USA:

•In the United States, Independence Day, Commonly known as the fourth of July, is a federal Holiday commemorating the adoption of the declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring Independence from the Kingdom of great britain.
•Independence Day is Commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national Day of the united states.

Fireworks:

A firework is a low explosive pyrotechnic device used primarily for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices.

Parades:

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons.

Barbecue:

Barbecue is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, with the heat and hot gases of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of charcoal or a propane gas grill, and may include application of a marinade, spice rub, or basting sauce to the meat.

Carnivals:

A traveling carnival is an amusement show that may be made up of amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, thrill acts, animal acts or sideshow curiosities. A traveling carnival is not set up at a permanent location, like an amusement park, and is moved from place to place.

Costumes:

The costumes of 4 of July, the Independence Day is that all people were t-shirt and pants of color (White, blue and red).

Tipical food:

America's Independence Day is a traditional red, white and blue celebration which usually includes foods with an outdoor flavor followed by bright fireworks at night. In honor of this Holiday, try fourth of July recipes with a red, white and blue color scheme to add to the festive theme.

Cultural traditions:

•Fourth of July is the American Independence Day and celebrates the spirit of Patriotism and Freedom.
•The Day has forever been associated with favorite customs like fireworks, parades, barbecues, beer, picnics, baseball, outdoor parties, public and private events honoring the nation etc. Being a summer Holiday, most events and entertaining takes place outdoors.

Charles Dickens Biography

Written by:
Ana Maria Rincon
6B
The World Book Encyclopedia D
Pages:153-157

Charles Dickens


Index:
Personal information.
Family information.
Works.
His death.
Nicholas Nickelby.

Personal Information:
Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 at a house in the Mile End Terrace, Commercial Road, Landport [Portsea] England – a house which was opened as a Dickens museum on 22nd July 2904.
He was the second of eigth children.
When he was 2 years he moved to London.
He was a newspaper reporter in London at 16 years.
He got divorce when he had 46 years.

Family Information:
His father Jhon Dickens a clerk in the nany- pay office, was howeven only too ansious to be a gentleman. Jhon Dickens was thrown into Debtors Prison, and released a few months later under the insolvency. It was a feud between Jhon Dickens and the factory and back in the school.
His mother was of middle class origin. Both of his parental grandparents were domestic servants. They had 7 childrens plus a son who died in infancy.

Works:
The Pickwick Papers [1836-1837]
The Adventures of Oliver Twist [1837-1839]
Nicholas Nickelby [1838-1839]
A Christmas Carol [1843]
The Battle of Life [1846]
David Copperfield [1849-1850]
Little Dorrit [1855-1857]
A Tale of Two Cities [1859]

His Death:
Charles Dickens died on June 9, 1870 when he had 58 years. He died in Gads Hill Place, Highman, Kent in England.

Nicholas Nickelby:
Author: Charles Dickens
The story of Nicholas Nickelby is of a poor boy named
Nicholas. He needs money to support his family
because his father died and he had many debts to pay
to Mr.Ralph Nickelby his rich uncle. When Mr.Ralph
knew that his brother died he decided to help his nephew with a
job. Nicholas went to Dotheboys Hall. A terrible place were kids
were bad treated. Fanny the daughter of Squeers the bad
teacher was in love with Nicholas but he was not in love. He
could escape of there with Smike his new friend. They went to
London. Mr.Ralph read in a letter that he stold a valuable ring
but that was not true but Mr.Ralph did not believe him so
Nicholas had to go away.