Kidz Klub Connection 21
Hello Kidz Klub!
Happy Monday! Welcome to week 5 of our Kidz Klub Connection fun, virtual learning! I hope you all enjoy your spring vacation week outdoors as much as possible, as well as enjoying all the fun activities your Club staff are posting daily on our website.
Your Kidz Klub teachers miss you just as much as I do! We have some fun surprises in store for you, so stay tuned daily to our Kidz Klub Connection blog to find out what they are!
For this week’s theme, I’m continuing Which Way U.S.A. !! You will get to discover 5 new states this week, learning about things such as: state bird, state flower, nickname, agriculture and industry, and other interesting facts.
How did I choose the states that you will be discovering? I decided to stay close to home. Therefore, we will be travelling to our Northeast neighbors: Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.
Let’s pack our virtual bags. Today we’re headed to Maine. So, off we go on another adventure to the beautiful, coastal state of Maine
!
Be Safe. Be healthy. Enjoy!
Take good care.
Miss Charisse
Let's Learn About Maine (ME)
History:
Did you know …In 1652 southwestern Maine became part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. But many Maine settlers wanted to have their own state. On March 15, 1820 Maine separated from Massachusetts, becoming the 23rd state in the union. Early civilizations include the Red Paint People and the Susquehanna. A number of Native American tribes lived in the area. These tribes spoke the Algonquian language and included the Micmac, the Abenaki, the Penobscot, and the Maliseet peoples. The first European to visit the area may have been Viking explorer Leif Erikson. Some historians believe he landed on or near the coast of Maine around 1000 AD. However, there is little evidence left to confirm this. The first recorded European arrival was Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524. LEARN MORE: HERE, HERE, & HERE.
Agriculture and Industry:
Did you know …Maine's textile and leather industries enjoyed a dramatic upward surge following the Civil War, while farming activity correspondingly decreased. Responding to Thomas Edison's discoveries in the 1890s, Maine began utilizing its vast river resources for the development of hydroelectric power. Plants for the production of electricity were built principally on the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscot and Saco Rivers. Maine's industrial growth continued, although at a much slower pace, into the 20th century. Expansion of the pulp and paper industry offset the loss of textile mills to the South. Large potato-growing, dairy and poultry farms replaced the decreasing number of small family farms.
Today, about 90 percent of Maine is covered in forests, so it’s no wonder that trees are among Maine’s most important natural resources. Some trees are used for their wood and others for their maple syrup. The state also mines semi-precious stones including some of the world’s best tourmaline crystals. Maine produces a lot of gravel and limestone as well. LEARN MORE: HERE & HERE.
State Bird and State Flower
Did you know … The official State Bird of Maine is Nene the Black – Capped Chickadee. Maine designated the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) as the official state bird in 1927. A minuscule, cheerfully sociable bird, the energetic black-capped chickadee does not migrate - we can enjoy them all year long! LEARN MORE.
The official State Flower of Maine is the White Pinecone and Tassle. Maine designated the white pine cone and tassel (Pinus strobus, linnaeus) as the official state floral emblem in 1895. The white pine is considered the largest conifer in the northeastern United States. LEARN MORE.
Portland, ME
Did you know …The capital of Maine was originally Portland, but then changed to Augusta. However, its largest city is Portland. Native Americans originally called the Portland peninsula Machigonne ("Great Neck"). Portland, Maine was named for the English Isle of Portland. LEARN MORE.
Fun Facts
Did you know … Maine is also known as the Pine Tree state. The reason why Maine is referred to as the “Pine Tree State” is because it is a direct reference to the abundant pine forests located in the state. Maine in general is largely covered by an extensive growth of forest. Approximately 90 percent of the state is covered by various trees including birch, spruce and fir.
Some famous people from Maine include: Arts & Literature … Stephen King, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, E.B. White; Sports Figures …Bode Miller, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Robert Stanley; Entertainers …Patrick Dempsey, John Ford, David E. Kelley, and Anna Kendrick.
LEARN MORE: HERE, HERE, & HERE.
Did you know that Eastern white pine has been an important tree for the people of what is now the State of Maine for hundreds, if not thousands, of years?
Here are some tree jokes to make you giggle:
Q: Why was the pine tree in trouble?
A: It was knotty.
Q: Why are dogwood trees such wonderful pets?
A: They have a great bark, but wooden bite.
Q: Why were so many people sitting under the tree?
A: It was poplar.
Q: How do two rival forests get along?
A: They sign a peace tree-ty
Q: What looks like half a tree?
A: The other half.
Q: Which tree grows chicken?
A: Poultree.
Q: What did the tree say after he made an offer?
A: Take it or leaf it.
Q: How do trees get online?
A: They log in.
Q: What type of tree fits in one hand?
A: A palm tree.
Here are some Tree themed YouTube read aloud in honor of the state of Maine …
by Kyo Maclear
by Christine Matheson
by Zoe Hall
Spam Musubi
Maine’s cuisine is characterized by extensive use of seafood and dairy products, which results from its historical reliance on its seaports and fishing industry, as well as extensive dairy farming in inland regions. Although Maine is known for its lobster, did you know that Northern Maine produces potato crops, second only to Idaho in the United States!
HERE is a video that shows you 6 Delicious Potato recipes that are easy to follow and easy to make
