Move over Three Gorges Dam. The title of world's largest dam will be going to another dam which when completed will provide China with three times more energy! Begun in 2025, China is planning on a new and bigger dam to be built in Tibet. Actually, it will be five dams! As with the building of the Three Gorges, there is concern about destruction of habitats and eroding of riverbeds. Another concern is the dam is on a geologic fault line. Could the huge dam trigger earthquakes? Additionally, the river(Yarlung Tsangpo) in Tibet, continues to flow into both Bangladesh and India(where it is called the Brahmaputra River). These countries are very concerned about how this huge dam will affect the water flow into their countries. Concern is that the dam will stop the water from flowing into their countries! The Motuo Hydropower Station is expected to be completed in 2033.

Photograph from MSN

A complete handprint was found on a clay object that is estimated to be 4000 years old! The very rare handprint, of an ancient Egyptian craftsmen, was found on a soul house. A soul house was a piece of pottery where it was believed a deceased soul could live. Food, such as bread, could be left in the area that was open.A complete handprint was found on a clay object that is estimated to be 4000 years old! The very rare handprint, of an ancient Egyptian craftsmen, was found on a soul house. A soul house was a piece of pottery where it was believed a deceased soul could live. Food, such as bread, could be left in the area that was open.

Scientists, in Australia, have noticed that some dolphins, in Shark Bay, have been sporting sponges on their snouts! Dolphin, who are very intelligent, seem to use the sponges as a "tool" to protect their sensitive noses while moving sand around on rocky seabed in search of food! The behavior has been called "sponging".

Photograph from BBC(Newsround)

A piece of rock has just sold for an amazing 5.3 million dollars. It isn't just any old rock but a very rare rock from the planet Mars! Called NWA 16788, the rock, a meteorite, was discovered in the country of Niger back in 2023. The auction house, Sotheby's ,who auctioned the Mars rock said it weighed 54 pounds and was about 15 inches in length. A meteorite is a chuck of rock from rocks in space that come through the Earth's atmosphere. The buyer of the Mars rock is not known. Interesting, there have only been an estimated 400 Mars rocks that have been discovered on our planet! With 70% of Earth being water, most meteorites do not land on land!

Photograph from CNN

The Bayeux Tapestry, actually an embroidery, was made more than 900 years ago, depicts the famous 1066 Battle of Hastings. For the first time, in the fall of 2026, the tapestry will be on display at the British Museum in London, England, due to an agreement between the countries of France and Great Britain. The French are loaning the tapestry as a gift to honor the upcoming 1000 birthday of William the Conqueror. Artifacts will be loaned to France in the exchange. Made up of six pieces of bleached linen, the tapestry is about 230 ft. long and includes 626 humans(of which 4 are women), 202 horses, 41 ships, 33 buildings, 49 trees and 55 dogs! The tapestry gives a wealth of information on the period of time including the types of ships used, the clothing worn, architecture, hair styles and lots more. Halley's Comet is also woven into the embroidery as it was in the sky during the battle. The tapestry was almost destroyed when it was used to cover military wagons in the French Revolution(1792). Later, it was almost cut up to decorate a float! Realizing the historical importance of the Bayeux Tapestry, it was eventually placed in a safe place during World War 1 and World War 2. Today, tapestry is hanging in the Musee de la Patisserie de Bayeux, in Bayeux, Normandy, in the country of France. While the tapestry is in Great Britain, the French museum will go through a renovation.

Photograph from Bayeux Museum. Check out this reading for kids on the Bayeux Tapestry.Bayeux Tapestry, A Reading

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Mrs. Waffenschmidt

Special thanks to EducationWorld for letting me use this image of my "alter ego" as Mrs. "Waffenschmidt!

About Gail:

I retired from teaching after 33 1/2 years in the classroom. Of that time, I taught Grade 6 Social Studies teacher for 31 1/2 years.I earned my BA in early secondary education with a concentration in social studies from SUNY Oneonta, New York, and my MST in social studies education from Binghamton University in New York. In 1988, I was awarded the Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Classroom Teacher of the Year Award from the New York State Council for the Social Studies. Additionally, in 1988, I was also awarded the Outstanding Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year Award by the National Council for the Social Studies. I am the author of 8 books for teachers and over 35 books for children(Purple Turtle Series by Aadarsh Publishing and Odd History Series by Red Chair Press).

My work has appeared in most children's publications including:
Highlights for Children,News-O-Matic,Appleseed,,Scholastic's Super Science,,Scholastic's Science World,Jack and Jill,National Geographic World, Ranger Rick, Cobblestone, Faces, Muse Magazine,Contact Kids, US Kids,Action Magazine(Scholastic),Girls' Life,Boys' Life,American Girl, Instructor,Creative Classroom,Middle Years,Time for Kids,Scholastic News,Scholastic News Zone, Time for Kids , Ask Magazine, Dig,Calliope, Cobblestone, FACES, Studies Weekly, Glo Adventurer, and more.






Mail Gail:
Gail Hennessey

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